Audi: Used car builder and online buying
Audi and Volkswagen faced a costly inefficiency in their leased vehicle business. Each year, approximately 20% of lease-return vehicles were sent to third-party auctions, resulting in significant lost revenue despite these vehicles being low-mileage, well maintained, and often still under manufacturer warranty. I needed to uncover a direct-to-consumer strategy that matched used vehicle customers' needs with this opportunity gap for the business.
Company
Volkswagen Group of America
Role
Product Strategy+Design
Year
2019
Process
Uncover customer needs
To understand whether a direct-to-consumer model could address both problems, I led a research effort that included 30 in-person behavioral empathy interviews across three markets, along with concept testing. Research revealed a consistent pattern: shoppers did not want to “hunt” for a used car from fragmented listings or settle for whatever was available locally. Instead, they described an ideal experience that mirrored buying a new car. Once that started with what they wanted and a system to find the right vehicle for them. Trust increased when pricing was fixed, vehicle condition was clearly explained, and the process felt guided rather than transactional.
Execute UX strategy
These insights directly informed my concept and the core product strategy: a used car builder. Rather than presenting inventory first, the experience would begin with features, colors, and configurations and then match those preferences against Audi’s extensive pool of off-lease vehicles. By flipping the traditional used car model, VW Group could deliver the sense of control and confidence shoppers associated with buying new, while leveraging the value and quality of pre-owned vehicles backed by manufacturer warranties.
Prototype and influence stakeholders
I visualized the design strategy through personas, journey maps, wireframes and a high-fidelity prototype that brought the used car builder concept to life. The experience balanced transparency and flexibility for users with clear business advantages: higher resale margins, reduced dependency on auctions, and a new direct customer acquisition channel for Audi and Volkswagen.
Outcome
I pitched the research-backed strategy to Volkswagen Group leadership as a shift from a revenue-losing auction model to a scalable, human-centric platform. The proposal secured approximately $3 million in funding to launch a pilot program. Following approval, I completed the service design blueprint and implementation-ready designs, positioning the brands to retain more value from lease returns while delivering the trustworthy, modern used car buying experience customers were clearly asking for.
