Increasing exam sales by removing search complexity.
company
Saúde iD — digital healthcare marketplace
role
UX Researcher
timeframe
1-month validation
tools
WhatsApp, Google Optmize
problem
Saúde iD, a digital healthcare marketplace, was underperforming in exam sales, reaching only 27% of its quarterly target. Behavioral data suggested that users, often purchasing exams under time pressure and with limited familiarity with medical terminology, were struggling to complete purchases through the existing search experience.
evidence
Key behavioral signals indicated structural friction within the search flow:
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64% of homepage visitors did not initiate a search
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Only 4% of users who searched for an exam clicked on any result
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Average session duration: 1 minute and 40 seconds
hypotesis
The same exam appeared under different names depending on the medical reference used, increasing cognitive load and abandonment during search.
How might we help users complete exam purchases... if our traditional search is not effective?
the experiment
Based on this, simplifying the exam search process was identified as a way to increase purchase completion. The goal was to validate a short-term, low-effort solution that reduced search complexity and generated evidence to inform product decisions.
I designed a short-term operational experiment to test whether removing search entirely could improve purchase completion. The experiment leveraged existing support workflows and WhatsApp as a transactional channel, allowing us to validate the hypothesis under real-world constraints without new development.
01.
entry point
Usando o OptmiDesigned a WhatsApp-based flow that allowed users to send their medical prescription directly.
02.
trigger
Added a homepage CTA directing users to this flow, implemented via Google Optimize to avoid new development.
03.
operational setup
Defined an operational workflow where the support team interpreted prescriptions, created a pre-filled cart, and sent a checkout link.
04.
standardization
Created a standardized script for the support team to ensure consistent interactions.
05.
measurement
Defined measurement criteria, including CTA click-through rate, WhatsApp initiation, and completed purchases.
the result
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The experiment resulted in a 30% increase in completed exam purchases.
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All transactions were completed through WhatsApp, providing strong evidence that reducing cognitive effort, rather than improving search quality, was the primary driver of conversion.
The experiment provided sufficient evidence for the product team to prioritize a native prescription upload feature. The prescription reader is now part of the platform, reflecting a lasting product change informed by research-led experimentation.
WhatsApp remained as a supporting channel while the in-platform solution was developed.
Image of prescription reader feature
reflections and takeaways
This case reinforced that search optimization is not always the right problem to solve. In this context, removing an interaction entirely proved more effective than refining it. Operational experiments can be powerful research tools when product development is constrained, enabling faster learning and more confident investment decisions.