Paperchase - UX and checkout flow optimisation

Optimised the UX and checkout flow of the website, resulting in a 20% boost in user engagement and a seamless shopping experience.

Paperchase Website Redesign Hero Image

Project overview

Paperchase is a leading stationery retailer with over 125 stores across the UK and international presence in Europe, the USA, and the UAE. The brand sought to revitalise its e-commerce experience to reflect its in-store charm while improving engagement and driving conversions across digital platforms.

Role

• Lead the UX design process, from concept ideation to final delivery.

• Communicated design concepts, and rationale effectively to stakeholders.

• Collaborated closely with the web developer to ensure smooth and high-quality implementation.

• Established a design system to ensure consistency and scalability across the website.

Tools

Figma, Maze, Photoshop, Asana, Slack, Google Analytics.

Timeline

2021

Team

UX/UI Designer, Project Manager, Web Developer, Content Writer, SEO Specialist

Problem statement

Paperchase's digital experience failed to reflect the delight and ease of its in-store experience. User engagement was low, and the checkout process had high abandonment rates, leading to missed revenue opportunities.

Goals and objectives

The main goals were to elevate the visual and user experience to match the brand's identity, increase product discoverability and user engagement, optimise the checkout process to reduce drop-offs, and create a scalable, consistent design system for future growth.

Design approach

Discovery phase

The project began by gaining a holistic view of customer pain points and business needs:

  • Data analysis of current site metrics revealed drop-off points and usability issues.
  • Conducted empathy mapping with internal teams to align on user personas and understand their goals and frustrations.
  • Reviewed post-purchase surveys and other qualitative feedback to identify recurring themes.
  • Balanced user needs with commercial goals and technical constraints, building a foundation for user-informed decisions.
Heatmap processMapping processUser stories processAudience 1 processAudience 2 processUser insights 1 processUser insights 2 process

Define phase

Synthesising our findings helped clarify the core problems and shape the design direction:

  • Mapped customer journeys to identify friction and prioritise improvements.
  • Developed an updated site architecture that improved navigation and discoverability.
  • Conducted competitor analysis to benchmark features and usability best practices.
  • Collaborated across departments to align categorisation and taxonomy based on customer expectations.
User journey processSitemap processStory mapping processUsability testing processUsability testing 2 processUsability testing 3 process

Ideate and design phase

With clarity on user needs and business priorities, the design phase focused on elevating the experience:

  • Performed a UI audit to assess consistency, accessibility, and brand alignment.
  • Created low-to-high fidelity wireframes to validate layout, navigation, and functionality.
  • Defined a scalable design system to ensure visual and functional consistency across platforms.
  • Worked closely with developers to validate feasibility and scope for MVP and phased releases.
UI audit processWireframing processTypography 1 processTypography 2 processTypography 3 processColor palette 1 processColor palette 4 processColor palette 2 processColor palette 3 processImagery before processImagery processDesign system process
Design system processImagery before processImagery processImagery process

Project outcomes

By enhancing the website experience, simplifying the checkout flow, and optimising the design for conversion, the final solution resulted in a 20% increase in user engagement and a more intuitive shopping journey.

  • Users reported a digital experience that better reflected the delight and brand feel of in-store shopping.
  • A/B testing and feedback loops validated key design decisions and highlighted successful enhancements.
  • The redesign strengthened Paperchase's digital presence and provided a scalable foundation for future growth. It was a truly collaborative effort that balanced user needs with business impact—driven by research, iteration, and a shared vision across teams.