HOW TO IMPROVE THE MILLENIAL INSTORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE The purpose of this research is to explore the in-store shopping experience for millennials through the subcategories of products, people, environment, and branding to discover areas of opportunity for potential ways to improve this experience. For this process book, we will be focusing on branding, messages, and services.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Research Objective and Question 2. Observation 3. Interviews 4. Focus Groups 5. Survey 6. Cultural Probes 7. Observation to Insights & Insight Sorting, Design Principles 8. Opportunity Map, Design Directions 9. Conclusion
OBSERVATIONAL RSEARCH OBSERVATIONAL POINTS 1. Observing the consumers coming into the store. 2. Observing the aesthetic of the store. 3. Observing the in-store traditional marketing. 4. Observe how consumers can interact with the stores 5. Observe the employees..
For this method of research, I conducted these observational points in Urban Outfitters and H&M. Through these points, I learned a few key things. These two stores are very different, but generally represent the in-store visual appearance of most stores. Most stores either go extremely themed or extremely minimalistic. They also entertain consumers with things other than clothes, such as phone cases or makeup. However, Urban Outfitters more often has more obscure things to pick up such as records and books. I also find it important to note that Urban Outfitters focuses more on an interactive consumer experience by having these interactive trinkets and a photobooth. Both stores also focus on hitting emotional points of consumers such as body positivity and encouraging eco-friendly behaviors. Consumers also interact with the mirrors in the store and are constantly bombarded with visual information like photos, in which boh stores use models of various ethnicities. They also both use mannequins, which can be styled in any manner to reflect the targeted consumer. it should be noted for later understandings in my findings that sometimes employees can either be hard to find or overbearing. They also use technology to communicate to each other when they are in other sides of the stores via walkie talkies. Lastly, it’s important to note that consumers almost strictly were observed wearing brands that could be found in-store.
S U M M A R Y
INTERVIEW RESEARCH SIX INTERVIEWEES, TEN QUESTIONS 1. What are your favorite brands? 2. Why do you like these brands? 3. What do these brands reflect about you? (Why do you resonate with these brands?) 4. How did you come across these brands? 5. What influences your style? 6. What gets you to go in-store shopping? 7. What comes up on your instagram explore page? 8. What’s your favorite font? 9. What’s your favorite color? 10. What;s your favorite era in regards to anything from fashion to music to etc?
“I WANT IT TO BE CHEAP, BUT I WANT TO FEEL GODI.”
For this type of research, I conducted 6 individual interviews with 10 main questions. These questions are meant to get a better understanding of why consumers gravitate to certain brands and what marketing tactics are working. This could give my team insight on what people like or how we could engage them in a more interesting way. There was a lot of specific data collected but, there are definitely multiple main takeaways. First, people have fonts they are attracted to consciously or subconsciously. I’m not sure if this is on purpose or not, but generally their favorite fonts were found in their favorite clothing, however, it could have been on the preface that we were talking about fashion. Students studying an art or design major generally had an easier time giving their favorite fonts which actually still related to their favorite clothing brands or style, though they specifically gave a font name. According to the interview data, we are a nostalgic generation with people’s favorite era’s generally being the 80’s and 90’s. Interviewees can be divided into online shoppers and in-store shoppers. Online shoppers feel that there is not enough individuality in-store. Online shoppers also tend to shop at the same stores online because most of their influencers come from online content on instagram from people like brand ambassadors, micro influencers, and celebrities. Other ways to receive clothing information is from word of mouth like friends and family. The people who are more influenced by interpersonal connections shop in-store more often. Interviewees that did go in-store would go in based on an interesting store front appearance or if they just happen to be near the store. I also found that people who felt like they had a sense of fashion felt a lot more individualistic and had an easier time answering questions precisely. Something new found in this section of research is that environment influences fashion decisions. For example one person said that they wouldn’t wear things at home that they wear to school, because of the social construction of the region. By looking further into the brands that people shop for online, I found that brands pushing individuality and uniqueness also have odd/ edgy branding. I think this shows that consistency is important.
S U M M A R Y
FOCUS GROUPS
S U M M A R Y
For this method of research, my team and I held 3 focus groups of nearly 8 different people each. For my section, I was focusing on uncovering branding points through things the interviewees said. Consistent with the individual interviews, I found that people’s main influences for fashion are music, social media (particularly Instagram and Pinterest), and highlighted figures like celebrities, brand ambassadors, and instagram influencers. People also find brands they like through google, observation, social media, and word of mouth. We also asked how people feel when a brand they resonate with goes through a scandal, such as H&M’s “The Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” hoodie or Gucci’s blackface jumper. Some people said that they did feel violated in their personal representation when a brand goes through something like this, so they avoid the brand completely or just partially until the scandal goes away. Some people said that they don’t care because they like to “seperate the art from the artist”. Again, most people are liking the 80’s and 90’s for their favorite era’s. In Particular they mostly gravitate to the punk and rock eras, or the overly neon style from the 80’s, for example the style of the B52’s. However, this did not reflect in anyone’s personal style. They all prefered minimalistic colors and to generally feel like a young professional and practical. This could be a conflict in how they feel they need to appear or that what they like is not represented in store or translated in a way that is wearable for the current generation. It was also noted that people identify others by what they wear. Affiliating things like Vans to a person enjoying skate culture.
SURVEY DATA
“70% OF PEOPLE WANT MORE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES IN-STORE.”
SURVEY METHOD
The survey method of research is an insightful way to get responses that are not face to face, so they might be a little bit more honest. I asked questions as it related to branding and got various answers. Here, we will focus on the information that could be most helpful in improving the millenial in-store shopping experience. Most people are somewhat satisfied with the in-store shopping experience, which means that there’s room for improvements. Now, this was a trial and error attempt at collecting survey data, so I will say, I could have included some questions or taken some out for more specific information. Unfortunately, one of those questions that should have been asked is “Why are you or are you not satisfied with the in-store shopping experience?” But it was not asked, so we will have to look at the rest of the data to assess what could be improved. One thing I was shocked to find was that 50% of people don’t care or do not prefer inclusivity portrayed in-stores. Meaning, diversity in the people shown in the stores branding. I found it very interesting that a lot of people actually would like to have a say in a stores design. And most people want to see themselves represented somewhere in their stores branding, not sure if this is for clout or if they just want more personalized interaction with the brands. But, 70% of people did say that they would prefer to have interactive experiences in store like the Urban Outfitters photo booth. Most participants also said they would prefer that stores play their music. All of these things seem to point to consumers wanting to have more of an experience that feels entertaining and personalized. Lastly, majority of people seem to prefer minimalistic or monotone colors, nothing too flashy.
S U M M A R Y
For our last method of research, we sent out 8 different activities to four different people to see how they would respond to the activities. For my specific area of research, I looked into branding through visual data, messages presented by the stores, and services presented by the stores. For the first activity, I made four collages, each collage represented a different brand: DollsKill, Gucci, H&M, and OFF-WHITE, however, I used small snippets of visual branding from each company so the participants would not know what company these collages represent. The point of this activity was to see what people find most appealing for branding. All of the participants gave nods to DollsKill, Gucci, and OFF-WHITE. Most gave 4-5 stars for these stores. H&M however, was given 1 star out of its potential 20. I think this really could say that people prefer more individuality and more visual data or interest, but shop at H&M because it’s easily accessible. My next task for participants was to choose what makes them most excited to shop in-store. The options I gave them were mostly about messages and services. People mostly seemed to enjoy discounts and the idea of walking out of the store with the bags and showing what they have on social media. This could be both interesting ways to keep a consumer loyal.
CULTURAL PROBES
S U M M A R Y
OBSERVATION TO INSIGHTS & DESIGN SORTING For this section, I have created over 100 insights from all of the data gathered from the research methods conducted. Then, compartmentalized them into five separate categories.
Emotional Points - Millenials are the most socially involved generation - Brands use body positivity and self care as a branding tactic - %20 of millennials identify as LGBTQ - Brands use for sale signs everywhere - BRands encourage eco-friendly behavior for marketing - People who shop online refer to themselves as unique and edgy - Some people like brands for their community involvement - People find a reflection of themselves in the brands they wear - Convenience is important - People assume your personality through your clothes - Some people sacrifice convenience for style - People who are into fashion make more fashion conscious deci sions - People want good quality for cheap - There’s not enough individuality in-store - %70 of people don’t care about inclusivity or don’t have a prefer ence - People like brands that make their own trends - Some people get inspiration from reading.
I n -S t o r e I n t e r a c t i v i t y - User generated content is one of the most recent trends for marketing - Millenials like videos, photos, and gifs - Millenials want to be more involved in the marketing process - Most Millenials prefer photo content - Being able to smell candles or incense is interactive - 20% of people have been in an urban outfitters photo booth - People enjoy the experience of trying clothes on - It is beneficial to have interactive experiences in-store - Most people would like to have a say in a stores design - People like to play with items in-store besides the clothes - Some people go in store out of boredom - Most clothing stores sell other trinkets - People sometimes notice branding tactics - Brands always send you out with branded bags - %50 of people like the idea of in-store interactivity - There’s tons of room for in-store interactivity, it’s almost untapped - Some stores have games to play - Mirrors are interactive - 70% of people want stores to play their music - Some people want help with styling in-store - Employees need to be clean and approachable - Popular stores play pop or dance music - Some people use apps to help with their styling
OBSERVATION TO INSIGHTS & DESIGN SORTING
CONTINUED
People’s favorite fonts are found in their favorite clothing brands 4/7 models in H&M were black and 1 Asian Millenials like better minimalism Millennials like vibrant colors in graphic design Most people like unique typography Most people’s favorite color is black Brands crossover visual aspects from online to in-store Stores always have branded bags for holding clothes in-store Brands do subliminal visual touches in-store People like the “New Vintage” look Consistency is important Mannequins are visual inspiration Employees represent the brands Minimalistic stores carry minimalist clothing and vice versa Most fave colors: black, yellow, pink, blue, grey Neon signs are a trend Minimalistic stores bring in minimalistic people Most people’s favorite era’s are the 80’s and90’s Most minimalistic stores are white Mannequins can have blank faces or be highly decorated Most people like muted colors
D E S I G N
I N F L U E N C E R S
Tv shows can influence style Millennials are influenced by influencers online Influencers include family, friends, observation, and social media Popular social medias used to find clothing are instagram and pinterest People are influenced by celebrities Women shop mostly at the same stores online and instore Environment influences fashion decisions Hobbies can be used for marketing Music influences style and brand affiliation Some people google search for clothes
H A B I T S
We are a visually driven generation People shop where they work Loyalty comes from “Product quality, good customer experience, and support for society” Interactions with brands need to be mobile first The Most popular brand according to survey data is H&M People go in store because it’s convenient\ People who barely use social media shop in-store mostly %60 of millennials are loyal to the brands they like Millenials like sephora, nike, urban outfitters, H&M, and Forever 21 People mostly wear what’s available There is a trend of inclusivity Most people are somewhat satisfied with brands in store Consumers wear what is presented in store Most in-store influencers appear to be middle class People generally shop exclusively online or in-store The common styles are street, minimalistic, and sleek professional People tend to go in-store just for the basics
PROCESS
Using the observational to insight sticky notes, I reorganized them according to their relation to People, Objects, Environments, Messages, or Services. Then I further compartmentalized them into subcategories of each category. Creating the observation map. This is to organize everything, so I can clearly see the opportunities in each section.
•
MAP
• • HABITS EMOTIONS
• LIKES/DISLIKES
BAGS DESIGN PEOPLE TRINKETS
CLOTHES
ENVIRONMENT
OBJECTS
INTERACTIONS
HOW TO IMPROVE THE MILLENIAL IN-STORE SHOPPING EXPERIENCED
SERVICES INFLUENCES
SALES
MESSAGES
EMPLOYEE
MARKETING
OPPORTUNITY MAP & DESIGN DIRECTIONS
O P P O R T U N I T I E S
• • • • • • • •
• • •
• • • •
• • • • • • • •
OBJECTS
S U M M A R Y
Create more cool free branded things for people to take away, like stickers or a little keychain toy Provide more things that people can play with in store, like books to pick up or things to be inspired by Provide an app for styling in a particular store, or use it to show what’s in stock Make more original content, people like stores that make their own trends
MESSAGES
Connect to consumers more by gettting them involved online then reflect it in store Could do the above by creating digital stands or kiosks or tvs, or make look books out of consumers that want to be featured Use messages online that will convince people to search for something in store, like a game of eye spy or like the geotagging game Find a way to integrate influencers from online to in-store instead of regular models Imbed pop culture to stay relevant Really the key is to include more interactivity and move on from traditional marketing into including more pop culture Use more musicians as influencers Use peoples hobbies for marketing, could integegrate it into video games or tv shows
SERVICES
Create a system where people can call store employrees. Maybe via text or call buttons. Vary sale signs in more creative ways, make it feel special - not like the whole store is on sale. Put coupons in bags when people leave, or something inspirational
ENVIRONMENT
create more interactivity in store like games, styling kiosk, places to sit, things to watch, listen to, interact with other customers for a memorable time Play peoples music! Ask to connect to thiyer spotify upon walking in. Push the design, wheather its minimal or themed - go overboard Let people decorate the manniniquins or sections of the store.
PEOPLE Interactivity does not feel as targeted or obvious marketing, so people
won’t notice or mind as much Also some people shop because of bordum so interactivity could be better for them and if you make stores more entertaining, people stay longer Give wifi so people can facetime thier friends and not feel alone Put a hyperallogenic pet in store so people don’t feel alone Hit peoples emotional sides positivity on mirrors, promote positivity in general if the store is comfotable being LGBTQ+ friendly, then do it all year not just on one day
CONCLUSION In conclusion, all of this research opened up the realities of the in-store shopping experience, with all of its regions that need improvements. I think that the best way to improve the millenial in-store shopping experience would be to improve the level of interactivity in store. The best ways to do this, based on the opportunity map, would be to increase communications between the consumer and the brand; especially by crossing online user-generated content to in store. Consumers could also get involved by having a say partially in a stores design. Another way would be to put some type of game or interactive activity in the store, styling kiosks for example. It could also be a good idea to have an app to text or buttons where people can call employees when they need them. In terms of interactivity, I also found that people would like for stores to play their music. The shopping experience could also work on combating loneliness while shopping and improving the value of discounts by providing them in a more interesting way. Overall, interactivity is key. And there are endless ways to successfully do this.
S U M M A R Y
W O R K S C I T E D
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