My Approach

Designing the Music Go Round website was about capturing the soul of a local music shop and scaling it for the web. The goal was to create a digital experience that felt personal and approachable—just like walking into one of their stores but with the speed, structure, and efficiency of modern e-commerce. My approach focused on clean design, easy navigation, and thoughtful interaction, making it simple for users to browse, buy, and sell musical gear.

Vision and Innovation

Music Go Round is more than a retailer—it’s a trusted marketplace for musicians to buy, sell, and trade quality used gear. The website needed to reflect that trust, support their national franchise model, and offer a seamless connection between online users and local stores. From product discovery to checkout, every detail had to be intuitive, fast, and helpful.

Identifying Unique Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was managing thousands of product listings across dozens of store locations, each with different inventory and pricing. The experience had to feel unified while still supporting local store identities. Ensuring speed, clarity, and mobile-friendliness especially with so much media-rich content was another major focus. We also had to build smart ways to filter gear by brand, condition, and location without overwhelming the user.

Resolving Complex Problems

I developed a flexible content structure that allowed local stores to manage their own listings while keeping the design consistent across the site. We used real-time filtering tools, intuitive search, and clear product labeling to help users find exactly what they needed. A smart store locator let people discover gear nearby or explore inventory across the country. For performance, we optimized every image and used lazy loading to keep the experience fast on all devices.

User-Centric Design

From the start, this site was designed with musicians in mind whether they were shopping for a first guitar or trading in a vintage synth. The layout is simple but powerful, with bold images, helpful filters, and an easy checkout process. On mobile, everything scales naturally, giving users the same confidence and clarity as they would have on a desktop. The entire experience is built around trust, speed, and simplicity.

Detailed Pages and Features

Home: A welcoming space that showcases popular gear, limited-time deals, and pathways to shop, sell, or trade. It instantly connects users to the purpose of the site.

Products: Cleanly organized by category with filters for brand, condition, and price. Users can sort gear easily and get a full picture of what’s available.

Sell Your Gear: A streamlined, step-by-step experience for users looking to trade in or sell instruments—helping them connect with their nearest store.

Store Locator: A zip-based tool that makes it easy to find nearby franchises and browse local inventory. Each store has its own profile and product selection.

About Us: A simple and transparent overview of Music Go Round’s mission, values, and how their franchise network operates.

Accessibility and Optimization

The site was designed with accessibility and performance top of mind. Text is easy to read, navigation is keyboard-friendly, and images are optimized to load quickly without compromising quality. Whether on mobile or desktop, the experience stays smooth, clear, and accessible for all users.

Conclusion

The new Music Go Round website delivers on the brand’s promise: a reliable, community-driven marketplace for musical gear. It bridges the gap between local stores and national reach, helping users shop with confidence while supporting in-store traffic and online sales. The final result is a digital experience that’s fast, friendly, and built for musicians.