Fresh From The Field - Becuming - By Studio Almond

Fresh From The Field – Becuming – By Studio Almond

Fresh from the Field is a weekly article series sharing the fresh and inspiring work of our Design Assembly community.

Studio Almond walk us through their recent design work Becuming, an online adult store that fills its customers with confidence by normalising conversations about sex and encouraging exploration.

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The brief

Becuming is a cheeky Australian adult store that promotes sexual confidence and exploration. With amazing branding ready to be put to use, they approached us to be their open-minded eCommerce partner.

The nature of the business presents a unique challenge in that they’re limited in how they can collect data and market their products. Social paid advertising is out, anything above the line is restricted and anything digital is confined to select corners of the internet. Because of this, the website itself has to do a lot of the heavy lifting. This meant it was equally important that the site drive exploration as well as conversion.

The design response

With a primarily female audience ranging from ‘inexperienced’ to ‘toy lovers’, we took inspiration from the publication, The Gentlewoman, invoking an editorial art direction. Original photography takes a high-fashion approach to products that too often default to sleaze. Rudimentary illustration offsets bold typography and unapologetic copy – turning content that would otherwise be confronting into something playful.

Shame has no place here. As well as making the site a joy to explore, it had to feel safe and approachable. We wanted users to feel comfortable having it open on their screen, so it was important that the site didn’t look like a sex store.

On top of the online shop, Becuming is a content hub, created to help people discover “what turns them on and gets them off”. The podcast, articles and guides are equally weighted against the products. Not only does the content have its own section on the site; links to it are peppered throughout the shop. Editorial snippets are prominently featured on product pages, adding informative context to guide people as they look around.

Interactivity and immersion were the primary goals for the UX, not only to create a pleasurable experience but also to capture data and drive conversion. We had to find ways to retain customers, learn about their preferences, get them to buy again and then spend more. One way we achieved this was through interactive quizzes that help users find products to suit their needs while capturing data for direct marketing.

Clear paths to purchase are created through an easily navigated mega menu, dynamic filtering in the form of interactive sliding scales and control tags. It was important that the product pages conveyed key information quickly. Tags show what level a product is suited to and who it’s designed for. Illustrations help relay key features and benefits in a tasteful way, while reviews give real-life context. For anyone that is still unsure, a slide-out directory provides additional information.

The shop has four different product page templates to suit individual products, bundles, subscriptions and digital purchases (sex guides), setting Becuming up to add and adjust their range continuously.

The final result is a fun online experience that champions compelling content and promotes conversion. Together with the client, we have created an online adult store that fills its customers with confidence by normalising conversations about sex and encouraging exploration.