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Curated shopping

Concept design
Product design
CLIENT
ASOS
DATE
2023
ROLE
Head of Product Design
+10-15%
PLP engagement
+5-10%
conversion rate
+£1m
annual revenue*
Elevating the ASOS shopping experience

The "Curated Categories" initiative was born from a gap in ASOS’s digital shopping experience, identified through a comprehensive audit conducted in collaboration with EY and Biglight. Extensive research, guerrilla testing, and concept testing revealed that the browsing experience relied heavily on static product lists, offering little inspiration or guidance in decision-making. Our goal was to create a more engaging, editorial-style experience that would feel immersive while still driving commercial impact.

To achieve this, we considered how customers naturally browse for fashion. A shopper might start by scrolling through social media, visiting the ASOS homepage, or exploring category navigation in search of inspiration for an upcoming holiday. If an ASOS story or campaign catches their eye, clicking through should feel like a seamless continuation of that experience - leading them to a curated category page that mirrors the look, feel, and messaging of what first drew them in. Once there, immersive visuals, video, and interactive elements guide them through trends and styles in an intuitive, engaging way. This was just one of the perspectives we used to shape Curated Categories, ensuring it resonated both creatively and commercially.

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Constraints & challenges

To bring this concept to life, we had to tackle several key challenges:

  • Bridging inspiration & commerce - The experience needed to be more than just aesthetically pleasing; it had to drive conversions by seamlessly integrating engaging content with a frictionless shopping experience.
  • Scalability & feasibility - Any solution had to be flexible enough to support multiple categories, product types, and future iterations, while remaining technically feasible within ASOS’s existing platform.
  • Stakeholder alignment - Collaboration across multiple teams, including Commercial, Studios, Tech, and Product, was critical. Each had different priorities, and gaining buy-in required careful negotiation and alignment.

Role & approach

Leading the vision and execution of Curated Categories involved hands-on research, strategy, and design. My team and I began by consolidating insights from customer feedback, competitor benchmarking, and internal discussions to define the problem space; following a design sprint and workshop with Tech and Product teams we were able to align past and current initiatives, laying the groundwork for a structured feature roadmap.

With a clear direction in place, a proof-of-concept and interactive prototype was designed that would eventually secure buy-in and funding for the initiative. Through iterative concept reviews and cross-functional workshops, we refined the vision, ensuring that the final experience was both inspirational and commercially viable.

Solutions

The first phase of Curated Categories introduced an editorial-style browsing experience that blended commerce with storytelling. The new design introduced:

  • Full-bleed video & content - Immersive visuals and campaign-driven storytelling helped bring collections to life.
  • Interactive shoppable hotspots - Customers could explore featured looks and shop them seamlessly.
  • Pinned & hero products - Key items were elevated for maximum impact.
  • ‘Coming soon’ features - Products yet to launch were surfaced to generate anticipation, aligning with ASOS Drops.
  • Enhanced product tile design - Dynamic elements like swipeable images and catwalk videos showcased products in a more engaging way.
  • Integrated ‘buy the look’ feature - Encouraging complete outfit purchases through a more immersive shopping experience.

Results & impact

The prototype successfully secured investment and prioritisation within ASOS, establishing a new standard for digital product presentation. Early testing results showed:

  • Objective testing: Adjustments to PLP label placement did not negatively impact key KPIs, ensuring that the changes maintained usability.
  • Swipeable image gallery (iOS): Approximately 45% of users engaged with the feature, reducing PDP clicks but increasing the number of products saved for later. While this didn’t immediately boost add-to-bag rates, it suggested a shift in user behaviour towards more considered shopping.
  • Positive user behaviour: Though conversion rates remained stable, the increased engagement with interactive features and qualitative feedback indicated a more compelling experience.

Beyond these metrics, the initiative led to:

  • Increased time spent on category pages with no negative impact on conversion rates or revenue per visitor.
  • Higher interaction with features like shoppable hotspots.
  • A noticeable shift in product discovery behaviour, with more users saving items for later consideration.
  • Overwhelmingly positive feedback from users on the overall aesthetic product presentation.
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Learnings & next steps

This project underscored the importance of balancing inspiration with seamless e-commerce functionality. While some features, such as the swipeable gallery, didn’t lead to immediate conversions, they signalled an evolution in how customers engaged with products - one that could drive long-term value.

Following the initial rollout:

  • Many features have been deployed to 100% of iOS customers, with plans to enhance interaction through app-based visibility.
  • Ongoing monitoring is in place to optimise the post-save-for-later journey, aiming to convert more saved items into purchases.
  • Future iterations will explore AI-driven personalisation and deeper integration with ASOS’s For You feed, further refining the curated shopping experience.

Curated Categories set a new precedent for how ASOS blends content and commerce, and this project marked an important step in redefining the brand’s digital shopping journey.

*Figures based on forecasted projection