Faster & Fairer Item Appraisal for Pawnshops
My Role
Product Designer
(UX Research, UI & Interaction Design, Testing, Handoff)
The team
Product owner + Sponsor
(Collaborating with designers)
The task
Modernize the internal pricing and loan recommendation tool to enhance usability, accuracy, and efficiency.
Context
Pawnshops have become essential financial resources for Mexico’s lower and middle classes. To support this need, Ataskate’s core tool is an item appraisal and loan pricing, helping staff make fast, accurate decisions.
The challenges
Let’s journey through their challenges
😮💨 Inconsistent customer experience
Currently, valuations are slow and inconsistent, relying on each employee’s subjective judgment and manual checks of external websites. Appraisals are slow and inconsistent—every cashier does it differently.
📉 Potential profit loss
The pawn shop operates in a high-volume, time-sensitive retail environment. Cashiers handle diverse items – e.g. electronics, jewelry, and regional goods like traditional dresses – and must appraise them while customers wait.
Research & Discovery
-
🗣️ Methods used
✓ Conducted user interviews with 5 cashiers who currently work at the company and had previous experience working with competitors.
✓ Narrate daily operations, especially appraisal sessions.
-
🔍 Learned
→ Pricing was guesswork/based on memory.
→ Jewelry was appraised manually.
→ Loan offers changed based on trust.
→ Regional/niche items were hard to price.
Iteration & Testing
-
🧑💻 Design Proposal
✓ Designed a desktop interface that streamlines appraisals with a searchable history, automated loan recommendations based on and resale value.
✓ Tested an early version with original cashiers → Asked them to complete a full appraisal flow
-
💎 Usability Insights
→ "+" button confused users; chips felt editable
→ Missing inputs (e.g. unlock status, RAM, screen cracks).
→ No access to client history.
→ Expected to click prices; misunderstood "View history"
The Solutions
Let’s journey through design improvements
I redesigned the appraisal tool to provide faster, data-informed price estimates and loan recommendations, enabling cashiers to close deals more efficiently and fairly in high-pressure retail environments.
Key improvements based on usability testing included:
🧭 Streamlined condition selection
Replaced a rigid step-by-step flow with a scrollable selector, reducing clicks and decision fatigue.
🔍 Improved accuracy
Added a dedicated input for screen condition, a frequent variable in pricing electronics.
🌗 Enhanced accessibility
Increased contrast for all inputs to support readability in various lighting conditions.
⚡ Dynamic valuations
Replaced the static valuation table with context-aware suggestions based on item attributes.
🧹 Progressive disclosure
Collapsed non-essential fields into a "More Info" toggle, minimizing visual clutter and cognitive load.
Handoff & Next Steps
I worked with the product owner to create an 📑 Effort/Impact Matrix to help prioritize what to build first. Then, I 📤 handed off the final designs in Figma with all components organized and ready for the developers. To support a smooth build, I also included 📋 annotated user flows and clear documentation to explain how everything should work.
Learnings
What did I learn with this project
🎙️ Narrated task interviews
Helped uncover deeper user behaviors and motivations that wouldn’t emerge through passive observation.
✏️ Small UI tweaks
Simple changes like clearer labels led to noticeable improvements in speed and ease of use.
⚖️ Smarter, fairer appraisals
Thoughtful design and data can transform appraisals into a faster and more equitable process for users.
