Unlocking Upgrade Potential
Universe, our DIY ticketing platform, was thriving. Event hosts passionately crafted experiences, and fans eagerly bought tickets. Yet, we noticed a missed opportunity: a simple way to elevate a good experience to a great one, boosting both fan satisfaction and host revenue.
In 2023, our payments team had a vision: to give hosts the power to offer personalized upgrade opportunities right there in the checkout process. Imagine a fan picking a basic ticket, and then, a friendly suggestion pops up – “Hey, for just a little more, you could get this amazing VIP experience!” Our big goal? To boost the average revenue per ticket by 10% for timed-entry events with upgrades enabled, ensuring no host missed out on potential sales.
The Players: Fans & Hosts
This wasn’t just about code; it was about people.
The Fan: They’re the heart of every event, and we wanted their checkout journey to be smooth and full of exciting choices. They’d see these personalized prompts, making it easy to discover what more was on offer.
The Host: These are the brilliant minds behind the events. Every event is unique, so giving them the power to customize which tickets were promoted, and how, was absolutely crucial.
Behind the Scenes: Our Remote Design Mission
As the Product Designer, I had the privilege of bringing this vision to life. I teamed up with our fantastic Product Manager, Sara, and three talented developers: Stella, David, and Sully. The pandemic had shifted us to remote work, with one developer even across provincial lines, so tools like Figma, Zoom, Jira, Slack, and Useberry became our virtual workspace, keeping us connected and collaborating seamlessly.
This was entirely new territory for Universe, which meant we had to define what a lean, mean V1 (Minimum Viable Product) would look like. We kept our focus tight, knowing certain features—like post-purchase upgrades or discounted upgrades—would come later.
The Journey: From Empathy to Iteration
Our process began with deep dives into understanding our users. Sara and I chatted with clients, sales teams, and customer support. What we learned was clear: hosts wanted control, a single static upgrade option, customizable messages, and the logic to always suggest the next best tier, not just the priciest one.
I then mapped out every nook and cranny of our existing flows, scouting for the perfect spot for our new upgrade section. Then came the competitor analysis – I went on a virtual tour of every checkout experience imaginable, from rival ticketing platforms like Eventbrite to airlines, amusement parks and food delivery apps. If they had an upgrade option, I was studying it!
With insights in hand, I jumped into Figma. For fans, this feature lived in checkout, right after selecting a date and ticket. I played with some ideas: should it have images? How much space? Should it be a subtle suggestion or a highlighted option? Iteration was key. After sharing initial thoughts and getting quick feedback, I refined the designs. Mobile-friendliness was non-negotiable since most fans shop on their phones.
Our first round of user testing with Useberry was incredibly enlightening. Some hosts found the upgrade card setup a bit confusing. This led to a lightbulb moment: our “kitchen sink” of advanced settings needed a facelift! A card-sorting exercise confirmed it – a dedicated “Checkout Settings” page was the answer, a clean home for this new feature and other checkout toggles.
Another significant discovery from testing: the upgrade card felt lost on the main “Tickets” step. Users felt it needed its own moment to shine. We decided to give the Upgrade Card its own dedicated step in the checkout flow, a bold move we knew we’d monitor closely post-launch to ensure no drop-offs.
More versions followed, each bringing exciting improvements: the option to add photos to the upgrade card, the introduction of a versatile “promotion tag,” and the game-changing ability to preview changes live as hosts edited their promotions – a first for Universe!
The Outcome: A Resounding Success
This project has been a fantastic win! The upgrade feature is now widely used by our clients, with a remarkable 60% of them enabling upgrades for their events. Even better, about 30% of those buyers opt to upgrade to a higher-priced ticket, clearly showing a significant boost in average revenue. I often spot our “promotion pill” proudly displayed on numerous client events, a testament to its flexibility and impact.
Looking ahead, we’re already dreaming of “upgrading” this feature itself (pun intended!), with plans to allow fans to upgrade different ticket types and even upgrade post-purchase. The journey continues!
