SHIQIU
Improve payout flexibility for millions of GoDaddy merchants
INTERNSHIP ∙ DESKTOP
OVERVIEW
In summer 2023, I designed 2 end-to-end features for GoDaddy, which enhanced payout flexibility for millions of merchants and can generate millions annually. Initially tasked with developing Schedule Payout, I later initiated Faster Payout to address a more urgent need, securing leadership approval.
Payout
noun. The transfer of funds from a merchant’s GoDaddy Payment account to their bank account.
TEAM
Solo designer at GoDaddy Payment Team, with guidance from 1 senior & 1 design manager, 1 PM, 1 Content, 1 UXR.
SCOPE
Create end-to-end new scheduled payout feature with its testing brief, and concept proof of instant payout.
TIMELINE
June - Sep, 2023
PROBLEM
How to improve GoDaddy merchants’ payout flexibility for greater control over fund transfer timing?
SOLUTION
Empower merchants to receive money Faster or Slower
GoDaddy merchants currently receive a single lump sum payout daily, with no option to adjust the frequency. I initiated Faster Payout to support merchants with unhealthy cash flow who rely on immediate funds. I also designed Scheduled Payout, allowing weekly or monthly payouts, which can reduce costs for GoDaddy, and help merchants with healthy cash flow manage finances better.
current
scheduled payout
faster payout - my focus
receive funds weekly, monthly
receive funds immediately
receive funds every day at X pm
IMPACT
Saved time of managing payout, 5min to 10s
96.7%
Satisfaction rate in usability test
100%
Estimated annual revenues
1m
Estimated annual savings
X00k
Head of Design, GoDaddy Commerce
6 hours ago
@ssun778 - that is a whole LOT for one summer internship!! And look at the impact you’ve made ⭐️ on our experiences, on our business and on our team! Well done 👏🏼 congratulations and thank you!
CONTEXT
Why Faster Payout is a more valuable problem to solve?
When reviewing user feedback, I noticed more users want quicker but less frequent access to funds. Besides, my PM calculated that if 0.5% of merchants adopt this feature, it could generate min $1 million annually.
“ I should be able to withdraw my money whenever I want! ”
based on 12 customer tickets
Faster payout is widely offtered by competitors
CHALLENGE
HMW notify 15% of merchants to add a debit card for feature eligibility?
15% of merchants can't use Faster Payout due to unsupported banks, but adding debit card support covers 99% of cases. I explored how to notify merchants to enable this feature.
“ Show it only when merchants try to use it. ”
Though GoDaddy always uses banners for new feature notifications, I successfully convinced my team to choose the option 2, a more user-centered approach. This avoids overwhelming & discouraging merchants.
ITERATION
Dark Pattern: the TOP killer of customer relationship
8/10 participants believed we were pushing them into using the more expensive option - Faster Payout.
I identified several issues: 1. Selecting the more expensive option by default is unethical; 2. I highlighted it without context, using price anchoring to make it seem like a deal; 3. Labeling - “default” and “instant” transfers confused users about when they'd receive money, leveraging fear to push them toward paying more.
Before
After
Balance user & business need
In fact, adding debit card is frustrating for merchants who want Faster Payout. To prevent drop-offs, I showed completed and remaining steps to motivate users to finish the transfer (Endowment & Goal Gradient effect). Also, I added a unique value for GoDaddy by displaying supported banks or cards upfront, unlike competitors who require extra steps like clicking “learn more”.
SCHEDULED PAYOUT
HMW give users more control over Payout Schedule
OPTIONS
PROS & CONS
Dropdown + Dependency
+ best for numerous, similar options
- terms are the least transparent
Radio Button + Dropdown
+ all options are permanently visible
- lack of components in design system
Radio Button + Calendar
+ informative, visualize future payouts
- harder to quickly scan, high error rate
USER TESTING
My testing plan became GoDaddy Test Template
After spending a month on user testing, I saw a room for efficiency improvement. To simplify the testing process, I created 2 templates to meet different goals: discovery & validation, iterating through 7 rounds with UXRs’ feedback. The team love it, and my templates helped save time and resources.
CEO & me
Sr Director of Design
Since sharing is caring...our intern @ssun778’s usability tests on Payouts came out with the great result! Spoiler alert: reducing the time from 5+ mins to 10 Seconds!!! Big Kudos to @ssun778!
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eBay Seller Dashboard
