An interview with Anna M. Peterson, product lead at Everlane, by Brian Donohue, senior product manager at Shopify, discussing Everlane’s transition to Shop Pay and the tangible benefits that can be observed.
We sat down with Anna M. Peterson, product lead at Everlane, to talk about Everlane’s journey from a complex checkout to Shop Pay. Anna, with her 12-year experience in retail software development and product management, harbors a passion for shopping, software, and strategic system implementation.
In her role at Everlane, she leads a team of product managers working specifically on the website and systems for internal customers.
In this story, Anna explains how Shop Pay has helped Everlane:
- Reach new record highs in checkout conversion rates
- Capture 15% of their audience in the first 30 days with Shop Pay
- Integrate quickly despite being built on fully custom platform, running a lean R&D org
- Unlock new engineering capacity to focus on innovation
The following content is based on our interview with Anna presented from her perspective, supplemented with data from Shopify and information about Shop Pay for a comprehensive understanding. It has been edited for clarity and length.
About Everlane: Sustainability, transparency, quality
At Everlane, we go beyond being an essentials brand. We build out someone's wardrobe and lifestyle with quality pieces that last for a long time.
We don’t necessarily have a typical customer, but I know that people who shop at Everlane and have shopped at Everlane for many years appreciate quality and ease.
Prioritizing data-driven decisions
Our team is known as EPDD, which stands for engineering, product, design, and data. We encompass all of those things together for the entire organization.
Data plays a significant role in our decision-making process. Everything we do has to be strategic and specific.
The challenge: Adapting a homegrown, complex checkout experience
Our shift to using Shop Pay was driven by the realization that our self-built e-commerce platform was overly focused on solving standard industry problems like currency conversion and tax calculations. Simultaneously, we noticed a customer trend favoring express checkout options. Shop Pay offered an efficient solution, simplifying our transaction processes and aligning with our customers' growing preference for quick, convenient checkout options. This integration allowed us to focus on our unique market offerings while enhancing the customer experience.
Our self-built e-commerce platform was overly focused on solving standard industry problems like currency conversion and tax calculations.
Before implementing Shop Pay, we faced several issues with our checkout. Our self-built checkout process was not only complex but also resource-intensive.
Everlane’s team of engineers spent too much time fixing issues
The primary challenge was navigating the complexities inherent in our homegrown checkout experience.
Our complex checkout process diverted our engineering and UX teams from focusing on innovative projects that could advance our brand. Since our platform is homegrown, everything had to be handled by our engineers.
Our complex checkout process diverted our engineering and UX teams from focusing on innovative projects that could advance our brand.
Everlane wanted to make checkout as easy as possible
Our hope is that customers don’t even think about the checkout experience.
Our hope is that customers don’t even think about the checkout experience.
Our goal is for customers to navigate through the funnel, discover products that pique their interest, understand how to style these items, fill their cart, and complete the purchasing process without abandoning a loaded cart.
We didn’t want our customers to continue having to enter their address or credit card information, or spend time making an account. Most people want to avoid signing up and giving you their password. We wanted to make it seamless and easy for them to purchase quickly.
The solution: Shop Pay eliminates checkout friction
Shopify offered a solution with Shop Pay, significantly simplifying the checkout process—without having to replatform. That helped us move forward with a less complicated checkout experience.
Our engineers were excited about the technology behind it. It was our first foray into working with Shopify, which also excited them. We’ve had Shop Pay live since November 2023 and haven’t had any issues.
Our goal was to complement our existing express checkout services. In choosing ShopPay, we found that it integrated seamlessly with our setup without diminishing the use of other express payment methods. Interestingly, post-integration, we observed a notable decrease in credit card inputs rather than in the usage of express checkout services, indicating that Shop Pay filled a specific need in our payment ecosystem. This synergy and the additional convenience offered by Shop Pay ultimately made it a compelling choice for Everlane.
Post-integration, we observed a notable decrease in credit card inputs rather than in the usage of express checkout services.
Simplifying the checkout process without replatforming
Shop Pay's one-click checkout feature tackles the significant hurdle of cart abandonment that is prevalent in online-retail. Considering the average cart abandonment rate hovers around 70%, a seamless and rapid checkout process becomes vital. Indeed, when a one-click checkout option is available, shoppers are 75% more likely to complete a purchase. By minimizing the obstacles often leading to cart abandonment, Shop Pay promotes more finalized transactions, leading to a boost in sales.
Here's how Shop Pay crafts a seamless payment experience:
- Effortless checkout: Shop Pay allows customers to finalize their purchases in one simple tap, removing the need for manual input of payment and shipping details. This expedited procedure not only saves time but also minimizes instances of cart abandonment.
- Mobile-centric design: More than ever, mobile shopping is becoming the norm rather than the exception. With Shop Pay users making their online purchases via mobile devices more than 70% of the time, Shop Pay has been meticulously crafted with a mobile-first approach, ensuring an optimal user experience.
- Stored payment information: Shop Pay safely keeps customers' payment and shipping details, enabling them to breeze through subsequent check-outs without re-inputting their information. This feature heightens the shopping experience, promotes customer loyalty, and fosters repeat business.
- Fast load times: Shop Pay's swift checkout loads in a flash ensuring that customers aren't left waiting during the payment process. Rapid load times enhance the shopping experience and help avert cart abandonment.
Implementing Shop Pay
There weren’t any challenges in implementing Shop Pay. It was probably one of the easiest implementations, and I’ve been through a lot during my many years of working in retail.
There weren’t any challenges in implementing Shop Pay.
Working with the Shopify team was a fantastic experience—we had a great rapport and collaborated effectively. We held weekly calls and stayed connected through Slack, which was very beneficial. Our engineers and the Shopify engineering team were open, honest, and always ready to ask questions, leading to a highly productive partnership.
Working with the Shopify team was a fantastic experience—we had a great rapport and collaborated effectively.
Results: Boosted conversions and streamlined operations
We’ve seen a lift in checkout conversion, which is great for new and unactivated customers. Unactivated customers for us are people who have seen Everlane before but have never moved the needle to make that first purchase. Seeing that lift there has been positive.
The checkout process is now faster, especially for new and unactivated customers, leading to higher conversion rates. In fact, within just 30 days, 15% of Everlane’s U.S. transactions were processed through Shop Pay.
Within just 30 days, 15% of Everlane’s U.S. transactions were processed through Shop Pay.
Boosted conversions
Based on Shopify's internal measurement of Everlane's performance, Shop Pay has achieved conversion rates of up to 70%1. With a thriving network of more than 150 million users, Shop Pay has emerged as a preferred payment method for consumers globally.
Based on Shopify's internal measurement of Everlane's performance, Shop Pay has achieved conversion rates of up to 70%.
Apart from being a checkout solution, Shop Pay is a powerful tool for boosting conversions and retaining customers. Typically, Shop Pay orders have a 15% higher average order value than orders processed with other checkout methods2. Moreover, when Shop Pay is available as a checkout option, customers choose it two-thirds of the time3.
Evidence shows that conversion rates when using Shop Pay surpass all other accelerated checkouts, delivering at least a 10% better performance. And with its swift and secure checkout process, Shop Pay plays a crucial role in fostering customer loyalty. A seamless shopping experience encourages customers to revisit and make subsequent purchases. Evidently, after an initial purchase, there is a 77% likelihood of Shop Pay users returning for an additional purchase using Shop Pay4.
Streamlined operations
Implementing Shop Pay has significantly streamlined our engineering team’s operations, reducing mundane tasks for engineers and enabling them to focus on more innovative projects.
We no longer have to address those engineering issues. The express payment option is much easier—it goes directly to the Shop Pay and Shopify platform. Our team doesn't have to worry about the forms from a Shop Pay Component perspective, which is great. That frees them up to do a lot of things.
Ease of use
Our customers are using Shop Pay, and it resonates well with them. They recognize the Shop Pay button on our site from other places they’ve shopped before. As a user, it is straightforward to use, requiring hardly any effort to understand.
Our customers are using Shop Pay, and it resonates well with them. They recognize the Shop Pay button on our site from other places they’ve shopped before.
I don’t need to verify my address or look for my credit card because all my information is pre-filled. It displays a summary for confirmation, and with just a “yes,” the process continues smoothly. This convenience enhances the customer experience.
Customer engagement
In fact, the only feedback we got from customers was when it was gone. We took it down for a short period of time while we were in the testing phase. I think customers who had seen it the day before had come back the day later to maybe convert their purchase and saw that it was gone and reached out to our customer experience (CX) team and were curious why they had seen it and why it was gone the next day.
So that was interesting to us because we weren’t expecting people to be that excited about it. We did happen to have it live during a pivotal time of Q4 and holiday. So I think people were trying to just convert their purchases, and they wanted to do it with Shop Pay because it's so much easier.
The only feedback we got from customers was when it was gone.
A speedier checkout
Anecdotally, I’ve heard that with the Shop Pay experience, people are getting through checkout faster than with all of our other payment methods. It’s moving people along, especially the new and unactivated customers.
With the Shop Pay experience, people are getting through checkout faster than with all of our other payment methods.
We monitor how quickly customers move through the purchase process because our goal is to make it as swift as possible. Customers may spend considerable time browsing product collections and product detail pages (PDP), but once they add items to their cart and reach the checkout, we aim to minimize their time there.
The longer customers linger on the checkout page, the more they might reconsider their purchase, potentially leading to abandoned carts. Therefore, a faster checkout process enhances the customer experience by reducing the chance of customers changing their minds and not completing their purchases.
Looking ahead: Enhancing the customer journey with Shopify
Now that our engineers are no longer tied up with maintaining the checkout process for that specific customer segment, we can shift our focus to earlier stages in the customer journey. This allows us to concentrate on enhancing the experience on collection pages and PDP. We're exploring ways to improve our branding and presentation, aiming to position our products as key components of a lifestyle brand.
We’re innovating and thinking creatively, using our technology and data to inform these decisions. Now, we can focus on innovating the customer experience without being bogged down on the checkout experience.
Now, we can focus on innovating the customer experience without being bogged down on the checkout experience.
Considerations for a future replatforming
Replatforming has been a topic of conversation for many years. It’s always just been a little daunting since we don't have the time and resources to dedicate to a platform migration at the moment. However, getting in the door with the Shop Pay Component opens up many avenues. We’ve gotten to see how the sausage is made and what Shopify has to offer.
Now, with the merchandising component, having our product catalog accessible through Shopify seems less overwhelming. We can see how to integrate it with the platform without needing a complete overhaul.
Even our CX team can easily see and understand how things work, thanks to the user-friendly Shopify admin experience. This convenience makes it easier for different parts of our organization to support switching platforms in the future, as it ultimately benefits everyone in the long run.
Advice for other brands considering Shop Pay
I would say trust your tech leads. At Everlane, we place a lot of trust in our technical leads because they understand the complexities inside out—they're the ones who built our systems.
Allowing them to lead discussions and take a step back from the product side is beneficial. As a product owner, I may not grasp all the technical complexities, but our engineers do. Letting them guide these conversations is crucial.
We believe there’s no challenge too complex to tackle. It’s about addressing issues piece by piece, breaking down different parts of the customer journey from a technical standpoint to manage them effectively.
Overall, Shop Pay Components was a really good win for us to see the conversion lift that we were looking to see without having to take the hit of the cost of a replatform.
Shop Pay Components was a really good win for us to see the conversion lift that we were looking to see without having to take the hit of the cost of a replatform.
About the data
1. This statistic is based on Shopify internal data and represents a conversion peak achieved in 2023.
2. This statistic is based on internal Shopify data. The data was analyzed to determine average order values across checkout types.
3. This statistic is based on internal Shopify data. The data was analyzed to determine how frequently Shop Pay users choose Shop Pay for online purchases when it is available as a checkout method.
4. This statistic is based on internal Shopify data. The probability was calculated conditional on a user making an initial Shop Pay purchase, and evaluated their likelihood to make another Shop Pay purchase within the following 12 months.
