eBay Design System
- 26+ Distinct Template Types
- 2 wk Recurring Sprint Cycle
- 3+ Verticals: Handbags, Watches, Sneakers
At FEED/DEPT, I was embedded in the eBay North America account as a Digital/UX Designer, producing email campaigns across eBay's major verticals, handbags, watches, sneakers, and beyond. The work ran on a tight 2-week sprint cycle, requiring both creative consistency and the ability to adapt quickly to new briefs, products, and seasonal moments.
Alongside my responsibilities on the eBay NA account was working alongside my manager to build and maintain the template library, over 26 distinct template types that the entire design team relied on. These weren't just aesthetic frameworks; they were production tools that had to be flexible enough for any product category while holding together visually across an enormous range of content.
What I Did
- Built and maintained 26+ email template types used by the full design team across all eBay verticals
- Designed fully responsive email layouts optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile
- Worked closely with copywriters on each sprint to cut redundant information and establish clear information hierarchies
- Managed and mentored junior designers on the team
- Collaborated with fellow designers on cross-campaign visual consistency, including developing a cohesive blue winter holiday theme
- Developed original iconography for seller-focused sections
The Design Thinking
Email design for example, at speed, is a constraint-based discipline. Every component has to earn its place, not just aesthetically, but functionally. Does it render correctly at 320px? Does the hierarchy still work when images are off? Is the CTA immediately obvious to someone scrolling at full speed?
Building a template system that answered all of those questions while still leaving room for the work to feel fresh and seasonal was the central design challenge of this role. The templates I built weren't meant to look like templates, they were meant to look like craft.
