Check Out
The Known Secret to Converting a Visitor to a Buyer
Solo project
2023 / 8 Weeks
UX Research, Wireframing, Hi-Fi Prototype
Problem Space
E-commerce sites have a 70% cart abandonment rate and struggle to turn visitors into buyers, resulting in a global conversion rate under 3%.
"It's often stem from natural human behaviours like window shopping and price comparison."
Shopify, 2023
“The longer customers take to decide, the higher the cart abandonment rate."
SaleCycle, 2023
"Social media is the traffic source with the highest cart abandonment rate (91%), while search is the lowest (76%)."
Baymard Institute, 2023
Why do people abandon the cart?
Meeting real people
Understanding the User Experience
1. Landing
2. Browsing
3. Adding to a cart
4. Checkout
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Insight Summary
Users want clear information, easy navigation, and express checkout.
Design Process
During the sketching process, I identified four steps of the user flow, mapped them to pages, and addressed the problems associated with each step into pages.
During the iteration phase, I used usability testing and conducted a second round of design research to refine and enhance elements missing from the first draft.
Design Strategy
1. Hidden extra cost:
Hidden costs like shipping can lead to immediate purchase drop-offs.
✏️Solution: A banner at the top stating "Free shipping over $75 for members" to inform customers of the threshold and encourage sign-ups.
2. Wishlist:
Many websites don’t offer a wishlist or require account creation.
✏️Solution: Each item has a heart icon to save for future reference, with the wish list easily accessible in the top right corner.
3. Transparent Pricing:
Users can’t see the price until they click on an item.
✏️Solution: On the product page, each item displays its retail price, with sale prices highlighted in red.
4. Product Details:
Customers can’t physically touch or feel the product and rely heavily on available information.
✏️Solution: Selected options like size and color are clearly indicated, along with details such as model size, a size guide, and reviews.
5. Cart update:
Users need better visibility and control over their cart.
✏️Solution: Cart icon updates with the quantity added, along with side page navigation.
6. Total Price Upfront:
Hidden extra costs appear at checkout, frustrating users.
✏️Solution: The total price, including retail price and shipping fee, is displayed upfront before checkout.
7. Membership Benefits:
Users may feel pressured to sign up for membership.
✏️Solution: Benefits of membership are highlighted without pressuring users to sign up.
8. Google SSO Login:
Users are forced to create an account to buy even once.
✏️Solution: Easy login through Google SSO for user convenience.
9. Multiple Payment Methods:
The lack of trust in providing credit card information leads to a 19% cart abandonment rate, and limited payment options result in at 11%.
✏️Solution: Offer a wide range of payment methods, including one-click options like Apple Pay or Google Pay, along with a security note for reassurance.
10. Persistent Order Summary:
Order details become invisible during checkout as users fill out information.
✏️Solution: The order summary follows the user throughout the payment process for visibility.
11. Simplified Checkout Process:
A long checkout process leads to 18% cart abandonment.
✏️Solution: Simplify the checkout process to 2 steps with a progress indicator.
12. Estimated Delivery Time:
Users have to wait for an email to get an ETA on delivery.
✏️Solution: Estimated delivery time is shown.
13. Return Policy Transparency:
Users are unaware of the return policy until they need to make a return.
✏️Solution: Return policy is included just before payment for transparency.
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Reflection
At first, the project seemed overwhelming, but I broke it down into smaller, manageable steps. I dove deep into understanding shopping behaviors and applied human-centered design principles to create a more intuitive experience.
By introducing solutions like one-click payment, I was able to streamline decision-making, ensuring users felt confident and informed. I prioritized transparency and clear information on the website, which ultimately helped build trust and foster customer loyalty.
Looking forward, I'd like to conduct another round of usability testing to further improve the user experience and boost customer engagement.