Sakesho Product

eCommerce, Wine & Spirits

A New Chapter in Sake Exploration

Sakesho elevates the sake purchasing experience by blending the artisanal craft with modern convenience. They offer a narrative-rich journey, spotlighting the heritage and artistry behind each bottle. As cultural ambassadors, they curate immersive experiences that educate and inspire, challenging global perceptions and making the rich tradition of sake accessible to enthusiasts worldwide.

Services

  • App
  • CMS Implementation
  • Development
  • Digital Strategy
  • Information Architecture
  • Personalization
  • Product Design
  • Software Development
  • UX/UI Design

Project Type

  • eCommerce
  • Mobile App Development
  • Product Design
  • Software Development

Sakesho elevates the sake purchasing experience by blending the artisanal craft with modern convenience. They offer a narrative-rich journey, spotlighting the heritage and artistry behind each bottle. As cultural ambassadors, they curate immersive experiences that educate and inspire, challenging global perceptions and making the rich tradition of sake accessible to enthusiasts worldwide.

Services

  • App
  • CMS Implementation
  • Development
  • Digital Strategy
  • Information Architecture
  • Personalization
  • Product Design
  • Software Development
  • UX/UI Design

Project Type

  • eCommerce
  • Mobile App Development
  • Product Design
  • Software Development

Crafting a New Chapter of Sake Exploration with a B2C Mobile App

To help Sakesho create a modern mobile app that redefines how enthusiasts explore, learn, and enjoy sake, the team at Lion tapped into sake's rich heritage and coupled it with cutting-edge tech. We created an intuitive platform that offers personalized taste profiling, tailored recommendations, and sake insights, driven by user-centered design and seamless integration of AI to ensure each user's journey is as enriching as the sake they seek.

Sakesho Mobile App Screens Showcase with Men Cheering in Background Sakesho Mobile App Screens Showcase with Men Cheering in Background
Key Challenges

Digital Barriers in Sake Exploration

Sakesho's journey to digital transformation faced challenges in online visibility, user access, and educational outreach, which we aimed to address through strategic UX design.

  • Storefront Icon

    No Digital Presence

    Sakesho lacked an online platform, a critical component in today’s digital-first consumer market. It was a significant barrier for potential customers seeking to explore and purchase sake in a modern, digital space.

  • User with Question Mark Icon

    Limited Access for Consumers

    The intricacies of sake remained locked behind language barriers and cultural nuances, leaving enthusiasts with a desire but no clear direction. There was a need to simplify sake discovery and make it globally accessible to consumers.

  • Sake Book Icon

    Lack of Education and Ways to Learn About Sake

    The existing sake exploration process was unengaging, lacking educational content that was accessible and compelling. Potential sake enthusiasts were missing out on understanding sake, inhibiting market growth and consumer engagement.

Our Goals

  • Path 33
    Design, develop, and launch an MVP mobile application
  • Path 33
    Guides users through a personalized sake journey
  • Path 33
    Unified product catalog and application layer across web and mobile platforms
  • Path 33
    Strategic collaboration with stakeholders to develop and prioritize a product roadmap
FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY

Key Aspects of Mobile App

We crafted a mobile app for Sakesho that begins with an engaging taste quiz for personalized profile creation, followed by custom recommendations that adapt to user preferences, all complemented by a label scanner for instant sake insights.

  • Onboarding Icon

    Flavorful Beginnings with Onboarding

    We crafted an onboarding experience that allowed users to take a taste profile quiz that crafted their personalized sake journey from the very first sip.

  • AI Recommendations Icon

    Personalized Sake Recommendations

    We implemented AI/ML to learn a user’s preferences and curate sake recommendations and list views that resonate with their palate.

  • Label Scanner Photo Icon

    Sake Knowledge in a Snap

    Users could instantly scan sake bottle labels to uncover detailed profiles, matching recommendations, and explore a world of flavors with the label scanner functionality.

Understanding Taste Preferences
with Onboarding

We designed an immersive onboarding process for the Sakesho app that begins with a comprehensive taste profile quiz. This initial interaction is crucial, as it establishes the foundation of the user’s sake exploration journey, capturing their flavor preferences and setting the stage for a personalized experience that evolves with their tastes.

Flat Lay Mockup of Sakesho Onboarding Screens Flat Lay Mockup of Sakesho Onboarding Screens

Personalized Sake Recommendations

Our team integrated advanced AI/ML algorithms to analyze user preferences and craft a tailored selection of sakes. This personalization extends to customized list views within the app, ensuring that each recommendation resonates deeply with the individual's palate, leading to a more satisfying discovery and enjoyment of sake.

Sakesho Mobile App Mockups of Taste Profile and Recommended Sake Lists

Sake Bottle Label Scanner

We introduced a label scanning feature that empowers users to instantly capture and learn about the sake they encounter. By simply scanning a bottle label with their phone’s camera, the app provides detailed profiles, pairing recommendations, and a richer understanding of the sake’s flavor profile, enhancing the user’s connection to the product.

Mobile App Mockups of the Sake Label Scanner Feature with People at Restaurant in Background Mobile App Mockups of the Sake Label Scanner Feature with People at Restaurant in Background

Building the Product Catalog and Sake Database

We developed Sakesho's product catalog to streamline sake discovery alongside a robust WordPress CMS to manage an extensive sake database, with the end goal of personalized, user-friendly journeys into the world of sake.

  • Customer Shopping Icon

    Comprehensive Sake Product Catalog

    We designed a digital catalog where users can effortlessly browse, filter, and sort through an extensive array of sake offerings.

  • Search Icon

    Intuitive Search Functionality

    We streamlined the search process within the Sakesho app, providing intuitive, efficient filtering options that make discovering your next favorite sake as simple as a tap.

  • Backend Code Icon

    Robust Backend Infrastructure

    Behind the scenes, we engineered a robust back-end infrastructure to power a dynamic sake database and content scraper, ensuring a continuously updated selection.

Explore the Sake Product Catalog with Ease

Our collaboration with Sakesho led to the creation of a rich digital catalog where connoisseurs and novices alike can journey through a world of sake. Each listing in the catalog is an invitation to explore, with full-bodied product pages that not only showcase the sake's visual appeal but also provide an immersive description, complete with taste notes, match scores to the user's preferences, and a curated list of similar sakes.

Product Single Detail Screen Next to Sake Bottle

Effortless Discovery and Personalization with Search and Filters

In designing the app's search functionality, we focused a seamless filter and search system that allows users to quickly pinpoint sakes that align with their taste or curiosity. The app's design deliberately steers clear of complex search features that could overwhelm users, instead fostering an environment where the perfect sake is just a few simple clicks away.

Sakesho Mobile App Search Filters and Search UI

Robust Backend Infrastructure as the Backbone

To support a dynamic and ever-growing catalog of sakes, we built a solid back-end infrastructure. This system not only houses the sake database but is also equipped with content scrapers that regularly fetch and update the catalog with the latest sakes on the market. In addition, the platform incorporates secure user authentication, compatible with popular SSO providers, ensuring a trustworthy and streamlined experience from the moment users step into the Sakesho app to when they choose their next bottle of sake.

Creating Personalized and Educational Sake Experiences

We elevated the sake experience by creating a matching algorithm based on one’s taste profile to drive recommendations and an engaging blog to enrich users' sake knowledge and exploration.

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    Smart Sake Matching Algorithm

    Our innovative algorithm acts as a personal sake companion, aligning sake with the user's individual taste profile, ensuring each recommendation is a good match.

  • Taste Profile Icon

    Customized Taste Profile

    The core sake experience lies in the Taste Profile, a dynamic visualization of users’ flavor preferences shaped by our intuitive tasting quiz.

  • Blog Icon

    Informative, User-Friendly Blog

    The blog ensures easy navigation and reading, inviting users to learn, share, and become part of a community that celebrates the art and science of sake.

Smart Matching Algorithm for Curated Recommendations

We integrated a sophisticated matching algorithm to pair users with sake selections that align with their unique taste profiles. This intelligent feature ensures that each user's exploration is both personal and precise, leading to discoveries that feel custom-made.

Mobile Mockups of the Smart Matching Score and Recommendations

Tasting Quiz for a Tailored Sake Journey

We took personalization a step further by crafting an interactive Taste Profile feature. Completing the onboarding taste quiz reveals a user's flavor preferences, allowing the app to recommend sakes that are not just popular or new but deeply connected to their individual taste preferences, ensuring every recommendation feels personally curated.

Sakesho Product Single and List Views UI

Sip and Learn with a Comprehensive Blog

Our team recognized the importance of education in the appreciation of sake and responded by developing a comprehensive blog platform. Users can immerse themselves in rich content ranging from casual tips to deep dives into the intricacies of sake brewing processes. The blog serves as both an educational tool and a hub for cultural exchange.

Sakesho Blog Card UI
Future Growth

Crafting a Sake Experience
Without Borders

Sakesho, with our help, is set to broaden its horizons, introducing an expansive eCommerce ecosystem and multi-vendor marketplace. This pivotal move will expand sake globally, offering an unmatched selection and accessibility to a worldwide audience.

Sakesho Mobile App Mockup with Sake Brewer Image Behind Sakesho Mobile App Mockup with Sake Brewer Image Behind
Made with Love
in The Bay Area
We're an award-winning interactive agency specializing in digital applications, user experience design, marketing-driven funnels, and brand strategy.
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