Urbsurf lifts bookings with redesigned online system

URBNSURF has launched a redesigned online booking experience, with the overhaul lifting sales conversion to more than 10% by May 2026.

The new system was designed to address the complexity of booking surf sessions, where formats, skill levels and pricing structures can make online purchases harder to complete. Early results showed conversion rising from 6.1% to 6.7%, alongside a 13% drop in cart abandonment and a 31% reduction in checkout time.

Repeat booking rates also increased from 13% to 19%, while the first month of the new experience generated more than 10,000 online accounts. The changes also contributed to a 7% year-on-year increase in cash sales.

URBNSURF describes itself as the world's first multi-park surf park operator. Customer feedback at launch was positive, with 74% of users saying they completed their booking easily and 92% successfully completing bookings.

Booking challenge

The project focused on a long-running issue as URBNSURF's product range expanded. More session types and pricing options had added friction to the booking process, putting pressure on both customer experience and operations.

Gabrielle Wakeman, Head of Customer Strategy at URBNSURF, outlined the rationale for the overhaul. "This was about solving a real business problem that was impacting both our customers and our operations. As our offering has grown, the booking experience has become more complex, and our previous system wasn't keeping pace with that.

"We needed a platform that could handle that complexity while still feeling simple and intuitive for customers. The result is a booking experience that better reflects the quality of what we offer, while also delivering clear improvements in performance," Wakeman said.

URBNSURF worked with digital consultancy PALO IT on the build, with StudioSpace connecting the company to the supplier through its agency marketplace. The arrangement reflects a wider pattern of brands using specialist external partners for digital projects rather than relying on conventional agency procurement models.

StudioSpace said its platform includes 500 vetted specialist agencies globally and is designed to simplify sourcing, onboarding and contracting for brands that need technical or strategic support. For companies trying to move quickly, those administrative steps can delay work even when suitable expertise is available.

Robin Scarborough of StudioSpace said: "Fast-growing organisations often struggle to access the right specialist capability quickly, not because it doesn't exist, but because of the friction involved in finding, onboarding and contracting multiple suppliers.

"StudioSpace removes that friction. It gives brands access to a broad network of specialist agencies while simplifying how they engage them. For URBNSURF, that meant being able to move quickly and focus on solving the problem rather than navigating the process."

AI-led build

PALO IT said it used an AI-based development approach during the project. According to the consultancy, the process generated 95% of the requirements, code, documentation and product.

Tanguy Fournier Le Ray of PALO IT said: "This was a complex build, but we leveraged our Gen-e2 'AI-First' methodology to generate 95% of the requirements, code, documentation and product with AI. By deploying our battle-tested libraries of rules and prompts, this enabled URBNSURF to launch a high-quality new booking experience in record time.

"The approach allowed us to move quickly while building a platform that is scalable and flexible, giving URBNSURF a strong foundation for future growth."

The booking system is now live across the business. Alongside higher conversion, the drop in checkout time and the rise in repeat bookings suggest a commercial payoff from reducing friction in the online buying process.