Integrating Subscription into the Purchase Flow
Increasing subscriptions by moving the decision to the Shopping Bag
UX Lead
2025
+12% Subscription Rate
Growth / Ecommerce
TL;DR
THE problem
A platform migration exposed two gaps: Perks Members and Distributors both lacked a clear path to subscribe within the main shopping experience.
THE Solution
Moved the subscription decision from the product page to the shopping bag.
MY ROLE
Led research, usability testing, solution design, cross-functional alignment, and executive approval.
IMPACT
Distributor subscriptions +12.2%, Perks Member subscriptions +8.3%. 90-day retention improved.
THE CONTEXT
A platform migration exposed a conversion gap
When Distributors were migrated onto the main site, a critical flaw surfaced: neither Distributors nor Perks Members could subscribe within the core shopping flow.
Subscription — a key revenue driver — sat outside the purchase flow, creating friction and lost conversions.
The opportunity: integrate subscription directly into the purchase flow.
CONSTRAINTS
The checkout system could only process one order type
Checkout was limited to one order type per transaction. Users could not mix Buy Once and Subscribe items.
The solution needed to work for two distinct user types.
Any solution had to make these constraints feel simple and intuitive for users.
TESTING
Our first design put the decision in the wrong place
The initial concept placed the order-type decision on the product page.
Usability testing revealed three consistent issues:
Users thought the toggle meant Add to Bag.
They didn't realize it affected the entire order.
Several said "This belongs in the bag, not here".
KEY INSIGHT
Users decide how they're buying when they commit to checkout
Participants expected the order-type decision to happen after adding items, at the point of commitment.
This insight drove the pivot to the shopping bag.
SOLUTION
Move the decision to the moment of commitment
The PDP became a single Add to Bag action.
On first visit to the bag, a drawer prompts users to select Subscribe or Buy Once, with Subscribe prioritized.
The same options remain visible in the bag so users can switch anytime.
Users with an existing subscription see Subscribe and Buy Once on the PDP.
This approach balanced user clarity, technical constraints, and conversion optimization.
Product Detail Page
Order Type Drawer
Shopping Bag
ALIGNMENT
User data helped drive executive approval
Aligned design team and Director of Digital.
Partnered with engineering to validate feasibility.
Presented to CTA for final approval.
Usability findings were central — real user evidence made the pivot easy to support.
The solution launched on schedule, meeting migration dependencies and unblocking the broader platform transition.
IMPACT
Subscription rates and retention increased
DISTRIBUTORS
+12.2%
Subscription Rate
Avg. of 3 months pre vs. post launch
PERKS MEMBERS
+8.3%
Subscription Rate
Avg. of 3 months pre vs. post launch
DISTRIBUTORS
+11.4%
90-Day Retention
Improved alongside the platform migration
PERKS MEMBERS
+6.6%
90-Day Retention
Consistent improvement post-launch
Retention improvement reflects both the design improvements and platform migration, which removed structural friction.
REFLECTION
Test assumptions earlier
Usability testing after commiting to a direction meant the PDP vs. Bag mismatch was discovered later than ideal.
A simple early test would have surfaced the issue immediately.
Additional testing on the bag drawer pre-launch could further optimize the primary subscription conversion moment.
Product Strategy
UX Design
Cross-Functional Leadership
Conversion Optimization
Usability Testing
Ecommerce