BI SEKEL
BI SEKEL
BI SEKEL
Team of One • Five Weeks • February - March 2023
Team of One • Five Weeks • February - March 2023
Team of One
Team of One • Five Weeks
February - March 2023
The
Client
The Client
The Client
BI SEKEL is an e-commerce bike shop launched in Brooklyn, NY, with the goal of making purchasing a bike an accessible and approachable experience for everyone. The goal is to bring the magic of biking outdoors to everyone, in a mindful, forward-thinking, and environmentally friendly way.
BI SEKEL is an e-commerce bike shop launched in Brooklyn, NY, with the goal of making purchasing a bike an accessible and approachable experience for everyone. The goal is to bring the magic of biking outdoors to everyone, in a mindful, forward-thinking, and environmentally friendly way.
BI SEKEL is an e-commerce bike shop launched in Brooklyn, NY, with the goal of making purchasing a bike an accessible and approachable experience for everyone. The goal is to bring the magic of biking outdoors to everyone, in a mindful, forward-thinking, and environmentally friendly way.
The Problem
The Problem
The Problem
Bi Sekel is now looking for ways to enhance their browsing and checkout experience to improve conversion from browse to purchase. Data collected from their website has shown that 50% of users open an average of 7 tabs and then abandon the site without adding anything to their cart. Additionally, 70% of users who have placed an item in their cart do not complete the checkout process.
These high percentages suggest there is a problem with choosing a bike and too many obstacles causing friction during checkout. My role as the UX Designer was to research, design, implement, and test solutions for these two major problems.
Bi Sekel is now looking for ways to enhance their browsing and checkout experience to improve conversion from browse to purchase. Data collected from their website has shown that 50% of users open an average of 7 tabs and then abandon the site without adding anything to their cart. Additionally, 70% of users who have placed an item in their cart do not complete the checkout process.
These high percentages suggest there is a problem with choosing a bike and too many obstacles causing friction during checkout. My role as the UX Designer was to research, design, implement, and test solutions for these two major problems.
Bi Sekel is now looking for ways to enhance their browsing and checkout experience to improve conversion from browse to purchase. Data collected from their website has shown that 50% of users open an average of 7 tabs and then abandon the site without adding anything to their cart. Additionally, 70% of users who have placed an item in their cart do not complete the checkout process.
These high percentages suggest there is a problem with choosing a bike and too many obstacles causing friction during checkout. My role as the UX Designer was to research, design, implement, and test solutions for these two major problems.
The Method
The Method
The Method
Empathize
Primary Research
Secondary Research
Competitive Research
Primary Research
Secondary Research
Competitive Research
Define
Affinity Map
Personas
How Might We
Affinity Map
Personas
How Might We
Ideate
User Stories
User Flows
Wireframes
User Stories
User Flows
Wireframes
Prototype
Design System
High Fidelity Mockups
Design System
High Fidelity Mockups
Test
Accessibility Audit
Usability Testing
Accessibility Audit
Usability Testing
Reflect
Lessons Learned
Next Steps
Lessons Learned
Next Steps
The Research
The Research
The Research
To better understand the problems BI SEKEL was facing, I opted for low cost secondary research to learn successful strategies for customers’ product selection and how to ameliorate cart abandonment. Creating an Affinity Map helped me narrow all of the collected information into themes to focus my redesign on. Trust quickly became the more important factor to gain in order to promote conversion:
To better understand the problems BI SEKEL was facing, I opted for low cost secondary research to learn successful strategies for customers’ product selection and how to ameliorate cart abandonment. Creating an Affinity Map helped me narrow all of the collected information into themes to focus my redesign on. Trust quickly became the more important factor to gain in order to promote conversion:
Insight 1:
Gaining Trust
Insight 1:
Gaining Trust
Insight 1:
Gaining Trust
“More recently, results of a research study using neural mechanisms indicate that lack of trust in a website is the main reason for purchase abandonment. (Saw, et al, 2022).”
Improving trustworthiness and reputation through social learning and verifiability was the most common thread in my research to reduce cart abandonment. I knew the website redesign had to focus on gaining customers’ trust right from the landing page and continue to promote this through peer reviews, customer service, ease of use, clean navigation, and satisfactory purchase facilitation.
“More recently, results of a research study using neural mechanisms indicate that lack of trust in a website is the main reason for purchase abandonment. (Saw, et al, 2022).”
Improving trustworthiness and reputation through social learning and verifiability was the most common thread in my research to reduce cart abandonment. I knew the website redesign had to focus on gaining customers’ trust right from the landing page and continue to promote this through peer reviews, customer service, ease of use, clean navigation, and satisfactory purchase facilitation.
“More recently, results of a research study using neural mechanisms indicate that lack of trust in a website is the main reason for purchase abandonment. (Saw, et al, 2022).”
Improving trustworthiness and reputation through social learning and verifiability was the most common thread in my research to reduce cart abandonment. I knew the website redesign had to focus on gaining customers’ trust right from the landing page and continue to promote this through peer reviews, customer service, ease of use, clean navigation, and satisfactory purchase facilitation.
Insight 2:
Personalization +
Navigation
Insight 2:
Personalization +
Navigation
Insight 2:
Personalization +
Navigation
“Information overload in the searching stage is the main inhibitor of online shopping, driving consumers to switch toward offline purchases (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Best practices for an e-commerce site include a clean, easy to navigate, intuitive layout that allows the user to feel in control of their shopping experience. Primary task support such as personalization and tailoring allow customers to find recommendations often based on their activity, location, gender, or age.
“Information overload in the searching stage is the main inhibitor of online shopping, driving consumers to switch toward offline purchases (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Best practices for an e-commerce site include a clean, easy to navigate, intuitive layout that allows the user to feel in control of their shopping experience. Primary task support such as personalization and tailoring allow customers to find recommendations often based on their activity, location, gender, or age.
“Information overload in the searching stage is the main inhibitor of online shopping, driving consumers to switch toward offline purchases (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Best practices for an e-commerce site include a clean, easy to navigate, intuitive layout that allows the user to feel in control of their shopping experience. Primary task support such as personalization and tailoring allow customers to find recommendations often based on their activity, location, gender, or age.
Insight 3:
Visibility + Control
Insight 3:
Visibility + Control
Insight 3:
Visibility + Control
“Transactional inconvenience in online shopping is mainly due to the lack of flexibility, such as the need to fill out lengthy registration information forms. E-retailers should be sympathetic to the needs of consumers and reduce these negative reactions by providing basic information storage features, online self-service options, and easier initiation of transaction processes (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Allowing the customer to be in control of their cart and the entire checkout experience allows this perceived inconvenience to weaken. When customers begin to enter their financial information online they are demonstrating the intention to purchase, so the easier this input is, the more likely for a conversion.
“Transactional inconvenience in online shopping is mainly due to the lack of flexibility, such as the need to fill out lengthy registration information forms. E-retailers should be sympathetic to the needs of consumers and reduce these negative reactions by providing basic information storage features, online self-service options, and easier initiation of transaction processes (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Allowing the customer to be in control of their cart and the entire checkout experience allows this perceived inconvenience to weaken. When customers begin to enter their financial information online they are demonstrating the intention to purchase, so the easier this input is, the more likely for a conversion.
“Transactional inconvenience in online shopping is mainly due to the lack of flexibility, such as the need to fill out lengthy registration information forms. E-retailers should be sympathetic to the needs of consumers and reduce these negative reactions by providing basic information storage features, online self-service options, and easier initiation of transaction processes (Wang, et al, 2022).”
Allowing the customer to be in control of their cart and the entire checkout experience allows this perceived inconvenience to weaken. When customers begin to enter their financial information online they are demonstrating the intention to purchase, so the easier this input is, the more likely for a conversion.
The Solutions
The Solutions
The Solutions
In order to improve BI SEKEL’s low conversion and high abandonment rates, I implemented three solutions for BI SEKEL:
• I want to improve the website’s trustworthiness and reputation, allowing users to feel confident and in control of their online bike shopping experience through social learning and verifiability.
• I want to create a flow for the website that recommends a reduced number of bike options through users completing a quiz.
• I want to create both a guest and express checkout flow to diminish perceived inconvenience and improve cart abandonment.
In order to improve BI SEKEL’s low conversion and high abandonment rates, I implemented three solutions for BI SEKEL:
• I want to improve the website’s trustworthiness and reputation, allowing users to feel confident and in control of their online bike shopping experience through social learning and verifiability.
• I want to create a flow for the website that recommends a reduced number of bike options through users completing a quiz.
• I want to create both a guest and express checkout flow to diminish perceived inconvenience and improve cart abandonment.
In order to improve BI SEKEL’s low conversion and high abandonment rates, I implemented three solutions for BI SEKEL:
• I want to improve the website’s trustworthiness and reputation, allowing users to feel confident and in control of their online bike shopping experience through social learning and verifiability.
• I want to create a flow for the website that recommends a reduced number of bike options through users completing a quiz.
• I want to create both a guest and express checkout flow to diminish perceived inconvenience and improve cart abandonment.
Homepage Redesign
Homepage Redesign
Homepage Redesign
I started my design by examining the existing wireframes for the homepage, and found many areas for refinement:
I started my design by examining the existing wireframes for the homepage, and found many areas for refinement:
I started my design by examining the existing wireframes for the homepage, and found many areas for refinement:
Existing Wireframe Homepage
Existing Wireframe Homepage
Redesigned Hi Fidelity Homepage
Redesigned Hi Fidelity Homepage
Redesigned Hi Fidelity Homepage
Customer service chat icon added to allow customers to feel confident and supported during their shopping experience
Customer service chat icon added to allow customers to feel confident and supported during their shopping experience
Additions to Redesigned Homepage:
•Customer service chat icon added to allow customers to feel confident and supported during their shopping experience
Mission statement and Certified B Corp status added to boost brand’s reputation and gain trust through a warm greeting and environmentally conscious certification
Mission statement and Certified B Corp status added to boost brand’s reputation and gain trust through a warm greeting and environmentally conscious certification
•Mission statement and Certified B Corp status added to boost brand’s reputation and gain trust through a warm greeting and environmentally conscious certification
Customer reviews on homepage to promote social learning and gain trust
Customer reviews on homepage to promote social learning and gain trust
•Customer reviews on homepage to promote social learning and gain trust
Quiz for Personalization
Quiz for Personalization
Quiz for Personalization
To reduce information overload, I created a low-effort quiz promoted as the first call to action on the homepage; the quiz allows customers to answer six questions to find the best bike for their needs. The language of the quiz was written in simple terms with photos so anyone could complete it without any technical knowledge. It is a hand-holding approach to allow the user to feel confident and reassured in their bike selection.
To reduce information overload, I created a low-effort quiz promoted as the first call to action on the homepage; the quiz allows customers to answer six questions to find the best bike for their needs. The language of the quiz was written in simple terms with photos so anyone could complete it without any technical knowledge. It is a hand-holding approach to allow the user to feel confident and reassured in their bike selection.
To reduce information overload, I created a low-effort quiz promoted as the first call to action on the homepage; the quiz allows customers to answer six questions to find the best bike for their needs. The language of the quiz was written in simple terms with photos so anyone could complete it without any technical knowledge. It is a hand-holding approach to allow the user to feel confident and reassured in their bike selection.
First page of quiz
First page of quiz
First page of quiz
Simplify Checkout
Simplify Checkout
After studying the existing wireframes for the checkout flow, I decided to eliminate the need for a login page entirely:
After studying the existing wireframes for the checkout flow, I decided to eliminate the need for a login page entirely:
After studying the existing wireframes for the checkout flow, I decided to eliminate the need for a login page entirely:
Existing Wireframe Checkout
Existing Wireframe Checkout
Redesigned Wireframe Checkout
Redesigned Wireframe Checkout
Redesigned Wireframe Checkout
Added express checkout to promote ease of transaction
Added express checkout to promote ease of transaction
Additions to Redesigned Checkout
•Added express checkout to promote ease of transaction
Assumed guest checkout to eliminate any friction of elicited information like account verification
Assumed guest checkout to eliminate any friction of elicited information like account verification
•Assumed guest checkout to eliminate any friction of elicited information like account verification
Customers still have the option to login but now have a streamlined page where they are able to immediately begin inputing their information
Customers still have the option to login but now have a streamlined page where they are able to immediately begin inputing their information
•Customers still have the option to login but now have a streamlined page where they are able to immediately begin inputing their information
The Usability Tests
The Usability Tests
The Usability Tests
Now that I’ve revised BI SEKEL’s original wireframes, it was time to conduct usability testing of the new flows. I met with five participants for each round of testing conducted remotely over Zoom. I wanted to see if users were able to chat with customer service, take the quiz, add a bike to their cart, and checkout. While there was a high completion rate for each of these tasks, the tests underlined some areas of improvement mainly regarding the quiz.
Now that I’ve revised BI SEKEL’s original wireframes, it was time to conduct usability testing of the new flows. I met with five participants for each round of testing conducted remotely over Zoom. I wanted to see if users were able to chat with customer service, take the quiz, add a bike to their cart, and checkout. While there was a high completion rate for each of these tasks, the tests underlined some areas of improvement mainly regarding the quiz.
Now that I’ve revised BI SEKEL’s original wireframes, it was time to conduct usability testing of the new flows. I met with five participants for each round of testing conducted remotely over Zoom. I wanted to see if users were able to chat with customer service, take the quiz, add a bike to their cart, and checkout. While there was a high completion rate for each of these tasks, the tests underlined some areas of improvement mainly regarding the quiz.
Round 1
Round 1
In the first round of testing, users were only allowed to have one answer for each question on the quiz. Three participants hesitated in answering some of the questions and tried to click on multiple options. I learned this is not only because some of the language for the quiz felt redundant, but also because a customer might have multiple needs for their bike. I decided to make these revisions while creating the high fidelity screens; I revised the language of each page and added a Select All That Apply subtitle allowing multiple selections.
In the first round of testing, users were only allowed to have one answer for each question on the quiz. Three participants hesitated in answering some of the questions and tried to click on multiple options. I learned this is not only because some of the language for the quiz felt redundant, but also because a customer might have multiple needs for their bike. I decided to make these revisions while creating the high fidelity screens; I revised the language of each page and added a Select All That Apply subtitle allowing multiple selections.
In the first round of testing, users were only allowed to have one answer for each question on the quiz. Three participants hesitated in answering some of the questions and tried to click on multiple options. I learned this is not only because some of the language for the quiz felt redundant, but also because a customer might have multiple needs for their bike. I decided to make these revisions while creating the high fidelity screens; I revised the language of each page and added a Select All That Apply subtitle allowing multiple selections.
Second Iteration
Second Iteration
Second Iteration
Round 2
Round 2
Since the results from first round of testing were quite positive, I decided to implement A/B Testing for the next five tests. I asked each person to complete the initial tasks once more to validate the design changes, and then asked them to complete two unique checkout flows. I wanted to test my hypothesis that the original site design with a login page was causing friction for conversion.
The first flow (A) remained the same from my initial testing and the second flow (B) added a login/guest checkout page before entering personal information. All five users felt the A flow was far more streamlined and efficient for them to complete their purchase. Checking out as an assumed guest (with the ability to log in) was far more welcomed without any hesitation and ultimately led to higher conversion.
Since the results from first round of testing were quite positive, I decided to implement A/B Testing for the next five tests. I asked each person to complete the initial tasks once more to validate the design changes, and then asked them to complete two unique checkout flows. I wanted to test my hypothesis that the original site design with a login page was causing friction for conversion.
The first flow (A) remained the same from my initial testing and the second flow (B) added a login/guest checkout page before entering personal information. All five users felt the A flow was far more streamlined and efficient for them to complete their purchase. Checking out as an assumed guest (with the ability to log in) was far more welcomed without any hesitation and ultimately led to higher conversion.
Since the results from first round of testing were quite positive, I decided to implement A/B Testing for the next five tests. I asked each person to complete the initial tasks once more to validate the design changes, and then asked them to complete two unique checkout flows. I wanted to test my hypothesis that the original site design with a login page was causing friction for conversion.
The first flow (A) remained the same from my initial testing and the second flow (B) added a login/guest checkout page before entering personal information. All five users felt the A flow was far more streamlined and efficient for them to complete their purchase. Checking out as an assumed guest (with the ability to log in) was far more welcomed without any hesitation and ultimately led to higher conversion.
A Flow
A Flow
A Flow
B Flow
B Flow
B Flow
The
Conclusion
The
Conclusion
The
Conclusion
As the e-commerce world continues to evolve, I found it to be incredibly interesting how often trust was the primary focus of research pertaining to conversion. Case studies from the early aughts to current day continually underline how important gaining the trust of a customer is for that person to follow through with a purchase. This especially pertains to an online purchase as the customer cannot physically touch the product, making the strategies I implemented even more important.
I thoroughly found the psychology of online shopping and cart abandonment to be quite fascinating and now find myself noticing how different websites are applying these tactics. I’m excited to continue to stay on top of the latest e-commerce trends and see how trust factors into decisions made by industry leaders. This project taught me the power of secondary research as a costless way to dive deeply into the problem space.
As the e-commerce world continues to evolve, I found it to be incredibly interesting how often trust was the primary focus of research pertaining to conversion. Case studies from the early aughts to current day continually underline how important gaining the trust of a customer is for that person to follow through with a purchase. This especially pertains to an online purchase as the customer cannot physically touch the product, making the strategies I implemented even more important.
I thoroughly found the psychology of online shopping and cart abandonment to be quite fascinating and now find myself noticing how different websites are applying these tactics. I’m excited to continue to stay on top of the latest e-commerce trends and see how trust factors into decisions made by industry leaders. This project taught me the power of secondary research as a costless way to dive deeply into the problem space.
As the e-commerce world continues to evolve, I found it to be incredibly interesting how often trust was the primary focus of research pertaining to conversion. Case studies from the early aughts to current day continually underline how important gaining the trust of a customer is for that person to follow through with a purchase. This especially pertains to an online purchase as the customer cannot physically touch the product, making the strategies I implemented even more important.
I thoroughly found the psychology of online shopping and cart abandonment to be quite fascinating and now find myself noticing how different websites are applying these tactics. I’m excited to continue to stay on top of the latest e-commerce trends and see how trust factors into decisions made by industry leaders. This project taught me the power of secondary research as a costless way to dive deeply into the problem space.
Works Cited
Works Cited
Works Cited
Saw, Chian Chyi, and Anushia Inthiran. “Designing for Trust on E-Commerce Websites Using Two of the Big Five Personality Traits.” Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research 17, no. 2 (June 2022): 375–93. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17020020.
Wang, Siqi, Ye Ye, Binyao Ning, Jun-Hwa Cheah, and Xin-Jean Lim. “Why Do Some Consumers Still Prefer In-Store Shopping? An Exploration of Online Shopping Cart Abandonment Behavior.” Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2022). https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.829696.
Saw, Chian Chyi, and Anushia Inthiran. “Designing for Trust on E-Commerce Websites Using Two of the Big Five Personality Traits.” Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research 17, no. 2 (June 2022): 375–93. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17020020.
Wang, Siqi, Ye Ye, Binyao Ning, Jun-Hwa Cheah, and Xin-Jean Lim. “Why Do Some Consumers Still Prefer In-Store Shopping? An Exploration of Online Shopping Cart Abandonment Behavior.” Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2022). https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.829696.
Saw, Chian Chyi, and Anushia Inthiran. “Designing for Trust on E-Commerce Websites Using Two of the Big Five Personality Traits.” Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research 17, no. 2 (June 2022): 375–93. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer17020020.
Wang, Siqi, Ye Ye, Binyao Ning, Jun-Hwa Cheah, and Xin-Jean Lim. “Why Do Some Consumers Still Prefer In-Store Shopping? An Exploration of Online Shopping Cart Abandonment Behavior.” Frontiers in Psychology 12 (2022). https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.829696.