Age Verification

Situation

A large e-cigarette company faced significant challenges with its age verification process. Users encountered friction during onboarding, leading to high drop-off rates and frustration. The reliance on traditional ID upload methods was cumbersome and raised concerns about privacy. Additionally, strict regulatory requirements for age-restricted products demanded a seamless yet secure solution to reduce compliance risks while maintaining a positive user experience.

This challenge presented an opportunity to revolutionize their onboarding experience by integrating a modern, biometric-based age verification system.

“The onboarding experience with IDs seems to be a little lengthy, I think with Arcoscan we can tighten that up.” - CPO said.

Research Insight: Competitor analysis showed that biometric verification significantly reduced onboarding time while maintaining compliance. Internal data also indicated that users who experienced ID upload failures were 50% more likely to abandon the onboarding process altogether.

Visual Suggestion: Side-by-side comparison of traditional ID verification vs. biometric verification.

Task

Our goal was to design and implement a biometric-based age verification system that:

• Reduced onboarding drop-offs by at least 25%.

• Ensured strict compliance with legal standards.

• Fostered trust among users by emphasizing ease, security, and transparency.

Visual Suggestion: Flowchart outlining the new verification process vs. the old one.

Action

We approached the project with a structured, research-driven process:

Research & Ideation

• Partnered with a UX researcher to conduct interviews with 12 Juul users and internal stakeholders.

• Identified critical pain points, such as frustration with manual ID uploads and privacy concerns.

• Worked closely with legal teams to ensure all regulatory compliance requirements were met.

Design & Prototyping

• Designed an intuitive user flow with clear instructions, real-time feedback, and progress indicators.

• Implemented camera prompts optimized to build user trust while guiding them through the verification process.

• Developed fallback mechanisms for users experiencing verification failures to prevent unnecessary drop-offs.

• Ensured accessibility and alignment with Juul’s visual identity to create a cohesive experience.

“The real-time feedback during verification made me feel more confident in the process.” - Beta Tester Feedback

Visual Suggestion: Wireframe of the biometric verification interface.

Implementation & Testing

• Collaborated with engineers to seamlessly integrate the Arcoscan SDK into Juul’s platform.

• Optimized for low latency and ensured API compatibility across devices.

• Conducted usability testing with 10 beta users to identify and refine problem areas.

• Iterated on design based on feedback, improving unclear camera prompts and delays in feedback.

Visual Suggestion: Heatmap showing engagement during the verification process.

Result

The redesigned age verification process produced significant improvements:

• 30% Drop-Off Reduction: Onboarding completion rates increased substantially.

• Verification Time Under 45 Seconds: Users could now complete verification in under a minute.

• 92% User Satisfaction: Participants reported a seamless and trustworthy experience.

• Full Compliance Achieved: Ensured Juul met all age-verification regulatory requirements.

“This new process is so much smoother—I don’t feel like I’m jumping through hoops to verify my age.” - User Survey Response

Although the Juul partnership ultimately did not move forward, the project led to a breakthrough in biometric verification technology. Our system reached an accuracy rate of 99%, matching Apple’s Face ID standards. This achievement allowed us to pivot our technology into new applications, ensuring long-term value beyond the initial project scope.

Visual Suggestion: Final impact summary with engagement metrics and accuracy rates.