UX lessons to be learnt from recipe box subscription websites.
I’m currently working on a replatform project for a recipe box subscription service, and - through UX research of successful brands in this space – have been impressed by just how focussed they are on the customer, and tailoring the online experience to meet their needs.
As more and more wholesale FMCG brands adopt a d2c strategy as a result of the recent surge in online shopping, here are a few things I think they could learn from the recipe box subscription approach to UX:
Nb. All the brands I researched offer a similar approach to UX, however for a consistent overview of the end-to-end journey, I’m using Gousto to illustrate each point in this article.
1) MAP YOUR CUSTOMER JOURNEYS.
New and repeat customers behave very differently. Many brands reflect this in their remarketing and lifecycle communication strategy. Gousto bakes this into the heart and soul of the website UX:
- Guest users are presented with the pricing structure as the primary navigation entry, and from the homepage hero block are taken on a journey to select their subscription preferences before viewing the menu of recipes. They can however still browse recipes from the navigation without inputting data.
- Logged-in users see a different navigation and homepage hero CTA that directs them straight to the recipe selection page. However, logged-in subscribers are guided to their account by default where they can easily manage their subscription preferences and upcoming deliveries.
Guest navigation and homepage.
Logged-in navigation and homepage.
Logged-in main point of entry.
2) REMOVE UNECESSARY WEB PAGES FROM THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY.
Most recipe box subscription websites put the PLP at the centre of the user journey for all customers. PDPs and the cart are removed entirely from the Gousto user journey and instead become an extension of the PLP.
The PLP displays all recipes with description, attributes and quick-add options displayed clearly.
The PDP is replaced by a scrollable overlay on the PLP with all product details and variants listed, the recipe name pinned to the top and the quick-add/quantity selector pinned to the bottom.
The cart is pinned to the bottom of the PLP, with the option for users to manage their subscription preferences in the expandable minicart.
3) CONVERT, THEN UPSELL.
With recipe box subscription services competing aggressively on price, margins will inevitably be squeezed. Upselling complementary products to a subscription box (in Gousto’s case, desserts, wine, etc) will improve profitability, however, this shouldn’t be at the expense of the actual subscription.
Gousto guides users through the upsell process only after the subscription box has been confirmed.
Please feel free to get in touch for a chat about how I can support you in defining a UX and customer journey that will drive growth for your d2c business.