Client
Macy's, Inc.
Company
PwC EC
2017
Role
Digital Strategy
UX/UI Designer
The Background
Macy’s is the largest department store in the United States, best known for offering fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands all under one roof. With a strong domestic presence, Macy's began exploring opportunities to expand into the Chinese market as part of its global growth strategy.
The Chinese retail landscape had already evolved into a highly digital ecosystem, where traditional department store models held little relevance. At the center of this ecosystem was a new generation of consumers: Gen Z.
The Challenge
Entering the Chinese market poses significant challenges for international brands, the market is highly competitive, local brands move quickly and operational regulations add additional layers of difficulty.
More importantly, Chinese Gen Z consumers are not just buying products, they are buying into stories and identity. Many brands have built strong emotional connections by drawing on local culture which feels familiar and deeply personal to younger consumers.
For Macy’s, the challenge is not just entering the market, it is figuring out how to present themselves and the brands they represent in a way that feels distinctive and relevant.
The Research
To validate the positioning strategy, we conducted interviews with 9 consumers within our target demographic, forward-thinking Gen Z fashion enthusiasts. The goal was to better understand their shopping behaviors and expectations toward international fashion brands entering the Chinese market.
Liu Yuxin
“My outfits are part of my identity. If it doesn’t feel like me, I’m not wearing it."
Age: 26
Job: Junior marketing assistant
Location: Shanghai
Disposable income: RMB 4000 - 6000/month, willing to spend disproportionately on fashion
About
Yuxin is a fashion-forward fashion diva who lives on her phone. Her camera roll is full of outfit screenshots, saved runway looks and inspiration from the fashion creators she checks daily. She sees fashion as a form of self-expression and social currency. She gravitates toward brands that understand her aesthetic and reflect her personal style. She mostly shops online for the wider selection and convenience of returns. Physical stores rarely capture her attention unless they offer something beyond what she can access on her phone, such as in-store curation or exclusive drops unavailable online.
Wants & Goals
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Stay ahead of fashion trends
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Build a distinctive personal style that stands out on social media
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To access authentic global brands without overpaying or worrying about fakes
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To feel confident and admired
Needs
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Curated fashion inspiration
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Seamless mobile shopping experience
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Social validation like reviews and KOL endorsement
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Trust in authenticity and pricing
Frustrations
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Too many products with no clear styling guidance
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Slow shipping or complicated returns
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Brands that do not understand her
Emotional Drivers
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Self expression where fashion reflects identity
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Discovering new looks, drops or collaborations
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Wearing brands that elevate her status
To better understand these expectations, we studied leading local and cross-border fashion commerce platforms, looking closely at how their experiences create inspiration, guide discovery through curation and build trust with their consumers.
Key behavioral patterns
Mobile-first by default
All participants primarily discovered and purchased fashion through mobile platforms. Browsing typically happened on:
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Tmall
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JD.com
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Little red book
Social validation drives decision
Participants heavily relied on:
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Reviews and ratings
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Influencer/KOL recommendations
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Little red book-style peer content
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Real customer photos
Too many choices
Participants also expressed being overwhelmed by product choices. They valued:
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Prestyled outfit suggestions
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Occasion based edits
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Clear brand storytelling
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Simplified discovery
Expectation of seamless service
Fast delivery and easy returns were considered baseline expectations.
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Easy, hassle free returns and refund processes
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Secure, familiar payment options
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Responsive customer support through in-app chat
These insights directly informed our recommendation for Macy's to position itself as a curated lifestyle platform, rather than a traditional department store.
One key insight stood out is that successful brands in China don’t try to “sell” first. Brands and products are often introduced through narratives that reflect personal values and social identity.
Another important finding was that Gen Z consumers are highly comfortable navigating through digital ecosystems. They expect seamless experiences across content, commerce and social interaction, often within the same platform.
From a UX perspective, the emphasis was on discovery and emotional engagement, helping users understand not just what a brand offers but why it might matter to them. We concluded to focus on 3 main challenges.
Low Cultural Relevance
Consumers → Low initial interest and weak emotional pull
Macy's → Being overlooked by trend-led platforms and domestic brands
Choice Overload Without Curation
Consumers → Longer decision time and higher abandonment rates
Macy's → Inability to compete with platforms that excel in curated discovery
Authenticity & Transparency Friction
Consumers → Uncertainty around authenticity and delivery when purchasing from international brands
Macy's → Low purchase rate and customer's willingness to try new categories or higher-price items
Rather than replicating Macy’s existing retail model in the United States, we explored how the brand could be reinterpreted for the Chinese market. The focus was on:
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Reframing Macy’s as a brand curator, rather than a mass retailer
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Highlighting selected brands through culturally relevant storytelling
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Allowing space for localized narratives without losing Macy’s core identity
The Process
We were competing alongside with several consulting teams to help Macy’s define its entry into the Chinese market. Our goals were to understand the consumers, identify the biggest barriers Macy’s would face and turn those insights into a clear market-entry strategy.
Everything we designed centered around the three key challenges found through our research. By grounding our work in real consumer behavior and expectations, we aimed to show how Macy’s could enter the market in a way that feels relevant and in tune with the new generation of Chinese consumers.
The Solution
Localizing for cultural relevance.
For Chinese Gen Z consumers, fashion is deeply tied to identity. It’s how they express who they are and who they want to become. The app opens to a personalized feed shaped by each user’s preferences, browsing behavior and past purchases, no two homepages look the same. This allows Macy’s to feel immediately relevant, even for first-time users.
Products are grouped around moments that matter such as seasonal trends, special occasions, limited-time drops and promotions. This helps users find what they are looking for without feeling overwhelmed.
Macy's creators are part of the experience through curated lookbooks and livestreams, helping users discover products in a way that feels natural and relatable. By following creators whose style they love, users can shop directly from their recommendations, turning inspiration into action without breaking the flow.
Delivery timelines are transparent with real-time tracking and clear expectations, helping reduce the uncertainty that often comes with cross-border shopping. Returns are simplified through one-click initiation, reinforcing confidence when purchasing.
Trust is especially important when buying international brands. Each brand is supported with review-driven ratings and authenticity certificates, giving users confidence that products are genuine and officially sourced.
To encourage long-term engagement, users are rewarded for actions that build community and trust, such as leaving reviews and contributing content, reinforcing both emotional and functional loyalty.
The Results
Even though the proposal wasn’t selected, it was a valuable learning experience. The process felt like working on a real client project. From research to shaping the strategy and designing the solution. It pushed me to turn raw market insights into a compelling vision.
I gained a much deeper understanding of Chinese Gen Z consumers and just how important cultural relevance is when entering a new market. Not every project ends in a win but Macy's remains as a strong example of how insights translate into digital experiences.