OVERVIEW

The objective of implementing the 'Notify Me' functionality was to address the challenge of customer frustration when encountering out-of-stock items.

COMPANY

Phoebe Philo

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research & Analysis
UX Design
UI Design

COLLABORATORS

Head of Digital
Delivery Manager
CRM Manager
Senior Product Designer
Full Stack Engineers

PROBLEM

As we were looking into the proposal, we noticed a couple of issues:
Firstly, the proposed design only addressed the scenario where a product is entirely sold out in all sizes. Consequently, customers wouldn't have the option to receive notifications if the product is not entirely sold out.Secondly, the design does not provide customers witht he opportunity to select their preferred size for notification. Instead, they would receive a notification when any size is back in stock, potentially leading to false hope and disappointment if the available size is not the desired one.

Proposed designs from the business (complete journey for logged-out users)

(logged-in users are not required to fill-out a form, instead a toast will appear immediately after submitting)

A recurring user complaint was
that the red overlay on sold-out items 
prevented them from seeing the product's actual colour

ORGANICALLY COLLECTED DATA

The Client Services team provided us with user feedback gathered via direct interactions with users through emails and inquiries, and we gained valuable insights into user pain points and desires. Using this organically collected qualitative data, we successfully advocated for the removal of the red overlay from the designs, securing buy-in by anticipating a potential boost in conversion rates.

Design A: An overlay will pop-up

Design B similar to existing POA form: A new screen, where users are given the opportunity to select (if applicable) multiple unavailable sizes

CLICK ON THE DESIRED SIZE AS BEFORE TO ADD TO THEIR BAG

We brainstormed ideas to conceptualise the 'Notify Me' functionality by benchmarking competitors, whilst ensuring the designs aligned with the brand's aesthetic and user experience standards.
We suggested a size-specific product treatment: Once a size of a product sells out, next to the size 'Notify me' will be displayed. The user can click on the desired size as before to add to their bag, and the CTA changes to 'Get notified for 38'. Our focus was on creating a notification system that would seamlessly integrate into the existing shopping experience.

We ideated two options.

POA: With input from the dev team, we concluded that using a setup similar to the POA form would streamline development and ensure implementation before the A2 launch

IMPLEMENTING B WAS PREFERABLE

However, we removed the option to select multiple unavailable sizes, as this would have made the design too complex. This decision was informed by a shared understanding of project timelines and the necessity for a quick yet effective solution.

Upon advisement from the legal department regarding GDPR compliance, we integrated a consent tick box into the user interface to ensure users' data privacy rights were met. With the copywriter’s help we made a few tweaks to align with the business' Tone of Voice.

Final designs: Mobile journey demonstrated for logged-out users

Products sold out within hours as customers purchased immediately after receiving the notification

By allowing customers to subscribe to notifications for specific products, we aimed to keep them informed about product availability and increase the likelihood of conversion upon restocking.

OUTCOME

The new feature is improving user engagement by keeping customers informed about product availability. This lead to over 300 registrations within 24 hours of unannounced implementation and a 29% conversation rate among notified users.

Furthermore, we have noticed a reduction in the volume of calls and emails from users inquiring about stock availability. This decline has positively impacted client services, alleviating their workload and allowing them to dedicate their time more effectively to addressing more substantial inquiries.