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Why Usability Matters: Lessons from Building Kimberlite on the Shop Floor

Anri Kivimäki | March 26, 2025

3:38

Discover how AI is revolutionizing the retail industry by enhancing customer experiences, streamlining operations, and promoting sustainability.

Tailored and User-Friendly Interfaces for Retail Efficiency

Understanding customer pain points and needs is paramount in developing a user-friendly interface. At Kimberlite, we understand that a seamless and intuitive platform is essential for efficient retail operations. Our focus is on creating customizable and easy-to-navigate systems that cater to the specific needs of each store. This approach ensures minimal onboarding time while maximizing operational efficiency. By actively seeking customer feedback, we are able to continuously refine our interface to better serve our users.

Designing for Everyone: Lessons from the Frontlines of Second-Hand Retail

Testing developed software in real-life environments is critical to understanding customer expectations and requirements. At Kimberlite, our team has spent the last three weeks in second-hand stores, observing and interacting with customers to gain first-hand experience. This hands-on approach allows us to identify pain points and areas for improvement, ensuring that our solutions are truly aligned with user needs.

One of our key learnings has been the importance of designing for a wide and diverse user base—from tech-savvy professionals to grannies who’ve never touched an app. Creating a system that feels intuitive and effortless for everyone is at the heart of our product philosophy.

We also learned the value of seamlessly integrating with customers’ existing systems. Rather than forcing change, Kimberlite is built to complement what’s already in place—making adoption smoother and more impactful. By leveraging our deep industry expertise, we continuously enhance our platform to deliver superior performance and real-world usability.

Second-Hand, First-Class Tech: How AI Drives Efficiency in Resale

At Kimberlite, Artificial Intelligence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the engine behind how we simplify second-hand retail. Our AI models are trained to automatically identify items, generate product titles and descriptions, and even estimate fair market prices, helping stores save time and improve accuracy. Instead of relying on manual input or deep system customisation, our solution handles the heavy lifting—right at the point of sorting. This not only enhances the efficiency of operations but also ensures consistency and professionalism in how items are presented to customers. By designing around real-world needs, Kimberlite uses AI to reduce friction, speed up processes, and make second-hand shopping smarter, smoother, and more scalable.

No Apps, No Accounts, No Hassle: The Kimberlite Approach to Sustainable Tech

Kimberlite’s platform is built with ease of use at its core, not to offer endless customisation—but to eliminate the need for it. We don’t customise the service for each customer because our goal is to deliver a plug-and-play solution that works out of the box. Why? Because in the second-hand retail space, many of our customers don’t want to create accounts, download apps, or manage complex setups. They want a tool that just works.

That’s why we built a standalone, machine-based system that requires minimal onboarding and no additional tech knowledge. It fits seamlessly into the daily workflow, letting staff focus on sorting and selling—not software. By designing for real environments and real people, we ensure Kimberlite supports sustainable retail where it matters most: on the shop floor.

Join the Movement Toward Smarter, Greener Retail

With Kimberlite, sustainability meets innovation. Empower your second-hand store with AI-driven tools that simplify operations, reduce waste, and resonate with today’s eco-conscious shoppers. Whether you're scaling your circular economy business or just getting started, Kimberlite’s user-friendly platform is here to help.