WEB REDESIGN
WEB REDESIGN
UX CASE STUDY
UX CASE STUDY
CLIENT
CLIENT
Gillian Caplan
Gillian Caplan
Gillian Caplan
Redesigning an independent eyewear brand to improve usability, clarity, and product discovery
Redesigning an independent eyewear brand to improve usability, clarity, and product discovery
PROJECT OVERVIEW
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Reducing purchase friction through clearer product ranges and information hierarchy.
Reducing purchase friction through clearer product ranges and information hierarchy.
Gillian Caplan is an independent eyewear brand offering both Handmade and Ready‑to‑Wear frames, alongside a strong commitment to ethical production through its partnership with Ethical Vision. While the brand had a loyal audience, the existing website created friction from homepage to checkout, making it difficult for users to confidently browse, compare, and purchase frames.
Gillian Caplan is an independent eyewear brand offering both Handmade and Ready‑to‑Wear frames, alongside a strong commitment to ethical production through its partnership with Ethical Vision. While the brand had a loyal audience, the existing website created friction from homepage to checkout, making it difficult for users to confidently browse, compare, and purchase frames.
The Problem: The Gillian Caplan website currently makes it difficult for users to distinguish between Handmade and Ready-to-Wear frames, causing confusion during shopping. Additionally, the connection to the brand’s Ethical Vision charity is not consistently communicated, reducing potential emotional engagement. Product pages also lack key information, such as guidance for face types and clear signposting, making it harder for users to find frames that suit them and increasing decision friction from homepage to checkout.
The Problem: The Gillian Caplan website currently makes it difficult for users to distinguish between Handmade and Ready-to-Wear frames, causing confusion during shopping. Additionally, the connection to the brand’s Ethical Vision charity is not consistently communicated, reducing potential emotional engagement. Product pages also lack key information, such as guidance for face types and clear signposting, making it harder for users to find frames that suit them and increasing decision friction from homepage to checkout.
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
A refined e‑commerce experience that clearly separates Handmade and Ready‑to‑Wear ranges, improves product categorisation and information consistency, and reinforces the brand's ethical story — reducing friction and enabling smoother progression from homepage to checkout.
A refined e‑commerce experience that clearly separates Handmade and Ready‑to‑Wear ranges, improves product categorisation and information consistency, and reinforces the brand's ethical story — reducing friction and enabling smoother progression from homepage to checkout.
Role
Web / Product Designer
Role
Web / Product Designer
Platform
Website
Platform
Website
Project Type
Client
Project Type
Client
Focus
Redesign
Focus
Redesign
PROBLEM
Three friction points from homepage to checkout
Three friction points from homepage to checkout
Unclear product segmentation
Unclear product segmentation
The homepage led with a single craft narrative, positioning the whole brand as hand made. RTW shoppers had no clear entry point and no way to distinguish the two ranges while browsing.
The homepage led with a single craft narrative, positioning the whole brand as hand made. RTW shoppers had no clear entry point and no way to distinguish the two ranges while browsing.
Thin product pages
Thin product pages
Inconsistent/ no measurements, materials, pictures, production information - the single strongest driver of online eyewear purchase confidence.
Inconsistent/ no measurements, materials, pictures, production information - the single strongest driver of online eyewear purchase confidence.
Ethical Vision story buried
Ethical Vision story buried
The 10% donation partnership was inconsistently surfaced and linked to a PayPal form rather than the charity's own site.
The 10% donation partnership was inconsistently surfaced and linked to a PayPal form rather than the charity's own site.
2
2
Ranges with no clear distinction on site
10%
10%
Of every purchase donated to Ethical Vision
1
1
Goal - homepage to checkout, frictionless
UX AUDIT
Eleven violations across four areas of the site
Eleven violations across four areas of the site
The existing site was evaluated against Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics and annotated with findings across the homepage, shop, and product pages. Issues were rated by severity: high (blocks task completion), medium (creates friction or confusion), or low (reduces confidence or polish).
The existing site was evaluated against Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics and annotated with findings across the homepage, shop, and product pages. Issues were rated by severity: high (blocks task completion), medium (creates friction or confusion), or low (reduces confidence or polish).
HOMEPAGE
Hero Section
Hero Section
Consistency
Consistency
Hero implies all frames are Handmade
Hero implies all frames are Handmade
High
The headline "Meticulously crafted eyewear handmade in England" positions the entire brand as premium handmade. RTW shoppers are immediately misdirected — a false mental model established at first contact.
The headline "Meticulously crafted eyewear handmade in England" positions the entire brand as premium handmade. RTW shoppers are immediately misdirected — a false mental model established at first contact.
Visibility
Visibility
Primary CTA is not noticeable
Primary CTA is not noticeable
High
The "FRAMES" button is low contrast and undersized. Users scanning quickly are unlikely to register it as an action.
The "FRAMES" button is low contrast and undersized. Users scanning quickly are unlikely to register it as an action.
Match real world
Match real world
Too much text in the hero section
Too much text in the hero section
Medium
Hero body copy is paragraph length. Users in a browsing mindset will not read this, and the signal-to-noise ratio works against the primary action.
Hero body copy is paragraph length. Users in a browsing mindset will not read this, and the signal-to-noise ratio works against the primary action.
Recognition
Recognition
No brand identification visible on the glasses
No brand identification visible on the glasses
Low
The hero image misses an opportunity to reinforce quality and craft at the most prominent visual moment on the page.
The hero image misses an opportunity to reinforce quality and craft at the most prominent visual moment on the page.
HOMEPAGE
Ethical Vision
Ethical Vision
Error prevention
Error prevention
Charity link directs to a PayPal donation form
Charity link directs to a PayPal donation form
High
The CTA bypasses the Ethical Vision website entirely and drops users into a payment flow. Users who weren't ready to donate are given no alternative path which damages trust.
The CTA bypasses the Ethical Vision website entirely and drops users into a payment flow. Users who weren't ready to donate are given no alternative path which damages trust.
Consistency
Consistency
Section heading structure is inconsistent with the rest of the page.
Section heading structure is inconsistent with the rest of the page.
Low
Reduces the sense of a coherent, intentionally designed experience.
Reduces the sense of a coherent, intentionally designed experience.
SHOP PAGE
Browse and
Filter
Browse and
Filter
Consistency
Consistency
Some products incorrectly tagged.
Some products incorrectly tagged.
High
For example the Handmade filter did not display all the relevant products while also showing some from the RTW collection. Causing confusion for the users.
For example the Handmade filter did not display all the relevant products while also showing some from the RTW collection. Causing confusion for the users.
Match real world
Match real world
Category labels don't map to user mental models.
Category labels don't map to user mental models.
High
"Collectors vs Handmade vs Limited" reflects internal brand taxonomy rather than how shoppers think about eyewear. "Collectors" and "Limited" are particularly ambiguous and risk being ignored.
"Collectors vs Handmade vs Limited" reflects internal brand taxonomy rather than how shoppers think about eyewear. "Collectors" and "Limited" are particularly ambiguous and risk being ignored.
Flexibility
Flexibility
Colour variants listed as separate products.
Colour variants listed as separate products.
Medium
The same frame appearing multiple times inflates the perceived product count, creates duplicate decision fatigue, and makes the collection harder to mentally organise.
The same frame appearing multiple times inflates the perceived product count, creates duplicate decision fatigue, and makes the collection harder to mentally organise.
PRODUCT PAGE
DJ Teryaki
DJ Teryaki
Help and docs
Help and docs
No measurements, materials, craft or shipping information
No measurements, materials, craft or shipping information
High
The page offers only evocative copy with no structured information. This is the single highest-impact gap on the entire site.
The page offers only evocative copy with no structured information. This is the single highest-impact gap on the entire site.
Consistency
Consistency
No Ethical Vision mention at the point of purchase.
No Ethical Vision mention at the point of purchase.
Medium
The 10% donation story — one of the brand's strongest emotional differentiators — is absent from the product page entirely, missing the most important moment to reinforce it.
The 10% donation story — one of the brand's strongest emotional differentiators — is absent from the product page entirely, missing the most important moment to reinforce it.
USER INSIGHTS
USER INSIGHTS
Expert led research within a constrained budget
Expert led research within a constrained budget
Primary user testing was not feasible within the project budget. Research combined the heuristic evaluation above, an exploratory survey (n=5), and a knowns/unknowns/assumptions framework to surface design risks and prioritise decisions.
Primary user testing was not feasible within the project budget. Research combined the heuristic evaluation above, an exploratory survey (n=5), and a knowns/unknowns/assumptions framework to surface design risks and prioritise decisions.
Knowns
Knowns
Two ranges not clearly signposted
Homepage misleads RTW shoppers
Ethical Vision inconsistently present
Product pages lack key detail
Two ranges not clearly signposted
Homepage misleads RTW shoppers
Ethical Vision inconsistently present
Product pages lack key detail
Unknowns
Unknowns
How users perceive HM vs RTW
Whether ethical story influences purchase intent
Which filters reduce decision paralysis
How users perceive HM vs RTW
Whether ethical story influences purchase intent
Which filters reduce decision paralysis
Assumptions
Assumptions
Clear segmentation increases purchase confidence
Ethical messaging consistently placed builds trust
Better product detail reduces drop-off
Clear segmentation increases purchase confidence
Ethical messaging consistently placed builds trust
Better product detail reduces drop-off
Survey Highlights n=5
Survey Highlights n=5
Product info (materials, fit, size) was the strongest need
Multiple angles and on-face photography expected
"Handmade" meaning split — premium vs no difference
Product info (materials, fit, size) was the strongest need
Multiple angles and on-face photography expected
"Handmade" meaning split — premium vs no difference
HOMEPAGE
From a single narrative to a structured journey
From a single narrative to a structured journey
Structural changes were the priority. The original buried the brand's differentiators and misled shoppers from the first moment.
Structural changes were the priority. The original buried the brand's differentiators and misled shoppers from the first moment.
BEFORE
Hero implies all frames are Handmade — no range distinction, RTW shoppers immediately misled
CTA unclear and low contrast — primary action doesn't register as clickable
Ambiguous shop categories — "Collectors vs Handmade vs Limited" doesn't map to user mental models
Ethical Vision links to PayPal — bypasses the charity site, no recovery path for undecided users
Hero implies all frames are Handmade — no range distinction, RTW shoppers immediately misled
CTA unclear and low contrast — primary action doesn't register as clickable
Ambiguous shop categories — "Collectors vs Handmade vs Limited" doesn't map to user mental models
Ethical Vision links to PayPal — bypasses the charity site, no recovery path for undecided users
AFTER
Custom hero video shot for this project — communicates craft quality immediately and distinctively
"Shop Handmade" as primary CTA — high contrast, sets range hierarchy from the outset
RTW and Sunglasses as explicit entry points — accessible range surfaced clearly below the hero
Ethical Vision mid-page linking to ethicalvision.org — 10% story placed consistently, charity framing preserved
Custom hero video shot for this project — communicates craft quality immediately and distinctively
"Shop Handmade" as primary CTA — high contrast, sets range hierarchy from the outset
RTW and Sunglasses as explicit entry points — accessible range surfaced clearly below the hero
Ethical Vision mid-page linking to ethicalvision.org — 10% story placed consistently, charity framing preserved
PRODUCT PAGE
Giving shoppers the confidence to buy
Giving shoppers the confidence to buy
The product page had the most direct impact on purchase confidence. The original offered an image and a button. The redesign surfaces everything an online eyewear shopper needs.
The product page had the most direct impact on purchase confidence. The original offered an image and a button. The redesign surfaces everything an online eyewear shopper needs.
BEFORE
Evocative copy, no structured detail — nothing measurable or comparable across frames
No materials or measurements — the biggest barriers to confident online eyewear purchase
No Ethical Vision mention — strongest brand differentiator absent at point of purchase
Colour variants as separate products — inflates product count, creates duplicate decision fatigue
Evocative copy, no structured detail — nothing measurable or comparable across frames
No materials or measurements — the biggest barriers to confident online eyewear purchase
No Ethical Vision mention — strongest brand differentiator absent at point of purchase
Colour variants as separate products — inflates product count, creates duplicate decision fatigue
AFTER
Expandable Materials and Measurements sections — directly addresses the primary survey finding
Shipping and Returns surfaced inline — removes a common late-stage friction point before checkout
"10% donated to Ethical Vision" below add to cart — reinforces brand values at the moment of purchase
Variants consolidated with colour selector — single product listing, colour choice on page
Expandable Materials and Measurements sections — directly addresses the primary survey finding
Shipping and Returns surfaced inline — removes a common late-stage friction point before checkout
"10% donated to Ethical Vision" below add to cart — reinforces brand values at the moment of purchase
Variants consolidated with colour selector — single product listing, colour choice on page
CONSTRAINTS
Real world constraints that shaped the work
Real world constraints that shaped the work
Three limitations shaped specific decisions across the project
Three limitations shaped specific decisions across the project
BUDGET
BUDGET
No user Testing
No user Testing
Relied on expert evaluation, an exploratory survey (n=5), and a KUA framework. Decisions are flagged as assumption-led where not validated.
Relied on expert evaluation, an exploratory survey (n=5), and a KUA framework. Decisions are flagged as assumption-led where not validated.
PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOGRAPHY
Client managed imagery
Client managed imagery
No model shots were possible. Multiple frame angles were ensured to compensate — directly addressing a survey pain point.
No model shots were possible. Multiple frame angles were ensured to compensate — directly addressing a survey pain point.
PLATFORM
PLATFORM
Squarespace variant limits
Squarespace variant limits
Colour variants cannot be shown on the shop browse grid. A known platform limitation affecting colour discoverability.
Colour variants cannot be shown on the shop browse grid. A known platform limitation affecting colour discoverability.
Known trade off: Consolidating colour variants into a single listing keeps the shop page clean, but a shopper searching for a specific colourway may not immediately find it while browsing. The ideal fix — showing swatches on the shop grid — was not supported by Squarespace at time of build.
Known trade off: Consolidating colour variants into a single listing keeps the shop page clean, but a shopper searching for a specific colourway may not immediately find it while browsing. The ideal fix — showing swatches on the shop grid — was not supported by Squarespace at time of build.
RESULT
The redesigned site was built in Squarespace and launched for the client. The custom hero video — shot as part of this project — gives the brand a distinctive, premium opening the original completely lacked. All eleven heuristic violations were addressed across the full purchase journey.
The redesigned site was built in Squarespace and launched for the client. The custom hero video — shot as part of this project — gives the brand a distinctive, premium opening the original completely lacked. All eleven heuristic violations were addressed across the full purchase journey.
HOW I WOULD MEASURE SUCCESS
Each problem identified in the audit maps to a measurable signal. If the design decisions worked, here's where you'd expect to see it.
Each problem identified in the audit maps to a measurable signal. If the design decisions worked, here's where you'd expect to see it.
SEGMENTATION
SEGMENTATION
Range clarity and browse depth
Range clarity and browse depth
Bounce rate
Pages per session
Range page entry rate
Bounce rate
Pages per session
Range page entry rate
If the homepage range entry points are working, bounce rate should fall and users should visit more pages per session as they find their range and explore it.
If the homepage range entry points are working, bounce rate should fall and users should visit more pages per session as they find their range and explore it.
PRODUCT PAGES
PRODUCT PAGES
Purchase confidence signals
Purchase confidence signals
Add to cart rate
Time on product page
Checkout completion
Add to cart rate
Time on product page
Checkout completion
If measurements and materials are reducing hesitation, users should spend longer on product pages and add-to-cart rate should increase — the clearest proxy for purchase confidence.
If measurements and materials are reducing hesitation, users should spend longer on product pages and add-to-cart rate should increase — the clearest proxy for purchase confidence.
ETHICAL VISION
ETHICAL VISION
Brand engagement
Brand engagement
Ethical Vision link clicks
Return Visit rate
Average order value
Ethical Vision link clicks
Return Visit rate
Average order value
If the ethical story is landing consistently, Ethical Vision link click-through rate provides a soft engagement signal. Longer term, emotionally connected users tend toward higher loyalty and order value.
If the ethical story is landing consistently, Ethical Vision link click-through rate provides a soft engagement signal. Longer term, emotionally connected users tend toward higher loyalty and order value.
REFLECTIONS
Three things that would strengthen this further
Three things that would strengthen this further
Validate
Validate
Usability test the range entry points — does the HM/RTW distinction land as intended with first-time visitors?
Usability test the range entry points — does the HM/RTW distinction land as intended with first-time visitors?
Test
Test
A/B test Ethical Vision placement and the colour variant consolidation — both are assumption-led decisions.
A/B test Ethical Vision placement and the colour variant consolidation — both are assumption-led decisions.
Measure
Measure
Track the KPIs above with the client. Re-evaluate information architecture against those numbers at 60 days post-launch.
Track the KPIs above with the client. Re-evaluate information architecture against those numbers at 60 days post-launch.
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