Nab New

Nab New: Social Shopping for Fandom Collectibles

Overview
Nab New is a social shopping platform designed for the $19.5B fandom collectibles industry. It helps fans discover, share, discuss, and secure new releases before they sell out, while providing a safe and engaging community experience, much like a modern comic book or card shop.

Target Audience

Our primary users are US pop and geek culture fans who actively shop for toys & figures, vinyl records, Blu-rays & DVDs, comics & graphic novels, and board & card games. Key insights include:

• 50% want to stay updated on new releases for the content they love.
• 19% use fandoms to connect with others.
• 10% aim to be seen as trusted sources among peers.
• 6% actively create and share content about their fandoms.

Discover: Research & Insights

We began by interviewing 15 users within fandom collectible communities to understand their habits, challenges, and preferred platforms. Our focus was to identify pain points in discovering new releases and staying connected with their communities.

We also conducted a comparative analysis of fandom communities, social shopping sites, and collectibles release platforms. A heuristic evaluation of Nab New’s existing site revealed that it primarily redirects users to external stores and fails to follow UX best practices.

Key Findings:

• Users heavily rely on community recommendations (Discord, Facebook) for credible purchasing information.
• Many avoid third-party sites due to past negative experiences with scams or unreliable information.
• Users are overwhelmed by the volume of information online and lack a centralized, trustworthy platform.

Define: Synthesizing Research

From our research, we identified the core problem:

When searching for items to add to their collection, users struggle to find trustworthy information and community support. Without an established network, they feel uncertain about which sources to trust and overwhelmed by scattered information online.

Problem Statement:
How might we help users stay up to date with new releases and limited edition items while recreating the positive, safe environment of a comic book store?

Design: Ideation & Solution

Our goal was to create a platform that:

• Emulates the supportive, knowledgeable environment of a local comic shop
• Provides curated, up-to-date release information
• Encourages social connection and community engagement

We recognized that fandoms are diverse spanning comics, anime, music, toys, and sports so Nab New needed to be flexible and inclusive. To guide our design, we created a persona, John, representing a dedicated fan navigating new releases and community spaces.

Design Studio:

• Conducted two rounds of ideation for key pages: Home, Onboarding, Account
• Sketched low-fidelity concepts, iterated based on team critique, and synthesized solutions into a cohesive design direction

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Lo-Fi & Mid-Fi Prototyping

Lo-Fi:

• Explored multiple layout options for onboarding, home feed, and account management
• Prioritized features using a MoSCoW framework

Mid-Fi:

• Refined layout: replaced profile icon with a more prominent search icon
• Conducted usability testing with 5 users to clarify expectations, navigation flow, and discoverability
• Identified points of confusion and areas for iteration

Hi-Fi & Usability Testing

After Mid-Fi testing, we moved to high-fidelity designs. Key improvements included:

• Emphasizing the search bar, as users consistently went there first
• Enhancing visual cues for wishlist and favorited items
• Simplifying toggle interactions and settings

Hi-Fi Findings:

• Users wanted more flexibility to select fandoms of interest
• Icons for adding items to wishlists needed to be clearer
• Some toggle switches were confusing and needed better affordance

Next Steps

• Update toggle buttons for clarity and consistency
• Differentiate “hearted” items versus wishlist items
• Reduce navigation redundancies and streamline paths
• Design for desktop and tablet breakpoints
• Brainstorm features to increase user engagement and retention
• Explore opportunities to give Nab New a unique brand voice
• Implement improvements based on Hi-Fi usability recommendations

Impact & Reflection

Through this process, we learned the value of community-focused design. Fans want more than just a shopping experience they want a platform that mirrors the expertise, trust, and connection of a physical comic shop. By centering the design around John and conducting iterative usability testing, we created a solution that addresses both the functional and emotional needs of our users.

Nab New now offers a safer, more enjoyable way for fans to discover, connect, and shop—transforming the fragmented, overwhelming experience of collecting into one intuitive, social, and trustworthy platform.

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