eCommerce platform

eCom

Behavioral

Improving checkout conversion rate with two strategic Behavioral Design interventions, achieving a +7.1% increase

My Rol: Lead Behavioral Desinger + Researcher

KPI Improved with Behavioral Design

Quick intro

Situation

We have developed an agnostic shopping cart, adaptable to different markets and retailers. The business team has requested that we identify friction points, uncover opportunities for improvement, and propose strategic solutions to enhance conversion rates.

However, two major friction points were identified:
A high drop-off rate after users entered their payment details.

A significant number of Wizmo calls (customer support inquiries related to checkout issues), leading to increased operational costs.

Challenge

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Reduce Wizmo calls, which overload the customer care center and generate unnecessary costs.

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Lower the high drop-off rate that occurs during the payment process, improving overall checkout completion.

Constraints

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Business vs. Research: Balancing top-down profit-driven priorities with bottom-up UX research insights was an ongoing challenge.

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Technical limitations: Implementing A/B testing at this scale was complex due to multiple technical dependencies and system integrations.

Achievements

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Proposed two A/B testing experiments based on data-driven hypotheses, validating their impact on reducing drop-offs and support inquiries.

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Applied Behavioral Design principles to optimize the checkout flow, demonstrating that integrating psychological triggers not only reduces friction but also delivers better KPIs and conversion rates.

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This approach strengthened the role of the UX and Design team, positioning them as a key player in business decision-making.

Business Impact

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+7.1%
increase in overall conversion rates.

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-15.3%
decrease in drop-off rates at the confirmation step.

—
18.6%
reduction in customer care calls related to email confirmation issues.

Stakeholders

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The intervention involved collaboration between key teams: Research, Data, CX, Product, Development, and Customer Support.

Each team contributed to identifying and addressing friction points in the checkout flow, ultimately improving conversions and reducing drop-offs.

Strategic intervention 1

Improving checkout conversions by adding a confirmation step

Starting Point

How we detected the situation?

During the checkout process, we noticed a significant drop in conversions at the confirmation step.
Users abandoned the process after entering their delivery and payment details and encountering the order confirmation button, which was placed immediately after selecting payment methods.
Using tools like Google Analytics and session recordings, we analyzed user behavior and identified this stage as a critical friction point in the funnel.
This friction caused hesitation and ultimately led to users dropping off before completing their purchase.

Current payment step

In the current model, the user finds the button to complete the order right after finishing the payment methods.

Behavioral

Insight

How does Behavioral Design make a difference?

As an Expert Behavioral Designer, I recognize the psychological effects that influence user behavior:

Uncertainty

Users often felt unsure about site security or the accuracy of their information.

Pain to Pay + Loss Aversion

Emotional friction arose as users questioned the necessity of their purchase or worried about making impulsive decisions.

So I decided to craft a winner solution that brought clarity and mitigated the pain to pay

Friction point / Barrier to overcome

The accordion-style checkout flow saw significant drop-offs at the confirmation step after payment details were entered. Uncertainty and pain to pay combined with loss aversion caused hesitation, reducing conversions.

Current payment step

We replaced the "Pay Now" button with "Review Order." By clicking it, users are directed to the confirmation step, where they can review their information before completing the order. The message "You won’t be charged yet" eases uncertainty and builds trust.

Unlocking the opportunity

How did We address the challenge?

By introducing a strategic confirmation step that allows users to verify their information, we reduced uncertainty and separated emotional friction from the final decision. This adjustment streamlined the checkout flow and improved user satisfaction

New payment step

The "Place Order Now" button has been replaced with "Review Order." By clicking it, users are taken to a confirmation step where they can verify their information before completing the order.

The message "You won’t be charged yet" eases uncertainty and builds trust.

New payment step

Users can review their information, reducing uncertainty and fostering confidence. The "Place Order Now" button adds a sense of urgency, prompting decisive action.

What experiments were conducted?

To validate this intervention, we conducted an A/B test with the following configurations:

Original Version: A design without a confirmation step.
New Version: A design including a confirmation step, with adjustments to the button copy as illustrated in the provided example.

Metrics Tracked

Click-through rate (CTR) for the confirmation step.
Users successfully completing their purchase.
Drop-off rates at the confirmation step.

Key results

+7,1%

Increase in overall conversion rates

-15,3%

Decrease in drop-off rates at the confirmation step

Conclusion

By understanding and addressing the root causes behind the drop-off at the confirmation step, we reduced uncertainty and pain to pay. This strategic adjustment improved the overall conversion rate and delivered a smoother, more user-friendly checkout experience.

Strategic intervention 2

Improving checkout conversions by relocating the email input

Starting Point

How we detected the situation?

During the checkout process, we noticed many users revisiting the email input field after completing the delivery form, indicating issues with its placement.
A significant number of Wizmo calls were related to email input errors, such as incorrect addresses. 
Data analysis revealed that placing the email field at the end of the delivery form caused decision fatigue and attentional bias, leading to errors.

Current payment step

The email input is placed at the very end of the form. At this stage of the checkout process, decision fatigue is evident, as the user has already gone through multiple steps and filled out several other fields. This placement may increase the risk of errors or incomplete entries.

Behavioral

Insight

How does Behavioral Design make a difference?

As an Expert Behavioral Designer, I recognize the psychological effects that influence user behavior:

Attentional bias

Users struggle to focus on details as they progress through complex tasks.

Decision fatigue

Mental energy diminishes over time, increasing the likelihood of errors  

So I decided to craft a solution that optimized attentional bias and mitigated decision fatigue

Friction point / Barrier to overcome

The email input field was placed at the end of the address information form. At this point in the process, cognitive overload and decision fatigue are at their peak, increasing the likelihood of errors

Email field: Current position in the form

Unlocking the opportunity

How did We address the challenge?

By isolating and strategically repositioning the email input field at the start of the checkout process, users engaged with it while mentally fresher, significantly reducing errors and enhancing the overall checkout experience.

Email field: New position in the form

What experiments were conducted?

To validate this intervention, we conducted an A/B test with the following configurations:

Original Version: Email input field located at the end of the form.
New Version: Email input field located at the beginning of the form, isolated from other fields.

Metrics Tracked

Click-through rate for the email input field.
Users returning from the review step (to correct errors in the email).
Customer care calls related to email confirmation issues.

Key results

-15,2%

Users returning from the review step decreased

-18,6%

Customer care calls related to email confirmation issues decreased

Conclusion

This simple yet strategic adjustment improved the user experience, reduced unnecessary workload for the customer care center, and contributed to operational cost savings. By aligning user needs with business goals, this intervention highlights the power of Behavioral Design in addressing critical pain points and driving measurable results.

Improving checkout with two strategic Behavioral Design interventions