Prioritizing customer needs and streamlining complexity for sales growth

As the audiobook industry evolved from physical CDs to MP3s and streaming, Recorded Books recognized the need to expand its digital presence but lacked a clear strategy. The existing website was:

• Difficult to navigate, leading to a poor customer experience.
• Technically complex, with multiple pricing models, subscriptions, and discount structures.
• Fragmented, with different rules for tax, royalties, and pricing across regions.
• Disconnected, requiring integration with multiple internal and third-party systems.

Without a modern, customer-centric platform, Recorded Books risked losing market share to more agile competitors.

To solve these challenges, we took an outside-in approach, prioritizing the needs of customers over internal constraints. Our process included:

1. Global customer research – We conducted 25 in-person workshops across the US and UK and ran remote sessions with Australian customers. By shadowing users and understanding their pain points, we identified a demand for a simpler, more intuitive buying experience.
2. Tailored regional solutions – To address tax, pricing, and royalty complexities, we built three region-specific websites for the US, UK/Europe, and Australasia, each optimized for local regulations.
3. Ecommerce and personalization – We introduced recently viewed titles, personalized recommendations, and improved title detail pages, enhancing user engagement and sales conversions.
4. Technology integration – We streamlined Recorded Books’ infrastructure, consolidating five internal systems into a seamlessly connected MarTech stack.

By prioritizing customer needs, streamlining complexity, and leveraging the right technology, Recorded Books transformed its digital presence into a powerful sales driver - ensuring sustained growth and solidifying its leadership in the audiobook industry.