CARTrivia

A playful checkout intervention that uses memory-based interaction to reduce impulse buying, prompting users to recall items in their cart before purchase to encourage more intentional, reflective decision-making.

Team

Julya Lima

Timeline

April 2025

Tools Used

Claude AI (Working prototype), Figma

Pink and black abstract digital art featuring a dotted upward arrow pattern.
Mobile phone screen showing an online shopping cart with a popup notification that says 'CARTrvia Activated! You've added items too quickly. Play CARTrivia to continue'.

The Problem

My Solution

Online shopping environments are designed for speed and convenience, often encouraging impulse purchases driven by persuasive design, emotional triggers, and passive browsing. This leads to unnecessary spending, high return rates, and increased environmental impact.

CARTrivia introduces friction at checkout by turning the cart into a short memory-based challenge. Before completing a purchase, users must identify the items they added, prompting reflection on what they actually remember and value. The concept is inspired by Chindōgu principles (designing slightly absurd but thought-provoking solutions that challenge everyday behaviors) using playfulness to disrupt impulse buying without restricting the user.

Close-up of a woman with long brown hair, brown eyes, and a small pearl earring, smiling softly.

Persona

Emily Jackson

Age: 29

Occupation: Social Media Manager

    • Frequently shops online on her phone during downtime

    • Quick to engage with trends and product recommendations (especially TikTok)

    • Drawn to visually appealing or clever UI experiences

    • Often makes quick, impulse purchases

    • Wants to feel more intentional about her spending

    • Reduce impulse purchases without feeling restricted

    • Open to playful, non-intrusive design interventions

    • Prefers engaging experiences over strict limitations

    • Regret after making impulsive purchases

    • Overconsumption and unnecessary spending

    • Feels environmental guilt from excessive buying

Interaction Flow Chart

〰️

Interaction Flow Chart 〰️

Pink halved butterfly with dotted wings on black background.

Figma Prototype

〰️

Figma Prototype 〰️

When users rapidly add items and head to checkout, CARTrivia steps in to disrupt the impulse buying flow.

For each item added, CARTrivia presents a look-alike product, and the user has three seconds to identify the correct one from their cart.

If the user correctly identifies their item, it stays in the cart and remains available for purchase.

If the user selects incorrectly, it shows they didn’t take enough time to look and think about the item, indicating impulse shopping behavior.

Incorrectly chosen items are placed in a “cool-down cart,” where they can only be purchased after two hours, giving users time to reflect.