Prime - Google Play Billing
Integrated Google Play billing into Prime subscription flows for android devices, making sign-up seamless across platforms within the mobile Amazon application.
Organization
Amazon
Team
UX Designer
Product Manager x2
UX Researcher
Software Developer Engineer
Content Writer
Role
UX Designer
Timeline
4-8 months
The Customer Problem
Non-prime Android customers need a clear and transparent way to sign up for Prime through the mApp. In previous years, customers were not able to sign up through the mApp but are required to sign up through the web browser.
Project Context
In June 2022, Google mandated the use of its Google Play Billing system for all in-app purchases of digital content, including subscriptions. In response, many platforms, including Prime, chose to suppress in-app subscription sign-ups on apps distributed via the Play Store and App Store, instead directing users to sign up through mobile web or desktop.
In Q4 2022, Prime adopted Google Play Billing and enabled subscription sign-ups directly within the mShop app using Google Play’s subscription management service. Since then, Prime has continued to evolve this acquisition experience, expanding it to additional sign-up touchpoints across the mShop app throughout 2023.
Design Process
Challenges
With the introduction of Google In-App Billing (IAB), we faced the unique challenge of integrating Google’s subscription sign-up flow into Amazon’s purchasing journey. This required not only embedding a third-party experience within our app, but also clearly communicating to customers why they were being redirected to Google Play within the Amazon application.
Successfully addressing this challenge demanded close collaboration across multiple teams, including Google, Legal, UX Writing, Checkout, Prime UX, and Product, to ensure alignment, compliance, and a seamless customer experience.
Objectives
Checkout
Define the end-to-end experience for integrating Google Play Billing (GPB) into the mShop checkout flow for non-Prime Android customers.
/Prime
Redesign the customer sign-up experience on the /prime page currently integrating Google Play Billing (GPB) with the new opportunity presented by User Choice Billing (UCB).
User Flow
As part of the first diamond in my design process, I create user flow diagrams to map out the customer journey. This helps not only myself, but my partners visualize identify the decision points and the different interactions pages customers need to get to their goal.
Within the discovery phase, its critical that we define existing experience from predefined locations and any similar flows or patterns that the new experience might impact.
Lo-Fi Design Flows
Converting the nodes in the journey map helps my partners and I’s go through the various pages and mark up any additional context needed or interstitials required for a clear and transparent experience.
Usability Studies
One of the key challenges we faced was effectively communicating the presence of Google Play Billing (GPB) during the checkout and sign-up experience. It was important to clearly explain to customers what would be displayed, why they were seeing Google Play within the Amazon app, and how this impacted their Prime membership sign-up, without causing confusion or drop-off during the purchase flow. Specifically, we needed to:
Clarify that the Prime sign-up was being processed through Google Play Billing, not through Amazon’s standard Prime membership system.
Set expectations that, after confirming their sign-up via GPB, customers would return to their cart to complete the checkout process using their standard Amazon payment method.
A/B Testing
There was internal debate among stakeholders about the best method for delivering this information, whether through the existing UPDP or via a new interstitial screen.
To resolve this and ensure we made a data-informed decision, we partnered with our UX Research team to conduct an unmoderated usability study. The goal was to evaluate which communication method was most effective at informing customers without disrupting the overall checkout experience.
Usability Study Impact and Results
The usability study played a key role in aligning stakeholders on the most effective communication approach and revealed additional information gaps through participant feedback.
Key Results:
An interstitial screen emerged as the most effective and direct method of communication for customers.
Including the interstitial screen did not negatively impact the checkout experience or cause drop-off when users had strong intent to sign up for Prime.
Some customers questioned why Google Play Billing was required, indicating a need for clearer messaging around this integration.
Despite initial questions, customers did not express concerns about using Google Play Billing to manage their subscriptions.
/Prime Page UCB
Following the initial launch of Google Play Billing (GPB) on the /prime page, we were given the opportunity to incorporate Google’s User Choice Billing (UCB) as part of their pilot program. While much of the experience was predefined due to third-party requirements, we identified opportunities to enhance the flow by adding contextual communication.
Our goal was to help customers make an informed decision by clearly explaining their payment options, whether to use Google Play Billing or Prime primary payment system, when signing up for Prime. This required thoughtful integration of messaging within the existing experience to maintain clarity and trust.
Ideations Loops
With the challenges we faced, we made several loops with corresponding ownership teams and legal to identify what solutions we could pursue and compromises we can work with.
Compromise
In the end, we had to make some difficult calls and executive decisions to continue to move forward. We were able to land on a solution that worked within the perimeters, however these solutions came with the draw back of redundant messaging within a flow.
Specs and Handoff
As P1 closes out for both customer experiences, I began creating hand off material for our front-end team and outlining specific nuances and requirements that needed to be accounted for including error states (unhappy paths) and updates to existing pages that required updates.
Scale and Repeat
As one of my final project before leaving Amazon Prime, I outlined and defined the integration strategy for incorporating User Choice Billing (UCB) and Google Play Billing (GPB) into additional touchpoints and customer segments across the Prime acquisition and sign-up experience.
Impact
In 2023, we launched User Choice Billing for Prime sign-up within the mShop app on Android devices, allowing customers to select their preferred payment method and account management touchpoint. While specific sign-up figures for this segment remain confidential, this initiative reflects Prime’s ongoing commitment to improving the membership experience for third-party account holders. This defined experience would eventually serve as the foundation for the standalone Prime-only membership sign-up experience.
Interested in this project?
If you are interested in learning more about this project and my design process, please feel free to contact me.