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The Lab Behind Better Checkouts

We're a dedicated team of UX researchers, conversion specialists, and e-commerce engineers obsessed with one thing: making checkout better.

We Believe Every Good Product Deserves a Checkout That Sells It

CheckoutUX Lab was founded on a simple observation: most e-commerce stores have excellent products and terrible checkouts. The result? Billions in lost revenue every year from fixable UX problems.

We exist to bridge that gap — bringing the rigor of user research, the craft of experience design, and the discipline of conversion rate optimization to every client engagement.

Based in Tokyo, we work with e-commerce brands globally — from growing DTC brands to enterprise retailers — to systematically eliminate the friction that prevents purchases.

Evidence over intuition — every decision is data-backed
Practical impact — we measure everything in revenue
Radical transparency — no vanity metrics, only honest results
User-first thinking — conversion follows experience quality
CUX 📍 Kanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
2019
Founded in Tokyo
120+
Clients Served
200+
A/B Tests Run
$8.4M
Revenue Recovered
18
Team Members
12
Countries

Meet the People Behind the Lab

James Hartwell

Founder & Checkout Strategist

10 years in CRO and UX. Former lead at a global payments company. Author of "The Friction-Free Checkout."

CROUX ResearchStrategy

Yuki Tanaka

Head of UX Design

Worked with Rakuten, Uniqlo, and several DTC brands in Asia. Specializes in mobile-first checkout design.

UI DesignMobile UXFigma

Sarah Chen

Data & Analytics Lead

PhD in Behavioral Economics. Designs all A/B test methodologies and runs statistical analysis for client projects.

AnalyticsA/B TestingData Science

Marcus Webb

Engineering Director

Full-stack engineer specializing in Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom checkout implementations. 8 years e-commerce engineering.

ShopifyReactA/B Infra

How CheckoutUX Lab Was Built

2019

Founded in Tokyo

James Hartwell founded CheckoutUX Lab after identifying checkout friction as the most under-addressed problem in e-commerce. Started with 3 clients and a simple hypothesis: better checkout = more revenue.

2020

First Major Breakthrough

Our guest checkout implementation for NordStyle drove a 62% increase in conversion, establishing our methodology and attracting referral clients. Grew to a team of 6.

2021

Methodology Published

James published "The Friction-Free Checkout," establishing CheckoutUX as a thought leader. Blog began attracting 50,000+ monthly visitors. Team grew to 10.

2023

International Expansion

Opened client partnerships across Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. Launched our remote-first team structure with members in 8 countries.

2026

Today: $8.4M in Recovered Revenue

18-person team, 120+ clients served, 200+ A/B tests shipped. CheckoutUX Lab is the leading specialist for e-commerce checkout optimization in Asia-Pacific.

Based in the Heart of Tokyo

Our main office is located in Kanda, Chiyoda City — one of Tokyo's most vibrant and well-connected districts, surrounded by tech companies, agencies, and the energy of a city that never stops innovating.

CheckoutUX Lab

5-4-6 Kanda, Chiyoda City
Tokyo 101-0047, Japan

hello@bookreadcorner.com

CheckoutUX Lab — Kanda, Tokyo Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan

Work With Our Team

Ready to make your checkout the strongest part of your business? Let's talk.

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