After launching our innovative functional mushroom beverages, we identified a significant opportunity in our direct-to-consumer channel. With an initial conversion rate of just 1.2%, we needed to identify and address the barriers preventing interested customers from completing their purchases.

• Increase site conversion rate from 1.2% to at least 3.2%

• Improve product education to clarify functional benefits

• Streamline the payment process

• Address price perception issues

Discovery & Research

Tackled declining online sales by identifying key conversion barriers through comprehensive user research:

• Customer Surveys: Sent targeted surveys to repeat customers, receiving 6 detailed responses

• User Interviews: Conducted in-depth interviews with three repeat customers (offering a free case as incentive)

• Analytics Analysis: Used Google Analytics to identify drop-off points, particularly focusing on users who added products to cart but abandoned before checkout

Key Findings

Three primary issues emerged from our research:

1. Education Gap: Customers knew functional mushrooms could benefit them but weren't clear on specific benefits

2. Commitment Concerns: The 12-pack format represented a significant investment before trying the product

3. Payment Friction: Unexpected shipping costs added at checkout caused abandonment

Design Solutions

1. Education Enhancement

• Redesigned product pages with clear, concise explanation of each mushroom's functional benefits

• Added benefit highlights directly on product cards

• Simplified educational content and integrated it directly into the purchase flow rather than on separate pages

2. Free Shipping Implementation

• Absorbed shipping costs into product pricing

• Added prominent "Free Shipping" messaging on homepage banner and throughout checkout

• Eliminated surprising cost additions at checkout

3. Product Photography Improvement

• Collaborated with production director Marina Starkey to create our "Immorel All Day, Immorel All Night" campaign

• Developed product photography that combined forest elements with bioluminescent, alien-inspired designs

• Created visuals showing how each product fits into different parts of the customer's day:

  • Wake the Eff Up: Morning coffee replacement or nighttime alternative to RedBull

  • Feed Ur Focus: Morning creativity boost, afternoon slump remedy, or evening side project fuel

  • Slow Ur Roll: Recovery aid for poor sleep or evening relaxation

Our systematic approach to improving the e-commerce experience yielded significant results:

• Conversion Rate: Increased from 1.2% to 3.5%, exceeding our target of 3.2%

• Revenue Impact: DTC revenue contribution doubled from 15% to 30%, bringing in an additional $2,250/month

• User Engagement: Improved product page engagement with users spending more time understanding product benefits

• Transparency is Critical: Customers strongly dislike surprises in the purchase process. Amazon has conditioned expectations for free shipping and clear pricing

• Education Must Be Streamlined: While education was crucial for our innovative product category, customers preferred concise information at the point of decision rather than separate educational sections

• Visual Storytelling Matters: Professional product photography that tells a story about how products fit into customers' lives had a significant impact on conversion

• Shipping Costs are a Major Barrier: Free shipping had the single biggest impact on our conversion rate, demonstrating the importance of removing friction at checkout