How One UX Change Generated $300 Million: The Power of Guest Checkout

Why “Continue as Guest” is a Conversion Goldmine Not every conversion win comes from a redesign. Sometimes, it’s a single button.

Let’s talk about one of the most famous case studies in UX design: The $300 million button.

A major retailer was struggling with checkout abandonment. Despite having a great product catalog, users kept dropping off at the final step.

So they called in usability expert Jared Spool to investigate.

Here’s what he found:The checkout form had two options:

• Login

• Register
  

That’s it.

But for first-time buyers, this created friction.

They didn’t want to sign up.

They weren’t ready to commit to yet another account and password.

One frustrated customer put it perfectly:

“I just want to buy something.”

So Spool suggested one small change:

✔️ Remove the “Register” button ✔️ Add a “Continue as Guest” option ✔️ Reassure users they could create an account after checkout if they wanted to

What happened?

• Conversion rates shot up by 45%

• Revenue increased by $15M in the first month

• Over $300 million in additional sales in the first year
  

All from one change. One button.

UX design helps business growth — especially when you remove friction. Here’s how UX design helps business teams beyond the interface:

• It removes confusion, so users act faster

• It boosts trust, so people feel safe paying you

• It aligns with product goals, not just aesthetics P.S. Be honest: Do you usually use “Guest Checkout” — or do you sign up right away?