Tax Checkout
Legislation • Compliance
Project Info
Project Info
Viki was absorbing consumer digital taxes on every transaction, costing an estimated $660K/year across the US and Canada. Viki wants to enable tax-exclusive pricing with accurate state- and province-level tax calculation across new checkouts and renewals — with minimal disruption to the purchase experience and full legal compliance.
Viki was absorbing consumer digital taxes on every transaction, costing an estimated $660K/year across the US and Canada. Viki wants to enable tax-exclusive pricing with accurate state- and province-level tax calculation across new checkouts and renewals — with minimal disruption to the purchase experience and full legal compliance.
My Role
My Role
01
01
Researcher
Researcher
Conduct market research on competitors in the SVOD and TVOD market on how they are presenting tax.
Conduct market research on competitors in the SVOD and TVOD market on how they are presenting tax.
02
02
Designer
Designer
Design and present how tax will be presented on the updated checkout flow. Provide variations for research conducted.
Design and present how tax will be presented on the updated checkout flow. Provide variations for research conducted.
Before implementing tax
Before implementing tax
01
01
Communicate tax introduction
Communicate tax introduction
We emailed all customers one month prior to enabling tax. The email is designed to get users to update their billing address, while setting the expectation that tax would be charged in their next billing cycle. This is highlighted by the main CTA prompting users to "Update Billing Address".
We emailed all customers one month prior to enabling tax. The email is designed to get users to update their billing address, while setting the expectation that tax would be charged in their next billing cycle. This is highlighted by the main CTA prompting users to "Update Billing Address".
02
02
Backfilling customer's address
Backfilling customer's address
We had to ensure every customer has a valid billing address so we can identify taxable US/CA regions. We built a new form for users to update their billing address manually, reachable from the email and from account settings.
We had to ensure every customer has a valid billing address so we can identify taxable US/CA regions. We built a new form for users to update their billing address manually, reachable from the email and from account settings.
Considerations for implementation
Considerations for implementation
Simplified vs Full breakdown
Simplified vs Full breakdown
We made the comparison across five criteria — compliance, UI/UX, industry alignment, clarity, and risk — and brought it to the executive team for a decision. Both examples were guided by legal counsel which advised that while disclosing the full breakdown is ideal, the "plus applicable sales tax" option is generally acceptable too.
We made the comparison across five criteria — compliance, UI/UX, industry alignment, clarity, and risk — and brought it to the executive team for a decision. Both examples were guided by legal counsel which advised that while disclosing the full breakdown is ideal, the "plus applicable sales tax" option is generally acceptable too.
Option 1: Simplified Tax
Option 1: Simplified Tax
Option 2: Full breakdown
Option 2: Full breakdown
Option 1:
Simplified Tax
Option 1:
Simplified Tax
Option 2:
Full Breakdown
Option 2:
Full Breakdown
Legal / Compliance
Legal / Compliance
Compliant
Compliant
Compliant, and external counsel reccomended
Compliant, and external counsel reccomended
UI / UX
UI / UX
Clean, Streamlined, more scalable
Clean, Streamlined, more scalable
Cluttered, especially in mobile view
Cluttered, especially in mobile view
Industry Alignment
Industry Alignment
Common practice
(OTT and Subscription Services)
Common practice
(OTT and Subscription Services)
Not commonly found in OTT services
Not commonly found in OTT services
Clarity
Clarity
Base price + disclaimer
Base price + disclaimer
High transparency
(full breakdown shown)
High transparency
Risks
Risks
Potential perception of less transparency
Potential perception of less transparency
Additional technical complexity and overhead
Additional technical complexity and overhead
Final Choice
“Simplified Tax is a common practice within the OTT industry and keeps all the information visible above the fold on mobile.”
“Simplified Tax is a common practice within the OTT industry and keeps all the information visible above the fold on mobile.”
Final Implementation
Final Implementation
01
01
Simplified Tax breakdown on checkout
Simplified Tax breakdown on checkout
With all things considered, the final decision was to implement the simplified version on checkout.
With all things considered, the final decision was to implement the simplified version on checkout.
Happy flow - no discounts and no upgrade
Happy flow - no discounts and no upgrade
Happy flow - no discounts and no upgrade
Checkout with promo code and discount applied
Checkout with promo code and discount applied
Checkout with promo code and discount applied
Checkout with promo code and discount applied (mobile)
Checkout with promo code and discount
Checkout with promo code and discount applied (mobile)
02
02
Full breakdown in Billing History
Full breakdown in Billing History
Customers expect to find the full breakdown of the bill in the billing history page. The breakdown will include - Subtotal, Discount (if any), Tax, what the tax is for, and the tax rate.
Customers expect to find the full breakdown of the bill in the billing history page. The breakdown will include - Subtotal, Discount (if any), Tax, what the tax is for, and the tax rate.
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