Opt-out journey

  • Opt-out journeys are experiences where the value of UX writers shines, but the needs of business stakeholders and users can seem irreconcilable.

    When we needed to create one for Dell’s loyalty program, I had to figured out how to collect data on why users are leaving without being unnecessarily burdensome.

  • After doing some competitive analysis, I found that other major e-retailers use “cancel subscription/membership” for programs that require payment and “opt out” for free programs, so I went with “opt-out.”

    Business stakeholders said we needed to collect users' reasons for leaving when they went through the opt-out journey. I was nervous to do this because the Nielsen Norman Group and the Baymard Institute report that users dislike opt-out experiences that require providing a reason for leaving.

    To compromise, I decided to present a version to stakeholders that left space for users to provide feedback but did not require it. I made sure that this feedback came on the modal that confirmed the user had already opted out of Dell Rewards so they could opt-out without providing feedback.

Card on account: Deactivate Dell Rewards. You can no longer earn or redeem rewards after deactivating. In case if you change your mind you can rejoin Dell Rewards any time to continue using your rewards features. CTA: Deactivate Dell Rewards.

Card on account page.

Before

A modal with the header "Deactivate Dell Rewards." The modal includes a list of features users will lose after deactivation, a section to provide feedback, and a notice that users can rejoin Dell Rewards. CTAs: "Deactivate Dell Rewards" and "Cancel."

Modal to submit deactivation request.

After

Header: Deactivation Completed. Body: Your Dell Reward account has been successfully deactivated.

In case if you change your mind you can rejoin Dell Rewards any time to continue using your rewards features. CTA: "Close"

Modal confirming deactivation request was submitted.

A gif of the interaction of the modals with the text I proposed. There's a link underneath this gif that takes you to the individual images with alt text of the actual text.

  • I explained these UX best practices to the stakeholders, noting that users who had a good opt-out experience may continue purchasing from Dell or even return to Dell’s loyalty program, but frustrating experiences may drive customers further away.

    While we did not end up using my proposed solution, we found a compromise: we would require feedback but place it on the modal that confirms the opt-out request was submitted, like in my proposal. Users would feel like they had accomplished what they set out to do without hassle and could quickly select a reason for leaving from a dropdown menu.