eBay
Seller registration
The situation
After eBay and PayPal split into two separate companies, eBay needed a new way to process payments. In 2018, they selected Adyen as their payments processing partner.
eBay assumed more risk with the new payments technology, so they needed financial and personal data that they previously hadn’t asked for. Sellers needed to know that their information—such as addresses or tax IDs—were secure.
eBay also had to shift perceptions that PayPal and eBay were inseparable. They had to get sellers excited about new features—such as additional ways to get paid. But they could still use PayPal if they preferred.
To address all this, we had to re-onboard our existing sellers, asking them for additional data so they could continue selling.
The approach
As part of the Payments UX team, I helped conduct extensive ethnographic research with existing eBay sellers. I met face-to-face with sellers in five countries, and virtually in three more.
I observed sellers at work: checking inventory, tracking orders, reconciling purchases, fees, and taxes. I talked to them—sometimes via interpreter—about their business goals and their financial worries. I asked them how their perception of eBay, ease of managing their funds, and comfort level providing sensitive information.
Afterwards, I mined the interview transcripts for key terminology, clear points of emotion such as worry, frustration, fear, hope, or excitement.
Content modeling
I synthesized the research data into mental models. I organized the models based on Indi Young’s structure, categorizing over 200 individual atomic tasks into 12 task towers. I then inventoried and audited existing payments-related content on eBay, PayPal and Adyen.
I matched up the user mental model with the payments content audit to create a gap analysis diagram. I noted which tasks sellers currently performed on eBay and PayPal, and potential new tasks from Adyen payment requirements.
I presented this as part of a multi-day analysis workshops with UX, Product, Engineering and Marketing senior leadership. This was paired with the Product team’s draft PRD docs as resources for the communication strategy session, which led to eight key communications pillars that must be addressed in the new product design. For example: provide transparency throughout the flows.
UX research
Based on the communication pillars and discovery docs, I created a flexible content model that supported all sellers, no matter their business type, goals, or location.
To address the need for transparency, I created two key content modules:
Educational modules provided further help when we needed detailed information, such as the company’s shareholders or bank details. These were localized by based on each country’s unique regulations.
Reassurance modules instilled trust by explaining why we needed these details, and how that info would be used. These were global and appeared in all countries/regions.
We consistently placed these modules underneath form fields and in the right rail (desktop) or a lower supplementary content section (mobile). This meant sellers knew where to look when they had a question or concern, without exiting the flow.
Sample draft screens from the design process. These files were shared to day-to-day teammates and a few key stakeholders to answer questions and provide feedback. This was crucial for detailed and country-specific requirements, such as asking German sellers for contact info from a beneficial owner (similar to a shareholder). We needed to clearly define what we needed while also educating folks on what a beneficial owner was.
The results and key learnings
Went live in 2020 in eight countries, with four more to come in 2021. All sellers expected on platform by 2022.
30% of eBay business and over 300k sellers are now on the platform.
Generated nearly $5B in sales in first 6 months.
CSAT scores consistently hitting >74 benchmark. 11% drop in customer service calls from sellers.
The platform stands as an efficient template. More countries are brought onto the platform each quarter!