Unifying Workflows to Lift Conversions

Refersion

Problem: Affiliates lost time and trust juggling tools, while marketing teams struggled to optimize performance.

Solution: I led research to unify discovery, tracking, and payouts into a single portal using an Insight–Recommendation– Action framework.

Impact: The result was 2× higher conversions and a 30% reduction in wasted ROAS.

User Problem-

“I need meaningful data and tools to grow my business. I don’t use Refersion’s Marketplace; it feels clunky without the data I need to scale my business.”

Context

Refersion helps e-commerce brands manage affiliate programs with publishers. As Refersion’s partnership with Shopify expanded, the company grew from 30 to 100 employees in 2021. I led end-to-end research across multiple product teams, translating customer behavior into product strategy.

TL;DR

Affiliates lost time and trust juggling tools, while marketing teams struggled to optimize performance. I led research to unify discovery, tracking, and payouts into a single portal using an Insight–Recommendation– Action framework. The result was 2× higher conversions and a 30% reduction in wasted ROAS.

What we shipped

Methodologies → Interviews, Focus groups, Co-design workshops, Usability testing, Usage Analytics

Single portal with one login:
Discovery, tracking, and payouts in one responsive app, eliminating context switching for the user, leading to fewer drop-offs and a smoother path from discovery to conversion.

Ranked Insight → Recommendation → Action Cards (AI-assisted):
Data-backed suggestions (e.g., “Boost Commission 10% on Offer X,” “Message Top 5 Partners”) that minimize guesswork and lead to higher-leverage moves.

Customizable dashboard with activity feed:
Dashboard included ranked IRA cards, performance widgets, and alerts, creating faster optimization

Payout transparency:
Clarified data on earnings, schedules, and issues, creating more trust in the system; fewer support tickets and improved retention.

Modernized UI patterns & responsive scaffolding:
Updated visual system and mobile-friendly flows for faster, more confident navigation on any device, decreasing the time on task.

Outcomes

Being updated

How I Drove Alignment

  • Decision-ready readouts that tied insight to action.

  • Exec-level reviews with simple “bets & trade-offs” framing.

  • Cross-functional demos to validate MVP scope before scaling.