Burberry
Revamping Burberry’s iOS Checkout Experience
Role
Product Design
Year
2018
As part of Burberry’s commitment to enhancing its digital presence, the company underwent a significant transformation, including a brand new iOS app. Following this reorganisation, I joined the newly formed Checkout & Payments squad as the sole designer, tasked with overhauling the checkout experience for our website and our new app. The goal was to create a seamless, efficient, and user-friendly checkout process that reflected Burberry's premium brand identity while addressing several pressing user experience challenges.
01
The problem
Through extensive research involving data analysis, user research and feedback, we identified several critical issues with the existing checkout process on our site:
Outdated UI: The checkout interface was inconsistent with the rest of the app’s modern design, leading to a disjointed user experience. This visual mismatch eroded user trust at a crucial stage of the purchase journey.
Cumbersome user flow: The checkout process was slow, repetitive, and required too many steps, creating friction for both new and returning users. This led to frustration and significantly delayed the completion of purchases.
High cart abandonment rate: We found that the cart abandonment rate was higher than the industry average, pointing to major usability issues that were causing users to drop off before completing their transactions.
Inefficiencies in user registration: Users were required to create an account before they could proceed with their purchase, which added unnecessary steps for those simply wanting to complete a quick transaction. Moreover, there was no option to save payment details for future use, making repeat purchases equally laborious.
Lack of express payment options: In an increasingly fast-paced digital landscape, the absence of express payment methods such as ApplePay left the checkout experience feeling outdated and cumbersome, particularly for users increasingly accustomed to quick, seamless mobile payments.
02
The opportunity
The overarching goal was to redesign the checkout flow specifically for the iOS app, capitalising on the potential of native mobile features to improve usability and optimise the user experience. Our research, which spanned four months and involved a combination of user interviews, usability testing, and iterative prototyping, offered invaluable insights into user behaviours, preferences, and frustrations.
Our research highlighted a few key opportunities:
Streamlining the flow: By eliminating unnecessary steps and using native solutions, we had the chance to create a faster, more intuitive checkout experience.
Ensuring brand alignment: The checkout interface needed to fully adhere to Burberry's recent rebrand and its updated design guidelines. This meant carefully aligning the aesthetic and functional elements of the checkout with the broader look and feel of the app, ensuring a cohesive brand experience. Maintaining this visual consistency was critical for reinforcing user trust and enhancing brand loyalty throughout the customer journey.
Since the checkout process is input-heavy, I contributed to Burberry's new design system by standardising text fields, dropdowns, and form elements. I focused on creating consistent, user-friendly components that ensured accessibility and clarity, which became key elements in the app's design system, improving both usability and visual cohesion.Incorporating express payment methods: The integration of ApplePay and other localisation-based payment methods would address the lack of speed and convenience, making the checkout process feel more modern and efficient.
04
Design approach
The solution was to craft a streamlined, visually consistent, and user-friendly checkout experience that took full advantage of the capabilities of a native iOS app. Given that a significant proportion of Burberry’s customers are repeat buyers, we prioritised features that catered to both first-time users and loyal customers.
Simplifying User Authentication
Although I initially questioned the requirement for users to sign in to complete their purchase, we ultimately found that this step simplified the process for returning users. By recognising these repeat customers through their accounts, we could pre-fill essential information, reducing friction and accelerating the checkout experience. Additionally, we included the option for users to save their payment details securely, making future purchases faster and more convenient.
Leveraging Native Features
We fully utilised iOS-native features to enhance the overall experience. For instance, ApplePay integration allowed users to complete transactions with a single tap, significantly speeding up the process. Face ID and Touch ID authentication added an additional layer of security and convenience, especially for repeat customers.
05
New checkout flow
Shopping Bag: The checkout process begins at the Shopping Bag page, where users can easily review and edit their selected items. We introduced localisation features that dynamically offer region-specific payment methods, for China in particular. ApplePay was made a prominent express checkout option, dramatically reducing the time needed to complete a purchase.
Security Layer: For security, users are prompted to re-enter their password or authenticate via Face ID or Touch ID before proceeding. This step not only ensures data security but also instils confidence in users, particularly when making high-value purchases, which is common for Burberry’s customer base.
Shipping Method: Users can either enter a shipping address or opt for in-store pickup, with the app intelligently providing recommendations based on previous user behaviour or preferences set in their profile. This personalisation reduces the cognitive load and enhances the overall user experience.
Payment Details: On the Payment Details page, our research informed the assumption that most users prefer the billing and shipping addresses to be the same. We applied this as the default but gave users the flexibility to change the information if necessary. Payment options are seamlessly integrated, including credit cards, ApplePay, and other localised methods, all designed to reduce friction.
Order Review: Finally, users reach the Review stage, where they can easily verify their order details and make any necessary changes. The page is designed to be clean, intuitive, and visually aligned with Burberry’s luxury brand, providing users with a final sense of confidence before purchase.
Checkout user journey flow
06
Outcomes
The redesigned checkout experience yielded significant improvements across multiple key metrics:
Increased conversion rates: Post-launch data showed a 24% increase in conversion rates, with a substantial drop in cart abandonment, bringing it down by 28%, aligning Burberry’s checkout performance with industry standards for luxury retail.
Improved user satisfaction: In our post-launch user surveys, 87% of users reported higher satisfaction with the new checkout process, citing ease of use and speed as the most appreciated improvements. Additionally, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for the app increased from 45 to 63, reflecting a higher level of user trust and recommendation likelihood.
Faster checkout times: By optimising the flow we reduced average checkout time by 45%, from an average of 2 minutes 40 seconds to just 1 minute 30 seconds. Repeat customers, in particular, saw even faster checkout times due to the saved payment and shipping information.
Increased repeat purchases: After the revamp, there was a 18% increase in repeat purchases within the first three months, driven by the ability for users to save their payment and shipping details for future transactions. This contributed to an overall 15% increase in customer lifetime value.
Reduction in errors and support requests: The implementation of a smoother checkout process, combined with clear error messaging and streamlined input fields, led to a 39% reduction in checkout-related support tickets. This also freed up customer service resources for higher-priority issues.