Inside the UX Lab: How Smart Filters Drive Stronger Checkout Performance
UX matters across your entire online store, but it’s at your checkout where it matters most.
Small tweaks, like a shift in wording or a change in layout, might seem trivial but when hundreds or thousands of people are interacting with your checkout every day, the micro becomes the macro.
At HubBox, we’re not just experts in creating and integrating ‘pickup at checkout’ software that helps retailers offer local pickup with ease. We’re also specialists in optimising the UX of that experience – helping our partners increase conversion, reduce friction and build trust where it matters most.
At the core of this process is the HubBox UXR Lab. It’s where we constantly test, refine and measure every part of the pickup experience, from the smallest UI choices to the overall flow.
In this blog, we’re sharing some of our most recent research, giving you a behind the scenes look at exactly what makes a difference when it comes to making pickup point selection seamless and driving higher conversion.
Our latest research: a focus on filters
When well designed, filters at checkout help shoppers quickly narrow down their options to the pickup locations that work best for them – by distance, by courier, by opening hours. That ease creates a positive feedback loop: fast discovery leads to higher confidence, better choices and more completed orders.
Building on earlier research we’ve carried out around visibility, clarity and convenience in the pickup journey, we focused our latest study on the mechanics and psychology of filtering itself. How do users engage with filters? What do they expect to see? And which elements genuinely influence their decisions?
These questions seem surface level, but exist because filters are not decorative, they are foundational to enabling users to choose locations that genuinely work for their needs.
Our overall hypothesis came down to this:
Would shoppers find their preferred locations faster with the introduction of improved, tailored and thoroughly researched filtering?
Our methodology
Our focus for this test was on pickup point users in both the UK and US, spanning a mix of age groups, device types and shopping behaviours.
We queried positioning preferences, first impressions, value of displayed filters and many more across methods including Likert Scale analysis, A/B Testing, and qualitative review, all in order to gather the findings relevant to our user base coming to understand both what they chose, and why they chose it.
Key findings
◆ Filter placement matters
88% of participants preferred version A, with the filter button sat next to the search input. They described it as the “most natural” position, linking search and filter actions together in one mental journey.
◆ Opening hours is the top priority
Every single shopper (100%) selected opening hours as their most important filter. Courier and service type followed (50% each). This proves that shoppers don’t just care about what’s nearby – they want what’s open and convenient for their schedule.
◆ Distance toggles add value, especially in new areas
50% of users found the distance toggle useful, especially when shopping outside their usual area – with participants telling us a 15-minute radius was the sweet spot.
◆ Shoppers relax filters if they get no results
100% of users said they’d adjust filters if they saw a ‘no results’ message. This shows that a well-designed empty state can help reduce the risk of cart abandonment by nudging users to self-correct rather than drop out.
◆ Faded pins encourage exploration
Everyone understood faded pins meant ‘outside current filters but still selectable’. This prompted users to explore more without confusion or second-guessing.
◆ Strong satisfaction with the new filter design
100% of participants rated the new filter view 4 or 5 out of 5, with shoppers describing the experience as ‘more thoughtful than expected’ and ‘exactly what I want for an easy experience’.
Where we go from here
This research proved that clear, thoughtful design – including smart filters – builds trust. And when customers trust the experience, they’re more likely to choose pickup and complete their checkout.
Better filtering leads to faster discovery, higher adoption and fewer drop-offs. These small details add up, especially as more shoppers shift toward out-of-home delivery.
As leaders in ‘pickup at checkout’ software, we’re proud to be setting the standard for what great UX looks like in this space.
Our Customer Success team will use these latest findings to help retailers optimise their pickup experience, boost conversion and reduce friction at a critical moment in the e-commerce journey.
And we’re not stopping here. We’ll continue with weekly UX research to stay one step ahead of what’s working, what’s not and how to ensure HubBox keeps delivering the best pickup at checkout results – for both retailers and their customers.
Looking for an easy way to integrate pickup at checkout?
Book a quick demo to see how HubBox can help.
