Wireframe Page
- Structural wireframe with layout and typographic hierarchy.
- Ensure consistent spacing, font scales, and contrast.
- Map this frame to the nearest user flow step.
High quality
Bright colors
STYLE
LOGO
ABOUT US
Discover Your New Route to Quality: Welcome to SilkRoad!
Named after the legendary Silk Road... we bring popular clothing, shoes, and other textile products straight from Turkmenistan.
Every item embodies quality, craftsmanship, and reliability — a long-lasting addition to your wardrobe.
SilkRoad — Timeless Quality, For Your Comfort Today.
Project Bar
DESCRIPTION
The Problem
People in Romania who want authentic Turkmen textiles struggle with availability, high import costs, and quality uncertainty. Meanwhile, Turkmen producers lack access to EU markets, branding, and logistics compliance.
Our Solution
A dedicated online platform that curates and delivers Turkmen textiles locally in Romania with transparent pricing, verified quality, and fast delivery.
- Curated catalog: Cotton jeans and towels and fashionable leather shoes.
- Product pages with materials, sizes, care instructions, and photos
- Secure checkout in RON with invoices and tracking
- Courier & locker shipping, easy returns
- Educational storytelling about Turkmen craft
Phase 2 – Marketplace Upgrade
- Vendor onboarding (Turkmen producers)
- Ratings, reviews, wishlists, and discount systems
- Bundles & promotional campaigns
Customer Segments
- Primary: Turkmen people in Romania & international students (18–35)
- Secondary: Romanian consumers (18–55) valuing natural fibers
- Early B2B: Small boutiques seeking unique textiles
Competition
- General marketplaces: eMAG, Etsy
- Local Romanian textile brands
Our Advantages
- Niche focus & authenticity
- Verified quality and materials
- Strong brand story and cultural trust
Key Metrics
- Waitlist signups & email subscribers
- Conversion rate & Average Order Value
- Repeat purchase rate
- Order fulfillment time
- Number of verified suppliers
- Customer satisfaction scores
Cost Structure
Fixed Costs: logistic fee, advertisement, marketing.
Variable Costs: cost of goods, logistic fee.
Revenue Streams
- Direct product sales
- Marketplace commissions (Phase 2)
- Private-label textile collections
VALIDATION 1
Problem & solution validation using client survey data and early supplier interviews.
Identifying the Problem
Shoppers looking for Central Asian / Turkmen-inspired textile products in Romania struggle with: (1) trusted signals about quality and origin; (2) discovering unique designs at fair prices; (3) a smooth, mobile-first buying experience.
49/53 shop via smartphone
Quality importance avg 4.34/5
Top drivers: Quality, Price, Design
Hypotheses & Research Objectives
Hypotheses
- H1 — A mobile-first store with strong quality proof will improve purchase intent.
- H2 — Curated design discovery increases time-on-page and conversion.
- H3 — Transparent pricing & easy returns reduce drop-offs at checkout.
Objectives
- Measure current satisfaction and blockers in online textile purchases.
- Prioritize features customers value most (quality, price, design, brand, sustainability).
- Estimate willingness to pay (WTP) and preferred buying channels.
Methodology
Design: mixed-methods survey (closed + open questions).
Sample: n = 53 client responses (Romania); age 18–45 dominates.
Fieldwork: online distribution in social groups & classmates’ networks.
Period: October–November 2025.
Tools: Google Forms, manual cleaning & aggregation in spreadsheets.
Example Questions
- How often do you shop online for textiles? (Never / Sometimes / Often)
- Rate importance of quality/durability (1–5).
- Would you consider organic/natural materials? (1–5)
- Top 3 purchase drivers (quality, price, design, brand, sustainability)
- Preferred device & age/gender (for segmentation)
General Plan
We split validation into two tracks: Clients (end customers) and Businesses (suppliers/retailers). Methods include surveys, short interviews, and outreach through social channels.
Clients’ Problem Validation
Key Takeaways
- Mobile-first: smartphones dominate.
- Priorities: Quality and Price lead; Unique Design matters.
- Ratings: quality importance 4.34; organic interest 4.14; satisfaction 3.66.
- Segments: 18–35 core; gender ~60/40 split.
Businesses’ Problem Validation (Ongoing)
- Businesses’ Problem Validation (Ongoing) We attempted reachout to the people especially with platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook. So far, qualitative feedback indicates that quality and price transparency are top drivers for conversion, with interest in highlighting organic/natural options. We will continue collecting structured responses and update this section with charts similar to the Clients’ Validation above.
- Contacted people in Facebooka and Whatsapp: 53 Key concerns: stock variety, delivery times, return policy clarity
- Desired features: authenticity badges, size/fit guidance, fast support.
Next: collect 20+ structured supplier responses and visualize them like clients’ charts.
Do we need to update our solution?
- Mobile-first confirmed — prioritize responsive product cards and one-tap checkout.
- Quality proof: add material specs, weave density, care labels, origin stories.
- Design discovery: emphasize curated collections; boost image galleries.
- Organic filters and guidance for natural dyes/fibers.
Wireframe
Product Detail Page (PDP)
- Title, price (lei), color/size selectors, quantity control.
- Primary action: Add to Cart; secondary: Sizing Chart.
- Breadcrumbs: Home > Category > Product.
Product Detail Page (PDP)
- High-res images + thumbnails or gallery.
- Trust elements: reviews, delivery/return info in RON (lei).
- Sticky add-to-cart on mobile improves conversions.
Cart
- Line items with size and quantity controls.
- Running subtotal in RON (lei), clear CTA to Checkout.
- Mini summary box mirrors totals for clarity.
Checkout – Shipping
- Collects shipping address; supports multiple carrier options.
- Shows cost for UPS Ground/Air/Sea in lei.
- Progress: Cart → Info → Shipping → Payment.
Checkout – Payment
- Collects card number, expiry, CVV; billing address options.
- Order summary pinned on the right for transparency.
- ‘Complete Order’ CTA finalizes purchase.
Order Confirmation
- Order ID, customer and shipping details summarized.
- Payment method masked; totals shown in lei.
- Thank-you message confirms successful order.
Landing Page
UX – User Interviews
This section contains three face-to-face interviews (1 video and 2 audio recordings) with potential users from the main target segment. Each interview includes a completed participant profile based on the collected UX research insights.
Interview 1 (Video)
Face-to-face interview recorded as a video.
Participant Profile
- Name: Ivan
- Age: 22
- City: Bucharest (student at Politehnica University)
- Status / Occupation: Third-year bachelor student
- Shopping Interests: Clothing, textile products for dormitory (towels, bedding, etc.)
- Shopping Behavior: Mostly shops using phone; uses AliExpress, Temu, Shein, and eMAG
- Additional Notes: Has previous positive experience with Turkmen textiles (jeans and T-shirts). Values strong refund policies, buyer protection systems, and reliable delivery.
Interview 2 (Audio)
Face-to-face interview recorded as audio.
Participant Profile
- Name: Andrei
- Age: 25
- Status / Occupation: Student
- Shopping Interests: Clothing and home textiles (especially natural cotton materials)
- Shopping Behavior: Prefers online shopping because of better product variety
- Additional Notes: Values natural materials, relies heavily on real customer photos and detailed reviews, needs transparency about product origin and material authenticity.
Interview 3 (Audio)
Face-to-face interview recorded as audio.
Participant Profile
- Name: Habib
- Last Name: Said
- Age: 30
- City: Originally from Syria, currently in Romania
- Status / Occupation: Mechatronics Engineer, Master's student in Mechanical Engineering
- Shopping Interests: Unique, high-quality textile products, clothing, and international brands
- Shopping Behavior: Shops mostly via phone; checks customer reviews with real photos before purchasing
- Additional Notes: Trust depends strongly on real customer photos, verified sellers, honest material descriptions, and secure payment options. Open to trying Turkmen textiles if fast delivery and quality guarantees are provided.
MILESTONE 5 — Lead Generation Campaign
For SILKROAD (fashion / clothing e-commerce) we ran a lead-generation campaign to collect early users and track how visitors move from product interest to registration and add-to-cart.
1) Lead collection (Newsletter / Early access)
We added a newsletter signup section on the landing page to collect email (required) and phone (optional). Users get launch updates, new drops, and an early-bird discount.
Evidence: Login / Registration screen
SILKROAD is an одежда e-commerce. For Milestone 5 we focus on the real conversion actions: registration, login, product views and add-to-cart.
2) Analytics (PostHog)
We use PostHog for Web analytics (visits/pageviews), Product analytics (conversion funnels), and Session replay (observe user behavior on registration and product pages).
Tracked events
lead_form_started,lead_submittedregister_attempt,user_registered,user_verifieduser_logged_in,user_logged_outproduct_viewed,product_added_to_cart
Conversion funnels
- Lead funnel:
$pageview→lead_form_started→lead_submitted - Shop funnel:
product_viewed→product_added_to_cart→user_registered
Session replay helps identify drop-off points (registration friction, unclear sizing, cart abandonment).
3) Evidence (screenshots)
Evidence screenshots of analytics tracking (events and totals). Put mil5.JPG and mil52.JPG in the same folder as index.html.
MILESTONE 6 — Market Research & Pricing
The business intends to enter the Romanian market with a product portfolio consisting of men’s denim jeans, bathroom towels, bed sheet sets, and men’s leather footwear. These products belong to the wider apparel, footwear, and home textile retail market in Romania. Demand in these categories is driven primarily by utility, quality, price sensitivity, durability, and household consumption patterns, as opposed to premium fashion or luxury motives.
Romania: A High-Growth SEE E-Commerce Market
Romania’s e-commerce is expanding at one of the fastest rates in Central and Eastern Europe. The market is projected to reach US $8.3 billion by 2025, with a 7.5% CAGR through 2029.
With 94% internet access but only 60% of users shopping online, Romania shows a huge growth gap — signaling untapped potential for digital adoption and global players.
The local champion eMAG holds ~66% market share, combining logistics, trust, and product depth. At the same time, AliExpress (US $298M) and Trendyol (US $242M) are gaining traction among younger, urban shoppers.
1) Target Market Size (Romania)
Geographic Scope
- Primary: Romania
- Future expansion: EU (Phase 2)
Sub-markets
- Online shoppers looking for affordable fashion
- Customers interested in unique textiles & better quality
- B2B (future): small boutiques & retailers
2) Competitors & Market Players
SILKROAD competes with large cross-border platforms and local online stores. Our niche is curated textile/clothing products with clearer sourcing and product details.
Shein
Fast fashion, mass catalog, aggressive pricing.
Temu
Very low prices, discount-driven, quality perception risk.
Trendyol
Mid-range pricing, broad assortment.
Approx. number of players
- Large platforms: 3–5
- Local online fashion stores: 50+
- Niche small sellers: 10–15
Market structure (approx.)
- Large platforms: ~70%
- Local stores: ~25%
- Niche sellers: ~5%
3) Market Share & Value Forecast (Years 1–5)
Conservative forecast based on niche positioning and gradual brand trust. Assumption: total market value (RO) ~ 300M LEI/year.
| Year | Visitors | Buyers | SOM | Revenue (RON) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 15000-20000 | ~150-250 | 0.01% | 24000-40000 |
| Year 2 | 30000-45000 | ~300-600 | 0.02% | 48000-96000 |
| Year 3 | 60000-90000 | ~900-1500 | 0.03% | 144000-240000 |
| Year 4 | 125000-175000 | ~2000-3000 | 0.05% | 320000-480000 |
| Year 5 | 200000-275000 | ~3500-5000 | 0.07% | 560000-800000 |
Milestone 7 — Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
MVP explanation & justification
Minimum Viable Product (MVP) The goal of SilkRoad’s MVP stage was to validate whether Romanian consumers demonstrate real interest and willingness to purchase textile and leather products sourced from Turkmenistan. At this stage we do not aim to prove retention or scalability; instead, the main objective is to confirm the value of the core idea and evaluate early purchasing intent. To achieve this, we built the minimum set of features that enable a realistic shopping experience. The MVP allows users to browse products, understand pricing, evaluate perceived quality, and proceed to checkout simulation. These elements are sufficient to observe user reactions without implementing full infrastructure such as payment, logistics or inventory systems. Scope of the MVP The MVP currently includes: Product catalog with categories (denim, leather, footwear, home textiles) Product detail pages with material composition and origin Transparent pricing with VAT included Add-to-cart functionality Checkout simulation with payment preview Optional account creation Brand positioning and sourcing story This setup allows us to test the basic buying journey, which is the most critical part of the business model. If users are willing to add items to their cart and move toward checkout, this indicates a meaningful level of purchase intent. Validation Rationale Before implementation, earlier milestones (M2, M5, M6) confirmed that consumers evaluate imported textile and leather products based on four primary dimensions: Product quality and materials Price positioning relative to competitors (Trendyol, Temu, Shein, LC Waikiki) Trust, credibility and origin Convenience of ordering The MVP was designed to directly test these components and capture initial willingness-to-buy signals.
Milestone 8 — First Sale & User Feedback
In this milestone we put the SILKROAD MVP in front of real users. Below are vertical screenshots of WhatsApp conversations where early users gave feedback and expressed interest in buying our products.
User conversations (WhatsApp screenshots)
What we learned from the first users
For this milestone we put our MVP in front of real users and asked them to interact with it honestly. We didn’t test retention or long-term usage yet — the only goal here was to check if people would actually consider buying and if the core value makes sense to them.
We shared the MVP privately through WhatsApp, since it is the fastest way for our target users to answer and ask questions. We also used WhatsApp to collect feedback and understand what would make people more confident to buy.
User Reactions
The overall impression was positive:
✔ Users liked the simplicity
✔ Products were understood
✔ Pricing was considered fair
✔ Denim and leather products got the strongest reaction
✔ Several users said they would consider buying once a few details are improved
Example comments from testers:
• “I’m excited about the leather boots and jeans. I will definitely buy them in the near future.”
• “I really like those classic shoes, I’m considering to buy them if I’m being honest.”
• “Your jeans fit in the same price category with LC Waikiki which is honestly surprising.”
• “If I had to buy something today, I’d choose the jeans.”
What Needed Improvement (According to Users)
Users were surprisingly detailed and specific. Main suggestions were:
• better product photos (higher quality + more angles)
• Romanian language option
• show fabric/material info more clearly
• size and color variations
• visible delivery expectations
• show products on a model for more confidence
• optional AI / outfit recommendations (future idea by one tester)
These are not blockers — all are upgrade features that can increase trust and conversion rate.
Purchase Intent
Even though we did not force anyone to buy, several testers explicitly said they would purchase later, and two users also asked about availability and delivery conditions.
This is enough to validate that the MVP has real potential.
Key point:
The milestone was not about proving retention — just confirming that people actually want the product and are willing to pay. That target was achieved.
Conclusion
The MVP successfully validated:
✓ The value proposition makes sense to real users
✓ The pricing is acceptable for Romanian customers
✓ The strongest categories (so far) are denim & home textiles
✓ People are willing to consider buying — even without aggressive marketing
✓ Feedback gives us a clear path for the next milestone
OUR TEAM
Maksad Ermetov
IT and development
maksat0802.me@gmail.com
Gurban Choganov
Data analyst
Oraz Makyyev
Frontend Developer
Ogulnyyaz Amanova
Product Manager