SCALABLE CREATOR MARKETPLACE
MakerPlace by Michaels
Project Summary
Michaels launched MakerPlace as a new digital marketplace to empower independent artisans to sell handmade goods directly to customers. The initiative required building an end-to-end commerce platform from scratch while integrating seamlessly with Michaels’ existing digital ecosystem, positioning the brand as a modern creative commerce leader.
My Role
UX Manager & Lead Experience Strategist — final design authority with advisory and execution leadership across UX, design systems, accessibility, and cross-channel experience strategy.
Client / Team Context
Michaels Executive Steering Committee and MakerPlace leadership, working with 32 UX designers and researchers and coordinating with 300+ offshore developers.
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Challenge: Launching an entirely new marketplace while earning trust from independent sellers.
Solution: Led deep discovery and co-creation with over 150 stakeholders, buyers, and sellers. Traveled nationally to handmade events to recruit and onboard over 100 sellers for launch, ensuring real-world needs shaped the platform.Challenge: Enabling a unified shopping experience across MakerPlace and Michaels’ core catalog.
Solution: Directed the design of a complex backend and UX architecture supporting a unified cart and checkout, integrating Michaels inventory with MakerPlace sellers and shipping APIs (USPS, UPS).Challenge: Delivering at enterprise scale under an aggressive multi-year timeline with globally distributed teams.
Solution: Implemented Agile and Design Thinking frameworks, establishing clear workflows and governance to align 32 designers with 300+ engineers while maintaining design quality and velocity. -
Launched on schedule within the 24-month delivery window
53% increase in Average Basket Value (ABV) within the first six months
22% increase in Average Basket Size (ABS)
Successfully unified Michaels and MakerPlace catalogs into a single customer journey
Established a scalable design system still actively used and expanded today
The MakerPlace launch created a new growth engine for Michaels, strengthening its digital ecosystem and positioning the company as a long-term platform for creative entrepreneurs.
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Launched the platform four months ahead of schedule
50% increase in digital product adoption
76% year-over-year increase in Average Basket Value (ABV)
93% year-over-year increase in Average Basket Size (ABS)
30% reduction in design-to-development time through reusable components
The transformation set a new benchmark for scalable, user-centered design at Michaels, aligning enterprise stakeholders, accelerating delivery, and enabling sustained growth across digital and omnichannel experiences.