Navigation redesign

We began by mapping out potential solutions, concerns, and constraints before moving into design. While the immediate problem was clear - our navigation could no longer accommodate additional categories - the solution required careful consideration.

At a surface level, introducing a dropdown seemed straightforward. However, this raised several important UX considerations:

• Long-standing user familiarity with the existing navigation structure.
• The impact of moving previously top-level items into nested menus.
• Opportunities to better utilise newly available space.

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This gave me a good foundation, it revealed clear patterns, including users clicking on non-interactive elements indicating misleading affordances (i.e. elements that look clickable but aren’t).

Given the scale of categories on the platform, I conducted a full audit of all categories and subcategories. We identified duplicates and outdated categories, we mapped hierarchical relationships, and we defined a cleaner, more scalable structure. These updates were documented and handed over to relevant teams to ensure the taxonomy (i.e. how content is organised and grouped) was accurate and maintainable.

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With a clear understanding of the content, we aligned on the approach of consolidating categories into a structured dropdown (mega menu). Before designing, I explored how other platforms handle large-scale navigation systems, identifying patterns for organising dense information without overwhelming users.

Using Google Analytics, we identified that just over half of users accessed the site via mobile. We also identified that desktop users relied heavily on the navigation bar. This insight shaped our approach, as we prioritised clarity and efficiency on desktop, where navigation usage is highest. We also ensured consistency across breakpoints, while adapting patterns appropriately for mobile.

The final solution introduced a mega menu-style dropdown, triggered on hover. Users can access top-level categories or drill down into subcategories without friction, there is clear grouping and hierarchy making it easier to scan and navigate, and we’ve reduced clutter at top level by consolidating categories simplified the navigation bar while maintaining access to all content.

Additionally, we created new opportunities beyond usability, such as, retail space and increased product visibility.

We introduced promotional placements within the dropdown, allowing retailers to advertise within relevant categories - driving additional revenue and visibility. Key areas such as Compare, Gift Cards, and Refer & Earn were elevated to top-level navigation, increasing their prominence.

The updated navigation has been live for several years with strong performance indicators, such as, no drop-off in category engagement despite structural changes, no increase in customer service queries related to navigation or findability, and an increased traffic to newly promoted product areas. Overall, the redesign successfully balanced scalability, usability, and business value supporting both user needs and commercial goals.