Guest Checkout

Users had to be logged in to buy. At HSE's most critical moment in the funnel, that was a barrier. We removed it. +6.6% conversion uplift.

Overview

A focused checkout redesign that let users buy without an account. The designer ran qualitative tests on multiple flow versions before shipping an A/B test that confirmed the uplift.

Guest checkout in action.

Role & Scope

  • Role: Team Lead Product Design (head-of-discipline scope)
  • Scope: Led and mentored the squad designer from discovery through launch. Ran design critique sessions focused on trade-offs. Coordinated with PM and Dev leads. Checkout is the most sensitive area in the product, so alignment across disciplines mattered as much as the design itself.
  • Channels: Web and app
  • Duration: 2024

Impact

  • +6.6% conversion rate uplift
  • +8.71% overall conversion improvement across checkout
  • +10.9% Add to Cart rate

The Problem

To buy at HSE, users had to be logged in. New customers had to create an account before they could proceed. Users who did not remember their credentials had no easy path forward. The barrier was not protecting the business. It was costing it conversions at the worst possible moment.

The Goal

Let users complete a purchase with just an email, contact details, and payment. Account creation becomes optional, not a prerequisite.

  • Remove login as a checkout prerequisite
  • Keep the flow simple and trustworthy for first-time buyers
  • Not undermine the logged-in experience for existing customers

How I Led

  • Mentored the squad designer through flows, edge cases, error states, and post-purchase account nudges
  • Ran design critique focused on decisions and trade-offs, not aesthetics
  • Aligned PM and Dev leads early. Checkout has payment integrations and account logic; knowing the constraints upfront shaped the design

What We Built and Tested

The designer ran qualitative sessions with users across different versions of the guest flow. The focus was on trust and comprehension: did users understand what "guest" meant, where did they hesitate, what did they expect. Those sessions determined which version went to A/B.

  • Clear entry point: "Continue as Guest" or "Log in" without making the guest option feel second-class
  • Progressive data collection: each step asks only what it needs.
  • Post-purchase account nudge: offer to save details after the order is confirmed, not before
  • Full error and edge case coverage. Checkout cannot break quietly.

Takeaway

The best checkout gets out of the way. Removing one requirement at the highest-stakes moment in the funnel produced a measurable, lasting result.