Coffee Roastery E-Commerce

Bergmann Coffee Roastery had a loyal following in Bergmannkiez but zero digital presence. Customers who loved the café had no way to buy beans online. I designed a mobile-first e-commerce experience from scratch one that preserves the warmth of the physical space in a seamless digital flow.

research

Before talking to users, I sat down with the Bergmann stakeholder. We talked about sourcing philosophy, what made the café irreplaceable, and what the brand refused to compromise on digitally. That conversation became the brief behind the brief, and it shaped every decision that followed. Five interviews with Berlin-based specialty coffee buyers revealed the core tension: every single one of them trusted Bergmann completely in person, and not one had ever bought from a local roastery online. That gap isn't a coincidence. Trust doesn't transfer automatically; it has to be designed.

key insights

Three insights that changed the direction. Café trust is built through smell, texture, and human interaction. None of that exists on a screen, so the design had to earn it from zero. Technical coffee language was the most cited reason users abandoned specialty coffee sites, which meant leading with flavor and story, not process. And when users could see where the coffee came from, they consistently said they'd pay more; transparency converts better than any discount.

The Problem

Bergmann had an audience loyal, coffee-literate, and willing to pay for quality. The problem was that the brand's warmth had no digital equivalent.

How might we make buying Bergmann coffee online feel as trustworthy as buying it in the café?

User Persona

Lukas, 34 · Software Engineer · Berlin Mitte

GOAL: Buy the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe he gets in the café without going in person.

PAIN POINT: No online store exists. And when he finds specialty coffee online, the language is too technical to navigate quickly.

"I know I like Bergmann. I just want to be able to buy it from my sofa."

Design Decision

Taste Match Quiz: A 3-step quiz matching users to their ideal bean brew method, flavor, and strength. Reduces decision fatigue without dumbing anything down.

Origin Storytelling on the Product Detail Page: Farm origin and producer story lead the product page before price, before add-to-cart. The story earns the purchase.

2-Step Frictionless Checkout: Info → Payment. Shipping costs are visible upfront. No account wall. Every drop-off trigger research identified removed.