Keeping Users Engaged with Relevant, Timely Stock Notifications

User Problem

At Farfetch, users who missed out on high-demand items often abandoned the experience, frustrated by a lack of stock visibility and timely alerts. This gap led to lost sales and reduced customer satisfaction. Users needed a seamless, anticipatory experience that connected them to products they cared about.

Findings

• One-to-One vs. One-to-Many: Working on 1-to-1 instead of 1-to-many seemed to work in the past in terms of impact, it seems to be all about relevance and what a particular user is looking for.

• Personalized Engagement: Research showed that personalized alerts (based on user behavior and preferences) significantly increased engagement and conversion, as users were more likely to respond to alerts that matched their shopping interests.

Opportunities

1. Back in Stock Push Notifications from your Wishlist:
   Designed an unobtrusive yet immediate push notification experience that informs users as soon as an out-of-stock item returns. The notification design focuses on clear product imagery and a compelling call-to-action ("Tap to Shop") to encourage quick action.

2. Your Favorite Pieces, Lower Prices:
   Added a personalized notification feature that alerts users when items on their wishlist or previously viewed items go on sale. This design highlights the price reduction visually with a clear "Now on Sale" label and emphasizes potential savings. By connecting users with relevant, lower-priced items they already love, this feature increases purchase intent and strengthens the perception of value.

3. Low in Stock Alerts:
   Designed urgency-driven alerts that appear on the product page and as push notifications, using bold visuals and limited-time language (“Only a few left!”) to encourage immediate decisions. The design minimizes intrusion but emphasizes the urgency to drive conversion.
   
   

   Impact

   • Enhanced User Engagement: The redesigned stock alerts offer a frictionless, personalized experience that makes users feel informed and empowered. Design refinements focused on accessibility and intuitive UX resulted in higher engagement rates.

   • Improved Conversion Rates:

     • Back in Stock Push Notifications saw a CR uplift to 3.81% (compared to a benchmark of 1.29%), proving that timely, well-designed notifications keep users engaged.

     • Email and Push Retargeting Campaigns increased conversion and average order value, as users responded positively to reminders that felt relevant and helpful.

   • Revenue Growth via Personalization: Personal recommendations on transactional emails led to a conversion rate of 7.12% on related products, underscoring the impact of design-driven personalization.

Back in Stock Push Notification: From your wishlist 

Role
Design Manager at Farfetch
Team
Designers: Rúben Mangorrinha; Chahna Goriana
PM: Janine Lagoute; Fábio Dias