C2B, Point-of-Sale, UIUX, System Design, Product Management
The Challenge:
Tipping can often feel awkward and uncomfortable. From receiving that look from a cashier to feeling pressured into tipping, customers may hit the tip button out of obligation and regret it later. For merchants, setting the right tip range is tricky—too low impacts server earnings, while too high prompts customers to skip tipping altogether. The overall experience is inefficient, unfriendly, and can lead to unnecessary spending, creating a lose-lose situation for both customers and merchants.
The Solution:
GoTip provides a win-win, smart, hassle-free tipping system where customers can preset their tipping preferences and easily tap the GoTip button at checkout. The system automatically processes the tip without showing the amount, making tipping faster, more discreet, and rational. This ensures that both the server’s earnings and the customer’s budget are protected.
Award:
Group Nomination | 2024 ETH Global LFGHO Hackathon
Team
Will Jiang
Ricy Zhang
Timeline
3 Weeks
(Feb.6 to Feb 27 2024)
My Roles
User research
Concept development
Motion design
UIUX, Visual design
Video production
Client
GHO
ETH Global
Tipping is no longer a hassle with GoTip:
At Point Of Checkout, GoTip seamlessly detects linked cards and automatically processes preset tips with a single tap at checkout, simplifying the tipping experience.
Reducing the entire checkout and tipping process to one click:
Customers simply tap "GoTip" on the POS screen, and GoTip handles the rest.
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GoTip App: Seamless Tipping at Your Fingertips
The GoTip app allows customers to link their cards, set their preferred tipping percentage, and monitor their tipping history, providing analytics to help make more informed and responsible spending decisions.
Find out why tipping SUCKS for both sides.
I surveyed 14 coffee shops in NYC and NJ to find out servers' average earnings and gather opinions from both customers and servers on tipping.
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Customers feel pressured, servers struggle.
In the survey, I asked three questions to 15 baristas and 30 customers to determine how much baristas earn from tips and how customers feel about tipping.
A growing concern among consumers.
USA Today survey shows that 67% of people feel pressured to tip more than usual, highlighting a growing issue in tipping culture. Many feel stuck between social expectations and financial constraints, with the rising frequency of tipping requests adding to the strain on consumers.
Voices from Both Sides of the Counter.
I asked both customers and servers how they feel about tipping today and heard growing frustration from both sides of the tipping culture.
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Key issues in tipping systems.
During our field and secondary research, it became clear that both customers and businesses are frustrated with unclear navigation, tipping pressure, and a lack of transparency, underscoring the need for a more streamlined system.
Research Conclusion – Tipping in the balance: customer privacy vs. business efficiency.
Through our research, we identified key needs from both customers (To C) and businesses (To B) regarding the tipping experience.
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Proposed Solutions: A more efficient and privacy-focused tipping experience.
To address the frustrations faced by both customers and businesses in the current tipping process, we propose two key solutions.
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GoTip APP
Building a simple tool for tracking and managing tips. The goal was to create an interface that combines features of finance and tracking apps, allowing users to preset tipping preferences, track history, and manage spending decisions. This system acts like a personal assistant for tip management, with a minimal design focused on ease of use.
I took design elements from apps like Apple Health’s body metrics tracking and adapted them for tipping tracking. Additionally, I referenced popular financial apps like PayPal, CashApp, and Chase, since GoTip focuses on enhancing money management services. The result is a seamless blend of tracking and financial management tailored to tipping.
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GoTip System
Shoppers start by linking their cards to the GoTip app, where the card info is securely stored. When a shopper uses their linked card at participating POS systems like Square, Toast, or Clover, the system detects GoTip and displays the tipping option at checkout. Through the GoTip app, users can track and adjust their tipping history and budget with ease.
GoTip POS UI
GoTip POS UI is where the magic happens—I aimed to minimize the tipping experience as much as possible, reducing it to a single tap. To achieve this, I realized that a universal, recognizable button should be implemented across all tipping interfaces, regardless of the POS system or setting. So, I designed the "GoTip" button to stand out visually, streamlining navigation and speeding up the tipping process for shoppers.
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Impact on Checkout Efficiency and User Experience
The following comparison highlights the significant improvements GoTip brings to the checkout process. After implementing GoTip, the average POS usage time during checkout decreased from 6 seconds to 3 seconds—a 50% reduction in time, effectively doubling efficiency.
For users, this not only saves time but also removes the awkwardness of deciding on a tip during payment. For merchants, adopting GoTip over time allows for greater efficiency during peak hours, enabling them to serve more customers, improve the shopping experience, and boost operational performance.
Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Queue Frustration with GoTip
After analyzing the clear difference in tipping transaction times, we conducted a simulation to evaluate GoTip’s impact on shopping efficiency and customer experience. The simulation was based on a typical peak-hour scenario at a coffee shop, where 10 customers arrive at the counter every 10 seconds. We estimated the combined time for ordering and payment at 10 seconds, with the tipping process taking 6 seconds without GoTip and 3 seconds with GoTip.
The results showed that using GoTip led to a 50% reduction in cumulative wait time for customers during peak hours. Additionally, the number of people visibly waiting in line was significantly reduced, contributing to a 30% decrease in perceived queue frustration. This demonstrates that GoTip not only streamlines the checkout process but also enhances the overall shopping experience by reducing both actual and psychological stress for customers.
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Impact on Tipping Behavior and Income
We tested 70 participants to understand their tipping habits in small transactions, like at coffee shops. Of them, 40% regularly gave tips, while 60% did not. After introducing GoTip, many from both groups expressed a willingness to use its tipping feature. Our analysis shows GoTip can increase the tipping rate by 50%, benefiting both customers and merchants. In a scenario where a coffee shop sells 100 cups per day at $3.50 each, adopting GoTip could boost tip income by 32%, offering a significant increase in earnings for service staff.
Tailoring to Diverse Tipping Preferences
Tipping habits vary greatly—while some users want to save money, others see tipping as a display of generosity. GoTip may not appeal to everyone, especially those who choose not to tip at all. However, GoTip's tipping activity tracking feature has broad potential. Expanding its functionality could help engage a wider range of users.
Data Security: A Growing Concern
Our surveys revealed that, despite GoTip’s value, users are increasingly concerned about sharing credit card information with third-party platforms. With data breaches becoming more common, ensuring GoTip addresses privacy concerns through design is essential for building user trust and long-term success.
Maintaining Product Independence
Let's put on the hat of a CEO or an investor, GoTip faces the challenge of standing out in a market dominated by POS systems like Square and Toast. Since similar features could be easily replicated, GoTip must focus on innovation and securing its own space within the payment ecosystem, ensuring it remains relevant and indispensable to merchants.
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