Company:
Amazon
Role:
UX Design & Research Lead
About this project:
User research and market research indicated that customers of all income levels expressed interest in debt-free payment plans. Layaway is a common payment method whereby a customer can reserve an item by putting down a small deposit. There is a regular payment schedule agreed upon at the point of sale (anywhere between 4 to 12 weeks). Customers can pick up their items when they finish their payments.
Some customers used layaway as a budgeting method, while others used it for timing purposes. In one session, a participant said that she used layaway to reserve holiday toys for her grandchildren and timed the payoff with the week of Christmas. That way, she would not have to hide the presents but she could plan enough in advance to ensure she’d get the product. Most customers cited the attractiveness of instant ownership and instant gratification, as well as debt-free and interest-free shopping. Layaway also does not typically require a credit check. Per a 2017 Holiday Survey Report by Deloitte, 13% of shoppers use layaway during the holiday season.
I explored an early-stage layaway experience to initially launch for consumer electronics products. Amazon Layaway publicly launched in 2022 through an internal engineering and PM partnership.
Results:
1-week post-launch snapshot:
- 50M+ customer impressions
- 0.073% increase in sales
Mobile designs:
Additional process artifacts:
Amara Hulslander | UX Designer & Educator 