Paws Group · 2022–23

Re-platforming Paws around pets, not products

Paws moved from a traditional online shop to a subscription-first pet wellness service. I redesigned the basket, My Account and the Pet Profile so the new platform felt personal from the first visit.

Product Designer (contract) · PM, 3 designers, agency developers

What it was

In late 2022, Paws set out to move from a traditional e-commerce platform to a subscription-first pet wellness service. The old platform wasn't built for recurring, personalised care, and with only 20% of pet owners having insurance, there was a clear opportunity.

Research showed what owners struggle with: fitting reliable care around work, separation anxiety and behaviour, and keeping fussy eaters happy and healthy. My part was three core areas of the new platform: the basket, My Account, and the Pet Profile with its Health Check.

What I learned

Put the subscription where the decision happens
People kept missing the benefits of subscribing. Instead of explaining them elsewhere, we built subscription options into the product cards, set sensible defaults for the context, and showed community reviews to build trust right at the moment of choosing.
Keep the pet at the centre
We reorganised My Account into a hub-and-spoke dashboard with the customer's pets in the middle. Essential tasks got easier to reach, and personalised content and seasonal tips gave people a reason to come back.
Personalisation should feel like a conversation, not a form
Long onboarding forms were a pain point, so we split the Pet Profile into small, manageable steps. The Health Check followed the same idea: a clear structure and hierarchy that guides owners through regular check-ins instead of asking for everything at once.