TCGPlayer
The Most data, but hard to scan.
UX/UI CASE STUDY - 2026
PokeStop
One app to find, compare, buy and sell Pokemon Cards.
- Role
- Solo Designer
- Tools
- Figma
- Project
- Build an App
- Timeline
- Fall 2026
01 - The problem
Too many sites. Too much information.
Collectors check several sites to find the best price on a card, and the biggest one, TCGPlayer, packs in so much information that it’s hard to read at a glance. The brief asked for a live market tracker that alerts users to deals without feeling like spam.
02 - Research
What the market gets right, and wrong.
I focused on Pokémon cards only, and on enthusiasts rather than scalpers.
StockX
Far easier to read at a glance.
Collectr
Bare-bones, but I want to build on it.
eBay
Everyone knows eBay, a great entry point for sellers.
03 - Meet Kay
The Collector
Kay, 24, collects her favorite older cards and is hunting a specific Porygon. She wants one app, one purchase, and information she can read at a glance.
No off-site buying
Easy Filters
Clear selling Info
04 - The flow, and the detour
Even with a detour, Kay never leaves the app.
Kay gets an alert, compares sellers, and checks out. But when she doesn’t have enough money, she sells her Rowlet inside the app, then buys the next cheapest Porygon.
Happy path
Get price alert
Open Watchlist
Compare 4 sellers
Check out
Open Watchlist
Compare 4 sellers
Check out
The detour
Not enough money
List Rowlet
Rowlet Sells
Cheapest card gone
Buy next cheapest
Checked out
List Rowlet
Rowlet Sells
Cheapest card gone
Buy next cheapest
Checked out
05 - The logic
When does an alert fire?
IF price A − price B > fees + shipping AND card is on watchlist AND price ≤ Kay’s target THEN alert
The system
Design System
Ground
Blue
Red
White
Inter 10
Kdam Thmor Pro 20
06 - From sketch to screen
Point A to C
07 - Big moment
Alerts that aren’t spam
Alerts only fire for cards on Kay’s watchlist, at a price she set. If she gets a notification, it’s one she asked for.
PokestopA card you want has appeared for the desired price!
PokestopYour Rowlet (082/080) has sold for $5.93!
PokestopError! Not enough money in that account.
08 - Most proud of
Price comparison
One card, four platforms side by side. The best deal is visible at a glance, with more detail one tap away.
eBay$13.19
Vinted$4.93
TCG$21.02
Mercari$7.20
09 - Feedback
What critique changed
BEFORE
Dark blue, contrasts poorly against the background.
AFTER
Lighter blue stands out against the darker interface.
Phone UI
Adding device details made the screens read as a real app.
Friction Point
Critique helped me find the money detour. It took a few rounds, but it became the center of the flow.
10 - What’s next
I’d love to build this out as a full app one day, come back to this project after school, testing it with real collectors, possibly expanding beyond Pokémon.
