Seller Onboarding That Drives Immediate Action
Guided onboarding flow for marketplace sellers on CreatorSamples · Step vs Card UI to encourage immediate action
💡 Which layout drives sellers to take action without delay: Card or Step?
Context & Problem
New sellers must complete setup tasks (e.g., connecting a store or subscribing to a plan) before using the tool. The original onboarding UI lacked structure, guidance, and progress feedback, leaving sellers unclear on next steps. This slowed activation, delayed selling, and hurt GMV growth.
❌ Observed Issues
Sellers sign up but delay setup
Without setup, selling can’t start
UI lacked clarity and progress visibility
Tasks postponed, increasing drop-offs
Previous UI
→ This lacked clear sequencing and guidance, resulting in sellers delaying or abandoning setup tasks
Hypothesis & Goals
To improve task completion and reduce confusion, we defined a behavioral hypothesis and clear UX goals.
If we provide a clear structure and visible progress, sellers will be less likely to delay onboarding tasks and will start using the product sooner
Objectives
Card vs Step UI
To test our hypothesis, I designed two onboarding flows: Card UI and Step UI, each applying different behavioral UX strategies grounded in cognitive psychology to guide user behavior and reduce friction.
Summary: Behavioral UX Differences
User Control
Step UI
Low (guided flow)
Card UI
High (free choice)
Cognitive Load
Step UI
Low (revealed progressively)
Card UI
Low (all visible)
Behavior Trigger
Step UI
Completion-driven
Card UI
Exploratory
UX Strategy
Step UI
Guided flow + focused direction
Card UI
Autonomy + exploration
💡 Insight: Card UI suits experienced users, Step UI suits first-time users
Option A: Card-based UI
All Tasks at Once
See full scope without extra clicks
Card with CTA
Small, clear actions per step
Progress Bar
Tracks completion visually
Time Remaining
Shows how close the finish line is
Flexible Order
Complete tasks in any sequence
Locked Until Ready
Signals needed prerequisites
Milestone Emojis
Encourages with positive cues
Checkmarks & States
Reinforces accomplishments
Pros & Cons (Card-based UI)
✅ Pros:
Full visibility lets users see all tasks at once
High autonomy allows completing tasks in any order
Quick access enables jumping directly to specific CTAs
❌ Cons:
No clear path means first-time users may not know where to start
Higher cognitive load can make too many cards feel overwhelming
Less guided flows increase the risk of skipping essential tasks
Option B: Step-based UI
Guided Sequential Flow
Shows only the current step, users stay on track and complete in order
Focused CTA
Highlights only the most relevant action for the current step.
Progress Indicator
Displays progress to motivate users as they approach completion
Locked Future Steps
Blocks access to future steps until current tasks are finished
Pros & Cons (Step-based UI)
✅ Pros:
Clear guidance through a sequential flow that shows the next step
Reduced cognitive load by showing only what’s relevant at each stage
Ensures completion by preventing skipped tasks
❌ Cons:
Lower autonomy forces users to follow a set sequence
Slower for experts since they cannot skip known tasks
Block risk occurs when getting stuck on one step delays the entire flow
Psychological Models
⚖️ Hick’s Law
Limits choices to prompt immediate start
All options visible for quick action by experienced users
🔥 Fogg Behavior Model
Small wins build momentum to keep going
Lets users pick easy wins to get started
🧠 Cognitive Load Theory
Breaks tasks into steps to lower start friction
Spreads info visually for quick scanning
A/B Testing
To understand how different UI structures influence user perception and behavior, we conducted a rapid prototype test with internal team members, focusing on qualitative feedback.
👥 Participants
6 internal members
🧪 Methodology
Within-subjects (each tested both UIs)
🛠️ Prototype
Interactive mockups with simulated interactions
📝 Task
Complete onboarding steps in both UI prototypes
📊 Data Collected:
UI preference (Card vs. Step)
Ease of use & clarity
Friction points
User Evaluation Summary
Structure Clarity
4.8 / 5
3.6 / 5
Perceived Progress
4.7 / 5
3.9 / 5
Sense of Achievement
3.5 / 5
4.6 / 5
Flexibility / Freedom
3.2 / 5
4.7 / 5
Initial Motivation
4.3 / 5
4.0 / 5
Decision Ease
(from Cognitive Load)
4.5 / 5
3.5 / 5
UI preference by user type
👨🏫 Users who prefer clear structure
“Helps me start right away”
🧑🎨 Users who value freedom
“Lets me choose, so I might start later”
Key Findings
Helped reduce hesitation and supported task completion.
Provided flexibility but introduced uncertainty.
✨ Our Final Decision:
Based on A/B testing, Step UI was selected as the default onboarding flow for its clarity, reduced hesitation, and alignment with first-time user needs.
Why We Chose Step UI
Enabled faster task completion and fewer delays than Card UI
Reduced hesitation through clear sequencing and progress feedback
Better fit for new users requiring structured guidance
Final Outcome
The behavioral UX testing showed that a step UI aligned best with first-time sellers’ needs for structure and reduced cognitive load.
Step UI Launch Results
(Internal Pilot Feedback)
🎉 You’ve reached the end
