Streamlining Payments
For many homeowners, especially those accustomed to outdated payment methods, navigating online payments can feel overwhelming. In this quick 3-5 minute read, discover how we refined the end-to-end payment experience, increasing AutoPay adoption, and building trust in digital transactions.



Self Checkout, Simplified

experience goals
Consider solutions for every scenario
Manage hardware and software integrations
test and iterate quickly
Solutions
By designing a self-checkout system that quickly addressed edge cases and streamlined associate interventions, we improved transaction efficiency, reduced checkout errors, and enhanced the overall member experience, leading to faster, frictionless checkouts and higher member satisfaction.

A Seamless Start to Checkout
The redesigned self-checkout experience welcomes members with a clear, personalized greeting and an intuitive start screen. Key actions like barcode scanning assistance and gift card management are surfaced upfront, reducing friction and improving ease of use.

Item Scanning and Savings Visibility
The redesigned self-checkout experience ensures a smooth scanning process with clear item details, pricing, and savings. Members can easily adjust quantities, remove items, and see instant discounts, prioritizing transparency and control for their purchases. As part of this, we also needed to design payment screens for the card reader as well!

Effortless Item Lookup for Barcode-less Products
The redesigned item lookup makes it easy to find and add produce or barcode-less items. With clear visuals and intuitive navigation, members can quickly select the correct product, reducing frustration and checkout time. Designs for members to adjust quantities and weights were also a key part in this experience.

Empowering Associates to Resolve Checkout Issues
The redesigned associate mode streamlines support for members by surfacing voided items, price overrides, and necessary actions at a glance. With a clear task list and a structured workflow, associates can efficiently resolve issues while keeping the checkout process moving smoothly.
Field Ops

experience goals
Eliminating workflow inefficiencies
Aligning with Modern UI/UX Principles
building a scaleable foundation
Solutions
We needed to streamline workflows, minimize clicks, and enable inspectors to take action with fewer steps. We modernized the design, ensuring it remained familiar to drive adoption. Our app also needed a flexible system architecture that met current needs while allowing for seamless expansion without disrupting workflows.
before

after

Although the login page was straightforward, the previous experience lacked essential features like ‘Forgot Email’ and ‘Forgot Password.’ This led to an increase in support calls and unnecessary steps for users attempting a basic action. The new design introduced these features, reducing friction and improving accessibility.
before

after

The legacy communities page only displayed community names, making identification difficult for inspectors. The redesigned experience surfaces key community details upfront, improving clarity. We also introduced filters, a favorites feature for inspectors managing multiple communities, and prominently featured the most critical action, ‘Start Inspection’, to streamline workflows.
before

after

In the legacy app, tapping into a community led to a full page with a single button, offering little value. The new experience enhances the ‘Community Details’ page by surfacing essential property information, improving usability. Additionally, this page was designed with scalability in mind, ensuring seamless integration of future features like Work Orders and Service Requests.
before

after

We explored innovative features such as route planning, estimated inspection completion times, and augmented reality inspections. While some tested better than others, they remain part of our long-term vision and are planned for future iterations. Above is an image of our MVP inspection view, showcasing enhancements driven by user feedback.
From Chaos to Clarity

user Challenges
Event planning with multiple stakeholders
visibility and forecasting tools
time consuming and error prone processes
Solutions
We designed Event Central to streamline complex event planning by organizing key information for multiple stakeholders, and surfacing relevant insights while maintaining full visibility across teams. This involved creating a structured overview of quarterly goals, accommodating diverse pricing structures, and allowing merchants to create flexible event groupings that aligned with their unique promotional plans.

Event management dashboard
The home screen serves as a central hub, displaying key insights into quarterly goals, challenges, and strategies alongside active and upcoming events. Given its complexity, it was designed to present critical information in a structured, easily digestible way, ensuring users can quickly assess progress and make informed decisions.

visibility across teams
With multiple stakeholders using Event Central, we needed to present information in a way that was relevant to each user while maintaining visibility across teams. By structuring tables by function and prioritizing key data within each section, we ensured that users could quickly access the information they needed while also understanding the broader context of the event planning process.

ensuring flexibility
Within each event, certain items required unique pricing structures or marketing strategies. To accommodate this, we created a way for merchants to build events with nested groups, allowing for greater flexibility in planning and execution while ensuring alignment with distinct promotional strategies.
Powering Performance

user Challenges
Making data meaningful and actionable
Driving continuous engagement
Communication between Managers and Associates
Solutions
We needed to transform complex analytics into specific, digestible insights that could be immediately acted upon. Creating a solution that provided clear next steps, progress tracking, and incentives to keep managers engaged and committed to improvement was essential.

1. awareness
This view provides managers with a snapshot of their club’s performance from the previous day. To drive engagement, we surfaced targeted insights beneath underperforming metrics, sparking curiosity and encouraging action.

2. performance details
Tapping into an insight revealed a deeper breakdown of metric performance, along with potential gains that could be achieved by improving key areas, helping managers understand where to focus their efforts.

3. Improvement challenge
The performance improvement plan view outlined key details such as who should be involved, the plan duration, and the ultimate goal, providing managers with a structured roadmap for success.

3a. improvement challenge cont.
With club managers being naturally competitive, we leveraged performance comparisons across locations to fuel motivation. Additionally, we introduced gamification elements, including the opportunity to earn rewards for improvement.

4. challenge in progress
Once a challenge was activated, managers and associates received daily tasks to complete. To maintain momentum, we included motivational prompts like ‘You’re almost there, keep going!’ when they were close to finishing their daily goals.

5. finished daily challenge
To reinforce progress, we celebrated task completion and encouraged managers to return the next day for their next set of actions. We also surfaced upcoming tasks on the home page to increase engagement and keep improvement top-of-mind.
Simplifying Financial Workflows

user Challenges
Fragmented User Journeys and Workflow Inefficiencies
Lack of Consistency in UI & Interaction Patterns
Balancing Consolidation with Functionality
Solutions
The experience needed to be restructured into a logical, consolidated workflow to eliminate unnecessary steps and improve efficiency. I aimed to create a standardized interface to improve usability, reduce errors, and create a more predictable experience across both workflows.

Accounts Payable before
The legacy Accounts Payable experience was fragmented across multiple pages, each hiding critical information and actions behind inconsistent, off-brand buttons. This disjointed structure led to inefficiencies, forcing users to dig for essential details instead of seamlessly completing their workflows.

Accounts payable after
The new experience consolidates all pages into a single, unified interface, surfacing key information that was previously hidden. An exposed actions menu on the right allows users to quickly take action without unnecessary navigation, streamlining efficiency and reducing cognitive load.

accounts receivable before
Like Accounts Payable, the legacy AR experience was disjointed and lacked a clear workflow. Pages functioned as dead ends rather than guiding users toward meaningful actions, often requiring extra clicks to access critical information. This inefficiency slowed users down and disrupted their workflow.

accounts receivable after
To ensure consistency across AR and AP, I designed a standardized interface that improved usability and established a familiar structure. This created a more predictable experience, reducing friction and making it easier for users to navigate between workflows seamlessly.
My club

user Challenges
Balancing information density with clarity
experience personalization
Seamless integration with other apps
Solutions
We prioritized and presented information in a way that was digestible, relevant, and easy to act on. We integrated insights, widgets with important information from other apps, and task management into a cohesive system without distracting associates.

Home
The home page prioritized tasks, surfacing urgent actions that required immediate attention while highlighting lower-priority items to monitor throughout the day. This structure helped associates efficiently manage their workload and stay focused on what mattered most.

Metrics
To support Managers and Team Leads in tracking performance, we designed a personalized view that surfaced key metrics relevant to their teams, ensuring they had the insights needed to direct their teams.
Global navigation

user Challenges
inconsistencies in navigation
finding relevant information
Lack of personalization
Solutions
Our solution was to design 1. A search that could surface the most relevant results, prioritize frequently accessed content, and allow for intuitive filtering without overwhelming the user, and 2. A flexible yet unified solution that could be integrated across applications, prioritizing consistency with the broader design system.

Global search domains
Our MVP search experience integrated items, people, and applications, ensuring users could quickly find the most sought after categories. We collaborated closely with source app teams to surface results with meaningful metadata, and to improve sorting relevance, making search more intuitive and actionable.

application directory
To determine the most effective way to categorize and organize apps, we conducted card sorting exercises. The results varied significantly across teams and roles, reinforcing the need for a personalized navigation experience that adapts to each user’s workflow.

future iterations
Future iterations of Global Nav could expand to include tasks and notifications, streamlining how users manage their workload. This low-fidelity concept explores a way to surface tasks clearly, allowing users to quickly digest information and take action without disrupting their workflow.
Transforming Item Management

user Challenges
Manual Processes
Lack of bulk editing
Data inconsistencies
Solutions
I designed a simple, but innovative solution to address merchants’ key challenges, introducing bulk edits, error resolution, and workflow simplification in a single, cohesive experience. This redesign saves the merchant team thousands of hours annually, allowing them to focus on other high-value tasks.

item management dashboard
The home screen provides merchants with a streamlined overview of completed, in-progress, and error-flagged reports, enabling quick action and efficient resolution

bulk-capabilities
To solve for bulk edits, we gave users the ability to enter multiple items and locations, this allows them to process up to 500,000 items at once. They can also upload reports to make their lives even easier

preventing errors
After submitting item updates, merchants receive a detailed report confirming their entries and highlighting any errors, ensuring accuracy and quick resolution
bringing ask sam into the future

Experience goals
Align Ask sam with the Latest Design System
Improve Workflow Efficiency
Enhance Data Representation
Solutions
The Ask Sam redesign focused on modernizing the experience while improving workflow efficiency and data clarity. We streamlined interactions to minimize unnecessary steps, making it easier for associates to find answers quickly. The updated design aligned with the latest design system, ensuring consistency across the AI’s many capabilities while maintaining a scalable framework for future enhancements.
before

after

The previous product details page had a confusing layout that made it difficult for associates to find key information quickly. We modernized the structure to surface critical details upfront, ensuring a clearer, more intuitive experience that allowed associates to interpret information at a glance.
before

after

We enhanced the chatbot’s response hierarchy to improve readability, ensuring that AI-generated answers were visually prioritized over user questions. This subtle yet effective change helped associates quickly scan for key information without unnecessary backtracking.
before

after

We modernized the chat experience with a scalable design system that supported the AI’s wide range of capabilities. Whether associates were searching for recipes, reviewing scheduling, or retrieving club information, the interface remained consistent, familiar, and easy to scan, ensuring that key insights were surfaced seamlessly across all interactions.
Problem statement
We believe that home owners, specifically older generations have a problem with moving away from cash and check payments.
We believe we can help them by creating a simple and secure payments platform that saves them time and builds trust.
We’ll know we have achieved success when we have increased the number of online transactions from 34% to 75%
Objectives and goals
By partnering closely with leadership, we established these key priorities to boost digital payment engagement. These initiatives were guided by a thorough understanding of both company objectives and user expectations, ensuring a frictionless and reliable payment journey.
Create a seamless, intuitive platform that reduces friction with payments
Build confidence in the platform through secure, reliable transactions and a user-friendly interface
Increase the percentage of homeowners using the platform by making it the preferred payment method
Encourage home owners to enroll in AutoPay to reduce inconsistent payment behaviors and create better data reporting metrics
Our process
I follow a structured approach: Discover user needs, Define key challenges, Ideate creative solutions, and Design intuitive experiences. This ensures every solution is strategic, user-centered, and impactful.

Discover

Define

Ideate

Design
business challenges

Building trust
Many homeowners are hesitant to adopt online payments due to security concerns and unfamiliarity. Overcoming this requires clear communication, reassurance, and a seamless payment experience that instills confidence.

Promoting payments
Even with a strong digital payment system, adoption depends on property management companies actively promoting it to homeowners. Educating them on the benefits and simplifying onboarding can drive engagement

Outdated infrastructure
Many homeowners still use legacy platforms that lack modern payment features, yet these systems handle a significant share of transactions. Finding solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and compatibility is crucial for long-term success.
business challenges

High Audit Volume
On average, associates perform 2,106 receipt audits daily per club. Last year, associates found a total of 77 million dollars worth of unpaid items.

a lasting impression
The exit serves as the final impression of shopping at Sam’s Club, and negative interactions contribute significantly to a negative brand perception.

cost vs. innovation
Costs of cameras and RFID technologies could be a blocker for a full chain roll out.
Business opportunity
→ Meritize is a private student lending company who partners with schools to help students secure financing before their program start date. While this model has proven successful, we identified an opportunity to expand our offerings by supporting prospective students in researching careers and programs before they apply.
→ Meritize also plans to partner with employers to offer pre-hiring or apprenticeship pathways that tie directly into career paths and training programs. This offers skill seekers a clear connection between education and employment, reducing uncertainty about job opportunities after graduation.
Discovery
Figuring out why a generation used to making check payments doesn’t want to make payments online
So, what's the big deal?
60% of owners preferred checks due to comfort and habit
"I’ve always paid by check, it’s what I’m used to, and I trust it.
70% of participants struggled to locate the payment section due to poor menu labeling
"I couldn’t even find where to pay. The menu didn’t make it clear at all.
40% were open to trying online payments if the process was straightforward
"I’d be willing to pay online if it was easy and didn’t feel like a hassle.

Store layout
A single failed item scan can disrupt the entire exit flow, causing delays for every member in line. With only one designated exit point, all shoppers must funnel through the same space, increasing congestion. When faced with an unpaid item, many members choose to abandon it rather than re-enter the checkout process, leading to a loss in sales.
Understaffed position
Exit lines tend to back up when only one associate is on duty, and while having two is ideal, even that is sometimes insufficient during peak hours. When lines grow, solo associates often call for backup, but response times are slow, leaving them overwhelmed and further delaying the checkout process.


Long lines
Our testing revealed a significant gap between perception and reality. While the average wait time was a little under two minutes, members felt it lasted six to eight minutes. To improve the experience, we explored concepts like in-line entertainment, such as TVs, to reduce perceived wait times. Long lines also introduced safety concerns, as tensions between members and staff occasionally escalated into unsafe situations.
Member experience
The current exit experience is frustrating, time-consuming, and often leaves members feeling uneasy. Many question why they must undergo a receipt audit after already having their items scanned by an associate. Especially because If an item is accidentally left unpaid, members are forced to walk back through the store to checkout, a process that can feel embarrassing and disruptive to their shopping experience.


Branding and design that drives results
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet ut eget interdum metus. Aenean eu quam enim.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscingies. bibendum ex eu lacus hendrerit,
.webp)
Branding and design that drives results
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dapibus sem a sem viverra ultricies.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet ut eget interdum metus. Aenean eu quam enim.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscingies. bibendum ex eu lacus hendrerit,

a quick and efficient shopper
I am employed full-time and own a small business. I am a Plus Member and shop at Sam's Club about once a week for personal and family & business needs. I have used all types of checkout methods at the club, but prefer to use Scan & Go because it allows me to skip the checkout line and makes me feel most efficient.
I need a more efficient and faster checkout and exit experience at Sam's. I want to get out of the store as fast as possible so there's no need for any human interaction, especially when I am listening to my podcast and am ready to leave.
If an item cannot be scanned in the app, I set it aside, but if I want to purchase it, I have to go to through a long checkout line. Additionally, I often have to wait in a long exit line to leave, even after I used Scan n Go to try to get in and out quickly.
What we concluded
Security
Though our payments are encrypted today, a lack of messaging and reassurance left homeowners hesitant to make an online payment.
Efficiency
Homeowners mentioned the ease of paying via check. If we wanted to convert them, we needed to be perceived as easier and faster.
Familiarity
Most homeowners mentioned needing to make an online payment in the past. We felt if we focused on similar patterns, it would make it easier for them to pay online.
Our first iteration
We spoke to a payments processing company to gain more knowledge on the industry, and came up with concepts that walked home owners through making a payment
concept 1: Numbering shopping carts

Feature One
The user interface of Elements_Efi has been designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to provide a seamless experience for customers.

Feature Two
The incorporation of state-of-the-art technology in Elements_Efi has allowed for a level of precision and accuracy that was previously unattainable, making it an invaluable tool for professionals and hobbyists alike.
concept 2:

Feature One
The user interface of Elements_Efi has been designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to provide a seamless experience for customers.

Feature Two
The incorporation of state-of-the-art technology in Elements_Efi has allowed for a level of precision and accuracy that was previously unattainable, making it an invaluable tool for professionals and hobbyists alike.

Feature Three
The sleek and modern design of Elements_Efi was created with the intent of attracting and engaging customers who value both form and function in their technological products.

Partner Analysis (Zego)
To better understand payments, we spoke with our payments processing partner “Zego”. We aimed to understand their user journey, what incentives they give users to make payments, and their process of enrolling users in AutoPay. We learned about important disclosures, related payment fee’s, and how they created a seamless payment experience for their users.

Simplifying the Journey
Our early concepts aimed to create a stepped approach to making payments. We wanted to simplify the process by walking homeowners through it. We went with this approach because it allowed us to guide homeowners, avoid confusion, and control the path we wanted them to go down, ensuring they go through the AutoPay step which was a business goal.
What we learned
These findings not only addressed the immediate challenges but also informed key design decisions, such as reducing payment steps, improving communication in emails, and building trust through secure messaging.
Perception Vs. Reality
Though this process was a whole minute faster than the existing experience, homeowners felt the stepper was longer than needed.
A locked-in misconception
We thought the lock on the payment button would inspire confidence, however, it more so confused homeowners as they thought the button was locked.
Bridging the Gap
Getting users to the payments portal proved challenging. We needed to consider how to shorten the time from receiving a notice that charges were applied to making a payment.
Product evolution
With those challenges in mind, we set out to create an experience that truly made making payments as quick and easy as possible. This new approach proved to be exactly what we needed to get home owners on board with making online payments.
One click payment
We were able to reduce the number of steps all the way down to one click. Taking the happy path payments less than 12 seconds, and addressing the feedback we received that the stepper process took too long.
redesigned email notifications
Homeowners now receive emails that include a link to the payments portal. This solved for a disconnect established in the legacy process where homeowners would receive an email with no link to where they could make a payment.
Auto-Enabled autopay
In an attempt to drive AutoPay enrollments, we opted to enable AutoPay by default, but made sure owners still needed to verify their choice. This led to many more enrollments and home owners appreciated the option being selected for them - which was a risky surprise!
Microservice home

Streamlined decision making
Providing confidence
Flexible payments
Autopay benefits
Redesigned email notifications

Improved messaging
Outlined autopay benefits
Reducing spam
Quicker workflow
Other screens

LOGIN
To further enhance the payments experience, we added the capability to make a payment without logging in. This would provide very limited information, but allowed family or friends to make payments on behalf of home owners.

MANAGING PAYMENT METHODS
We transformed the way home owners managed their payment methods by providing information about expired cards, and even how much the transaction fee would be for each, enhancing clarity and helping owners make informed decisions.

DECLINED PAYMENT
Having a payment method decline is never a good feeling, but we wanted to make resolving this as easy as possible. When a payment declined, we expanded the card information so home owners could double check the details, and showed other payment methods at the bottom for easy selection

HOME PAGE (Tablet)
For home owners using a tablet (about 30%), we used the additional screen real estate to pull managing payment methods into the home screen. We still pre-selected their primary method, but this made it easier for home owners who wanted to use a different one.

HOME PAGE (Desktop)
Home owners logging in on their computer (about 16%) were given an all-in-one experience. This gave them the ability to manage payment methods, enroll in autopay, and see their bill summary in one, consolidated view.
What the arches see


Capturing Baskets in Motion
Cameras actively capture real-time images of shopping baskets as they move through the exit, ensuring seamless item verification without disrupting the member experience. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

Smart Recognition
Next, computer vision recognizes and identifies items in the basket with precision, ensuring seamless verification without manual intervention. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

AI-Powered Receipt Matching
Then, Ai intelligently matches the scanned basket to the corresponding receipt, ensuring every item is accounted for with speed and precision. This seamless process eliminates the need for manual checks, allowing members to exit faster while maintaining accuracy and security.

Detecting Discrepancies
Lastly, machine learning detects discrepancies by identifying items in the basket that are missing from the receipt. If a potential missed item is found, the system alerts associates when they scan the receipt, allowing them to quickly verify and resolve any issues before the member exits.



What associates see

Confidence-Based Flagging


easy Basket Verification

Faster Issue Resolution with Visual Context


Clear Next Steps for Associates

Missed Items, Clearly Identified


Eliminating Extra Scans
Outcomes
30%
AutoPay enrollments saw a 30% increase, reflecting higher trust and adoption of our seamless payment system
12
In Q4, 12 customers upgraded their accounts to access our improved payments system, demonstrating strong engagement with the new experience
148K
Monthly transactions have grown from 77K, showcasing increased usage and trust in the platform
Where we go from here
By building on the lessons learned, we could create an even more user-centric platform that strengthens trust, further boosts adoption, and simplifies HOA payment processes for all stakeholders.
Experience Personalization
Implement dynamic messaging or tailored reminders based on homeowner behavior, such as overdue payments or incomplete AutoPay setup.
Expanding Payment Options
Introduce additional payment methods like digital wallets to cater to a broader audience.
Incentive Programs
Partner with HOAs to offer discounts or rewards for homeowners enrolling in AutoPay or making timely payments.
Thank you for reading
Problem statement
We believe that home owners, specifically older generations have a problem with moving away from cash and check payments.
We believe we can help them by creating a simple and secure payments platform that saves them time and builds trust.
We’ll know we have achieved success when we have increased the number of online transactions from 34% to 75%
Objectives and goals
By partnering closely with leadership, we established these key priorities to boost digital payment engagement. These initiatives were guided by a thorough understanding of both company objectives and user expectations, ensuring a frictionless and reliable payment journey.
Create a seamless, intuitive platform that reduces friction with payments
Build confidence in the platform through secure, reliable transactions and a user-friendly interface
Increase the percentage of homeowners using the platform by making it the preferred payment method
Encourage home owners to enroll in AutoPay to reduce inconsistent payment behaviors and create better data reporting metrics
Our process
Great design starts with great process. These steps ensure every solution is intentional, strategic, and built to create meaningful impact.

Discover

Define

Ideate

Design
business challenges

building trust
Many homeowners are hesitant to adopt online payments due to security concerns and unfamiliarity. Overcoming this requires clear communication, reassurance, and a seamless payment experience that instills confidence.

promoting payments
Even with a strong digital payment system, adoption depends on property management companies actively promoting it to homeowners. Educating them on the benefits and simplifying onboarding can drive engagement

outdated infrastructure
Many homeowners still use legacy platforms that lack modern payment features, yet these systems handle a significant share of transactions. Finding solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and compatibility is crucial for long-term success.
business challenges

High audit volume
On average, associates perform 2,106 receipt audits daily per club. Last year, associates found a total of 77 million dollars worth of unpaid items.

Lasting impression
The exit serves as the final impression of shopping at Sam’s Club, and negative interactions contribute significantly to a negative brand perception.

Cost vs. innovation
Costs of cameras and RFID technologies could be a blocker for a full chain roll out.
Business opportunity
→ Meritize is a private student lending company who partners with schools to help students secure financing before their program start date. While this model has proven successful, we identified an opportunity to expand our offerings by supporting prospective students in researching careers and programs before they apply.
→ Meritize also plans to partner with employers to offer pre-hiring or apprenticeship pathways that tie directly into career paths and training programs. This offers skill seekers a clear connection between education and employment, reducing uncertainty about job opportunities after graduation.
Discovery
Figuring out why a generation used to making check payments doesn’t want to make payments online
So, what's the big deal?
60% of owners preferred checks due to comfort and habit
"I’ve always paid by check, it’s what I’m used to, and I trust it.
70% of participants struggled to locate the payment section due to poor menu labeling
"I couldn’t even find where to pay. The menu didn’t make it clear at all.
40% were open to trying online payments if the process was straightforward
"I’d be willing to pay online if it was easy and didn’t feel like a hassle.

Store layout
A single failed item scan can disrupt the entire exit flow, causing delays for every member in line. With only one designated exit point, all shoppers must funnel through the same space, increasing congestion. When faced with an unpaid item, many members choose to abandon it rather than re-enter the checkout process, leading to a loss in sales.
Understaffed position
Exit lines tend to back up when only one associate is on duty, and while having two is ideal, even that is sometimes insufficient during peak hours. When lines grow, solo associates often call for backup, but response times are slow, leaving them overwhelmed and further delaying the checkout process.


Long lines
Our testing revealed a significant gap between perception and reality. While the average wait time was a little under two minutes, members felt it lasted six to eight minutes. To improve the experience, we explored concepts like in-line entertainment, such as TVs, to reduce perceived wait times. Long lines also introduced safety concerns, as tensions between members and staff occasionally escalated into unsafe situations.
Member experience
The current exit experience is frustrating, time-consuming, and often leaves members feeling uneasy. Many question why they must undergo a receipt audit after already having their items scanned by an associate. Especially because If an item is accidentally left unpaid, members are forced to walk back through the store to checkout, a process that can feel embarrassing and disruptive to their shopping experience.


Branding and design that drives results
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dapibus sem a sem viverra ultricies.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet ut eget interdum metus. Aenean eu quam enim.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscingies. bibendum ex eu lacus hendrerit,
.webp)
Branding and design that drives results
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi dapibus sem a sem viverra ultricies.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet ut eget interdum metus. Aenean eu quam enim.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscingies. bibendum ex eu lacus hendrerit,

a quick and efficient shopper
I am employed full-time and own a small business. I am a Plus Member and shop at Sam's Club about once a week for personal and family & business needs. I have used all types of checkout methods at the club, but prefer to use Scan & Go because it allows me to skip the checkout line and makes me feel most efficient.
I need a more efficient and faster checkout and exit experience at Sam's. I want to get out of the store as fast as possible so there's no need for any human interaction, especially when I am listening to my podcast and am ready to leave.
If an item cannot be scanned in the app, I set it aside, but if I want to purchase it, I have to go to through a long checkout line. Additionally, I often have to wait in a long exit line to leave, even after I used Scan n Go to try to get in and out quickly.
What we concluded
Security
Though our payments are encrypted today, a lack of messaging and reassurance left homeowners hesitant to make an online payment.
Efficiency
Homeowners mentioned the ease of paying via check. If we wanted to convert them, we needed to be perceived as easier and faster.
Familiarity
Most homeowners mentioned needing to make an online payment in the past. We felt if we focused on similar patterns, it would make it easier for them to pay online.
Our first iteration
We spoke to a payments processing company to gain more knowledge on the industry, and came up with concepts that walked home owners through making a payment
concept 1: Numbering shopping carts

Numbered carts for faster verification
Our initial concept explored numbering shopping carts to help associates quickly match members with their baskets. While this approach aimed to streamline the process, concerns arose around long-term durability, cost for chain rollout, and the potential for wear and tear over time.

Aligning members to baskets
To accompany the physical numbers, we explored a UI that provides exit associates with a clear view of basket statuses. This would allow them to instantly identify which member / cart combo are cleared for exit and which require additional verification.
concept 2: smart arches

Seamless basket scanning
As members walk through the smart arch, their basket is automatically scanned using computer vision. This would eliminate the need for manual checks which would reduce wait times.

Receipt verification
After going through the arches, members present either a digital or physical receipt to the exit associate. This created a quick, reliable way to confirm purchases while maintaining a consistent experience for traditional receipts.

Smarter receipt validation
Upon scanning the receipt, associates gain instant visibility into basket verification results. This UI would need to highlight any discrepancies, provide clear next steps, and ensure a smooth interaction between associates and members.

Partner Analysis (Zego)
To better understand payments, we spoke with our payments processing partner “Zego”. We aimed to understand their user journey, what incentives they give users to make payments, and their process of enrolling users in AutoPay. We learned about important disclosures, related payment fee’s, and how they created a seamless payment experience for their users.

Simplifying the Journey
Our early concepts aimed to create a stepped approach to making payments. We wanted to simplify the process by walking homeowners through it. We went with this approach because it allowed us to guide homeowners, avoid confusion, and control the path we wanted them to go down, ensuring they go through the AutoPay step which was a business goal.
What we learned
These findings not only addressed the immediate challenges but also informed key design decisions, such as reducing payment steps, improving communication in emails, and building trust through secure messaging.
Perception Vs. Reality
Though this process was a whole minute faster than the existing experience, homeowners felt the stepper was longer than needed.
A locked-in misconception
We thought the lock on the payment button would inspire confidence, however, it more so confused homeowners as they thought the button was locked.
Bridging the Gap
Getting users to the payments portal proved challenging. We needed to consider how to shorten the time from receiving a notice that charges were applied to making a payment.
Product evolution
With those challenges in mind, we set out to create an experience that truly made making payments as quick and easy as possible. This new approach proved to be exactly what we needed to get home owners on board with making online payments.
One click payment
We were able to reduce the number of steps all the way down to one click. Taking the happy path payments less than 12 seconds, and addressing the feedback we received that the stepper process took too long.
redesigned email notifications
Homeowners now receive emails that include a link to the payments portal. This solved for a disconnect established in the legacy process where homeowners would receive an email with no link to where they could make a payment.
Auto-Enabled autopay
In an attempt to drive AutoPay enrollments, we opted to enable AutoPay by default, but made sure owners still needed to verify their choice. This led to many more enrollments and home owners appreciated the option being selected for them - which was a risky surprise!
Microservice home
Streamlined decision making
providing confidence

Flexible payments
autopay benefits
Redesigned email notifications
Improved messaging
outlined autopay benefits

reducing spam
quicker workflow
Other screens

LOGIN
To further enhance the payments experience, we added the capability to make a payment without logging in. This would provide very limited information, but allowed family or friends to make payments on behalf of home owners.

MANAGING PAYMENT METHODS
We transformed the way home owners managed their payment methods by providing information about expired cards, and even how much the transaction fee would be for each, enhancing clarity and helping owners make informed decisions.

DECLINED PAYMENT
Having a payment method decline is never a good feeling, but we wanted to make resolving this as easy as possible. When a payment declined, we expanded the card information so home owners could double check the details, and showed other payment methods at the bottom for easy selection

HOME PAGE (Tablet)
For home owners using a tablet (about 30%), we used the additional screen real estate to pull managing payment methods into the home screen. We still pre-selected their primary method, but this made it easier for home owners who wanted to use a different one.

HOME PAGE (Desktop)
Home owners logging in on their computer (about 16%) were given an all-in-one experience. This gave them the ability to manage payment methods, enroll in autopay, and see their bill summary in one, consolidated view.
What the arches see


Capturing Baskets in Motion
Cameras actively capture real-time images of shopping baskets as they move through the exit, ensuring seamless item verification without disrupting the member experience. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

Smart Recognition
Next, computer vision recognizes and identifies items in the basket with precision, ensuring seamless verification without manual intervention. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

AI-Powered Receipt Matching
Then, Ai intelligently matches the scanned basket to the corresponding receipt, ensuring every item is accounted for with speed and precision. This seamless process eliminates the need for manual checks, allowing members to exit faster while maintaining accuracy and security.

Detecting Discrepancies
Lastly, machine learning detects discrepancies by identifying items in the basket that are missing from the receipt. If a potential missed item is found, the system alerts associates when they scan the receipt, allowing them to quickly verify and resolve any issues before the member exits.



What associates see


Confidence-based flagging

Easy basket verification


Faster issue resolution with visual context

Clear next steps for associates


Missed items, clearly identified

Eliminating Extra Scans
Outcomes
14%
AutoPay enrollments saw a 30% increase, reflecting higher trust and adoption of our seamless payment system
29%
In Q4, 12 customers upgraded their accounts to access our improved payments system, demonstrating strong engagement with the new experience
23%
Monthly transactions have grown from 77K, showcasing increased usage and trust in the platform
Where we go from here
By building on the lessons learned, we could create an even more user-centric platform that strengthens trust, further boosts adoption, and simplifies HOA payment processes for all stakeholders.
Experience Personalization
Implement dynamic messaging or tailored reminders based on homeowner behavior, such as overdue payments or incomplete AutoPay setup.
Expanding Payment Options
Introduce additional payment methods like digital wallets to cater to a broader audience.
Incentive Programs
Partner with HOAs to offer discounts or rewards for homeowners enrolling in AutoPay or making timely payments.
Thank you for reading!
Problem statement
We believe that home owners, specifically older generations have a problem with moving away from cash and check payments.
We believe we can help them by creating a simple and secure payments platform that saves them time and builds trust.
We’ll know we have achieved success when we have increased the number of online transactions from 34% to 75%
Objectives and goals
By partnering closely with leadership, we established these key priorities to boost digital payment engagement. These initiatives were guided by a thorough understanding of both company objectives and user expectations, ensuring a frictionless and reliable payment journey.
Create a seamless, intuitive platform that reduces friction with payments
Build confidence in the platform through secure, reliable transactions and a user-friendly interface
Increase the percentage of homeowners using the platform by making it the preferred payment method
Encourage home owners to enroll in AutoPay to reduce inconsistent payment behaviors and create better data reporting metrics
Our process
I follow a structured approach: Discover user needs, Define key challenges, Ideate creative solutions, and Design intuitive experiences. This ensures every solution is strategic, user-centered, and impactful.

Discover

Define

Ideate

Design
business challenges

building trust
Many homeowners are hesitant to adopt online payments due to security concerns and unfamiliarity. Overcoming this requires clear communication, reassurance, and a seamless payment experience that instills confidence.

promoting payments
Even with a strong digital payment system, adoption depends on property management companies actively promoting it to homeowners. Educating them on the benefits and simplifying onboarding can drive engagement

outdated infrastructure
Many homeowners still use legacy platforms that lack modern payment features, yet these systems handle a significant share of transactions. Finding solutions that bridge the gap between innovation and compatibility is crucial for long-term success.
business challenges

High Audit Volume
On average, associates perform 2,106 receipt audits daily per club. Last year, associates found a total of 77 million dollars worth of unpaid items.

a lasting impression
The exit serves as the final impression of shopping at Sam’s Club, and negative interactions contribute significantly to a negative brand perception.

cost vs. innovation
Costs of cameras and RFID technologies could be a blocker for a full chain roll out.
Business opportunity
→ Meritize is a private student lending company who partners with schools to help students secure financing before their program start date. While this model has proven successful, we identified an opportunity to expand our offerings by supporting prospective students in researching careers and programs before they apply.
→ Meritize also plans to partner with employers to offer pre-hiring or apprenticeship pathways that tie directly into career paths and training programs. This offers skill seekers a clear connection between education and employment, reducing uncertainty about job opportunities after graduation.
Discovery
Figuring out why a generation used to making check payments doesn’t want to make payments online
So, what's the big deal?
60% of owners preferred checks due to comfort and habit
"I’ve always paid by check, it’s what I’m used to, and I trust it.
70% of participants struggled to locate the payment section due to poor menu labeling
"I couldn’t even find where to pay. The menu didn’t make it clear at all.
40% were open to trying online payments if the process was straightforward
"I’d be willing to pay online if it was easy and didn’t feel like a hassle.

Store layout
A single failed item scan can disrupt the entire exit flow, causing delays for every member in line. With only one designated exit point, all shoppers must funnel through the same space, increasing congestion. When faced with an unpaid item, many members choose to abandon it rather than re-enter the checkout process, leading to a loss in sales.
Understaffed position
Exit lines tend to back up when only one associate is on duty, and while having two is ideal, even that is sometimes insufficient during peak hours. When lines grow, solo associates often call for backup, but response times are slow, leaving them overwhelmed and further delaying the checkout process.


Long lines
Our testing revealed a significant gap between perception and reality. While the average wait time was a little under two minutes, members felt it lasted six to eight minutes. To improve the experience, we explored concepts like in-line entertainment, such as TVs, to reduce perceived wait times. Long lines also introduced safety concerns, as tensions between members and staff occasionally escalated into unsafe situations.
Member experience
The current exit experience is frustrating, time-consuming, and often leaves members feeling uneasy. Many question why they must undergo a receipt audit after already having their items scanned by an associate. Especially because If an item is accidentally left unpaid, members are forced to walk back through the store to checkout, a process that can feel embarrassing and disruptive to their shopping experience.


Branding and design that drives results
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Branding and design that drives results
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a quick and efficient shopper
I am employed full-time and own a small business. I am a Plus Member and shop at Sam's Club about once a week for personal and family & business needs. I have used all types of checkout methods at the club, but prefer to use Scan & Go because it allows me to skip the checkout line and makes me feel most efficient.
I need a more efficient and faster checkout and exit experience at Sam's. I want to get out of the store as fast as possible so there's no need for any human interaction, especially when I am listening to my podcast and am ready to leave.
If an item cannot be scanned in the app, I set it aside, but if I want to purchase it, I have to go to through a long checkout line. Additionally, I often have to wait in a long exit line to leave, even after I used Scan n Go to try to get in and out quickly.
What we concluded
Security
Though our payments are encrypted today, a lack of messaging and reassurance left homeowners hesitant to make an online payment.
Efficiency
Homeowners mentioned the ease of paying via check. If we wanted to convert them, we needed to be perceived as easier and faster.
Familiarity
Most homeowners mentioned needing to make an online payment in the past. We felt if we focused on similar patterns, it would make it easier for them to pay online.
Our first iteration
We spoke to a payments processing company to gain more knowledge on the industry, and came up with concepts that walked home owners through making a payment
concept 1: Numbering shopping carts

Feature One
The user interface of Elements_Efi has been designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to provide a seamless experience for customers.

Feature Two
The incorporation of state-of-the-art technology in Elements_Efi has allowed for a level of precision and accuracy that was previously unattainable, making it an invaluable tool for professionals and hobbyists alike.
concept 2:

Feature One
The user interface of Elements_Efi has been designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to provide a seamless experience for customers.

Feature Two
The incorporation of state-of-the-art technology in Elements_Efi has allowed for a level of precision and accuracy that was previously unattainable, making it an invaluable tool for professionals and hobbyists alike.

Feature Three
The sleek and modern design of Elements_Efi was created with the intent of attracting and engaging customers who value both form and function in their technological products.

Partner Analysis (Zego)
To better understand payments, we spoke with our payments processing partner “Zego”. We aimed to understand their user journey, what incentives they give users to make payments, and their process of enrolling users in AutoPay. We learned about important disclosures, related payment fee’s, and how they created a seamless payment experience for their users.

Simplifying the Journey
Our early concepts aimed to create a stepped approach to making payments. We wanted to simplify the process by walking homeowners through it. We went with this approach because it allowed us to guide homeowners, avoid confusion, and control the path we wanted them to go down, ensuring they go through the AutoPay step which was a business goal.
What we learned
These findings not only addressed the immediate challenges but also informed key design decisions, such as reducing payment steps, improving communication in emails, and building trust through secure messaging.
Perception Vs. Reality
Though this process was a whole minute faster than the existing experience, homeowners felt the stepper was longer than needed.
A locked-in misconception
We thought the lock on the payment button would inspire confidence, however, it more so confused homeowners as they thought the button was locked.
Bridging the Gap
Getting users to the payments portal proved challenging. We needed to consider how to shorten the time from receiving a notice that charges were applied to making a payment.
Product evolution
With those challenges in mind, we set out to create an experience that truly made making payments as quick and easy as possible. This new approach proved to be exactly what we needed to get home owners on board with making online payments.
One click payment
We were able to reduce the number of steps all the way down to one click. Taking the happy path payments less than 12 seconds, and addressing the feedback we received that the stepper process took too long.
redesigned email notifications
Homeowners now receive emails that include a link to the payments portal. This solved for a disconnect established in the legacy process where homeowners would receive an email with no link to where they could make a payment.
Auto-Enabled autopay
In an attempt to drive AutoPay enrollments, we opted to enable AutoPay by default, but made sure owners still needed to verify their choice. This led to many more enrollments and home owners appreciated the option being selected for them - which was a risky surprise!
Microservice home
Streamlined decision making
providing confidence

Flexible payments
autopay benefits
Redesigned email notifications
Improved messaging
outlined autopay benefits

reducing spam
quicker workflow
Other screens

LOGIN
To further enhance the payments experience, we added the capability to make a payment without logging in. This would provide very limited information, but allowed family or friends to make payments on behalf of home owners.

MANAGING PAYMENT METHODS
We transformed the way home owners managed their payment methods by providing information about expired cards, and even how much the transaction fee would be for each, enhancing clarity and helping owners make informed decisions.

DECLINED PAYMENT
Having a payment method decline is never a good feeling, but we wanted to make resolving this as easy as possible. When a payment declined, we expanded the card information so home owners could double check the details, and showed other payment methods at the bottom for easy selection

HOME PAGE (Tablet)
For home owners using a tablet (about 30%), we used the additional screen real estate to pull managing payment methods into the home screen. We still pre-selected their primary method, but this made it easier for home owners who wanted to use a different one.

HOME PAGE (Desktop)
Home owners logging in on their computer (about 16%) were given an all-in-one experience. This gave them the ability to manage payment methods, enroll in autopay, and see their bill summary in one, consolidated view.
What the arches see


Capturing Baskets in Motion
Cameras actively capture real-time images of shopping baskets as they move through the exit, ensuring seamless item verification without disrupting the member experience. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

Smart Recognition
Next, computer vision recognizes and identifies items in the basket with precision, ensuring seamless verification without manual intervention. This system enhances accuracy, reduces friction at checkout, and helps create a more efficient, automated validation process.

AI-Powered Receipt Matching
Then, Ai intelligently matches the scanned basket to the corresponding receipt, ensuring every item is accounted for with speed and precision. This seamless process eliminates the need for manual checks, allowing members to exit faster while maintaining accuracy and security.

Detecting Discrepancies
Lastly, machine learning detects discrepancies by identifying items in the basket that are missing from the receipt. If a potential missed item is found, the system alerts associates when they scan the receipt, allowing them to quickly verify and resolve any issues before the member exits.



What associates see

Confidence-Based Flagging


easy Basket Verification

Faster Issue Resolution with Visual Context


Clear Next Steps for Associates

Missed Items, Clearly Identified


Eliminating Extra Scans
Outcomes
25%
AutoPay enrollments saw a 30% increase, reflecting higher trust and adoption of our seamless payment system
40%
In Q4, 12 customers upgraded their accounts to access our improved payments system, demonstrating strong engagement with the new experience
70%
Monthly transactions have grown from 77K, showcasing increased usage and trust in the platform
Where we go from here
By building on the lessons learned, we could create an even more user-centric platform that strengthens trust, further boosts adoption, and simplifies HOA payment processes for all stakeholders.
Experience Personalization
Implement dynamic messaging or tailored reminders based on homeowner behavior, such as overdue payments or incomplete AutoPay setup.
Expanding Payment Options
Introduce additional payment methods like digital wallets to cater to a broader audience.
Incentive Programs
Partner with HOAs to offer discounts or rewards for homeowners enrolling in AutoPay or making timely payments.