Discovery & Marketplace · B2B Internal Tool
Discovery & Marketplace · B2B Internal Tool
Closing the B2B Discovery Gap for Cimpress PIM
Closing the B2B Discovery Gap for Cimpress PIM
Closing the B2B Discovery Gap for Cimpress PIM
Closing the B2B Discovery Gap for Cimpress PIM
32.1% Conversion & 67% Session Depth Increase
32.1% Conversion & 67% Session Depth Increase
32.1% Conversion & 67% Session Depth Increase
Redesigning how 30+ Cimpress business units discover, evaluate, and launch products. As the sole designer, I led the full UX process from 0→1 over 24 months.
Redesigning how 30+ Cimpress business units discover, evaluate, and launch products. As the sole designer, I led the full UX process from 0→1 over 24 months.
Redesigning how 30+ Cimpress business units discover, evaluate, and launch products. As the sole designer, I led the full UX process from 0→1 over 24 months.
Role
Role
Lead UX Designer · Sole Designer
Lead UX Designer · Sole Designer
Timeline
Timeline
2023 – 2025 · 24 Months
2023 – 2025 · 24 Months
Team
Team
1 UX · 2 PMs · 5 Engineers · QA
1 UX · 2 PMs · 5 Engineers · QA
Platform
Platform
Cimpress PIM · B2B Internal
Cimpress PIM · B2B Internal
3 swim lanes - Phase Build · BU Adoption · Continuous Feedback Loop · 2023–2025
3 swim lanes - Phase Build · BU Adoption · Continuous Feedback Loop · 2023–2025
01 · The Problem
Merchants were going to Google.
Not to our platform.
Merchants were going to Google. Not to our platform.
The existing experience forced merchants to search with product knowledge they didn't have. Exploratory discovery was impossible. No signals, no intelligence, no cross-BU visibility, just a search box that only worked if you already knew what you were looking for.
The existing experience forced merchants to search with product knowledge they didn't have. Exploratory discovery was impossible. No signals, no intelligence, no cross-BU visibility, just a search box that only worked if you already knew what you were looking for.
The old experience - adoption first listing with 4000+ near-identical results and no market signals
The old experience - adoption first listing with 4000+ near-identical results and no market signals
The old experience - adoption first listing with 4000+ near-identical results and no market signals
"Our merchants were going to Google to find products they should've been discovering inside our own platform. The tool existed but only worked if you already knew what you were looking for."
02 · Research & Findings
5 interviews. 6 findings.
Half our assumptions were wrong.
The existing experience forced merchants to search with product knowledge they didn't have. Exploratory discovery was impossible. No signals, no intelligence, no cross-BU visibility, just a search box that only worked if you already knew what you were looking for.
The existing experience forced merchants to search with product knowledge they didn't have. Exploratory discovery was impossible. No signals, no intelligence, no cross-BU visibility, just a search box that only worked if you already knew what you were looking for.
Invalidated
Discovery happens outside the platform
They were going to Google to research, then coming to buy not discover. This reframed everything.
Invalidated
Supplier selection is not a problem
Most merchants had existing supplier
relationships. Saved us from building the wrong thing.
Validated
Cross-BU data is a key incentive
Every merchant wanted to see what other Cimpress businesses were selling. Core design driver.
Validated
Destination country gates decisions
"Can you deliver to Germany?" came up in nearly every session. A filter, not an afterthought.
New Finding
Every business is different
Small BU owners and VistaPrint category managers share almost nothing. We had to design for range.
New Finding
Standard products invisible to small BUs
Products sitting uncatalogued and unfound. A revenue opportunity hiding in plain sight.
Invalidated
Discovery happens outside the platform
They were going to Google to research, then coming to buy not discover. This reframed everything.
New Finding
Every business is different
Small BU owners and VistaPrint category managers share almost nothing. We had to design for range.
Validated
Destination country gates decisions
"Can you deliver to Germany?" came up in nearly every session. A filter, not an afterthought.
Validated
Cross-BU data is a key incentive
Every merchant wanted to see what other Cimpress businesses were selling. Core design driver.
Invalidated
Supplier selection is not a problem
Most merchants had existing supplier
relationships. Saved us from building the wrong thing.
New Finding
Standard products invisible to small BUs
Products sitting uncatalogued and unfound. A revenue opportunity hiding in plain sight.
Invalidated
Discovery happens outside the platform
They were going to Google to research, then coming to buy not discover. This reframed everything.
Validated
Cross-BU data is a key incentive
Every merchant wanted to see what other Cimpress businesses were selling. Core design driver.
New Finding
Every business is different
Small BU owners and VistaPrint category managers share almost nothing. We had to design for range.
Invalidated
Supplier selection is not a problem
Most merchants had existing supplier
relationships. Saved us from building the wrong thing.
Validated
Destination country gates decisions
"Can you deliver to Germany?" came up in nearly every session. A filter, not an afterthought.
New Finding
Standard products invisible to small BUs
Products sitting uncatalogued and unfound. A revenue opportunity hiding in plain sight.
Megan Carter • Robin Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
Build A Sign
Key Responsibilities
- Drives pricing strategy
- Sets promotions
- Financial reporting
- Negotiates B2B pricing
Focuses on profitability and growth
Clear view of pricing visibility & promotional insights
Marco la Poole
Category Manager
Printdeal
Key Responsibilities
- SEO-informed product prioritisation
- Manages separate research and order flow
- Price and margin focused
- Investigates new suppliers
- Monitors shipping and transport costs
Manages category performance and supplier relationships
Supplier data for sourcing and pricing decisions
Bonnie Shimret • Ranee Fisher
Product & Pricing Manager
National Pen
Key Responsibilities
- B2B contracts & pricing
- Catalog comparison
- Competitive benchmarking
- Catalog decisions
Ensures accurate pricing and best in class product decisions
Catalog visibility and pricing
Lauren Garwe • Alex Nunez • Candace Farias
Category Leads - Specialised roles per category
Vista Print
Key Responsibilities
- Category-specific NPI leadership
- Looks for existing fulfillers (RFP)
- Fast enough production time required
- Barriers to work externally
- Niche - more dependent on 3PFs
Delivers customer experience for key accounts
Insights to serve and cross-BU collaboration
Lic. Stuart • Rod, Tiffany • Gao
Multi-function team - Business • Market • Sales and Strategic roles
Trade Print
Key Responsibilities
- Business and market decisions drive NPI
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Monitors ease of communication
- Tracks catalog changes
Maintains standards across the platform
Notifications and clarity
Apparel, Bags, Pens, etc.
National Pen
How category shapes discovery
- SRM-led vendor selection
- Competitive and gap analysis
- Works with Vendor team on costs
- Tracks which product is performing
- Plays a major role in overall revenue
Banners, Business Cards
Printdeal
How category shapes discovery
- SEO-informed prioritisation
- Price for maximum margin
- Destination country is a gate
- Considers Vista and Pixart first
- Separate research and order flow
Promotional Products
Trade Print
How category shapes discovery
- Business and market-led NPI decisions
- Revenue and unit volume both matter
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Most promo space not with Cimpress
Niche and Complex Products
Vista Print
How category shapes discovery
- More niche - dependent on 3PFs
- Tradeoff - complexity vs revenue
- Data must be accessible
- Bid process / RFP to 3PFs
- Looks for existing fulfillers
Small BU
Build A Sign
Megan Carter • Robbie Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
- Wears multiple hats
- NPI responsibility
- Sources from 3PFs
- Financial reporting
Needs speed over depth. Fast discovery and launch without steep learning curve.
Medium BU
National Pen
Bonnie Shimret, Ranee Fisher
Category Manager
- More team members
- Market-led decisions
- Collaborative process
- Lower TAT products
Needs rich market data, cross-BU insights, and supplier comparisons to own category performance.
Large BU
Vista Print
Lauren Garwe • Alex Nunez • Candace Farias
Category Leads
- Specialised roles
- RFP / Bidding process
- Quality checklist
- Production time review
Needs RFP/bidding capability, production timeline visibility, and deep quality assurance data.
Megan Carter • Robin Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
Build A Sign
Key Responsibilities
- Drives pricing strategy
- Sets promotions
- Financial reporting
- Negotiates B2B pricing
Focuses on profitability and growth
Clear view of pricing visibility & promotional insights
Marco la Poole
Category Manager
Printdeal
Key Responsibilities
- SEO-informed product prioritisation
- Manages separate research and order flow
- Price and margin focused
- Investigates new suppliers
- Monitors shipping and transport costs
Manages category performance and supplier relationships
Supplier data for sourcing and pricing decisions
Bonnie Shimret • Ranee Fisher
Product & Pricing Manager
National Pen
Key Responsibilities
- B2B contracts & pricing
- Catalog comparison
- Competitive benchmarking
- Catalog decisions
Ensures accurate pricing and best in class product decisions
Catalog visibility and pricing
Lauren Garwe • Alex Nunez • Candace Farias
Category Leads - Specialised roles per category
Vista Print
Key Responsibilities
- Category-specific NPI leadership
- Looks for existing fulfillers (RFP)
- Fast enough production time required
- Barriers to work externally
- Niche - more dependent on 3PFs
Delivers customer experience for key accounts
Insights to serve and cross-BU collaboration
Lic. Stuart • Rod, Tiffany • Gao
Multi-function team - Business • Market • Sales and Strategic roles
Trade Print
Key Responsibilities
- Business and market decisions drive NPI
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Monitors ease of communication
- Tracks catalog changes
Maintains standards across the platform
Notifications and clarity
Apparel, Bags, Pens, etc.
National Pen
How category shapes discovery
- SRM-led vendor selection
- Competitive and gap analysis
- Works with Vendor team on costs
- Tracks which product is performing
- Plays a major role in overall revenue
Banners, Business Cards
Printdeal
How category shapes discovery
- SEO-informed prioritisation
- Price for maximum margin
- Destination country is a gate
- Considers Vista and Pixart first
- Separate research and order flow
Promotional Products
Trade Print
How category shapes discovery
- Business and market-led NPI decisions
- Revenue and unit volume both matter
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Most promo space not with Cimpress
Niche and Complex Products
Vista Print
How category shapes discovery
- More niche - dependent on 3PFs
- Tradeoff - complexity vs revenue
- Data must be accessible
- Bid process / RFP to 3PFs
- Looks for existing fulfillers
Small BU
Build A Sign
Megan Carter • Robbie Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
- Wears multiple hats
- NPI responsibility
- Sources from 3PFs
- Financial reporting
Needs speed over depth. Fast discovery and launch without steep learning curve.
Medium BU
National Pen
Bonnie Shimret, Ranee Fisher
Category Manager
- More team members
- Market-led decisions
- Collaborative process
- Lower TAT products
Needs rich market data, cross-BU insights, and supplier comparisons to own category performance.
Large BU
Vista Print
Lauren Garwe • Alex Nunez • Candace Farias
Category Leads
- Specialised roles
- RFP / Bidding process
- Quality checklist
- Production time review
Needs RFP/bidding capability, production timeline visibility, and deep quality assurance data.
Megan Carter • Robin Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
Build A Sign
Key Responsibilities
- Drives pricing strategy
- Sets promotions
- Financial reporting
- Negotiates B2B pricing
Focuses on profitability and growth
Clear view of pricing visibility & promotional insights
Marco la Poole
Category Manager
Printdeal
Key Responsibilities
- SEO-informed product prioritisation
- Manages separate research and order flow
- Price and margin focused
- Investigates new suppliers
- Monitors shipping and transport costs
Manages category performance and supplier relationships
Supplier data for sourcing and pricing decisions
Bonnie Shimret • Ranee Fisher
Product & Pricing Manager
National Pen
Key Responsibilities
- B2B contracts & pricing
- Catalog comparison
- Competitive benchmarking
- Catalog decisions
Ensures accurate pricing and best in class product decisions
Catalog visibility and pricing
Lauren Garwe • Alex Nunez • Candace Farias
Category Leads - Specialised roles per category
Vista Print
Key Responsibilities
- Category-specific NPI leadership
- Looks for existing fulfillers (RFP)
- Fast enough production time required
- Barriers to work externally
- Niche - more dependent on 3PFs
Delivers customer experience for key accounts
Insights to serve and cross-BU collaboration
Lic. Stuart • Rod, Tiffany • Gao
Multi-function team - Business • Market • Sales and Strategic roles
Trade Print
Key Responsibilities
- Business and market decisions drive NPI
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Monitors ease of communication
- Tracks catalog changes
Maintains standards across the platform
Notifications and clarity
Apparel, Bags, Pens, etc.
National Pen
How category shapes discovery
- SRM-led vendor selection
- Competitive and gap analysis
- Works with Vendor team on costs
- Tracks which product is performing
- Plays a major role in overall revenue
Banners, Business Cards
Printdeal
How category shapes discovery
- SEO-informed prioritisation
- Price for maximum margin
- Destination country is a gate
- Considers Vista and Pixart first
- Separate research and order flow
Promotional Products
Trade Print
How category shapes discovery
- Business and market-led NPI decisions
- Revenue and unit volume both matter
- Buys samples and checks quality
- Most promo space not with Cimpress
Niche and Complex Products
Vista Print
How category shapes discovery
- More niche - dependent on 3PFs
- Tradeoff - complexity vs revenue
- Data must be accessible
- Bid process / RFP to 3PFs
- Looks for existing fulfillers
Small BU
Build A Sign
Megan Carter • Robbie Blier
Chief Product Officer & Director of Product Marketing
- Wears multiple hats
- NPI responsibility
- Sources from 3PFs
- Financial reporting
Needs speed over depth. Fast discovery and launch without steep learning curve.
Medium BU
National Pen
Bonnie Shimret, Ranee Fisher
Category Manager
- More team members
- Market-led decisions
- Collaborative process
- Lower TAT products
Needs rich market data, cross-BU insights, and supplier comparisons to own category performance.
03 · Key UX Decisions
Four decisions that defined
the platform's direction.
01
Standards-first mental model
Reframed from adoption-first to CIM Standards, the single decision that unlocked clarity across the entire platform. Reduced 4000+ results to meaningful options.
Reframed from adoption-first to CIM Standards, the single decision that unlocked clarity across the entire platform. Reduced 4000+ results to meaningful options.
Before: 4000+ individual adoptions with no context. After: standards-based listing with smart filters and ratings.
move the centre line to see before and after
Before: 4000+ individual adoptions with no context. After: standards-based listing with smart filters and ratings.
move the centre line to see before and after
02
Intelligence-First Homepage
Moved from a passive catalog to a data-driven homepage. Merchants now start their day here, not Google because the platform surfaces what they need before they search.
Moved from a passive catalog to a data-driven homepage. Merchants now start their day here, not Google because the platform surfaces what they need before they search.
Intelligence Dashboard - demand signals, catalog health (79%), and AI-backed recommendations surfaced at a glance.
03
Unified Product Detail Page
Before: merchants opened 4 systems to evaluate one product. After: specs, pricing, printing, inventory, and SLA consolidated into a single 6-tab PDP. Zero context switching.
Before: merchants opened 4 systems to evaluate one product. After: specs, pricing, printing, inventory, and SLA consolidated into a single 6-tab PDP. Zero context switching.
Unified PDP - 6 data sources, 1 destination. From 4 systems to one page.
Unified PDP - 6 data sources, 1 destination. From 4 systems to one page.
04
Cross-BU Visibility Layer
Turned competitive anxiety into collaborative advantage. Merchants can now see what other Cimpress businesses are selling, trending, and expanding into the intelligence they were going to Google for.
Turned competitive anxiety into collaborative advantage. Merchants can now see what other Cimpress businesses are selling, trending, and expanding into the intelligence they were going to Google for.
Search & Browse · Inventory Transparency · Cross-BU Insights, three surfaces that complete the discovery journey.
Search & Browse · Inventory Transparency · Cross-BU Insights, three surfaces that complete the discovery journey.
04 · Validation & Testing
3 rounds of testing with
real merchants.
Mid-fi and hi-fi prototype testing across 3 structured rounds. Country filter emerged as the #1 used filter. Standards-based listing validated by all 5 participants. 6-tab structure adopted within 2 clicks by 4/5 users.
Mid-fi and hi-fi prototype testing across 3 structured rounds. Country filter emerged as the #1 used filter. Standards-based listing validated by all 5 participants. 6-tab structure adopted within 2 clicks by 4/5 users.
Round 1
Mid-fi
- Can users identify if a product is fully configured?
Round 1
Mid-fi
- Can users identify if a product is fully configured?
Round 2
Hi-fi
- Can users search and filter by destination country?
Round 2
Hi-fi
- Can users search and filter by destination country?
Round 3
Mid-fi
- Do users understand the 6-tab PDP structure?
Round 3
Mid-fi
- Do users understand the 6-tab PDP structure?
Usability testing across 3 rounds - mid-fi to hi-fi, with real Cimpress merchants, Interact by clicking on legends
Usability testing across 3 rounds - mid-fi to hi-fi, with real Cimpress merchants, Interact by clicking on legends
05 · Impact
Measurable outcomes across
adoption, engagement & scale.
Measurable outcomes across adoption, engagement & scale.
32.1%
Discovery → PIM Conversion Rate
Platform went from unused to a primary source of product evaluation
67%↑
Session Depth Increase
Avg sessions per user grew from 3 → 5 over 12 months with deeper engagement
20K+
Curated Products Available
Structured, discoverable, and surfaced intelligently for the first time
30+
Business Units Actively Using
Cimpress, Vista, National Pen, BoxUp and more, cross-BU adoption at scale
3×
Adoptions Spike, Sep 2025
600+ adoptions explored in a single month vs baseline, sustained growth
32.1%
67%↑
20K+
30+
3×
Discovery → PIM Conversion Rate
Platform went from unused to a primary source of product evaluation
Session Depth Increase
Avg sessions per user grew from 3 → 5 over 12 months with deeper engagement
Curated Products Available
Structured, discoverable, and surfaced intelligently for the first time
Business Units Actively Using
Cimpress, Vista, National Pen, BoxUp and more, cross-BU adoption at scale
Adoptions Spike, Sep 2025
600+ adoptions explored in a single month vs baseline, sustained growth
06 · Reflections
What I learned across
24 months and 30+ BUs.
What worked well
Going into research ready to be wrong. Half our assumptions didn't survive first contact with users and that saved us from building the wrong product.
Going into research ready to be wrong. Half our assumptions didn't survive first contact with users and that saved us from building the wrong product.
The standards-first shift sounds like a backend decision. It was the UX decision that made the entire product make sense.
The standards-first shift sounds like a backend decision. It was the UX decision that made the entire product make sense.
Before: four systems to evaluate one product. After: one place. That change doesn't need a metric to feel real.
Before: four systems to evaluate one product. After: one place. That change doesn't need a metric to feel real.
What I'd do differently
Bring Build A Sign into research earlier their simpler model exposed enterprise assumptions we only caught late.
Bring Build A Sign into research earlier their simpler model exposed enterprise assumptions we only caught late.
Validate the 6-tab structure earlier in lo-fi. Navigation assumptions only broke under real testing, by which point we'd already built in the wrong direction.
Validate the 6-tab structure earlier in lo-fi. Navigation assumptions only broke under real testing, by which point we'd already built in the wrong direction.
Onboarding was an afterthought. The platform assumed prior knowledge & new users hit a wall.
What I'd scale next
AI-driven recommendations personalised by business size, category, and market trends beyond catalog expansion.
Collaborative discovery layer, let merchants follow categories and get alerts when demand signals shift.
Guided supplier evaluation flow move beyond data display to structured decision-making for supplier switching.
NDA Disclaimer
Due to confidentiality constraints, certain screens and internal product flows are abstracted or omitted. The decisions, strategy, and outcomes reflected here are my personal contributions to the overall project. Comparable limitations apply across other case studies in this portfolio.
Cimpress PIM · Discovery & Marketplace · 2023–2026
A platform nobody used for discovery turned is into something that
860+ merchants open every day to discover, evaluate, and grow their business.