Multi-Currency Plugin UX Design
PayPal contracted with me to design the user experience and UI for a web editor plugin that would allow merchants to effortlessly accept worldwide currencies in their online stores. Our goal was to create a seamless integration that enhanced both merchant and customer experiences.
My Role
Strategy
UX Research
UI/UX Design
Visual Design
UX Management
Timeline
3 Months
Without a doubt, working with Ian is a professional experience. Through the various projects I have worked on with him, his team has always gone above and beyond to produce and deliver outstanding creative work. He put emphasis on punctual delivery, while still being flexible to last minute changes. Plus, he’s fun to work with!”
Laura WardThe Problem
PayPal merchants wanted a way to present foreign currencies on their websites without redirecting customers to the PayPal website. This need arose from the desire to maintain a cohesive shopping experience, reduce cart abandonment rates, and streamline the checkout process. Merchants faced the challenge of managing currency conversions, fluctuating exchange rates, and ensuring transparent pricing for their global customers. Additionally, they needed a solution that could easily integrate with existing e-commerce platforms like Magento, WordPress, and WooCommerce, without requiring extensive technical expertise or significant changes to their existing workflows.
The Process
We began by researching various multi-currency plugins available on popular platforms such as WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. This helped us identify common pain points and best practices. We created detailed journey maps and user flows to understand the interactions from both merchant and customer perspectives. Wireframes and visual designs were developed to illustrate potential solutions. Throughout the design process, we conducted usability testing with merchants to gather feedback and refine our approach. This iterative process ensured that our designs met the real-world needs of merchants and provided an intuitive experience for end-users.
Research
- User Demographics
- Define User Goals
- Stakeholder Interviews
- Customer Interviews
Empathize
- User Personas
- User Scenarios
- User Testing
- Journey Map
Create
- Flows
- Wireframes
- Visual Design
- Prototype
Test
- Usability
- Track usage
- Design Refinements
Currency List UX
When designing the currency list that a customer would see, I specified a dynamic list that would display in a prioritized order:
- Default currency of the merchant
- Currency based on the customer’s current IP address
- Currency of nearby country if within a certain distance
- All other currencies supported by the merchant
Design Research
WordPress, Magento, WooCommerce, and PayPal all have their own design languages, patterns, and unique limitations. Learning the details and nuances of each platform was critical in order to design a single interface that could be deployed within each environment.
Flexible UI Challenge
Designing a UI element that could be deployed on any website required smart design choices and flexible options.
- Dark mode or light mode
- Size and scale
- Modals that layer ontop of site
- UI options
- Content inclusion/exclusion
Possible UI Variations achieved with WordPress admin controls
WooCommerce Flow Diagram
The Solution
Our design included plugins for Magento and WordPress that offered a comprehensive front-end customer experience and a robust merchant interface. Key features included FX optimization, various styling options, the ability to select specific currencies, and price rounding functionalities. Additionally, we designed a “super app” that allowed users to set their currency and pricing preferences in one place. This app enabled websites, apps, and retail systems to interface with it, providing on-the-fly pricing adjustments for global currencies. The solution was designed to be flexible, user-friendly, and easily integrated into existing systems, ensuring a seamless experience for both merchants and customers.
The Results
The result was a comprehensive solution that addressed the multi-currency challenge for websites and created a centralized pricing logic for all merchant points of sale. Merchants reported reduced cart abandonment rates and an increase in international sales. The centralized pricing logic ensured consistency across all sales channels, simplifying currency management and enhancing the overall shopping experience. The solution not only met the initial requirements but also provided a scalable foundation for future enhancements, ensuring long-term value for PayPal and its merchants.