Bringing Regional Products into Cities

flyby.shop is an own-brand platform that took around 2 years to develop, launching in Salzburg with about 40 local farmers. I was deeply involved not only in the UX/UI design but also in the branding process and the setup of a prototype container for the pick-up location, enabling a quick launch.

Additional Links:

• Spryker: https://spryker.com/customers/customer-details-viabirds/
• Kassenzone: https://www.kassenzone.de/flyby-shop-lebensmittelabholung-in-salzburg/
• SN: https://www.sn.at/salzburg/wirtschaft/ein-drive-in-fuer-den-einkauf-aus-der-region-in-salzburg-110449060

The Problem

In 2020, Consumers are increasingly interested in knowing where their food comes from and supporting local producers, yet they often struggle to access these products. Finding high-quality, regional foods directly from producers can require additional time, travel, and dealing with limited hours of operation.

Local producers, meanwhile, typically lack an online presence and rely heavily on word-of-mouth, which restricts their reach and makes it difficult to attract new customers. Marketing costs can be high, and many producers don’t have the resources to maintain an online store. flyby.shop aims to bridge this gap, providing a centralized platform for consumers to access local products conveniently, while offering producers a simple, cost-effective way to reach city customers.

Exploration

During the exploration phase, we quickly realized that relying solely on regional products would be challenging. While people wanted fresh, local items, supermarkets stock thousands of essentials for daily life, and even one missing product could mean a trip to another store, defeating the purpose of convenience. To address this, we decided to include standard products alongside regional items.

We conducted several user surveys to understand people’s shopping habits and preferences:

Email Surveys (Active, Inactive, and Abandoned Cart Customers)

• Primary Motivation: Regional products were the most appealing factor, followed by speed of shopping and affordable prices.
• Interest vs. Necessity: There’s interest in the concept, but many users don’t feel a pressing need to use it regularly.
• Insights: Most people visit 2-3 supermarkets to complete their shopping, as flyby.shop doesn’t cover their full grocery needs. This suggests focusing on regional products rather than trying to cover the entire shopping list.
• Shopping Duration: In-store grocery shopping typically takes around 20 minutes, with product selection being the most time-consuming part of online shopping.

Cold Calls (Existing Customers)

• Product Availability: Customers often search for specific items (like regional meats, seasonal produce, or oat milk) but still go elsewhere due to limited variety.
• Packaging Preferences: There’s demand for less plastic and more eco-friendly packaging options.
• Pick-Up Flexibility: Some find the pick-up option more convenient than waiting for home delivery.
• Brand Awareness: Customers discovered flyby.shop primarily through container locations (especially in Bergheim), print ads, and Instagram.
• Simplicity: Ordering was straightforward, though some found the pick-up process unclear initially.
• Shopping Experience: Many enjoy supermarket visits for relaxation and browsing, preferring physical stores where they can see and select items firsthand.

Surveys & Direct Contact

• Click & Collect Familiarity: The concept is known but rarely used for groceries; many prefer to see products before purchase and often repurchase familiar brands.
• Brand Name Recognition: Some users found the name “flyby” hard to understand and spell.
• Multiple Store Visits: Most people visit more than one store to complete their shopping, highlighting that regionality is valued but often not the sole factor in store choice.
• Time-Saving Perception: Although saving time is interesting to some users, it’s not necessarily a strong enough motivation on its own. The average grocery shopping trip lasts about 38 minutes, so emphasizing potential time savings may make the service more appealing.

Key Takeaways

• Customers are motivated by regional products but need a broader product selection to fulfill their entire shopping list.
• Brand visibility has been effective through physical presence and social media.
• flyby.shop’s value as a regional option is recognized, though it competes with traditional supermarkets that also offer local products.
• Convenience is important, but a clearer time-saving benefit might make the service more compelling.

Additionally, we visited the Schranne farmers market to interview a key customer group: people over 60. Many in this group appreciated local products and could afford them, but they still preferred shopping in person for the social interaction. For some, this was their main social activity, while others worried that online ordering might lead to waste if they couldn’t consume everything alone.

Scoping

We aimed to design an accessible platform that served both consumers and producers effectively, combining simplicity with the unique appeal of local products. Here are five core questions that shaped our approach:

How can we make the online experience feel personal and local?

We created detailed producer profiles, each with stories, family photos, and farm images to build trust and connection.

What’s the best way to display both regional and standard products?

We structured the site so that local products took center stage, with standard items as supportive options to create a complete shopping experience.

How do we ensure a convenient pick-up process?

The container pick-up stations were designed to allow customers to retrieve orders efficiently, even during busy hours.

How do we attract less tech-savvy customers?

We used a straightforward layout and navigation to ensure all age groups could use the platform with ease.

How can we introduce consumers to each producer personally?

To bring producers closer to customers, we filmed short videos and took photos of each producer, showcasing their farms, products, and even family members, creating a personal connection.

User Interface

The UX/UI design aimed for a clean, modern look that reflected the values of quality and locality. We used yellow tones and regional imagery to create a sense of connection with the local producers. Producer profiles were crafted to showcase the individual stories and backgrounds of each farmer, giving users a transparent view into who they were buying from. The interface was straightforward, with clear sections for local and standard products, allowing customers to shop quickly and easily.

The container pick-up locations featured clear signage and an intuitive user flow, making it easy for customers to collect their orders. We focused on creating a consistent experience from online browsing to in-person pickup, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to both quality and convenience.