Airbnb:
Cost feature
redesign
The goal of this case study was to showcase how bringing light to a few minor in-app feature changes can positively alter the entire dynamic of an accessible and equitable user experience.
ROLE
TEAM
CLIENTS
UX Research
Interface Design
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Prototyping
Self-directed
Airbnb (Potential)
Design Challenge
Airbnb’s mobile app has two main issues with their usability; deceptive search price filters and unclear total cost presentation.
User Pains
“I just want to book a stay truthfully”
“These final prices don't fall into the filter I set”
“Airbnb is wasting my time and being dishonest”
Empathy Map
Big Picture Storyboard
User flow
The Airbnb app has simple flow and however, contains hiccups of price inconsistency throughout the user flow.
#1
$10 - $57
#2
$63 total
#3
$55 night
#4
$68.14 total
Current App Structure: Price inconsistency fluctuates from page to page, and the amount inputted into the filter does not fit the total price!
Problems
1. Airbnb provides different prices throughout the different pages along the user flow, none of which until the final page are true final prices. Rather, these prices do not include fees yet still claim to be 'total' costs.
2. Incorrectly filtered listings of Airbnb stays is a violation of accessibility.
3. Deceptive pricing naturally forces the user to take longer than they should to navigate to find the true total price.
4. Customers end up spending extra money on stays because they are familiar with the breadth of stays they were originally presented in their initial search they thought to be in their range, however, were not.
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5. User is not placed at forefront of design.
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Close Up Storyboard
Problem Effects
1. Negative user experience as expected stays strictly within the price range are not displayed.
2. Hosts are enabled to list their Airbnb at extremely low prices to get people to click on their listing, and then add in all their costs to the Cleaning Fee, Service Fee, and Taxes on very the final screen.
3. User feels as if listings are not secure, feel deceived and unable to trust app / stay.
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Solution
Limitations and obstacles raise barriers to accessibility and make existing customers hesitate to place any search. To solve these negative aspects, As the solution, I built in the total cost into their initial searches and filters to minimize obstacles such as inaccessible offerings, time-consuming and unclear parameters.
#1
Accurate total cost filtering system removing scam posts from the filtration process.
$10 - $70
#2
#3
#4
$69 night
$69 night
$68.14 total
Total price is displayed (accounting for service and tax fees) and rounded up to nearest dollar throughout user flow to avoid decimal points. Upon checkout, price will be a little less than expected leading to ease of minds while booking.
The technical aspects of the app change are not enormous but have extreme effects on the user experience, placing the user first.
Summary
