Sunny Bun House
Chinese Bakery Mobile App that aims to make businesses more accessible and drive new customers.
<self-initiated> <product design>
Role
Product Designer
Duration
1 month
Skills
Concept UI/UX
Table of Contents
Onboarding screen with original illustrations and logo design
Overview
A growing mainstream interest in multicultural experiences presents an opportunity for Chinese bakeries to attract new people with its historied cultures and traditions. While large chains like 85C exist, these bakeries tend to be mom and pop shops, established by families who emigrated to the United States, there tends to be a language barrier and a cultural unfamiliarity that makes these local stores inaccessible to the general American public.
Sunny Bun House is an app that aims to make these businesses more accessible and drive new customers. It helps young adults who not only want to expand their tastes through Chinese baked goods, but also teach and reconnect users with new or old cultural roots as well as provide cheaper alternatives to breakfast foods and coffee.
Sunny Bun House's color palette
The Problem
Chinese bakeries today are not strong competitors to businesses that offer breakfast in the coffee/cafe realm due to an accessibility problem and a discovery problem.
Names of items or ingredients of products might not be readily available or might not even be listed in English. As well as the fact that English might not be spoken by the employees working at these businesses.
In comparison to major corporations such as Starbucks and Dunkin’, Chinese bakeries tend to be locally owned, small businesses, thus, they don’t have the amenities that large corporations have such as an app, delivery options and in-store kiosks. The pick-up process at Starbucks is supported through the hardware that they own, such as a ticket printer, computer, internet and training for people who know how to read tickets.
Chinese bakeries are not very as easily found at every corner unlike Starbucks, so in order to locate these stores, users will need guidance to find them and a way to purchase items from them. And even after discovering the locations of these stores, customers might have difficulty determining what the products being sold are and understanding the ordering and check-out processes.
Chinese bakeries run leaner, offer a wider variety of breakfast foods with long shelf life and can provide a much lower price point than Starbucks, but it’s very inaccessible due to the language barrier and many do not know what products are being sold. With these products being sold at a lower price, they have the ability to become a competitor to Starbucks. The trends of multicultural experiences can attract a demographic that has never been to a Chinese bakery before or a demographic that sees these locations as novelty visits and fixing the accessibility and discoverability problem for these people can convert them into more frequent recurring customers.
This is where an app made specifically to guide a newer generation into these stores could come into play, bringing possible repeat customers who are interested in multicultural trends. Not only would an app be cost-efficient for these businesses, but also contain valuable information for customers for accessibility, discoverability, education and instructions to complete a transaction.
User Features
Some key features include an educative how-to guide for making purchases, historical descriptions of individual items, help users conserve time and energy when re-ordering, convenience in speeding up the ordering process and delivery options.
User Research
As the target demographic of this app are mainly young adults, I wanted to simplify many of the processes, whilst also gathering enough information about the user to cater the app towards their needs.
Persona
Chris
A person of Asian descent who wants to get in touch with their Asian roots. Aged 24-35, raised in a neighborhood without access to other cuisines and they came across Chinese bakeries as a concept and wants to be a customer and learn about different food options.
Could be a repeat customer- has high motivation, medium price sensitivity. Of average income and happy to pay for Dunkin’ or Starbucks but not Lady M prices. Low time sensitivity, wouldn't mind waiting a long period of time.
Persona
Britney
Foodie who wants to explore different food options. Always down to look for something new to try. In her 30s, busy work schedule, but always wants to fit in different food options and that's what makes her happy.
Not price sensitive. Works at a bank as an operations person, makes 120k a year. Very short breaks and wants to grab and go. just for fun kinda thing, current motivation is medium. Time spent is an important thing for Britney.
Persona
Sasha
College student who wants to save money, therefore is price sensitive.
Low motivation and medium time sensitivity. Also pretty time sensitive because they have to head to class.
The Process
Lo-fi wireframes of Sunny Bun House
The Solution
Carousel of in-app screens for the sign-up process
Breakdown of the choices made for the in-app sign-up process
Screens for the order and pickup in store function
Breakdown of the choices made for the order and pickup in store function
Carousel for the order for delivery screens
Why?
As a Chinese-American, I would often visit my local Chinese Bakery as a child, my mom purchasing the baked goods and pastries as breakfast for the week so that our family would save time in the mornings before school and work. Though, I would realize at some point that people who would frequent these establishments weren’t my fellow peers, or young adults. Instead, they were local middle-aged to elderly Asian Immigrants. In creating this app, I wanted to make these Chinese Bakeries accessible for a larger market so that I could help retain this part of my culture for future generations.