UX / UI Concept · Mobile App

DotDotBang

A mobile shopping app concept for a kawaii, anime-inspired boutique — designed to bring personalization, discovery, and their Cute Loyalty program into a dedicated app.

Work in progress — this case study is still being built out and will continue to be updated. This is also an unsolicited concept redesign — it isn't an official or approved direction from the brand, just a self-directed exploration of what a DotDotBang mobile app could look like.

Project overview

A mobile shopping app concept for DotDotBang

DotDotBang is a kawaii, anime-inspired boutique with locations across North Texas, selling stationery, anime collectibles, blind boxes, plushies, apparel, figures, and other lifestyle products. This project explores a dedicated mobile shopping experience that helps customers discover products, engage with the brand, and feel more connected through personalization and rewards.

The problem: Customers can currently shop in-store or through the website, but neither offers the personalization, discovery, or connection modern shopping apps provide — and the existing Cute Loyalty program doesn't yet communicate how exciting it could feel. How might we create a mobile shopping experience that makes DotDotBang customers feel rewarded, connected, and excited to return?

My role
UX/UI Designer & Researcher
Timeline
In progress
Team
Solo, unsolicited concept
Tools
Figma, FigJam
Work in progress Concept only — not affiliated with or approved by DotDotBang
01 — Research

Auditing the current experience and the competitive landscape

Since DotDotBang doesn't have an existing app to test, I audited the two shopping paths customers have today — in-store across North Texas, and the website — then researched how comparable collectible, fandom, and lifestyle-retail brands handle mobile shopping, loyalty, and discovery.

  • The website already supports a solid product range (stationery, anime merchandise, figures, plushies, blind boxes, apparel, accessories), but the experience is built around individual purchases rather than an ongoing relationship.
  • Cute Loyalty's rewards concept is strong — 100 points earns a $5 reward — but it's communicated mostly through text on the website, which doesn't capture the cute, collectible feeling of the brand.
How might we create a mobile shopping experience that makes DotDotBang customers feel rewarded, connected, and excited to return?
02 — Personas

Designing for Emma and Olivia

Two personas represent the range of DotDotBang shoppers: Emma, a dedicated collector who wants discovery and rewards, and Olivia, a casual shopper who wants to browse without pressure before committing.

Photo representing Emma Parker, the collector persona
Emma Parker
Age — 23
Occupation — Graphic Design Student / Junior Designer
Hometown — Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
"I love finding things that feel like they were made for me."

Goal: Discover new products and exclusive collectibles, save what she loves, and earn rewards from the brands she supports most.

Goals

  • Discover new products that match her interests
  • Find exclusive collectibles and limited releases
  • Earn rewards from brands she frequently shops with

Frustrations

  • Loyalty programs that are hard to understand
  • Missing limited releases or new drops
  • Brands with great products but a disconnected digital experience
Emma frequently shops through mobile apps because they make it easy to save products, get updates, and track rewards. For her, shopping isn't just about the purchase — it's about finding something that feels personal.
Photo representing Olivia Martinez, the casual shopper persona
Olivia Martinez
Age — 29
Occupation — Marketing Coordinator
Hometown — Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
"I want to look around first and decide if I love the brand before I commit to making an account."

Goal: Explore DotDotBang without pressure, and understand the value of joining before committing to an account.

Goals

  • Quickly discover what DotDotBang offers
  • Browse products without unnecessary steps
  • Understand the benefits of joining a rewards program

Frustrations

  • Being forced to create an account before browsing
  • Complicated onboarding experiences
  • Feeling overwhelmed by too many products or promotions
Olivia isn't a dedicated collector — she shops occasionally for gifts, accessories, or something new for herself, and usually discovers brands through social media or word of mouth. She prefers simple experiences and is more likely to join a loyalty program once the benefits are clear.
03 — Competitive audit

How similar brands handle discovery, loyalty, and personalization

Audit goal: Understand how comparable collectible, fandom, and lifestyle-retail brands approach mobile shopping, loyalty, and product discovery, and uncover opportunities for DotDotBang.

Pop Mart

Direct

Strong branded homepage and product discovery through drops and recommendations — creates real excitement around new releases.

BoxLunch

Direct

Allows browsing without an account and uses simple category organization, similar to DotDotBang's own website today.

Hot Topic

Direct

Strong brand identity and visual collection browsing, with the experience still focused on shopping.

Miniso

Indirect

Creates an exciting browse-and-discover experience in-store that hasn't fully translated to mobile yet.

AliExpress

Indirect

Strong recommendations and many ways to engage users, though it risks feeling overwhelming.

All five offer useful patterns, but none combine DotDotBang's specific mix of discovery-based browsing and an existing, well-loved loyalty program.

Strengths

Strengths of the competitors

  • Strong branded homepages that immediately communicate the vibe of the brand
  • Discovery mechanics built around drops, recommendations, and curated collections
  • Guest browsing options that reduce first-visit friction
  • Visual, collection-based navigation over dense category lists
Weaknesses

Weaknesses of the competitors

  • Some require an account before any purchase can be completed
  • Rewards programs are often buried or explained only in text
  • Heavy gamification in places, which can feel like pressure rather than value
  • Personalization sometimes overwhelms rather than curates
Gaps

Gaps

  • No competitor combines discovery-based browsing with a visual, game-like loyalty program the way Cute Loyalty could be presented
  • Little precedent for interest-based onboarding that personalizes without restricting the catalog
  • Few examples of engagement features that feel earned rather than gamified
Opportunities

Opportunities for DotDotBang

  • An optional onboarding flow — account, sign in, or guest — that introduces the app's value without forcing commitment
  • A dedicated, visual Cute Loyalty dashboard for tracking points, progress, and ways to earn
  • Interest-based personalization (plushies, blind boxes, fashion, anime, jewelry, stationery, accessories) that curates without limiting
  • A shopping experience that feels like discovering the physical DotDotBang store, digitally
04 — Wireframes

Coming soon

Paper sketches and Figma wireframes for this concept are still in progress — this section will be updated once they're ready.

05 — Brand mascot

Leveraging DotDotBang's existing corgi mascot

Part of studying the existing brand was noticing that DotDotBang already uses a corgi as a mascot across their marketing. Rather than introducing something new, I leaned into that existing character to reinforce brand recognition throughout the app — onboarding moments, empty states, and the Rewards experience. Here are four original illustrations I drew for this concept.

Illustrated corgi mascot peeking out of a pink gift box, drawn for the DotDotBang concept
Welcome / unboxing moment
Illustrated corgi mascot running with a speech bubble heart, drawn for the DotDotBang concept
Loading / transition state
Illustrated corgi mascot wearing heart sunglasses in a pool float, drawn for the DotDotBang concept
Seasonal / event promo
Illustrated corgi mascot holding a phone with a heart on screen, drawn for the DotDotBang concept
Rewards / notification moment
06 — High-fidelity prototype

Coming soon

High-fidelity screens and an interactive Figma prototype are still in progress — this section will be updated once they're ready.

07 — Usability testing & iterations

Coming soon

Usability testing hasn't been conducted yet — this section will be updated as that round of testing happens.

08 — Outcome & reflection

Coming soon

Reflection and impact notes will be added once this concept is further along.

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