Shoe Shopping // Insights

Zeynep SenSept 21 | 2013

Zeynep Sen.phone | 416 · 838 · 8556email | [email protected] | www.zeysen.com

InsIghts

mailto:zeynepsen%40me.com?subject=Hello%21

http://www.zeysen.com/


The aim of this field research was to discover the value of a potential shoe-shopping app along with the desirable features that would make it compelling.

This document includes key advantages, frustrations and concerns brought up in regards to online & offline shoe shopping experience.


surveyPartIcIPants

NiNa26 · coPenhagen · 25 PaIrs

Berfu22 · toronto · 30 PaIrs

Duy26 · toronto · 15 PaIrs

Marta26 · toronto · 30 PaIrs

X22 · toronto · 35 PaIrs

ethaN23 · toronto · 19 PaIrs

ruDy27 · toronto · 20 PaIrs

aNDy25 · toronto · 6 PaIrs

elery31 · toronto · 100 PaIrs

saM27 · toronto · 4 PaIrs

KaraN23 · chIcago · 5 PaIrs

auDrey23 · ParIs · 14 PaIrs

KeviN32 · vancouver · 3 PaIrs

X27 · vancouver · 55 PaIrs


Dave23 · toronto · 8 PaIrs

aleX31 · toronto · 12 PaIrs

BaNafsheh27 · toronto · 17 PaIrs

fatMa37 · north york · 25 PaIrs

NicKi31 · toronto · 40 PaIrs

GaBriella23 · toronto · 25 PaIrs

roBiN43 · toronto · 17 PaIrs

KatriNa32 · toronto · 12 PaIrs

seaN22 · toronto · 7 PaIrs

scott27 · toronto · 15 PaIrs

casey26 · toronto · 25 PaIrs

The survey and interviews were conducted between September 18 and 20, 2013.

IntervIewPartIcIPants


As I was conducting these interviews, I noticed a shopping pattern that is worth mentioning.

Even if people claim they do not shop online, they still browse for a while, before they make their way to the store to try it on, and purchase.

I suspect that this may have something to do with not wanting to spend too much time at the store. Almost everyone brought up their frustration with the hovering sales staff. Crowded stores, not enough room to sit to try on, also make it to the frustrations list when they were shopping in stores.

Many also mentioned that they try it in the store and during their decision making process, some-times they find a better deal or to avoid going back to the store, they buy it online.

Gabriella mentions that she doesn't look at stuff online before she goes shopping. She says she hates going to the store to find that they don't have her size. torture myself

I try not to


PatternsFrustratIons


boxIng day Is terrIfyIng

the Idea of shoppIng on

Crowds, busy stores, sales staff who does not give you enough room to breathe, made it to the top of frustrations list.



Many mentioned that there are not enough photographs of the products. Often shoes are displayed without a model, making it harder to imagine the actual fit.

As ladies shoes have many cuts and ways of wearing shoes, it is critical to have multiple views- a 360-degree view with an option to zoom in to see the quality. Many females also mentioned that they have a hard time imagining how it will look in a skirt vs. jeans.

concernsavaIlable vIews

Casey is not the only one who finds the limited number of images on websites frustrating. Lack of enough images makes it difficult to grasp what the shoe would actually look like, when being worn.

shoes wIthout the feet Isawkward



concernsFIt / sIze

Many of my interviewees mentioned that they find online shopping especially for shoes, risky.

The idea of buying shoes without trying it on is not appeal-ing to the people I interviewed. Since sizes are never universal and lack of actual dimensions makes it very risky to buy shoes online especially from a brand that they are unfamiliar with.



Shipping and return policy is another big concern that came up during the in-terviews. Even though items ordered are delivered to your door, why is it that you have to take it to the post office?

Multiple steps, length of time that is re-quired to process a return is not appeal-ing to customers. ALDO does a good job with their returns. Even if you purchase it online, you can return it at the store, making it more appealing to customers.

concernsease oF returns


Is how I shop, rest shouldalso be lIke that.Returns are not always as quick

and easy as they should be.

In & out


A few things make an app more appealing than the web store. First, it is more convenient and once you create a 'profile'/ include your payment informa-tion etc, you won’t have to keep filling in forms that cuts off the extra, unnecessary steps. These profiles can include information about special needs, prefer-ences, and sizes.

Some of my interviewees mentioned that have ‘special needs’ including bunions, flat feet or wide feet making them want more cautious about shoe shopping.

Personalized shopping experience is the ideal scenario regardless of shopping realm: online/ offline.

What if this app was smart and could learn from their behaviour, and their social media boards knew their needs and desires?

PersonalIzed shoPPIng exPerIence wants & desIres

not very frIendly.we really don't lIke each other

my relatIonshIp wIth shoes?Banafsheh says she hates shopping for shoes. She mentions that she has bunions, making it very difficult to find the comfort and looks all to-gether. She finds looking at things she can't have frustrating.


Katrina says she buys both guys & girls shoes so being able to see everything

under one roof is compelling.

I have to havevarIety



Fatma says even though she knows what is inside, she still get so ex-cited, when she is opening her packages. She says they are gifts to herself and she loves ordering things online. She also adds that she doesn’t feel as guilty about spend-ing money when she shops online.

surprIsean expected

for myself



Features

smart · 'Stylist' algorithms that know your style& made product suggestions accordingly· Customized Warnings · 'You mentioned you have wide feet, this shoe may be too tight for your desired comfort' or 'This shoe has a 3 inch heel, taller than your preference, you sure you want to do this?'

browse · Save for later / Wish list· Variety of filtering possibilities

· Sales (Notifications as well)· Store locations & hours· Availability in the store· Detailed product information

· Currency converter· “One- Click Buy”

InFo

Purchase

· 360 Degree view· Models wearing the shoes with options to see it with pants/ tights/ skirt

· Insole print out for size· Dimensions including the widest part of the shoe· Scanning your feet for an accurate fit· Metric and Imperial measurements

· Virtual Try On· Warby Parker Home Try On model

vIew

FIt

try on

%C2%A0http://www.ray-ban.com/canada/science/virtual-mirror%20

http://www.warbyparker.com/home-try-on


After conveying these interviews, I came to realize that the fit can be trickier than I imagined. I believe specialty fitting/ shoe advisor can be beneficial.

There are many similarities between bra shop-ping and shoe shopping as feet also come in a variety of shapes, sizes and needs that don’t always addressed in the mass market.

As a side note, bra shopping can be very tricky for bigger busted women with smaller band sizes as they do not fit the ‘mass market’ and they need to be fitted at stores. However, many companies open up themselves to the virtual world and do bra ex-pert/ advisor services where the customer fills out a detailed survey for fitting. (HER ROOM has the most detailed one I have come across.)

At the end of this detailed questionnaire, it gives suggestions for the best fit, styles, fits according to activities, what to look out for etc, which I believe can be applied to shoe shopping, as fit seems to be the foremost reason why they would avoid buying shoes online.

notes

http://www.herroom.com/know-your-breasts/Questions.aspx

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Shoe Shopping // Insights

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