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John Lewis basket optimisation

Boosting conversion and revenue through targeted UX improvements to the online basket experience.

Quick overview

  • Role: Lead UX Designer

  • Company: John Lewis

  • Timeline: 2019

  • Tools: Sketch, Axure, SessionCam, Adobe Analytics

  • Impact: 

    • £1.8m/year benefit from improved error messaging

    • £6.6m/year benefit from improved visibility of 'Continue to checkout' CTA on mobile

    • Total projected benefit: £8.4m annually through conversion optimisation

Situation

The basket page on JohnLewis.com had not been actively maintained for several years. Existing research showed that optimising basket performance by just one basis point could deliver £14M in annual revenue, making it a high-impact opportunity.

Task

As part of a new, cross-functional team, I was tasked with:

  • Identifying key UX pain points

  • Migrating the basket to React from a legacy monolithic platform

  • Designing improvements to increase conversion and support accessibility

Action

As Lead UX Designer, I:

  • Audited the experience using SessionCam, analytics, and usability testing

  • Consolidated prior research and A/B test results to uncover insights

  • Conducted competitor analysis to benchmark key UX patterns

  • Facilitated multidisciplinary ideation sessions with devs, researchers, and subject matter experts

  • Designed wireframes and prototypes to explore and test optimised flows

  • Led accessibility testing across devices and assistive technologies

  • Prioritised enhancements based on development effort vs. business impact

animation of a person scrolling a basket page on a mobile
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screenshot of a basket page on a desktop computer showing that there is an error massage displayed in the basket
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Result

We delivered measurable gains through targeted UX improvements:

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Error messaging enhancements

  • Introduced top-level alerts, clearer field labels, and in-basket product error feedback

  • Improved accessibility and clarity for customers

  • +1.2% increase in conversion for users encountering errors

  • £1.8M annual revenue impact

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Improved CTA visibility (Mobile/Tablet)

  • Made “Continue to checkout” CTA more visible, especially for large baskets

  • Simplified progression for mobile users

  • +1.1% increase in mobile conversion

  • £6.6M annual revenue impact

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