Onboarding
the design focus of this project
GrossiWeb proposal packet
Defined audience
a specific group of consumers, not everyone
GrossiWeb proposal packet
Invite-only
eBay Top Star was a buyer loyalty program by invitation
Value Added Resource
eBay Top Star was an invite-only buyer loyalty program for eBay. It was aimed mostly at sneaker collectors. It launched in 2021 and was scheduled to close on March 31, 2025. GrossiWeb designed onboarding for this defined consumer audience, and we use Top Star to show how that kind of work is done.
The work
The approved scope was onboarding design for eBay Top Star, an invite-only buyer loyalty program for a defined consumer audience. Onboarding is the first experience a member has with a program. For a defined audience, it has a specific job. It must make the right person feel that the program was built for them.
Designing for a defined audience
A defined audience is not a general audience. Top Star was invite-only and aimed mostly at sneaker collectors. When we design onboarding for an audience like this, we do not explain the whole category. We respect what members already know and show them what is new.
In this kind of work we start by learning the audience. What do they care about? What do they expect? What would feel false to them? The answers shape the words, the order of the screens and the tone.
The first moments of a member
An invited member arrives with interest and little patience. When we design the first screens for an audience like this, they confirm that the member is in the right place. They show what membership gives and what to do next. Each step asks for one thing, and it explains why.
Onboarding that leads to use
Our way of doing this is to end the flow with the member doing something. For a loyalty program, that means finding the benefits and knowing how to use them. We design the path from welcome to first action, so members do not have to guess.
How we design onboarding for a defined audience
Our method for onboarding has four parts.
Our four-part method
Define who the audience is
Write down who the program is for and what they care about. Use that description to settle design questions.
Match their language
Use the words the audience uses. Skip explanations they do not need. Keep the tone as sharp as they are.
Show the value first
Lead with what membership gives them. Ask for details only after they see the reason.
Guide to the first action
Plan the path from welcome to first use. Remove every step that does not help the member get there.
What this means for your project
If your product serves a specific group, such as members, collectors, patients or fans, your onboarding should speak to that group directly. A general welcome flow wastes the interest your audience arrives with.
Start with the free consultation. Tell us who your audience is and what happens when they first sign up. We will tell you what we would change first. See our web design and UX and UI design services.
