On a content creation website, we publish articles. I am primarily a backend developer and need help with creating the most optimal checkout process.
What does the current flow look like today?
- A user enters a title and clicks on a CTA "get started"
- User is asked to enter an "email address" and a "first name". This creates a user (with temp password) in the database where we can assign the article request to a registered user.
- Upon successful registration the user is sent to our backend for authentication and to create the article request.
- After article request is created and submitted, the user is redirected to a dashboard where a payment popup comes up.
- A notice comes up redirecting them to add their address, change their password, etc (this is needed to ensure all required information is in the system prior to processing the actual payment)
- When address is entered, the user is redirected back to complete the payment
Just writing this out screams "unusable and overly complex".
Questions:
- What would be a better and more usable flow?
- How do you create an account for someone without requesting all that information up front?
- How would one ask for all necessary information in order to complete the payment (assuming this is a new user)?