Clarifying the value proposition to reduce early drop-off
“I thought I was making a one-off purchase.” That was Dinesh, one of the people we interviewed about signing up to Gousto, and he wasn’t alone. 70% of prospective customers left at the menu stage, most without realising Gousto was a flexible subscription. I led the design work in a cross-functional squad to explain Gousto earlier in sign-up. One new screen increased sign-up conversion by 2.3%, worth an estimated £2M a year.
- Company
- Gousto
- Year
- 2022
- Role
- Product Designer - covering end-to-end UX, UI, research and copy
- Team
- Product Manager, Data Analyst, 4x Engineers (2x Front-End, 2x Back-End), Head of Marketing, SEO Specialist, Digital Marketing Manager
- +0%
sign-up conversion in an A/B test with 150,000 users
- +0%
sign-up conversion on desktop
- +£0M
estimated extra revenue a year
The problem
70% of prospective users dropped off at the menu stage. User interviews and session recordings highlighted confusion around Gousto's proposition:
“I thought I was making a one-off purchase”
“It doesn't give me any information about how many boxes and when”
“Maybe a link to learn more”
Users weren’t clear on what Gousto was (a flexible subscription), what they were getting, or how it worked. This lack of upfront clarity was a key driver of drop-off.
Goals and constraints
Our primary goal was to increase sign-up conversion rate from landing to payment. We were also aware of:
- The risk of introducing friction too early in the journey
- Preserving performance in already high-converting areas
- Adhering to Gousto's visual and brand identity
Working out what to say
We began by mapping out Gousto’s core value drivers, comparing them against competitor offerings. Using insights from previous research, we grouped them into themes and ranked them by likely impact. These informed copy experiments focused on clarity, value, and differentiation.
Testing as we designed
I developed copy and content variations for how we might communicate Gousto’s value, which we tested through two rounds of unmoderated research (50 users each). These studies validated the prioritised value drivers and helped refine the messaging.
Once we knew what to say, the harder question was where to say it. Before the sign-up questions, people would forget it by the time they reached the menu. Inside the questions, it would compete with the choices they were making. So with our PM and data analyst, I put it between the questions and the menu, the exact point where most people were leaving.
Once we aligned on where the messaging would live, I ideated and iterated on multiple content and visual directions. I explored different formats (e.g. cards, illustrations, FAQs, carousels) to find the best way to educate without overwhelming. I brought these into design critiques with the wider design team, clearly communicating my thinking and using their feedback to improve each round. Here are some of the directions explored:
The solution
We introduced a ‘Sell the Proposition’ screen between the sign-up wizard and the menu. It:
- Explained Gousto's pricing and subscription model
- Highlighted what meals and choice users could expect
- Used friendly copy, visuals, and a clear CTA to move forward
What I learned
Positive friction can increase conversion. Interrupting the journey isn’t always a bad thing. If done right, it builds confidence and trust.