This case study examines the challenge of cart abandonment in e-commerce and presents a user-centered design approach to address it. The objective was to understand the underlying causes of abandonment and design targeted interventions that guide users toward completing their purchases. Through research, prototyping, and testing, the project delivers actionable solutions to improve checkout conversion rates.
Context
UX capstone project to reduce cart abandonment on platforms like Target and Amazon. Using user interviews, audits, and journey mapping, I identified key friction points and redesigned 6+ core flows (reviews, wishlists, checkout, etc.) into high-fidelity prototypes. Each solution targeted issues like decision paralysis and trust gaps to improve conversion and user satisfaction.
User Group
Meet Sarah!!
Her Core Needs + Frustration!!
To help Sarah overcome his frustration and reduce the cart abandonment issue, I tried to find solution for the same!
Approach
Discovery phase
Identify design opportunities in the online shopping cart experience
My goal was to understand how users interact with shopping carts on e-commerce platforms and where they encounter friction in the journey. By uncovering these issues, I aimed to identify opportunities to reduce cart abandonment and improve the overall checkout experience
Q
All of the research helped me narrow it down to 16 problems + insights, which led to the creation of a user journey map
Narrowing Down!
The project began with a broad focus on the e-commerce industry, but early research revealed a wide range of user behaviors, from routine purchases like groceries to more deliberate, high-involvement shopping. To narrow the scope, I excluded habitual, urgency-driven purchases (e.g., groceries, household essentials) as they follow different behavioral patterns. I then refined the focus to the big-box e-commerce sector, specifically platforms like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and eBay, where complex decision-making, price sensitivity, and comparison shopping play a major role in cart abandonment.
Define, Design, and Validate an Optimized E-commerce Cart Experience
The goal was to translate research insights from the discovery phase into high-impact UX interventions, creating and testing a user interface that reduces cart abandonment and streamlines the online purchase journey on big-box retail platforms, which led to the creation of the framework
Approach
I developed a Cart Abandonment Solution Framework that mapped each of the 16 key pain points to a targeted design strategy. This guided ideation and prototyping across the user journey.
Low-Fidelity Sketches: Early concepts tackling friction in cart and checkout flows
Hi-Fi Redesigns: Applied to Amazon and Target to demonstrate real-world application
Usability Testing: 5 participants evaluated the designs in think-aloud sessions
Positive responses to cost clarity, comparison tools, and streamlined checkout
Trust elements and personalization increased confidence
Insights directly shaped design refinemen
You can explore the full deliverable and prototype here for a closer look at the designs and solutions implemented.
The framework
Each redesign applied one of four experience pillars from my framework , Transparency, Social Proof, Ease of Discovery, and Personalization, to turn hesitation into confidence and browsing into buying.
🧭 Category 1: Clarity & Confidence
Designing transparency and trust into every step of the purchase journey.
Online shoppers often abandon their carts when they feel uncertain , about hidden fees, delivery timelines, or whether a product is as good as it looks.This category focused on removing cognitive friction and making clarity visible. Every design decision aimed to make users feel informed, guided, and in control. From pricing to reviews, these interventions build an ecosystem of trust that supports confident purchasing behavior.
💡 Category 2: Personalization & Discovery
Today’s users don’t just want to shop, they want to be understood. This group of solutions reframed the e-commerce experience from search-driven to inspiration-driven, using personalization and context to help users discover what fits them best.
By aligning the interface with browsing intent and emotional tone, the goal was to turn idle curiosity into active engagement. Every section adapts to what users care about most.
⚙️ Category 3: Flow & Flexibility
Reducing friction and giving users effortless control at every stage.
Once users are ready to buy, the process should feel seamless, not procedural.
These solutions streamline the last mile, combining speed, adaptability, and decision support to make completing a purchase simple and human.
Finally Sarah is…..
Reflection
Working on this capstone project has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my academic journey. There were moments when I felt completely stuck, unsure of what to do next, and I even questioned whether I could pull it off. But those moments taught me the most, about UX, problem-solving, and myself.
This wasn’t just a project. It was a deep dive into the real-world challenges of e-commerce. I wore multiple hats: researcher, strategist, designer. Along the way, I learned how to manage my time, stay self-motivated, and push forward even when the path wasn’t clear. I became more comfortable with ambiguity and more confident in turning user insights into meaningful design decisions.
What surprised me most was how much I loved the process. From uncovering user pain points to iterating on design solutions, I found myself excited by the small wins, like insights from a usability test or the moment when a design finally clicked. I discovered a true passion for solving complex, human-centered problems through thoughtful UX.
This project didn’t just sharpen my design skills. It reinforced why I chose this path in the first place. I’m leaving this experience not only with a solid case study, but also with a clearer sense of purpose and a deeper commitment to creating impact through user-centered design.
What I learned
This project taught me that small, thoughtful design changes can create a big impact when they’re rooted in user behavior. Initially, I felt the problems were too complex to tackle without large-scale overhauls. But through research and iteration, I realized that addressing pain points like wishlist visibility, cost transparency, and checkout friction with focused, user-centered interventions was far more effective than flashy redesigns.
By simplifying the experience, clarifying the path to purchase, and integrating subtle nudges like trust signals and personalization, I was able to reduce friction and help users feel more confident. This experience reinforced the idea that great UX isn't always about reinventing the wheel, sometimes it's about making the journey smoother, clearer, and more human.
