Dodo Brands

Helped users complete orders after payment errors

Situation

Generic payment error messages grouped different causes together. Users had little guidance, even when they could fix the problem themselves.

Goal

Test whether more specific explanations and clear next steps would help users resolve payment issues within their control and complete their orders.

Actions

Initiated the redesign and worked with developers to distinguish 13 error scenarios, uncovering causes previously hidden behind generic messages.

Before — a generic error message without an explanation.

After — a clear reason for the error and actions to continue payment.

iPhone mockup: Sketcher, CC BY 4.0. Model adapted and rendered for this portfolio.

What I did

Wrote explanations and next steps for each scenario, such as adding funds and retrying the payment or contacting support.
Partnered with a designer to replace brief notifications with dialogs explaining the problem and offering relevant actions.

payment error scenarios: 13

Results

All 13 scenarios shipped. A comparison of metrics before and after launch showed a higher order completion rate among users who encountered payment errors.

Next case

Laid the groundwork for a key product feature

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