KASA
Kasa is a comprehensive real estate technology platform designed to revolutionize property transactions in Africa. Our platform addresses market inefficiencies through cutting-edge technology and transparency-first principles. We provide virtual tours that allow prospective buyers and renters to explore properties remotely, eliminating unnecessary physical visits and expanding market reach.
The Challenge
The African real estate market, particularly in Nigeria, suffers from systemic issues that create barriers for both property seekers and real estate professionals. How might we create a transparent, technology-driven platform that addresses fraud, accessibility, and trust issues while serving the unique needs of the African market?
IMPACT
The Smartbox cart overview page redesign test confirmed that moving the delivery widget to the bottom of the page created a more effective checkout flow. This simple interface change streamlined the decision path, reduced cognitive load by repositioning less-frequently used options, and delivered statistically significant results with a 92% probability to beat the baseline. The test demonstrated that thoughtful UX optimization based on user behavior patterns can produce meaningful business outcomes without requiring extensive development resources. Implementing this change delivered tangible business benefits through a 1.94% improvement in cart-to-order conversion rate and a €0.54 increase in revenue per visitor—representing substantial additional completed purchases and revenue when scaled across Smartbox's high-volume traffic. Beyond metrics, the redesign improved the overall user experience by creating a more logical flow that better aligned with customer expectations and mental models of the checkout process, making the improvement beneficial for both business goals and customer satisfaction.
Research
Problem Definition
Through extensive market research, we identified five critical pain points:- Rampant Property Fraud – Fake listings and fraudulent transactions
- Hidden Fees – Lack of transparency in costs
- Limited Virtual Access – Physical visits required for every property
- Poor Addressing Systems – Inadequate location identification
- Complex Legal Processes – Time-consuming documentation
Market Research Findings
Market Size & Opportunity:
- Nigeria’s real estate market: $25B+ (6% annual growth)
- Population: 220M+ (70% under 30)
- Smartphone penetration: 85%
- Internet user growth: 10% annually
- Mortgage market: <1% of GDP (vs 80% in developed markets)
Competitive Landscape Analysis:
- Fragmented local platforms lacking comprehensive features
- International platforms failing to address local needs
- 300% growth in shortlet rental platforms in Lagos/Abuja
- Clear opportunity for unified solution
Testing Approach
I designed an A/B test using VWO’s testing platform to determine if repositioning the delivery widget would improve checkout performance:
- Control: Original design with delivery/shipping options positioned above the personalization block
- Variation: Modified design with the delivery/shipping block moved to the bottom of the cart overview
Test Setup
- Test Period: March 25 – April 22, 2025 (4 weeks)
- Target Pages: Cart overview pages (URL pattern: http*://checkout.smartbox.com//checkout/cart/)
- Primary Metrics: Overall conversion rate, cart-to-order conversion, click-through rate on continue button, revenue per visitor
- Secondary Metrics: Average order value, order quantity, gift wrapping usage, engagement
Results & Analysis
Primary Metrics Improvements
Overall Conversion Rate
- Control: 32.87%
- Variation: 33.33% (+1.41% improvement)
- 85% probability to beat baseline
Conversion from Cart to Order Confirmation
- Control: 33.26%
- Variation: 33.91% (+1.94% improvement)
- 92% probability to beat baseline
Click-Through Rate on Continue Button
- Control: 45.33%
- Variation: 45.70% (+0.84% improvement)
- 78% probability to beat baseline
Revenue Per Visitor
- Control: €36.29
- Variation: €36.83 (+€0.54 improvement)
- 76% probability to beat baseline
Secondary Metrics
- Average Order Value: Similar between variations (€105.73 vs €104.91)
- Order Quantity: 2.31% improvement with variation (35.04% vs 34.25%)
- Orders with Gift Wrapping/Message Card: Slight improvement of 0.66% with variation
- Engagement: Minor decrease (-0.08%) with variation, not statistically significant
The test results contradicted our initial hypothesis. The original orange button performed better for primary conversion metrics, suggesting:
- 1. The current orange color had better visibility than anticipated
- 2. Users were already familiar with the orange button
- 3. The alternative colors may have had lower contrast or visibility than expected
While the color variations showed improvements in engagement and beneficiary page views, these benefits did not translate to improved conversion rates.
KEY INSIGHTS
The test results confirmed our hypothesis about user flow optimization. Key findings include:
Streamlined Decision Path:
Moving the delivery widget to the bottom created a more logical purchase flow that matched users’ decision-making process.Reduced Cognitive Load:
By repositioning less-frequently used options, we reduced distractions during the critical checkout phase.Strong Statistical Significance:
The cart-to-order conversion improvement showed a 92% probability to beat the baseline, indicating strong confidence in the results.Minimal Design Change, Measurable Impact:
A relatively simple interface change produced meaningful business results without requiring significant development resources.
Business Impact
Based on the test results, implementing this change would yield significant business benefits:
- Increased Conversion Rate: The 1.94% improvement in cart-to-order conversion represents substantial additional completed purchases.
- Revenue Growth: An increase of €0.54 in revenue per visitor would scale to significant additional revenue across Smartbox’s high-volume traffic.
- Improved User Experience: The more logical flow aligns better with customer expectations and mental models of the checkout process.
Implementation & Recommendations
Following the successful test, I recommended:
Permanent Implementation: Apply the repositioned delivery widget design permanently across all markets and devices.
Further Checkout Optimization: Build on this success by testing additional refinements to the checkout flow, including:
1. Optimizing the presentation of delivery options
2. Enhancing the visual hierarchy of the continue button
3. Testing alternative placements for gift personalization options
User Journey Analysis: Conduct additional research into the complete purchase journey to identify other potential friction points.
Conclusion
This project demonstrated how targeted UX optimizations based on user behavior data can significantly impact conversion metrics. The successful repositioning of the delivery widget created a more intuitive checkout flow that better aligned with user expectations and decision-making processes.
The implementation of this design change represented a win-win for both Smartbox and its customers: users benefited from a more streamlined experience, while the business achieved measurable improvements in conversion rates and revenue.