A respond by Ruangguru toward new Google Play Billing policy
- Platform: Mobile app, desktop & mobile web
- Timeline: Juli - October 2022
- Role: Research, UI Design, & project lead of design
THE BRIEF
The beginning
Google has addressed the presence of the payment system within the Google Play Billing System (GPB). According to Wilson White, the VP of Public Policy for Google Play & Android, this system is a means of supporting sustained investment in Android and the Google Play Store. White likens it to the expenses that any store owner or manager incurs in order to keep their establishment running, such as utilities, security, marketing, and staff. The fees associated with digital in-app purchases enable Google to generate revenue and sustain their investments in both Android and the Play Store.
Previously, sources at CNBC Indonesia reported that startups had expressed concerns about the Google Play Billing System. Google imposes service fees on applications, ranging from 15% to 30% of purchases, and requires the mandatory use of GPB while prohibiting the use of alternative payment options. These rules have been seen as burdensome because many startups offering apps on Google Play operate with margins below 30%.
Source: CNBC - Apa Itu Biaya Google Play Billing, Sempat Diprotes Startup RI
THE MARKET
Made of transaction by Ruangguru in 2021
… From early 2021 to the end of the same year, approximately 73% of transactions fell into this category. In contrast, around 22% of transactions were conducted through Android, with an additional 4% via iOS.
Getting to Know What's the Objective
Gather all our assumptions and hypothesis, what's the possible problem, possible solution, also the question.
THE NEW WAY
The new strategy
By this situation, Ruangguru feels objected. According to the number of transaction in Ruangguru app (Android), it covered around ~20% of total transactions made. In despite of the majority of transactions are made from direct sales by sales team, going directly to the schools and parents. Number of ~20% transactions were still huge. Moreover, Google is planned to applied new terms by Google Play Billing system (GPB).
While Indonesian Government represented by KPPU was tried to do further investigation and communicated with Google as a platform of Google
Play Store provider.
Some initial solutions were studied deeply, such as building own Ruangguru's "Google Play Store", follow the new terms of Google Play Billing system (GPB), and suggesting all of Ruangguru customer to do transaction inside of Ruangguru environment:
- sales (outbound or inbound education consultant), or
- suggesting anyone who plan to buy in-app to buy on the website instead.
rather than Android in-app transaction.
ACTORS
Existing process of transactions are made from Android in-app purchase
ACTORS
Who will be involved directly to this new process
Existing purchase flow of Android in-app
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Homepage RG app
Product list
Variation of package
Review
User credential
Select method
Assumption: what we have to do to make it better CVR?
Improve clarity at a glance, which one they want to choose
Easily to differentiate, which one is longer or shorter period of life time package
The final chance for Ruangguru to “distract” user to do payment outside of Ruangguru in-app purchase
Improve awareness, easy to spot where to buy a package
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For some people who doesn’t have Google account, it could be a barrier to increase CVR
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Threat: this prompt potentially will be replaced by Google with Google Play Billing system
The Concepts
We’ve planned to do test with several concepts of improvements. Each of them will be used in A/B testing research. As result, the best CVR will be selected to be the main flow.
One of them is still against the new policy, but it will be tested only for checking to the Google monitoring.
UI improvements
We’ve understand the goals and problems. Then we need to focus on one of solution we’ve talked about, which is “redirecting user from purchasing in-app to purchasing in Ruangguru website.
UI of B1: Google billing with directing link
This redirection will be suggesting user to complete the payment in the RG website, by pressing the button in the banner area, nudges in draft invoice, and information of Google Play additional fees
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Homepage RG app
Prompt
GOAL:
To improve the awareness, when user open RG app they will get this prompt immediately
METRIC:
- How many user will contact the customer service by this entry point.
- How many user who has similar account visit and login to Ruangguru website
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Product list
Two version of new product list:
- With button: this is legally incorrect, but RG set this action to be configurable.
- Without button: aligned with the terms, RG doesn’t give any redirection link.
GOALS:
- The information of 30% discount is to giving a correlation between Android app and website.
- To emphasizing user that purchasing on the website is cheaper than in-app, because it’s free from any additional fees.
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Variation of package
Android app
Website
Point of improvements:
- Placed a nudge with a discount badge, and information about how-to purchase the product of Ruangguru.
- Placed a “Tanya Admin” button to get instantly contact with CS for further support.
GOALS:
- Users are interested to see how-to purchase, then consciously and intentionally purchase the package through Ruangguru website.
- Users can spotted the “Tanya Admin” button, and it will become a leads for Ruangguru to approach them in future.
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Review
Point of improvements:
- The information about possible additional fees by Google Play, explicitly.
- Offer an alternative way to purchase RG product with 30% cheaper than purchase directly in-app.
GOALS:
- Users can spotted and understand why additional fees applied.
- This screen is the last crucial part. The result after this page are only continue to pay with Google Billing, abandoned the transaction, or open RG website.
Conduct
In-depth Interviews w/ Students and Parents
Now we have some alternatives, before the design team provide to the product team for A/B testing, I conduct to test the design with parents and students
Benchmarking to Spotify as a consumable app only (without transaction)
To understand what's good, and what needs to improve. We focused on how other company implied with the new term of Google Play Billing.
There is an update from the policy, now Google has been introduced a User Choice Billing. It gives freedom to user to what they want to choose.
