Project

Mobile Checkout

I. Context

In 2011, Gilt was one of the buzziest e-commerce startups in the world, with hundreds of millions in revenue and an IPO expected any quarter.

The opportunity for me was enormous: collaborate with high caliber individuals and have a large scale impact on both the user experience and the business. It was exciting (and bit daunting) to work on such a high-profile project that would be the foundation of revenue for years to come.

Team of 9

UX Architect (me), Product Manager, 2 Visual Designers, User Researcher, Engineering Lead, and 3 Engineers

II. Challenge

When I joined the project, the business case was already defined. The data showed that 5.7% of Gilt visits were from international members. Even without integrated international shipping, the spend for customers outside the US was significant (~$14M run rate). The international customer's average order value was 30% higher than domestic shoppers ($165 vs $127). My objective was 1) to identify the areas of the user journey that would need attention and 2) define solutions for each that would increase revenue.

Goal

Redesign the path to purchase, optimizing for minimal friction (speed) and maximum reach (international orders).

III. Process

Empathize and Analyze

There was a steep learning curve after business discovery was complete, so I asked lots of questions to internal stakeholders like:

• What historical knowledge is available?
• What will success look like?
• What am I missing so far?

I took the opportunity to interview flash sales shoppers about their perspectives on 1) impulse buying and 2) buying from international retailers. New flash sales competitors were appearing monthly, so I spent time reviewing these sites on a regular cadence as well.

The global logistics vendor we used had some robust capabilities but also real limitations, so I needed to research and analyze nuanced details (e.g. duties, currencies, eligible inventory, returns, etc.) and verify the feasibility of designs with engineers.

Identify touch points

The user journey consisted of nearly a dozen steps before and after the checkout page itself. Other areas required consideration including transactional emails, packing slips, orders history, returns history, international faqs, help/support, and legal.

Explore, Define, Iterate

I iterated on diagrams and wireframes, presenting and revising with shoppers, designers, engineers, and leadership. Soft sketches hardened, and the new system and experience came to life over several months. Once designs began development for the web app, I shifted gears to translate the work to mobile (iOS and Mobile Web). Joining the mobile team was great, not only because I had recent knowledge of high value to contribute, but also because the group was lean, talented, and collaborative.

Design artifacts:

Desktop UX

Mobile UX

IV. Impact

Through focused design, the Gilt shopping experience improved for users globally, and annual revenue increased by ~$67.5M. Further, the efforts served as the foundation for enhancements to the checkout experience for years to come.

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