Travel-need formationACQUISITION
Mode + provider comparisonACQUISITION
Install decisionACQUISITION
The numberInactive default Trainline 41.7% / TOC direct 34.5%
What customers say'Trainline feels more slick / I trust it more'
Native push prompt (opt-in)BOTH
The insightSets downstream push reach for the whole lifecycle
The barrierTrust / opt-in
The numberPush opt-in accept rate TBC (fires up to 3×/session)
What customers say'It would be good to get notification of the auction starting and finishing'
Iterate survey, 15 Aug 2026
Welcome screenPRODUCT
The number45% install→sign-up drop (about 19,706/mo)
What customers say'I didn't know if I needed a ticket'
Sign-up method choicePRODUCT
Account creation / email verifyPRODUCT
The insightMany don't recall opting in
The numberMagic-code verification collapses to about 707 (severe drop)
Home station setupPRODUCT
In-app content card (always-on)COMMS
The insightPassive engagement layer, not a conversion driver
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberContent-card CTR / opt-in CVR TBC
Onboarding→Home first-search ambiguityBOTH
The barrierComprehension
The numberAbout 0.62% take no action (lower priority than assumed)
What customers say'Don't understand Seatfrog upgrades existing tickets'
HOME defaultPRODUCT
The number18,241 iOS new-users land on home; first-session exit TBC
What customers say'App is quite busy, confusing at first'
Returning-user home: personalised landingBOTH
The insightHome looks the same for everyone: no personalised next-best-action, live/next trip, or relevant-route surface for a returning user
04
Auction Search
6 moments
Search ResultsBOTH
The insightStandard Premium 77% neg; FC/SP confusion 113 reviews
The barrierPrice perception
The number25% step drop about 27,521/mo (iOS CVR 10.45% / Android 9.05%)
What customers say'There was no clear or prominent warning that Seatfrog was now offering Standard Premium instead of First Class'
Zendesk, 17 Aug 2026; theme: 2,090 mentions in 12 months
Dead-end opt-in capture (alerts)BOTH
The insightHigh-intent failed-search = a strong capture moment
The barrierRoute coverage
The numberZero-result search volume TBC: sizable from the search-results class-count properties, definition with Analytics
What customers say'Wish there were more train journeys available; I wanted one for the second part of my journey but no upgrades were available'
Iterate survey, 6 Aug 2026
Dead-end: route not liveBOTH
The barrierRoute coverage
The number25% of inactive users hit a hard route blocker
What customers say'I looked for my route, nothing came up, so I left'
Dead-end: too earlyBOTH
The insightUsers searching far ahead hit zero results
The barrierTiming window
The numberDate-window Route Watch opt-in CVR TBC
'Do you have a ticket?' routingPRODUCT
Bid Add StartCOMMS
The barrierConfidence
The numberBid-add 48% drop about 34,127/mo, biggest controllable leak (a second funnel read disagrees; reconciliation open with Analytics)
What customers say'Do I still pay if I lose?'; accidental-bid anxiety 3,009 tickets
Price-rejection silent exitCOMMS
The insightFraming problem, not cost, '£50 to upgrade, not cheaper'
The barrierPrice perception
The number33% cite price; 16% confusion
What customers say'Prices are now too high. It's not worth it'
Google Play review, 12 Aug 2026; theme: 597 mentions in 12 months
Pre-bid / BUN routingPRODUCT
Confirmation abandonment recoveryCOMMS
The insightLast-moment price re-evaluation, not comprehension
The barrierCommitment fear
The number10,321/mo at Review & Confirm, highest recoverable cohort
What customers say'Give an idea how much the actual auction for certain routes goes for'
Iterate survey, 11 Aug 2026
In-lead pop-up (opt-in capture)BOTH
The insightPeak intent + peak trust; accidental-bid anxiety
The barrierTrust / opt-in
The numberIn-lead opt-in CVR TBC
Refer a Friend (mis-placed)COMMS
The insightAdvocacy converts from proven advocates, not first-timers
The barrierAdvocacy
The numberReferral sends 0.6 to 1.8% CTR
Accidental / wrong-train bidPRODUCT
The insightTaps too quickly / wrong service / date
The number3,009 accidental-bid tickets/yr (1,349 at Booking)
Bid PlacedPRODUCT
The insightEmotional micro-peak currently unsupported
Confirm BidPRODUCT
The number28.2% step drop about 10,321/mo; payment-add drop 84 to 96%
What customers say'Will I be on this train / is this real?', last-step doubt
Time Remaining Alert (T-30m)COMMS
The jobdon't let me miss the close
The barrierAttention off-app
The numberAlert click-through is not readable today: native pushes carry no open signal (no Android open event; iOS pushes are silent)
Braze estate audit, Aug 2026
What customers say'more frequent notifications towards the end of the bidding process'
Iterate survey, 8 Jun 2026
Live Activity · Real-time bid statusBOTH
The jobknow where my bid stands without opening the app
The barrierConfidence
The numberShips with Phase 2; adoption and lift are instrumented at launch
What customers say'no indication when my bid would resolve'
Iterate survey, 22 Jun 2026
Bid Status (Live Activity)PRODUCT
Win → 2nd winCOMMS
The jobbring me back for my second win before the habit fades
The barrierHabit formation
The numberM0→M1 cliff 20.15%→7.47% (−12.7pp); about 6,096 first wins/mo
What customers say'My first time. It was easy to use and I could see clearly that I was a winner. Will definitely use again'
Iterate survey, 16 Aug 2026
Loss recoveryCOMMS
The jobtell me what happened; don't make me feel I wasted my time
The barrierComprehension + payment trust
The number159,053 losing bidders a year; 46.2% of those absent at day 3 return within 30 days on their own
Analytics: sizing 8 Jul 2026; do-nothing baseline measured 17 Aug 2026
What customers say'I was the highest and only bidder, and I watched the auction timer count down to the end. However, I then received a notification stating that I had lost'
Zendesk, 2 Aug 2026
Outbid recoveryCOMMS
The jobknow outbid is not lost, and get back in front
The barrierComprehension
The number46% of bidders are outbid the moment they bid: 169,355 a year
Analytics, 8 Jul 2026 (the same figure the J4 pack sizes on)
What customers say'the app is showing that I have been outbid' (a £60 maximum against a £27 current bid)
Zendesk, 1 Jun 2026
First-win activation (Instant Win / BUN onramp)PRODUCT
The barrierConfidence
The numberNew→first-txn 23% (north star); 48% drop Auction Details→Bid (funnel reconciliation open with Analytics)
What customers say'Used Instant Win first, then got comfortable with auctions'
Knocked OutCOMMS
The jobwhy am I out, and what are my options?
The barrierComprehension
The numberRebid completion is not instrumented: no knocked-out event exists in the app taxonomy; the close-reason build adds it
Amplitude taxonomy, queried 19 Aug 2026
What customers say'I bid on 2 seats. At the last minute I increased my bid and won, but it had reverted back to one seat and I need 2'
Zendesk, 28 Jul 2026, via Pulse
Instant Win confirmationCOMMS
The barrierHabit formation
The numberInstant-win start to success: 40% on iOS, 25% on Android (last 90 days)
Amplitude user funnels, queried 19 Aug 2026
What customers say'Used Instant Win for my first upgrade', the doubt→loyalty switch
Day-before (anxiety peak)COMMS
The jobtell me exactly what happens with my ticket tomorrow
The barrierOn-train expectation
The numberPre-travel 59.7% neg; day-before unaddressed for upgrade-won
What customers say'More explanation about what happens to your ticket when you win the auction would help'
Iterate survey, 11 Aug 2026
Morning-of (T-0)BOTH
The jobget me to the right coach and seat without thinking
The barrierOn-train expectation
The numberMorning-of dark zone for upgrade-won
What customers say'Maybe an option to know seats are not together when booking for more than one person'
Iterate survey, 14 Aug 2026
Mid-window (T-7 to T-3)COMMS
The jobreassure me the upgrade is real before travel day
The barrierOn-train expectation
The numberPre-travel 59.7% neg; 1,753 tickets; anxiety theme 76.5% neg
The actual upgrade experienceBOTH
The jobmake first class feel like what I paid for
The barrierOn-train expectation
The number'First class on a packed train' = 545 mentions (18.2% of value)
What customers say'Standard Premium does not include the First Class service, including complimentary food and drinks, which I was expecting'
Zendesk, 17 Aug 2026; theme: 7,400 mentions in 12 months
In-journey upgrade trigger (next-trip intent)PRODUCT
The numberMost under-exploited upgrade-intent moment
What customers say'When my train is delayed I think about first class'
Station proximity (geo, no active booking)PRODUCT
Station → platform → seatPRODUCT
Reflection + savings reinforcementCOMMS
The jobshow me what I saved, without asking me for anything
The barrierHabit formation
The numberPost-travel = highest-leverage growth loop
What customers say'Easy app to use and saved a fortune'
Iterate survey, 2 Aug 2026, a first-timer
Re-booking nudgeCOMMS
The jobremind me when my next trip is due, not before
The barrierHabit formation
The numberM0→M1 cliff 20.15%→7.47%: the second-bid window is the lever
What customers say'I forgot I had it'; re-booking carries 24% negative
Advocacy momentCOMMS
The joblet me tell people while I'm still delighted
The barrierAdvocacy
The number76% of power users tell others post-win
What customers say'I told all my colleagues the moment I upgraded'
Rate / review promptCOMMS
The jobask me to rate it once, right after a good trip
The barrierAdvocacy
The numberSurvey responses single-digit due to broken links
12
Lapsing / Repeat
7 moments
Reactivation momentCOMMS
The insightHabit decays without a trigger; about 600k dormant
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberReactivation 0.24% vs 1.5% target, the single biggest gap
Midweek + Weekly reactivationCOMMS
The insightOne evergreen canvas + global cap + suppression + holdout
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberMidweek about £1.46/send vs reactivation about £0.30 to £0.50 (Braze last-touch revenue, not incremental)
Won-back / final attemptCOMMS
The insightLoss-aversion / one-time offer best for a last attempt
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberWon-back programme absent (gap); £5 one-off weak (3.9% open)
Early lapse-save (first slip)COMMS
The jobnotice when I miss my usual trip, and make coming back easy
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberContactable M3 5.3% vs non-contactable 3.1%
App re-open / welcome-backCOMMS
The insightThe app-open IS the intent signal: beats a generic home
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberReturn-session conversion TBC; trigger = re-open past 61d
Churned win-backCOMMS
The insightLong-lapsed converts on trust + route relevance, not discount
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberReactivation pool 279,876: lapsing, lapsed and churned
Warehouse, 30 Jul 2026
Dormant seasonal first-win wavesCOMMS
The insightSeasonal first-win intent
The barrierRe-engagement
The numberAbout 820k never-txn dormant
13
Service / Operational
3 moments
Auto-refund eligibilityOPS
The insightRefund-process pain a recurring flashpoint
The numberPart of about 12,359 disruption tickets/yr (TBC: Analytics/CS; figures don't reconcile: 4,836/4mo vs 17,416/12mo)
Disruption handlingOPS
The numberAbout 12,359 disruption tickets/yr, about 9k negative (TBC: Analytics/CS; 4,836/4mo vs 17,416/12mo don't reconcile)
What customers say'Couldn't cancel my bid'
User-initiated cancellation / changeOPS