Research Approach
Heuristic Markup, Internal Markup, Competitor Analysis, User Flows, Customer Journey Maps, Wireframes, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Prototyping, Heat Mapping, Focus Mapping
Tech Stack
Miro, Figma, Illustrator
Introduction
The Problem
Amazon's use of deceptive design practices in the checkout flow poses a significant challenge to ensuring a transparent and user-friendly shopping experience for customers. By employing deceptive tactics, Amazon may inadvertently undermine trust and frustrate users during the checkout process. These deceptive practices can lead to unintended purchases, increased cart abandonment rates, and instances where users unknowingly sign up for Amazon Prime subscriptions, deceiving the very customers in which the business thrives from.
The Challenge
What would Amazon's checkout flow look like if the user's experience was put first?
"What would Amazon's checkout flow look like if the user's experience was put first?"
The Solution
Redesign the Amazon checkout flow to improve the user experience by eliminating deceptive design tactics that frustrate users, thereby reducing dissatisfaction within the checkout process. The solution focused on enhancing clarity, simplifying user interactions, and promoting ethical design practices. The Amazon Prime subscription service, crucial to the business model for its revenue and customer loyalty, was maintained within the redesign but presented in a less forceful manner, ensuring it remains attractive without pressuring users.
Research
Heuristic Markup
I conducted a heuristic markup of the FTC versus Amazon case paper as part of my analysis of deceptive design patterns on Amazon's platform. Using heuristic evaluation principles, I annotated the document to highlight instances where deceptive design practices have been used to deceive users.
This markup process of the FTC versus Amazon case paper allowed me to systematically identify examples of deceptive design patterns, contributing to my deeper understanding of the issues at hand. With this information alongside my further research, I began to identify key pain-points to target alongside creating comparisons with my research of both Amazon web and mobile flows.
If I was to show you all the deceptive patterns I discovered, it would take forever!
Key Pain Points
Forceful Marketing
Amazon uses aggressive product marketing techniques to push the sales of their products. 'Flash Sales', 'Fake Scarcity' and 'Fake Urgency' are common tactics used to pressure the customer to make a purchase.
Placement of CTA buttons
Crucial CTA buttons are placed strategically above the fold, making them immediately visible without requiring users to scroll. This deceptive practise can lead to users making uninformed decisions during the checkout process.
Interface Interference
Manipulating the UI to prioritise information, hiding terms & conditions in the small print, using colour and emphasising on the “free shipping to divert the users attention from the price.
Preselection →
The user is presented with a default option that has already been selected for them, in order to influence their decision-making.
In this instance..
Amazon preselects the £4.99 Premium Delivery in the order total in order to make the "free" Prime delivery appear more appealing. The strategic placement of the "Buy Now' CTA is used to deceive users before they view the alternative delivery options.
Lack of transparency
The user is presented with a default option that has already been selected for them, in order to influence their decision-making.
No guest-checkout
Not having a guest checkout option can result in decreased conversions, higher cart abandonment rates, and missed opportunities to capture sales from customers who prefer a frictionless shopping experience. Guest checkouts can streamline the purchase.
Privacy and security
Customers are forced into saving their sensitive information onto their account during the checkout process which can raise concerns about privacy and security. Some customers may feel uneasy about sharing their personal data, especially if they're uncertain about how it will be safeguarded.
Warranty
Warranty is only available to the users once in a pop-up style format. The majority of the key information is hidden from the users viewport in a long page of small text. This presentation method hinders the ability of the user to make an informed decision.
The Biggest Problems
Misleading Delivery Fees
Dishonest Prime Promotion
Amazon's checkout flow lacks clarity and honesty. The use of deceptive practices and an absolute lack of transparency in the language throughout the process suggest that Amazon prioritises trapping consumers over creating a user-friendly platform.
Customer Journey Map
To deepen my understanding of how each segment of the flow relates to the user experience, including emotional responses, I crafted a customer journey map. This map broke down user interactions at each stage, highlighting emotional responses, pain points, and moments of delight. It also unveiled user needs and expectations, critical touch points, and opportunities for improvement. By analysing user behaviour patterns and their implications for design decisions, the journey map provided valuable insights that guided targeted enhancements and a more user-centric design.
Additionally, the user journey map aided in pinpointing specific pain points within different sections of the user flow. This facilitated the rearrangement of elements during the minimisation of the customer journey, ultimately boosting the efficiency of the checkout process.
Competitor Analysis
Analysing E-Commerce competitors: I conducted a comprehensive competitor analysis to uncover industry best practices and potential areas of differentiation among e-commerce competitors. I gained valuable insights into the various approaches taken by competitors identifying common trends and patterns, as well as unique features and strategies.
Further analysis of subscription-based services: In addition to e-commerce competitors, I analysed subscription-based services like Netflix, Spotify, and Apple Music. This investigation aimed to understand their effective design and marketing strategies for promoting subscriptions.
• The clarity of pricing information
• The transparency of subscription terms
•Techniques to encourage users to subscribe to subscription services
This exploration provided me a basis of how competitors addressed the users experience alongside deploying marketing techniques to encourage users to signup to subscription-based services. These insights provided valuable inspiration for me to begin creating innovative design solutions to Amazons deceptive approach.
Designing
User Flow
Original
Improved
This project posed a significant challenge given Amazon's varying flows across platforms (web, mobile web, and mobile app), where existing and new users commence the checkout process at different stages due to automatic payment and delivery address saving functions.
To initiate my design process, I dissected the checkout flow from product page to order completion. Recognising the prevalence of mobile commerce, I focused on refining the mobile-web experience, which often employs deceptive practices due to limited viewport space.
Completing the user flow allowed me to pinpoint pain points and devise solutions, unveiling the complexity of Amazon's flow. Many stages proved unnecessary and demanded simplification for improved usability. In response, I condensed the checkout steps, rearranged key touchpoints, and implemented solutions to address various pain points, resulting in a more streamlined and user-friendly experience.
Final Resolution
Results
Usability Testing
I conducted usability tests to measure the success of the design changes, and I'm pleased to report that all responses were positive. Users found the new interface intuitive and user-friendly, appreciating the clarity and streamlined process. The enhancements received praise for simplifying navigation and reducing friction, ultimately leading to a more satisfying user experience.
Scarlet
"Much easier than my previous Amazon experiences, usually Amazon is very hard to navigate."
Tyler
"Really easy, it was simple and straight forward to use."
James
"It was pretty easy, nothing was difficult, it was all streamlined and very simple."
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