Tovala, a smart oven and meal delivery service, was struggling to convert Costco shoppers into long-term subscribers. Customers would often buy the oven in-store without committing to the meal plan, making the business model unsustainable.

The challenge was to bridge the gap between purchase and subscription, and do it in a way that felt effortless, intuitive, and convincing in a fast-paced retail environment. My role was to design a seamless interface that solved this problem, to reduce friction and build trust right at the point of sale.

Solution

To close the gap between oven purchases and subscription sign-ups, I designed a seamless interaction inspired by Apple’s NameDrop feature. With a quick NFC tap, Costco reps can instantly send a personalized meal plan offer to a shopper’s phone, removing friction and skipping manual entry, since most phones already have details ready for autofill.

Tovala already offered a $60 discount for the first month, but I reframed it into something more tangible and persuasive: one month free. Framing it this way made the offer feel simpler, more valuable, and easier to say yes to. The system is set to auto-renew after the first month, increasing the likelihood of continued subscriptions unless the customer actively cancels.

This solution addressed two key problems: reducing procrastination by making sign-up instant, and building trust through direct, in-person engagement supported by a limited-time offer. By borrowing intuitive tech behaviors and focusing on ease and clarity, the system encourages shoppers to commit to both the oven and the meal plan to ensure tg Tovala’s subscription model can thrive.

My Musings

This project was the kind of challenge I love—real-world, strategic, and full of possibilities. My professor, Elliott Beazley, brought in a real company with a real problem, and we were tasked with designing a meaningful solution. It wasn’t just about making an interface; it was about rethinking the entire experience; considering the business model, user behavior, and how design could actually move the needle for Tovala.

I loved thinking through the business side of things, what incentives could actually shift user behavior? How do you make a subscription feel like a no-brainer instead of an afterthought? And designing a system that felt natural and effortless for users. Every choice had to be intentional, from how the Costco rep introduced the offer to how the experience flowed seamlessly. It reminded me why I love design, not just as a visual practice, but as a way of solving problems that actually shape how people interact with the world.