To unpack the complexity behind our checkout experience, I mapped out the different delivery scenarios users could receive based on basket composition. This revealed 7 distinct scenarios, which I validated early with engineering and logistics to uncover dependencies and edge cases.

Analytics showed 42% of users abandoned the checkout at the delivery step, despite having completed product selection and basket review, a clear signal of friction at a critical stage. To uncover the root cause, I conducted usability testing with 8 participants via UserTesting.com, focusing specifically on the delivery section of the checkout flow.

Findings:

• 6 out of 8 participants found the delivery section confusing or overwhelming
• Too many options and unclear terminology caused decision paralysis
• 5 users paused for over 8 seconds at the delivery selection point
• 4 users thought they had to interact with both date selections (Radio buttons & carousel)

Key Insight:
Users wanted fewer, clearer choices, smart defaults, and reassurance that their delivery decision matched their needs. Even with strong purchase intent, complexity was eroding trust and causing drop-off.

Impact:
This validated our hypothesis: checkout clarity and guidance directly affected conversion. These insights laid the foundation for a redesigned delivery flow focused on clarity, context, and confidence.

To cover all bases, I interviewed the Head of Customer Support who confirmed that WISMO made up 32% of contact, pointing to a broader issue of delivery trust, not just confusion at the point of purchase.

Recognising that pet retail lagged behind in rapid delivery expectations, I also benchmarked against adjacent industries such as florists to set a clearer reference point for evolving user expectations.

The research surfaced two core problems:

• Cognitive overload: Users struggled to understand delivery options, encountering unclear language, repeated choices, and an overall lack of guidance.
• Mistrust in delivery accuracy: A disconnect between promised and actual delivery times led to user frustration, reflected in the 32% of support tickets related to WISMO.

We saw an opportunity to reframe delivery not simply as a logistical step, but as a trust-building moment in the customer journey.

To guide solution exploration, I framed two core problem statements:

• User perspective:“When I reach the delivery step, I feel confused about which option to choose and unsure whether it will actually arrive when I need it.”
• Business perspective:“If we don’t improve clarity and confidence at delivery, we risk losing high-intent users and overloading customer support.”

As we explored solutions, it became clear that clearer communication alone wouldn’t suffice, we needed to reinforce the delivery promise itself. Looking to adjacent industries (e.g. grocery, pharmacy) where rapid fulfilment had become standard, we saw an opportunity to:

• Introduce same-day delivery for eligible orders
• Improve perceived reliability through speed and local fulfilment
• Reduce pressure on central distribution centres by shifting fulfilment to stores

Clarifying Delivery Options
To reduce cognitive overload at checkout, I redesigned how delivery choices were presented. I created a dynamic UI component that adapted to 10 fulfilment variations without overwhelming the user. Working with marketing, we rewrote option labels in plain, actionable language, and added inline guidance to reduce friction and clarify trade-offs (e.g. speed vs. cost).

Introducing Same-Day Delivery
At the same time, I collaborated with my PO, engineering, and logistics stakeholders to define how same-day delivery could be added without overpromising. We created logic-based eligibility rules using proximity, inventory, and cut-off time data. This option only appeared when fulfilment was guaranteed, helping build trust and confidence with users.