Project Overview

In 2024, Hello, Quebec's leading driver of local economic growth through purchase incentive campaigns, expanded into the scalable gift card market. To facilitate this strategic pivot, I led a multidisciplinary team in reimagining the Hello brand and enhancing audience engagement, beginning with a complete redesign of our flagship e-commerce platform.

The Context

Hello has been a catalyst for local economic growth since 2018, powering a wave of successful purchase incentive campaigns. Our solutions focus on rewarding customer spending through bonus offers and rewards. While we became a leader in this niche market in Quebec, our reach was ultimately constrained by the project-based nature of the work and limited marketing budgets.

In 2024, we shifted our focus to the significant scaling opportunity presented by the Canadian gift card market. This market consists of gift cards purchased at face value by consumers and businesses, without any required incentives. Capitalizing on this opportunity requires a strategic repositioning of Hello for both consumers and businesses.

The Problem

Initially, Hello created dedicated e-spaces for each client’s promotional campaign, focusing on directing customers to these specific pages and keeping them engaged until they made a purchase or left. As a result, a traditional homepage was never a priority; functionality took precedence over aesthetics.

However, with Hello repositioning itself as a one-stop shop for browsing and purchasing gift cards, a refreshed homepage became essential to attract customers, enhance engagement, and drive sales.

The Solution: From Static Campaigns to a Discovery Ecosystem

I designed a centralized e-commerce architecture that shifted Hello from a campaign-specific "e-space" model to a holistic, one-stop-shop destination. The new flagship platform replaces functional isolation with a sophisticated discovery experience, centred around the core value proposition: “Find the right gift card for the right person and the right occasion.”

Research Goals

The primary objective of our research was to analyze user behaviour related to gift card purchases and identify potential opportunities. Specific research goals included:

• Identifying local market trends

• Understanding user behaviour and attitudes

• Determining the motivations and purchase triggers (why and when)

• Pinpointing user frustrations

• Mapping the user's decision-making process

Research Methodology & Synthesis

To ensure the redesign was grounded in high-fidelity data, I executed a multi-phased research strategy:

• Internal Validation: I conducted a pilot survey with Hello employees to audit consumer gift card habits. This allowed us to stress-test our assumptions and refine the questionnaire for maximum data relevance before deploying it to the broader Hello membership base.

• Data Synthesis: I integrated primary survey findings with secondary market research, categorizing the data into four strategic pillars: Industry Trends, Consumer Preferences, Behaviours, and Pain Points.

• Insight Extraction: This synthesis revealed critical gaps, specifically "Decision Paralysis" regarding card selection, which led to user friction and abandoned gift cards.

• From Insights to Infrastructure: I translated these findings into targeted User Stories for both consumer and corporate segments. By analyzing these stories, I extracted goal-based tasks, which served as the foundation for the platform's core functional requirements.

Strategic Prioritization

I utilized the Kano Model to categorize functionalities, ensuring that we first solidified "Must-Be" requirements for a viable e-commerce experience before investing in "Delighters" that drive long-term loyalty.

• Core Transactional Pillars (Must-Be):

  • Secure Payment Integration: Seamless credit card processing and "Add to Cart" functionality.

  • Unified Checkout: Streamlined flows for both individual purchases and bulk corporate orders.

• Discovery & Navigation (Performance):

  • Advanced Slicing & Dicing: Intuitive filtering by category, merchant, and price point to eliminate decision paralysis.

  • High-Intent Search: Keyword-driven search functionality to surface specific gift ideas and merchant details instantly.

  • Value Proposition Clarity: Integrated touchpoints to educate users on the unique advantages of the Hello-powered ecosystem.

• Emotional Engagement (Delighters):

  • Personalization Suite: Custom messaging capabilities to drive emotional engagement.

  • Curated Gift Discovery: Guided browsing experiences that help users learn more about merchant offerings before selection.

Design Iterations

I had the opportunity to partner with a talented contract UI designer on this project. Together, we iterated on the website's landing and checkout pages, aiming to create a seamless shopping experience.

Final Design

Reflection & Takeaways

While shifting business priorities led to the postponement of the platform’s launch, the project served as a vital exercise in scaling a legacy brand for a modern, digital-first market. Leading this redesign allowed me to refine my ability to translate complex consumer research into a high-conversion e-commerce architecture.

This experience reinforced three core professional pillars:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using the Kano Model to navigate the tension between "Must-Be" transactional features and "Delighting" personalization tools.

• B2B2C Design Systems: Creating a unified visual language that serves both the individual "last-minute" gifter and the high-volume corporate administrator.

• Adaptability: Maintaining design integrity and strategic momentum within a fast-paced, evolving corporate landscape.

Acknowledgments

This project was made possible by the collaborative efforts of Daniel Arsenault, UI Designer, and the invaluable technical and market insights provided by the Hello product, marketing, and development teams. Their partnership was instrumental in turning raw research into a cohesive, functional vision.