
Lock Down a Paid Subscriber On Visit #1 | DollarShaveClub's Mancave UX Clubhouse - jason_shah
http://blog.jasonshah.org/post/18921010795/lock-down-a-paid-subscriber-on-visit-1
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ezl
1\. Regarding looking like everyone's friend -- if you don't look like
everybody's buddy, hire a spokeperson who is. George W Bush is said to have
become president because he looked like someone everyone wanted to have a beer
with. Not the quality I go for when choosing "Leader of the Free World", but
if it worked for him it'll work for your startup. If you're a gangly ugly dude
with an accent, hire a different rep.

2\. I am conflicted on play video on load. Basically I suspect that most
people in our space can't make content this good deliberately, so I don't want
to encourage it.

3\. One action button. This is interesting. On the one hand, I want to have a
demo page and a "sign up for our email list" because email lists are
demonstrated to have higher conversion rates than sign up (and email lists are
documented to convert better). On the other hand I too enjoy the uncluttered
simplicity of a 1 option page. The question is: do you want to forgo
conversion for that warm fuzzy feeling? I'd rather take dollars. I think the
lesson here is -- just test. However, prior determination that one button is
best is dangerous.

4\. Re. #8 (if you have to interrupt a checkout with sign up, do it tactfully
and painlessly). I think you are being a bit fanboy here. It seems like the
obvious UX advice is -- DON'T interrupt the checkout process with sign up.

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jason_shah
Hey Eric - thanks for jumping in as always. Fair points all around.
Specifically on the checkout interruption for which I am being a fanboy (!), I
think DollarShaveClub gets a couple subtle things uniquely right.

1\. Show this as part of the 1, 2, 3 checkout flow by indicating it is Step 2
of 3. This makes signing up for an account natural rather than an aberration.

2\. Continue the theme of man-laws, etc. alongside the sign up element; too
often the sign up element is isolated and looks like pure work to fill out.

I think their UX has a lot to still improve, frankly, but getting these
specific aspects support my guess that they're having a breakout week with the
traffic from this newly viral video.

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jason_shah
Does DollarShaveClub represent an inflection point for verticalized
subscription services now that the UX has been potentially nailed for
streamlined checkout? I was super impressed with how fast they got me to sign
up, but as usual, I could be an outlier. I have never signed up for a
subscription product this fast, though.

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thesash
I think that the reason this site is so successful is something that startups
often overlook-- content is a key part of UX. Take away the awesome video and
the snazzy copy, with the same exact UI and concept, and you'd be left with a
service that would be much, much less compelling

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ankitshah
very, very good analysis. great write up jason. saving this one.

