Towards a more informed online decision of outdoor jackets to novice users: ensuring the right product in online searches at Bever.nl

Abstract

Bever is an outdoor chain store located in the Netherlands. Besides the Bever stores, Bever.nl was introduced in 2011, continuously growing to an extensive webshop enabling users to shop and explore online. Going to the Bever stores results in experienced staff supporting (novice) users with finding the right equipment for their activity. However, online this process is different. A user is designated to a webstore with (written) information about products. Moreover, details to express product features and performance of products can be found on a product detail page (PDP). The goal of this research is to ensure the right product in online searches at Bever.nl. Thus, the main design challenge is: “How to explain product benefits of outdoor jackets to novice users in order for them to make a more informed decision?”.

Discovered Insights
The novice Bever user can best be described as a user who needs much guidance in the selection process because of his low level of product knowledge and context about the activity. When a novice user is in need of a product for a specific activity he enters the web store with this specific activity and product group in mind. When little or no activity related content is shown, it is unclear to a user if a product matches his specific activity since the novice user has little or no prior knowledge or experience with the specific activity and the needed product. When a novice user is searching for his specific product, communication in familiar terminology is of great importance for making an informed and considered decision. Users need to understand the questions (filters), options and product differences in order to do so. Product features do not support the novice user in understanding a product. Therefore, product benefits are of great importance because they show the value a user will gain from a product. Subsequently this results in users understanding a product by understanding the values of the different features because they interpret what the product will mean for them.

Design Criteria
An interaction vision is created to improve the current online shopping experience of a novice user at Bever.nl. This vision focuses on the improvement of three feelings a user experiences when finding the perfect jacket: feeling in control, feeling confident and feeling surprised. This will support the user in a more goal-oriented search with control over the end result, while reading understandable and activity related information without feeling bored due to lots of non-visual long paragraphs of information. Besides the interaction vision several design requirements have been set up related to understandable explanation, activity information, visual presentation and faster exploration.

Concept
The final concept, Bever’s Jassen Kompas, is a decision support that ensures the right product in online searches at Bever.nl. It focuses on the visual aspect of the activity of the user (within his specific context) by answering understandable activity and context related questions. Subsequently a selection of the three best and good choices are presented to the user in order to guide the decision making.

Recommendations
Further studies could evaluate the real case usage of the Bever’s Jassen Kompas with a buying intention of users compared to fictional testing. The second recommendation would be to validate and discuss, together with experts, the questions asked in Bever’s Jassen Kompas. At last, further development and testing of the usability, back-end and mobile design of the Bever’s Jassen Kompas can be explored.