For over 100 years, Goodwill of Orange County has dedicated itself to helping individuals find employment and achieve independence. One avenue through which they advance this mission is their e-commerce platform, ShopGoodwill.com, the first auction site created, owned, and operated by a nonprofit organization that fosters opportunities for individuals facing barriers to employment. However, the existing manual process for listing items—requiring extensive research, grammatically correct descriptions, and detailed product knowledge—presents challenges in efficiently filling open positions. To enhance the accessibility of the platform for employees, Goodwill of Orange County partnered with Microsoft and Valorem Reply to help design, stabilize, and deploy an AI-powered mobile application that would automate product uploads to ShopGoodwill.com. Leveraging Azure AI Services, the application aims to streamline the listing process by automatically capturing and processing item photographs, generating descriptive listings, and reducing the manual effort required from staff. This solution not only addresses the current operational challenges but also opens up opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities to contribute effectively within the e-commerce environment.

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

• Need to improve the auction site’s user interface for enhanced user experience.
  
  
• Difficulty in managing product listings and descriptions manually, causing a labor shortage.
  
  
• Limited accessibility features hindering usability for diverse users.
  
  
• Instability of the mobile application on Android and iOS devices.

SOLUTIONS

• UI/UX design improvements tailored for intuitive user interaction.
  
  
• Technical troubleshooting to stabilize and enhance app performance for both Android and iOS users.
  
  
• Integration of Azure AI Services for automated product image analysis and description generation.
  
  
• Customization of app features to support accessibility needs (e.g., high-contrast mode).

RESULTS

• Enhanced stability and functionality of the mobile application on both Android and iOS platforms.
  
  
• Streamlined product listing processes, reducing time spent on manual tasks by more than 35%.
  
  
• Expanded accessibility allowing more developmentally and physically disabled people to work in e-commerce positions.
  
  
• Anticipated increase in revenue from enhanced online sales capabilities.
  
  
• Improved listing accuracy and capability, redirecting more goods away from the landfill and to a successful sale.