Modern ease, classic feel.
N E O P E T S S H O P W I Z A R D — UX/UI Designer
This redesign of the Neopets Shop Wizard focuses on improving usability and efficiency while preserving the nostalgic look and feel that long-time players know and love.
T H E P R O B L E M
Players find the Neopets Shop Wizard outdated and inefficient, making it harder to search, compare, and buy items smoothly.
T H E S O L U T I O N
A straightforward search, no need to input anything else but the item name, and you’re on your way!
Streamlined Search
A standard for any sort of search bar, filters are now present after searching! Paired with item information and cleaner search results.
Filters, Finally!
Users now have the ability to view price charts of each item, so they’re confident they’re getting a fair price every time.
Price Transparency
Reduce frequent re-searching of items with “recent searches” and “saved searches” columns.
Search Smarter
T H E B A C K G R O U N D & R E S E A R C H
The Neopets Shop Wizard has been a staple tool for players since the early 2000s, helping them search for items across user shops. While beloved, its design has hardly changed in decades, leaving it clunky, outdated, and inefficient compared to modern search experiences.
Players often face slow searches, difficulty comparing prices, and unnecessary friction when trying to buy or sell items. This discourages trading and interrupts the fun of gameplay.
This redesign reimagines the Shop Wizard with a modern interface that preserves its nostalgic charm while making searching, comparing, and purchasing items smooth, intuitive, and enjoyable.
A dated tool limits how players buy, sell, and compare items.
To better understand player needs and the state of the marketplace, I conducted both competitor research and community discussions.
The competitive analysis highlighted how other online marketplaces streamline search, filtering, and price comparison, exposing the Shop Wizard’s outdated design and missed opportunities. Conversations with Neopets’ players revealed common frustrations around slow searches, clunky navigation, and difficulty finding the best deals.
Together, these insights provided a foundation for rethinking the Shop Wizard’s interface, ensuring it balanced modern usability with the nostalgic feel that keeps the community engaged.
Centering users at every step
Competitive Analysis
Built directly into Facebook’s massive network—no extra app required.
Real user profiles add trust and accountability.
High visibility and easy access for billions of users.
Ad targeting and analytics integrated with Meta’s data ecosystem.
Local community reach without marketing costs.
Strengths
Weak buyer/seller protection—Facebook rarely mediates disputes.
Frequent scams and fake listings.
Basic filtering tools despite huge item volume.
Poor customer support for Marketplace-specific issues.
Dependence on declining youth engagement within the Facebook platform.
Weaknesses
Increasing use for large local sales (vehicles, furniture).
Can improve seller verification and dispute resolution systems.
Potential for community-based features (reviews, badges, curated listings).
Can better use AI tools for tagging, recommendations, and moderation.
Opportunities
Aggressive competition from OfferUp, Craigslist, Mercari, and eBay.
Loss of trust due to scams or low-quality items.
Ad revenue decline during economic downturns could limit Marketplace investment.
Regulations on digital commerce, moderation, and data privacy (GDPR, tax laws).
Must adapt to consumer demand for ethical moderation and transparency.
Threats
Strong mobile-first design for quick, on-the-go local selling.
User trust features like ratings and TruYou identity verification.
Less competition from professional resellers compared to eBay.
Integrated in-app messaging and payments for convenience.
Large U.S.-based user base and partnerships with shipping providers.
Strengths
Limited buyer/seller protection for local transactions.
Slow or unresponsive customer service.
Inconsistent moderation of scams and fake listings.
Basic search filters compared to larger platforms.
U.S.-only focus; no international expansion.
Weaknesses
Rising interest in secondhand shopping and sustainability.
Growing demand for convenient peer-to-peer apps.
Could expand tools for specialty sellers (e.g., vintage or refurbished goods).
Room to innovate with AI tools for fraud detection or price prediction.
Hybrid online/local payment models to increase user safety.
Opportunities
Competition from Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Mercari, and eBay.
Must scale trust and safety systems to reduce scams.
Economic pressures (inflation) may shift buying habits.
Regulatory scrutiny on peer-to-peer sales and taxation.
Limited international scalability due to logistics and safety issues.
Threats
Niche, highly engaged community of fantasy and pet-sim enthusiasts.
Balanced in-game economy using site currency (Treasure/Gems).
Deep lore and breeding mechanics sustain long-term engagement.
Player-driven economies encourage creativity and trading.
Stable revenue through premium currency (Gems).
Strengths
Outdated interface and mobile experience.
Limited automation for listing/trading items.
Small development team limits updates and scalability.
Minimal moderation/support for community disputes.
Single revenue stream reliant on Gem sales.
Weaknesses
Growing trend in cozy, gamified virtual economies.
Can modernize UI/UX and expand to mobile or cross-platform play.
Could add real-world merchandise integration or cosmetic monetization.
Demand for accessibility improvements and new customization options.
Rising popularity of player-created content and social engagement.
Opportunities
Competing with Neopets, Lioden, Wolvden, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
Aging infrastructure limits adaptation to modern tech.
Economic downturns could reduce premium purchases.
Possible regulatory pressure around minors and digital currencies (COPPA/GDPR).
Reliance on niche audience and single revenue model poses long-term risk.
Threats
User Interviews
Profit-Oriented Shopkeepers: focused on pricing, analytics, and market data
Customization Buyers: casual users purchasing affordable items for pets/appearance
Restockers/Resellers: seek underpriced items to flip for profit, heavily reliant on SSW/Jellyneo
Economic Enthusiasts: care about overall market health, fair pricing, and preventing manipulation
Across roles, the Shop Wizard is used almost every time players log in
Behavior
Integrated price history and market trend data (Jellyneo-like features)
Inflation/deflation alerts to guide pricing decisions
Browse by category (e.g., healing potions, clothing)
Recent searches log for efficiency
Direct purchase option from results for convenience
Typo correction/“Did you mean” suggestions
Broader access to Super Shop Wizard or balanced advanced search tools
Preferences
Randomized search results cause repeated refreshes and inefficiency
Temporary bans from overuse disrupt heavy users
999,999 NP price cap limits high-value item searches
Super Shop Wizard paywall creates unfairness between Premium and non-Premium users
Lack of integrated item data (price history, sales trends) forces reliance on Jellyneo
UI frustrations: search reset behavior and poor resubmit placement
Frustrations
Integration: Jellyneo currently fills critical gaps that the Shop Wizard could bring in natively.
Transparency: Reliable pricing data and market visibility are top priorities for users.
Efficiency: Randomized search results cause frustration and need to be streamlined.
Fairness: Any improvements must avoid giving Premium users an overwhelming advantage.
Flexibility: Optional advanced functionality can serve both casual and advanced players without sacrificing simplicity.
Key Principles
T H E P E R S O N A S
Taking what I learned from the competitor analysis and user interviews, I created three unique user personas to make sure all ranges of users were covered.
Capturing diverse motivations
Meet Amelia!
Amelia is a detail-oriented player who treats her shop like a business, carefully tracking trends to maximize sales and fairness.
Meet Leo!
Leo is a convenience-focused player who values speed and simplicity when purchasing items for customization or quests.
Meet Carmen!
Carmen is a budget-conscious player who relies on persistence and external tools to stay competitive without paying for premium.
H O W M I G H T W E
How might we help Neopet users understand pricing trends and value fluctuations over time to support informed decisions and rebuild their trust in the marketplace?
How might we improve search filters to help users narrow results more effectively?
T H E I D E A T I O N
With our personas made and an idea of what users want, I created a user flow based on the key insights from the research phase. Due to the project being limited to a single feature, there was only one user flow to test out.
Making experiences tangible
Walks through searching for an item, applying filters, and reviewing price trends before selecting a shop. Users can either visit the owner’s page or use a streamlined quick-buy option, with built-in confirmation for clarity. This flow highlights the redesign’s focus on efficiency, transparency, and reducing unnecessary steps while preserving user choice.
Search & buy an item
T H E D E S I G N
With our user flows in hand, I began to start designing the key screens. Making sure to follow the original screens as a guide, I focused on providing solutions to the main feature requests given by our interviewees while respecting what users enjoy about the original layout.
The restrictions of this project include not changing anything about the UI elements, so I opted to skip the mid-fidelity stage since the majority of it will look similar in layout to the original.
Shaping insights into solutions
Low fidelity Prototypes
T E S T I N G & I T E R A T I O N S
After some user testing, the low-fidelity frames were brought up to high-fidelity and then tested again through virtual moderated usability tests with five interviewees to test the key flow.
Participants were asked to complete the following tasks while providing comments and feedback along the way:
Refinement with every test
Search for a “Blue Draik Egg”
Apply filters and View price chart
Use the quickbuy feature
Tasks
Cleaner layout an improved visual hierarchy.
Price chart adds value and transparency
Quickbuy supports faster shopping with less friction.
Personalization and trust-building features
Improved visual feedback and customization for confirmations.
Additional filters to support more advanced users.
Key Takeaways
T H E R E S U L T S
This project was about modernizing a nostalgic tool while respecting player expectations. I focused on balancing usability with fairness, streamlining the shopping experience, and designing a solution that feels both efficient and true to the community.
The result is a redesign that improves efficiency while still respecting the nostalgic look and feel that players are deeply attached to. By adding features like filters and integrated price charts inspired by Jellyneo, the Shop Wizard feels more modern without losing its identity.
This project pushed me to work within tighter design restrictions, which challenged my creativity and problem-solving. I learned how deeply players value familiarity, even if it means tolerating inefficiency, and how important it is to balance usability improvements with community trust.
Conducting interviews reminded me that even small visual changes can spark resistance if they feel disruptive to established habits.
What I Learned
Looking back, I would expand testing with a broader range of users, especially those who do not rely on third-party tools, to see how the redesign impacts different play styles. With more time, I would also explore alternative ways to open up advanced features while maintaining fairness between Premium and non-Premium users.
I am most proud of how well the final design blends efficiency with respect for nostalgia. It shows my ability to empathize with users, iterate thoughtfully, and create solutions that honor community values while addressing long-standing frustrations. This project highlights my skills across research, synthesis, design, prototyping, and testing, and demonstrates my ability to modernize legacy systems without alienating their loyal users.
Looking Back
I am most proud of how well the final design blends efficiency with respect for nostalgia. It shows my ability to empathize with users, iterate thoughtfully, and create solutions that honor community values while addressing long-standing frustrations. This project highlights my skills across research, synthesis, design, prototyping, and testing, and demonstrates my ability to modernize legacy systems without alienating their loyal users.
Project Takeaways
