Overview
Minimize decision friction in pre-checkout discovery and comparison to drive faster purchase decisions.
My Role
I owned design decisions for key pre-checkout experiences, focusing on problem framing, iterative testing, and measurable improvements to user decision-making.
Team
1 Product Manager
2 UI/UX Designer
3 Developers
This case study examines how I approached improving pre-checkout experiences to balance user needs and business goals.
Timeline
3 Months
Achievement
time to purchase decision
↓29%
Achievement
purchase conversion likelihood
↑6%
Achievement
decision confidence score
decision confidence score
↑1.8 pts
Overview
Minimize decision friction in pre-checkout discovery and comparison to drive faster purchase decisions.
My Role
I owned design decisions for key pre-checkout experiences, focusing on problem framing, iterative testing, and measurable improvements to user decision-making.
Team
1 Product Manager
2 UI/UX Designer
3 Developers
This case study examines how I approached improving pre-checkout experiences to balance user needs and business goals.
Timeline
3 Months
Achievement
time to purchase decision
↓29%
Achievement
purchase conversion likelihood
↑6%
Achievement
decision confidence score
↑1.8 pts
Background
“ They Come, but They Don’t Commit. ”
→ Old Navy’s online channel has grown to account for 38% of total sales in Fiscal 2024
→ Old Navy’s online channel has grown to account for 38% of total sales in Fiscal 2024
→ Old Navy’s app conversion rate, which remains below 4%
The migration of loyal in-store customers, along with the appeal of online-only discounts, has generated substantial traffic for the online store.
→ Old Navy’s app conversion rate, which remains below 4%
→ Old Navy’s online channel has grown to account for 38% of total sales in Fiscal 2024
→ Old Navy’s app conversion rate, which remains below 4%
Most traffic, from both new and returning users, drops off during the online pre-checkout phase.
→ 27% of users reported abandoning before checkout because they were not confident they were making the right purchase decision within the app.
As a result, this project focused on reducing pre-checkout decision friction by identifying breakdowns in user decision-making and applying strategic product design to enable confident action.
Background
“ They Come, but They Don’t Commit. ”
→ Old Navy’s online channel has grown to account for 38% of total sales in Fiscal 2024
→ Old Navy’s app conversion rate, which remains below 4%
The migration of loyal in-store customers, along with the appeal of online-only discounts, has generated substantial traffic for the online store.
→ Old Navy’s online channel has grown to account for 38% of total sales in Fiscal 2024
→ Old Navy’s app conversion rate, which remains below 4%
Most traffic, from both new and returning users, drops off during the online pre-checkout phase.
→ To address this gap, this project focuses on understanding user behavior before checkout and identifying where decision-making breaks down. Based on these insights, it explores how strategic product design can better support confidence and convert engagement into action.
As a result, this project focused on reducing pre-checkout decision friction by identifying breakdowns in user decision-making and applying strategic product design to enable confident action.
Kick off
Who Are We Really Designing For?
The complexity and density of information on Old Navy’s homepage initially led me to assume it was designed for casual, exploratory shoppers. However, insights from Old Navy’s customer data and broader market research revealed a different picture.
→ Research indicates that a majority of Old Navy’s core audience (70%+) consists of value-driven women aged 30–44 from young-family households who demonstrate consistent repeat-purchase behavior and typically shop with clear purchase goals, such as updating seasonal essentials or buying affordable basics for the whole family.
Kick off
Who Are We Really Designing For?
The complexity and density of information on Old Navy’s homepage initially led me to assume it was designed for casual, exploratory shoppers. However, insights from Old Navy’s customer data and broader market research revealed a different picture.
→ Research indicates that a majority of Old Navy’s core audience (70%+) consists of value-driven women aged 30–44 from young-family households who demonstrate consistent repeat-purchase behavior and typically shop with clear purchase goals, such as updating seasonal essentials or buying affordable basics for the whole family.
Ideation
From Exploration to Decision Support
Through ideation, we explored how product design could better support decision-making rather than encourage further exploration. This phase focused on identifying where intent failed to convert into action and prioritizing opportunities that balanced impact on decision confidence with implementation effort.
Ideation
From Exploration to Decision Support
Through ideation, we explored how product design could better support decision-making rather than encourage further exploration. This phase focused on identifying where intent failed to convert into action and prioritizing opportunities that balanced impact on decision confidence with implementation effort.
Design Challenge
Reducing Decision Fatigue to Support Confident Choices
Through a behavioral UX audit informed by decision-related behavioral data from GA4 and the data warehouse, we identified key points where users hesitate before checkout.
1) Orientation: Clarifying Entry Context
1) Orientation: Clarifying Entry Context
Our customers shop with clear intent. Although promotions and new arrivals remain important, the homepage should not overwhelm users or obscure the primary path forward.
2) Discovery: Minimizing Navigation Looping
High SKU volume and a full-screen navigation pattern caused frequent back-and-forth behavior, disrupting context and slowing decision-making.
3) Evaluation: Strengthening Decision Confidence
Limited comparison tools and low-quality review signals prevented users from confidently evaluating options before committing to a purchase.
Design Challenge
Reducing Decision Fatigue to Support Confident Choices
Through a behavioral UX audit informed by decision-related behavioral data from GA4 and the data warehouse, we identified key points where users hesitate before checkout.
1) Orientation: Clarifying Entry Context
Our customers shop with clear intent. Although promotions and new arrivals remain important, the homepage should not overwhelm users or obscure the primary path forward.
2) Discovery: Minimizing Navigation Looping
High SKU volume and a full-screen navigation pattern caused frequent back-and-forth behavior, disrupting context and slowing decision-making.
3) Evaluation: Strengthening Decision Confidence
Limited comparison tools and low-quality review signals prevented users from confidently evaluating options before committing to a purchase.
Design challenge 1: Clarifying Entry Context
Strategic Shift: From Showcase to Task-Oriented Entry
Fast-fashion apps (e.g., Uniqlo, H&M) prioritize showcase-driven homepages, assuming apparel shopping is low-frequency and exploratory.
→ However, Old Navy’s audience exhibits higher purchase intent and repeat behavior, aligning more closely with the task-oriented shopping patterns of mass retailers such as Target and Walmart.
Therefore, Old Navy’s homepage must evolve into a task-oriented decision entry point, supporting efficient apparel selection and faster progression from exploration to purchase.
Design challenge 1: Lack of task flow clarity (IA)
Strategic Shift: From Showcase to Task-Oriented Entry
Fast-fashion apps (e.g., Uniqlo, H&M) prioritize showcase-driven homepages, assuming apparel shopping is low-frequency and exploratory.
→ However, Old Navy’s audience exhibits higher purchase intent and repeat behavior, aligning more closely with the task-oriented shopping patterns of mass retailers such as Target and Walmart.
Therefore, Old Navy’s homepage must evolve into a task-oriented decision entry point, supporting efficient apparel selection and faster progression from exploration to purchase.
Design challenge 2: Minimizing Navigation Looping
Preserving Momentum: Designing Navigation Without Breaking Decisions
1) Users frequently move back and forth within the full-page navigation, indicating difficulty in locating relevant categories or narrowing down options efficiently.
→ Introducing an always-accessible hamburger menu helps reduce decision resets by allowing users to quickly adjust their navigation choices without restarting their browsing flow.
*In a high-SKU, goal-oriented shopping context, preserving user context and decision momentum was prioritized over the reduced discoverability of a hamburger menu.
Design challenge 2: Minimizing Navigation Looping
Preserving Momentum: Designing Navigation Without Breaking Decisions
1) Users frequently move back and forth within the full-page navigation, indicating difficulty in locating relevant categories or narrowing down options efficiently.
→ Introducing an always-accessible hamburger menu helps reduce decision resets by allowing users to quickly adjust their navigation choices without restarting their browsing flow.
*In a high-SKU, goal-oriented shopping context, preserving user context and decision momentum was prioritized over the reduced discoverability of a hamburger menu.
→For goal-oriented shoppers who aim to complete family purchases in one trip, filters help narrow options quickly and reduce unnecessary decision effort.
→For goal-oriented shoppers who aim to complete family purchases in one trip, filters help narrow options quickly and reduce unnecessary decision effort.
2) Behavioral analysis showed that users often used the cart to compare items rather than to check out, indicating a need for ongoing access during evaluation.
→ This insight led to the introduction of a floating cart to support comparison without interrupting decision flow.
2) Behavioral analysis showed that users often used the cart to compare items rather than to check out, indicating a need for ongoing access during evaluation.
→ This insight led to the introduction of a floating cart to support comparison without interrupting decision flow.
Design challenge 3: Strengthening Decision Confidence
Helping Users Decide Faster with Smarter Reviews
What we observed
Even after reading positive reviews, only around 18% of users moved on to add items to their cart or save them for later.
→ This suggests that existing reviews were insufficient in helping users validate fit, quality, or value, leaving key decision questions unresolved and negatively impacting conversion.
Design challenge 3: Strengthening Decision Confidence
Helping Users Decide Faster with Smarter Reviews
What we observed
Even after reading positive reviews, only around 18% of users moved on to add items to their cart or save them for later.
→ This suggests that existing reviews were insufficient in helping users validate fit, quality, or value, leaving key decision questions unresolved and negatively impacting conversion.
Introducing Image-Based & AI Summary Reviews
Design
When Reviews Fail to Answer Real Questions
During usability testing, users frequently noted the lack of visual references in reviews and reported difficulty navigating a large volume of text-heavy feedback that often failed to address fit and quality.
→As a result, image-based reviews were introduced to better support decision-making.
Introducing Image-Based & AI Summary Reviews
Design
When Reviews Fail to Answer Real Questions
During usability testing, users frequently noted the lack of visual references in reviews and reported difficulty navigating a large volume of text-heavy feedback that often failed to address fit and quality.
→As a result, image-based reviews were introduced to better support decision-making.
Design Validation
When Transparency Was Questioned
During design review, the product manager raised concerns that image-based reviews might expose product imperfections and negatively impact conversion.
To evaluate this risk, an A/B test was conducted comparing text-only reviews with image-based reviews during the pre-checkout evaluation stage.
→ The results showed that image-based reviews increased decision confidence and conversion, confirming that transparency strengthened trust rather than deterring purchases.
Design Validation
When Transparency Was Questioned
During design review, the product manager raised concerns that image-based reviews might expose product imperfections and negatively impact conversion.
To evaluate this risk, an A/B test was conducted comparing text-only reviews with image-based reviews during the pre-checkout evaluation stage.
→ The results showed that image-based reviews increased decision confidence and conversion, confirming that transparency strengthened trust rather than deterring purchases.
Implementation
Create comprehensive handoff to developer
The handoff focused on clarity and feasibility, aligning design intent with engineering constraints. I documented component states, interaction logic, and decision rules to support consistent implementation across screens. By grounding the handoff in decision-support principles rather than isolated UI changes, the team could build with confidence while maintaining the strategic intent of the experience.
Implementation
Create comprehensive handoff to developer
The handoff focused on clarity and feasibility, aligning design intent with engineering constraints. I documented component states, interaction logic, and decision rules to support consistent implementation across screens. By grounding the handoff in decision-support principles rather than isolated UI changes, the team could build with confidence while maintaining the strategic intent of the experience.
Reflections & Next
When Visual Details Change, Confidence Quietly Breaks
This project challenged my initial assumption that improving conversion was primarily about optimizing interfaces. Through behavioral analysis and usability testing, I realized that the real issue was not usability, but decision support. Old Navy’s users are not casual browsers; they are goal-oriented shoppers making high-stakes decisions for their families. Designing for them meant shifting focus from exposing more options to actively reducing uncertainty, fatigue, and cognitive effort.
Next, we would validate whether AI summaries meaningfully support user decision-making. We would then compare their impact and usage against filters to determine which tool should be prioritized in the decision flow.
Reflections & Next
When Visual Details Change, Confidence Quietly Breaks
This project challenged my initial assumption that improving conversion was primarily about optimizing interfaces. Through behavioral analysis and usability testing, I realized that the real issue was not usability, but decision support. Old Navy’s users are not casual browsers; they are goal-oriented shoppers making high-stakes decisions for their families. Designing for them meant shifting focus from exposing more options to actively reducing uncertainty, fatigue, and cognitive effort.
Next, we would validate whether AI summaries meaningfully support user decision-making. We would then compare their impact and usage against filters to determine which tool should be prioritized in the decision flow.