design and idea Development
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& other Stories
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initial finding
about the brand ‘& other Stories’
Stepping into the & Other Stories shop on Oxford Street is my new shopping nirvana. I think it’s a thing we all have- the shop which you enter into and immediately feel a heady mix of bubbling excitement, complete distraction from anything and everything else in the world and the wildly optimistic sense that just about anything is possible. For this is a shop where you can afford to buy stuff, and that stuff is incredibly nice. Plus, something in that shop- maybe it’s your fellow customers, maybe it’s the way it’s laid out or maybe it’s the little images with styling ideas which pop up on rails all about the place- makes you feel like you’re not just buying a jumper/ ring/ body lotion but really it’s a bit of a lifestyle which this purchase is helping you achieve. It’s retailing at its cleverest. In the little year over a year since its launch, & Other Stories, which is owned by the same group as COS and H&M, has carved out a new way of shopping. It has made me realise that it can be quite tedious to walk into a shop and be confronted with a few prescribed trends; if you don’t like them, the message is you’re probably not going to find anything you like. Instead, how about having your eye caught by hero products? Or helpfully arranged outfit suggestions which look a little like a Pinterest board come to life? When the store debuted, I was sceptical about the concept which promised to cater for a new generation of shoppers who were inspired by so much more than catwalks and celebrities. It was, & Other Stories said, the cool girls they saw in the street, on their Instagram feeds and on their blogrolls from whom they were taking their style cues. I thought it was more of a marketing show than a true, long-term strategy and guessed that before long, the edited layout and clever brand buy-ins might fizzle out in favour of “the florals section” and “the lacy section”. How wrong I was.
On a jaunt into store last week, there was evidence everywhere that & Other Stories gets the way I, and I’m guessing a fair few of you, want to shop (and I’m not just talking “young” people here, there were numerous super-stylish older women nodding approvingly at the very same rails and displays which I was perusing). There were sporty bikinis cleverly merchandised beside light-as-a-feather tank tops, a pairing which makes much better sense than the cliche straw hats and kaftans. Beside them were £5 flip flops in a sweet-shop like array of colours and not too far away, a selection of cool Sunpocket fold-up sunglasses. Oh, and for the girl who loves matchy-matchy there were visors, bikinis, swimsuits and dresses all in the same print. This set-up is a pretty good summation of how & Other Stories is setting itself apart. They know that we want cheap things (those £5 flip flops) and lovely, cool things for which we’re willing to pay a bit more which is why they can get away with £60+ for the sunglasses. & Other Stories knows we’re not stupid and can recognise a little bit of luxury when we see it so they don’t have to make a whole special section for the spend stuff but will just throw a pure silk tee onto a rail with all the other lovely wares and trust that we’ll understand why it’s priced at £40 rather than the £20 price point of your usual high street tee. And if all that in-store praise weren’t enough, & Other Stories have struck the perfect tone with their e-commerce offering too; there are cute shoots to show you how to wear things, all shot on models who are young and old, black and white and some are even carrying babies. The homepage looks a little like a tumblr (but not too much). And they talk to you on social media, replying to any tweet with a witty remarknothing too sickly sweet or over- exclamation marked just clever and cool- trust me, I’ve tweeted my latest purchase excitement at them enough times. (...) (Holt, 2014)
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identifying the problem
from real experience ‘& other Stories’ as employee
As we started to discuss about the problem that ‘& other stories’ have, we have found out that one of our team members has worked in the very brand as a sales associate. He told us about the experience in relation to customers’ need; that people often take a screen shot of the item from the brand’s website and ask sales associates where and how can they find the item. In other words, customers are often take a look of the products beforehand, then see and feel the item in real life and essentially try them on. Having said that, it seems quite significant for people to physically try on as often, & other stories’ clothes have quite unique shapes in terms of fit. So often, what you see online will not be necessarily same fit for your body shape. Nevertheless, from his experience and real life problem, we decided to suggest a new way of customer service that will make not only customers, but also sales associates happier; by providing simple solution.
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first Brief
personalised shop assistance
General Outline 1. Navigation guidance 2. Personalised contents and assistance Key features to expect 1. My wish list : users actively save items beforehand 2. General Browse : shows items user might be interested in recommendations of items are chosen based on cookie (browse history) 3. Mood or Collection : shows assorted list of mood or collections (e.g. summer, holiday, winter, christmas …) 4. Call an assistant a. I would like to pay b. I need a bag / I don’t need a bag c. I would like to pay by cash / card d. I have something to recycle with me / I have nothing to recycle (10% off) e. Queries for size or stock availability f. Others Relevant Technologies to look into • iBeacon; to recognise and identify the individual • Cookie based operation; enables personalisation
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first Brief - revision
personalised shop assistance
General Outline 1. Navigation guidance 2. Personalised contents and assistance Key features to expect and its names 1. Looking for something specific : shows assorted list of mood or collections (e.g. summer, holiday, winter, Christmas …) 2. Take me through my browsing history : shows the item that users actively saved beforehand in wishlist or shows items users have viewed without saving in wishlist. Enabled by cookie based operation 3. Just want to take a look (general browse) : navigate the user through the store (e.g. beauty corner this way, shoes that way ...) 4. Call an assistant : stationary icon throughout the journey a. I would like to pay i. I need a bag / I don’t need a bag ii. I would like to pay by cash / card iii. I have something to recycle with me / I have nothing to recycle (10% off) b. Queries for size or stock availability c. Others Relevant Technologies to look into • iBeacon; to recognise and identify the individual • Cookie based operation; enables personalisation
/ note : we wanted the features to be seen friendly, so we have named each features less direct, but suggestive.
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iBeacon
relevant technology
What is iBeacon? The term iBeacon and Beacon are often used interchangeably. iBeacon is the name for Apple’s technology standard, which allows Mobile Apps (running on both iOS and Android devices) to listen for signals from beacons in the physical world and react accordingly. In essence, iBeacon technology allows Mobile Apps to understand their position on a micro-local scale, and deliver hyper-contextual content to users based on location. The underlying communication technology is Bluetooth Low Energy. What is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)? Bluetooth Low Energy is a wireless personal area network technology used for transmitting data over short distances. As the name implies, it’s designed for low energy consumption and cost, while maintaining a communication range similar to that of its predecessor, Classic Bluetooth. How is BLE different from Regular Bluetooth? Power Consumption: Bluetooth LE, as the name hints, has low energy requirements. It can last up to 3 years on a single coin cell battery. Lower Cost: BLE is 60-80% cheaper than traditional Bluetooth. Application: BLE is ideal for simple applications requiring small periodic transfers of data. Classic Bluetooth is preferred for more complex applications requiring consistent communication and more data throughput. How does BLE communication work? BLE communication consists primarily of “Advertisements”, or small packets of data, broadcast at a regular interval by Beacons or other BLE enabled devices via radio waves. BLE Advertising is a one-way communication method. Beacons that want to be “discovered” can broadcast, or “Advertise” self-contained packets of data in set intervals. These packets are meant to be collected by devices like smartphones, where they can be used for a variety of smartphone applications to trigger things like push messages, app actions, and prompts. Apple’s iBeacon standard calls for an optimal broadcast interval of 100 ms. Broadcasting more frequently uses more battery life but allows for quicker discovery by smartphones and other listening devices. Standard BLE has a broadcast range of up to 100 meters, which make Beacons ideal for indoor location tracking and awareness. (iBeacon Insider, n.d.)
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wire frame
Welcome page
This is the first screen that user will see. The user will be welcomed, followed by the message ‘please turn on your bluetooth’; so the system can recognise who you are and store personalised contents solely for yourself.
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wire frame login page
This is the login page appears after welcome page in order to get the access to your informations and data.
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wire frame Home page
This is the home screen that user will see. The user will have three main features ‘just want to take a look’, ‘Take me through my browsing history’ and ‘looking for something specific’.
/ note : 1. maybe ‘call an assistant’ button can appear on homepage 2. maybe the users’ name can appear on the top, as the system can identify who you are / 008
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wire frame
general navigation
These are the screens that user will see when they click ‘just want to take a look’. As user touches each arrows, user can see where the each arrow leads the user to. Since the user has not specified his/her interest, it only shows the location of each sections.
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wire frame
general navigation 2nd
We have changed the text to the simple figure, so the users don’t have to be distracted. Also, we have added ‘call an assistant’ button as we want the button to be stationary and accessible on any page.
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wire frame
suggesting assorted mood/ collection
When a user clicks ‘Looking for something specific’, they will be transported to this page. It shows assorted collection of the brand’s mood or seasonal collection. & other stories names their new range of products on a weekly basis or so. The top 2 rows will be the section for the range of items that the brand promotes the most or the most popular items. And the lower part of selection will be sorted by the categories e.g. trousers, tops, knitwear, shoes etc.
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wire frame
my wishlist and browing history
This is the page that user will encounter when a user clicks ‘Take me through my browsing history’. It gives you options whether you want to know the items’ location that you have saved beforehand, or the items you have not saved but browsed. So then it will help the customers’ decision making somewhat easier, as it gets far clearer when you see the item in real life.
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wire frame
call an assistant
This is the first page if the user clicks call an assistant. They will have options to choose such as ‘I would like to pay’, ‘looking for a size’ or ‘Other queries’.
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wire frame
call an assistant - detail
Once they click the ‘I would like to pay’ button, the user will have specific options - such as if you want to pay by the cash or the card, need a bag or not. Also it has an option for a recycling option as ‘& other stories’ offers discount if the customer gives back the old clothes from ‘& other Stories’.
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design and idea Development
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& other Stories
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about the brand ‘& other Stories’
Brand Philosophy & Other Stories is a fashion brand that is focused in more than clothes. In fact, their ready-towear garments are just one more component that the brand has to offer, alongside with shoes, bags, accessories, jewellery, lingerie and beauty products. Their brand philosophy is clear: they believe that a women is entitled to create her very own personal style, her story; and that is why & Other Stories brings everything together into one place, providing endless styling choices since masculine tailoring to feminine chic. The brand provides good quality pieces with affordable prices. It has the commercial clout and vision of a commercial high street retailer but with the thoughtfulness of a much more exclusive boutique. Customer Profile The & Other Stories Customer is fashion conscious; she uses social media and visits blogs, trying to find something new and interesting. Overall, the & Other Stories customer loves fashion and aspires to create her very own personal style as well as long lasting wardrobe. According to the store’s staff, the & Other Stories customer is around mid/late 20s or older; the brand’s timeless silhouettes widen the H&M appeal to a different audience, with older customers. Although affordable, & Other Stories quality comes with a higher price than other retailers, making the brand more exclusive; I believe that price is also the reason why the brand does not appeal to teenagers and young adults.
Locations According to Bloomberg, H&M is the second biggest clothes retailer in Europe; so it just makes sense that & Other Stories, as part of the H&M group, is mainly located in Europe. Both brands are based in Stockholm, Sweden. & Other Stories has stores located in big European cities such as Madrid, London, Copenhagen, Berlin and Paris. With a total of 24 stores, & Other Stories has 3 stores in Belgium, 2 in Denmark, 3 in France, 7 in Germany, 2 in Italy, 1 in the Netherlands, 3 in Spain, 1 in Sweden, 1 in the UK and 1 in the US. Best-sellers According to the London’s store staff, the items that sell well season over season are silk shirts and evening dresses. & Other Stories aims to sell good quality pieces, and both shirts and dresses are, for most women, everyday essentials. Silk shirts are a starting point for a beautiful looking outfit, and they can either be worn in a casual way or a formal way. Evening dresses are also versatile and can easily be worn for different purposes; & Other Stories offers a wide range of dresses, giving the customer the opportunity to choose the one that fits their style and personality better. Prices Prices vary according to the fabrics used; for example, a cotton shirt will be cheaper than a silk shirt. Dresses can go from £29 to £195, blouses and shirts from £29 to £69 and skirts from £29 to £165; a wide range of different products with different prices for different budgets. (Sofia Verissimo, 2015)
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customer profile
of the brand ‘& other Stories’
Demographics 1. Age : most popular age group - mid/late 20s, however shoppers range from the ages of 20 to 45 2. Gender : Female 3. Education Level : Degree Level 4. Occupation : Freelance/Designer/Creative industry. Career driven women. 5. Hometown/Neighbourhood : The city, metropolitan, cultural capitals 6. Living Situation : Middle/Upper class
Psychographics 1. Interests : fashion conscious, arts, photography, literature, design, travel, architecture 2. Favourite websites, or media : Instagram 3. Likes : cultural activities (e.g. museums, cinema, theatre), Eating out with friends. 4. Spending habits : conscious, spend on thought through items of high quality for a more lasting wardrobe. Mixing high street with luxury. 5. Style : sophisticated, minimal, feminine, effortless, modern
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user persona
of the app ‘& other Stories’
Anna, 28 Morning : starts day with yoga. As she loves to enjoy hand-brew coffee, her own coffee and muesli and salad is her usual breakfast. Day time : Goes into her own office. She often spends a day with her co-workers designing graphics and doing illustrations, or have a meeting with clients. Afternoon : Once the work is over, she likes to meet up with her close friends to have dinner with. They talk about new exhibitions and hip restaurants to check out next time that they have seen from wallpaper, monocle magazine. As well as their next travel destination. Evening : checks pinterest and instagram to keep up with trends or her favourite brands’ website to check out the new clothes . Before she goes to bed, she listens to instrumental music for relaxation.
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user journey
of the app ‘& other Stories’
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MoSCoW chart
of the app ‘& other Stories’
Must Have 1. Customer recognition by bluetooth 2. Navigation guidance to chosen item 3. Personal assistance in relation to size, stock queries and payment Should Have 1. Messaging/texting optimisation for conversation (to ask opinions) Could Have 1. Personal size preference (without asking assistance, shows availability when navigation starts) 2. Item recommendation based on user’s order history or wishlist 3. Price comparison within a same H&M group’s brands Won’t Have 1. Sharability on social platforms as a post (e.g. Instagram, Facebook ...)
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design and idea Development
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& other Stories
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storyboard A
for film production
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storyboard B
for film production
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reflection
of throughout journey
Our thinking process began with brainstorming various ideas about which technology we are wanting to use. We started off with the main idea being able to shop your wishlist in store. One of our group members who has previously worked at the store mentioned that they found that various customers come into the store showing screenshots of items that were on their Wishlist. That means they have already made up their minds of what they we were looking for before entering the store. That gave us the idea to come up with a technology that makes it more convenient for the customer to find items in the store. The second step we took was adding more features to the app which would make the shopping journey frictionless and more seamless. Quickly after, we started creating mood boards and wireframes of what we want the mobile application to look like. To check what they experience what actually look like we put our iterated prototypes into the app Marvel. This made the app seem more realistic and allowed us to find things that needed to be developed. Problematic for us here was that we could not quite get the augmented reality technology feature in our app yet, hence the decision to add the animations afterwards in the editing process. When filmig our ‘trailer’ we found out that we were not allowed to film in store after we had already filmed quite a few scenes we had to make those scenes work in a way to create a compelling video. We added scenes filmed at home of the prototype we created in Marvel which made the clip seem more realistic.
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bibliography
Holt, B. (2014). WHY & OTHER STORIES IS THE FUTURE OF SHOPPING - Fashion Editor at Large. [online] Fashion Editor at Large. Available at: http://www.fashioneditoratlarge.com/2014/05/why-andother-stories-future-shopping/ [Accessed 11 Jun. 2017]. iBeacon Insider. (n.d.). What is iBeacon? A Guide to iBeacons. [online] Available at: http://www.ibeacon.com/what-is-ibeacon-a-guide-tobeacons/ [Accessed 18 Jun. 2017]. Sofia Verissimo. (2015). & Other Stories Shop Report. [online] Available at: https://anasofiaverissimo1417789.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/otherstories-shop-report/ [Accessed 15 Jun. 2017].
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