Improving User Engagement of a Retail Website
Discovering usability issues of an online shopping website and guiding improvements for the mobile and desktop user experience.
*Client name withheld due to NDA
My Role
Associate Research Consultant
Timeline
September 2023 - November 2023
Method
Usability Testing
The Challenge
Amidst this transforming digital landscape, our client, a large Fortune 500 retail chain renowned for its brick-and-mortar stores, found themselves struggling to understand the cause of their suboptimal online sales and user engagement. Consequently, the client approached our consultancy to help them unpack the reason for their suboptimal performance levels. Our consultancy stepped in to guide them toward actionable improvements.
Our Approach
To understand why the client's online sales weren't as successful as their in store sales and competitors, we worked closely with their team to craft the following focal points in our test plan:
1. Competitor Comparison Task
Having a replicated task first on a competitor's website and subsequently on the client's website to gather participants' uninfluenced perceptions and identify any unique barriers on the client's platform.
2. Natural Browsing and Targeted Searches
Tasking participants to browse for an item of their interest to observe natural shopping behavior, followed by a later task focusing on a specified item for cross-analysis across the 12 participants.
3. Key Page Analysis
Exploring participants' interactions with key pages such as the homepage, browsing page, and product details page to uncover specific barriers, such as issues with product images or filters.
⚖️ Finding a Balance
While my team was initially hesitant about including the client requested competitor task, we ultimately found a way to balance the client’s request with our suggested strategy. Our solution was to position the task on a competitor site first and then repeat the task on the client’s website, ensuring we obtained an informative cross analysis of both sites.
Opting for synchronous remote usability testing allowed for the client’s national customer base to participate without the constraint of them being physically present at our lab. To our delight, the clients were eager to be actively involved in real-time observations, team discussions, and feedback sharing. We encouraged their onsite presence to observe sessions firsthand on our lab's big screen, fostering direct interaction and invaluable firsthand insights. Throughout the sessions, I engaged with clients while also facilitating data gathering through note-taking and recording verbal feedback and behavioral observations. These efforts enriched our data analysis and informed our design recommendations for the client.
Usability Testing
Participant Screening
We strategically recruited two distinct participant groups:
'lapsed' and 'never' users.
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'Lapsed' users had previously visited but not returned to the site.
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'Never' users had never engaged with it.
Both groups were regular in-store shoppers at the brick-and-mortar locations and also had experience shopping online at competitor stores. This approach enabled us to understand why users don’t visit or return to the website, as well as compare online shopping experiences between the client's site and competitors'.
⚾ Adapting to Curveballs
Anticipation built as we prepared for interviews with 12 participants over two days, with clients planning to observe onsite. However, just before the sessions, we learned of a necessary month-long delay due to their pressing business commitments. Undeterred, we utilized the time to refine tasks, questions, and procedures, conducting mock sessions and noting usability issues ahead of time. This proactive approach familiarized us with potential challenges, leaving us well-prepared, if not slightly over-prepared, for our rescheduled sessions.
Pinpointing Users' Barriers
🎯 Our goal was to identify barriers hindering “Lapsed” and “Never” customers from engaging with the client website on both smartphone and desktop.
💡 During the sessions, much of the feedback we received varied, highlighting a common desire for:
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Enhanced filters
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Product reviews
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Detailed product images
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Accurate product categorization
🛠️ After observing these experiences and obtaining feedback, it was time to get to work on consolidating our data and providing tactical recommendations for improvement to the client.
Analysis and Key Findings
Analysis and Report Toolkit
Dovetail
Word
Powerpoint
iMovie
🧭 Navigating Uncertainty
At the start of our analysis, translating raw session notes into client-ready insights felt like navigating through murky waters. However, given the hands-on nature of our clients, they provided us with a list of insights they observed in the sessions and wanted us to prioritize in the report. With a clear agenda now in hand, we embraced a top-down approach that balanced the client’s business objectives with the participants’ authentic feedback and experiences.
My team opted to use Dovetail to thematically analyze the 12 hours of qualitative data we collected. However, as it was our first time using the tool, we faced a steep learning curve that caused setbacks in our data analysis timeline. Although we were eager to employ this new tool, we decided to pivot to the more familiar Microsoft Word, ensuring we stay on course to deliver the report by the client’s deadline.
In analyzing our session data, several key themes emerged:
Dissatisfaction with Site Appeal
Participants expressed that they found the website bland and uninspiring compared to competitors, lacking excitement and visual appeal.
Visualizing Price Markdowns
Participants indicated a desire for the website to have price markdowns that stand out through different text color and the percentage off shown. Otherwise, they need to figure out the percentage off themselves.
Lack of Product Information:
Participants expressed their desire for detailed product information, seeking product reviews, additional detailed images, and improved sizing references to better assess the quality and fit of items.
Desire for Product Recommendations:
Participants indicated a desire to see product recommendations, like matching outfit items, to complement their current product selection and facilitate a more seamless shopping experience.
"I didn't realize that there were absolutely no reviews left on any items. So that makes me…less inclined to buy a product.”
"[The retail] site is very... bland.... it doesn't get my imagination going. "
“If it were like ‘Here’s some suggestions based on your purchases,’ that would be pretty cool.”
📚 Lessons in Hindsight
Although we were initially hesitant about including a competitor task, we gained valuable insights into participants' perceptions of each site, revealing that competitors offered preferred filtering options, detailed product information, and more engaging visuals.
🛍️ Online vs In-Store
Beyond usability issues, participants expressed their preference for the efficiency of online shopping in targeted product searches, while cherishing the more serendipitous browsing experience of in-store shopping that allows them to stumble upon new products and physically interact with them.
Our Recommendations
From our analysis of the data, we identified several key areas for improvement in the online retail shopping experience:
Expand Filtering Options
Introduce additional filter options such as fabric/material, brand, and specific details tailored to different product categories like shoes and dresses.
Enhance Product Imaging
Provide additional product images from various angles to offer users a more comprehensive look into each item.
Enhance Price Markdown Display:
Enhance the visibility of price markdown indicators by using different text colors and clearly displaying the percentage discount.
"Complete the Look" Feature
Implement a feature that suggests matching outfit items on product details pages to encourage engagement and additional purchases.
Deliverables
Along with our report deliverable, I also took lead in creating video highlights through iMovie, showcasing key pain points identified across the 12 participants. Despite the challenge of rolling out 8 video highlights in a matter of days using a tool I was unfamiliar with, our initial Dovetail tags came in handy when it came to quickly finding related participant feedback, helping me craft visually engaging videos that captured critical insights.
Reflection
In reflecting on our project journey, I am thankful to my team who demonstrated great collaboration and an opportunistic outlook in the face of hurdles regarding schedule changes and data analysis. Luckily, our initial practice with Dovetail proved to be beneficial, as our team relies heavily on it for other ongoing projects. However, in hindsight, the decision to experiment with a new tool amidst a time-constrained project was less than ideal and we could have set a stronger and clearer foundation for analysis by starting with familiar tools like Word.
Since delivering the client report and accompanying artifacts, we haven't heard back about implementation. We've reached out for updates and anticipate further projects with the client, potentially involving their subsidiary retail companies.