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PUR Waters — Trust-Driven E-Commerce platform

Case Study

PUR Waters

Extending the Digital Experience with Trust-Driven E-Commerce

Client PUR
Role UX Designer
Team 3 UX Designers
Focus E-Commerce · Trust Design · SaaS

Overview

From informational to indispensable.

PUR's website maintained strong brand consistency and solid information architecture, but lacked the ability to close the loop on purchase. Users would learn about products, then leave to compare and buy elsewhere. The initiative transformed PUR's digital presence from a passive information resource into an active decision-support and commerce platform.

The goal: guide users from uncertainty toward confident purchasing within a single, trusted ecosystem, without sacrificing the brand clarity PUR had already built.

User Concern 01

"Is my water actually safe?"

User Concern 02

"Which filter is right for my home?"

User Concern 03

"Can I confidently buy this here without second-guessing my decision later?"

Project Goal

Seamless browse → decide → buy Reduce filter selection confusion Build trust through transparency Increase engagement & conversion

Part 01

From Browsing to Buying.

Users explored products but completing a purchase required leaving the PUR site entirely, disrupting momentum at the most critical decision moment. We redesigned the end-to-end flow to keep users in one ecosystem, from discovery to checkout.

The Journey Redesign

Old Journey

Learn Leave PUR Compare elsewhere Drop-off

Broken loop: user exits the ecosystem before converting.

New Journey

Explore Understand Get Recommendation Buy

Complete loop: confidence built, purchase completed, trust earned.

Brand research — competitor analysis and positioning

Brand research: competitive landscape, positioning gaps, and purchase flow benchmarks.

See Full Brand Research
New purchase flow — User Journey Map

New Purchase Flow · User Journey Map. Explore → Understand → Get Recommendation → Buy.

E-Commerce prototype: browse to buy flow in action.

View E-Commerce Prototype

Part 02

Making Water Quality Visible.

Users lacked the confidence to justify their purchase decision. Without local, relevant context for what "water quality" actually meant for their home, the selection process felt abstract and overwhelming.

"How might we make water quality feel personal, understandable, and trustworthy?"

Trust breakdown map — where users lost confidence

Zooming into the Evaluate stage, where trust broke down and users abandoned the decision process.

XYZ Statement · Design Intent

"We help health-conscious individuals make informed decisions about their water filtration needs by offering an interactive community Water Quality Map that provides real-time data and personalized recommendations based on location."

User Flow

Enter ZIP View Local Water Summary Explore Contaminants Get Recommendations
Solution screens — water quality map and filter recommendations
Annotated UI screens with design rationale

Annotated UI Screens: design rationale, interaction states, and edge case documentation.

Part 03

Reducing Last Minute Hesitation.

Even with a clearer purchase path and localized water quality data, some users still hesitated at the final moment. We integrated a conversational SaaS solution to support users precisely when doubt emerged, without adding friction or pressure.

"How might we support users at the exact moment of hesitation, without adding friction, complexity, or pressure?"

Live Chat integration: real-time support at the hesitation moment.

The live chat system was designed to match the brand's tone, helpful, not pushy. Key capabilities engineered into the flow:

Greetings Use of Prompts Transfer to Human Agent Default Fallback Reviews
Platform
Livechat

Conclusion

Three parts. One complete journey.

The initiative progressed through three integrated phases, each addressing a distinct layer of the trust and conversion problem. Together, they close the loop between brand awareness and committed purchase.

Part 01

Complete browse-to-buy journey: users can discover, evaluate, and purchase without leaving the ecosystem.

Part 02

Water quality made visible and locally relevant, with the right filter recommendation grounded in real data.

Part 03

Last-mile hesitation reduced, with real-time support at the exact moment doubt would have caused drop-off.

"Trust isn't built by adding more information; it's built by helping users feel confident at the right moment."

What's next: Validate data source partnerships for the Water Quality Map, measure conversion behavior post-launch, and explore scaling the live chat support layer with AI-assisted triage to handle volume without sacrificing the human touch.

Next Project

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