Jason Wilson

Smartwool Sock Consolidation

Project Overview: Smartwool needed to streamline its product listing page (PLP) by reducing the number of product cards to improve load speeds and decrease cognitive overload. Additionally, the goal was to consolidate multiple product detail pages (PDPs) for each sock style into a single page and allow users to make color selections in one place.

Objective: The main objectives were to help users better understand the intended purpose of each cushion style and reduce cognitive overload by consolidating product cards, thus improving site performance, reducing bounce rates, and enhancing conversion rates on the PLP/PDP.

Process: Collaborating with a UX researcher, I helped formulate interview questions, design A/B tests, and create a comprehensive presentation for the Smartwool team. My role involved synthesizing the data and translating it into user experience solutions that were both user-friendly and technically feasible for the development team to implement. To address sock education, we added a sock comparison fly-out on the PDP, providing clear details about each cushion's purpose and fit.

Challenge: Smartwool’s product catalog includes five cuts, cushions, and color patterns for each sock style. This complexity made it difficult to streamline navigation while managing multiple SKUs. Each sock style had 10 to 15 product cards and multiple PDPs, creating significant maintenance challenges and causing user confusion.

Outcome: The updated PLP and PDP led to smoother user navigation, faster load times, and improved site performance, including a reduction in bounce rates. Previously, users encountered 10 to 15 cards per sock style and were sent to multiple PDPs, which created navigation loops that contributed to higher bounce rates. After consolidation, we reduced the number of product cards from 15 to just 3 on the PLP and streamlined the experience to a single PDP for each cushion style. This change resulted in a bounce rate improvement from 49% to 37% in one quarter, exceeding the initial goal of 42%.

My Role: I led this project from start to finish, collaborating closely with Smartwool’s product manager, merchandiser, marketing director, and development team to stay within scope and achieve the best possible outcome aligned with business goals.

Conclusion: The three-month project significantly exceeded expectations, resulting in improved bounce rates and a more efficient user experience, contributing to both enhanced performance and customer satisfaction.