Reinventing the commission landscape for Tours and Experiences operators
Summary
Context
Accelerate was designed to transform Viator’s static supplier commission system into a dynamic, gamified model. By treating commissions as an advertising spend, suppliers could gain more exposure, and Viator saw new revenue streams. This project served as a high-impact pivot from a manual, flat-rate model toward an incentive-based, scalable marketplace solution.
Project Brief
- Position Viator for global expansion without major disruptions
- Overhaul an outdated commission structure to motivate suppliers to offer higher rates in exchange for greater visibility
- Validate a new gamified approach through incremental testing in selected market
Client
Viator - a Tripadvisor company
My role
Lead UX Designer & Researcher: Oversaw discovery, prototyping, usability testing, and overall product vision Interim Product Manager: Filled a gap when the original PM left, then onboarded the incoming PM Strategic Alignment: Served on the Steering Group with top executives, ensuring a consistent roadmap and hiring additional design talent once the project scaled
Timeline
12 months (MVP in 6 months, global rollout afterward)
Outcomes
Global rollout validated the gamified commission approach, providing a blueprint for future supplier incentives Improved alignment across engineering, finance, and design teams, reducing friction and ensuring smooth expansions
3%
increase in overall take rate within 12 months
14%
Increase in annual revenue
1%
above the original MVP goal
Approach
Discovery & Vision
The first step was to immerse myself in Viator’s existing commission workflows, meeting with suppliers to learn why they’d resist or embrace dynamic rates. We discovered that transparency—knowing who’s paying more and why—was a crucial motivator.
One user flow's screen's in Figma
Gamified Commission Model
Armed with user insights, we created a “visibility score” concept. Suppliers could see exactly how an increased commission would boost their listing’s placement. Through iterative prototyping and usability tests, we refined core features like competitor comparisons, ensuring clarity without overwhelming operators.
MVP Launch
We launched an MVP in a smaller U.S. market to measure real-world impact. The model resonated with suppliers, and initial metrics outperformed our expectations—eventually leading to the 3% overall take rate lift.
Steering & Scale
Serving on the Steering Group, I orchestrated stakeholder buy-in for a global rollout. Once the MVP succeeded locally, we scaled internationally, maintaining the user-centric design and regularly iterating based on live data.
