Streamlining the Buy Flow for U.S. Cellular
Streamlining the Buy Flow for U.S. Cellular
Client: U.S. Cellular (Leo Burnett)
Role: UX Design Lead
Skills: UX Design, UX Research, Visual Design
Team: UX Design Lead (me), Creative Director, Product Manager
Timeframe: 4 months
The Problem
The existing buy flow for U.S. Cellular’s website had significant drop-off rates, particularly during plan selection and checkout. Users faced a repetitive and lengthy process, leading to a low conversion rate of 0.018% from entry to purchase.
The Solution
We redesigned and optimized the phone selection, plan selection, and checkout flows. By simplifying steps, reducing repetition, and consolidating order review, the new design aimed to enhance the user experience and increase purchase conversion rates.
User journeys
Mapping out user journeys revealed where the highest drop-offs occurred: plan selection (77%), order review (59%), and credit review (48%). We restructured the flow to consolidate these steps, creating a seamless path that guided users from device selection through checkout without unnecessary interruptions or repeated actions.
Mapping drop-off points helped us streamline user journeys for a smoother checkout.
Understanding the User
We conducted in-depth usability testing to identify pain points in the existing flow versus the new prototype. Users expressed frustration with repetitive review steps and the complexity of plan selection. Feedback informed a streamlined process that minimized unnecessary steps and ensured a smoother, more intuitive checkout experience across both mobile and desktop platforms.
US Cellular website user testing comparing old vs prototype
Prototype reduced task completion times significantly (e.g. 4:12 → 2:05)
Users found prototype cleaner and more modern but had cart navigation issues
Current site required more guesswork while prototype provided clearer flow
The Final Design
The final design condensed steps, reduced repetition, and presented a clear, single order review. Mobile activities were reduced by 18%, while desktop steps were cut by 28%, creating a faster and more intuitive buying experience across all devices.
Results
The redesigned buy flow increased conversion rates and added an estimated $210K in monthly revenue. The simplified process reduced drop-offs, leading to quicker ROI, projected to break even within 24 days of implementation.
$210k
increase in monthly revenue
28%
faster overall experience