Challenge
How might we enhance the online shopping experience of Carlyle Avenue while maintaining loyal customers and growing the audience?
solution
Improved navigational flow with reduced friction for users and a stronger market presence.
team
Sole UX architect working with the marketing manager
Problem Space
Carlyle Avenue, a home decor e-commerce store, came to me wanting to grow their audience and improve the experience of their website. Upon taking on this project, I wanted to see where the underlying problem lied.
I initially looked to online reviews and explored the website to understand users’ general thoughts about Carlyle Avenue, the products, and the shopping experience. Here is what I found:
Products are not easy to find
“I had to search for the matches that showed up on FB. Had to poke around the site to find them. Also did not get my 10% off. 😔 but I really like them as they are unique.” - online review
customer service is lacking
“Loved the product. My only issue is the inability to get help from customer service. I ordered the wrong size tree and never heard back so ordered the right size. I’m now trying to hear back about returning the wrong tree. If customer service was better, this would be a great company.” - online review
Other aspects that deterred individuals from becoming loyal customers included high shipping cost (Carlyle Avenue provided free shipping on orders over $135 while competitors were at $100), not distinguishing itself enough from competitors, and a lack of brand cohesion.
By addressing these issues, I aimed to not only improve the website's usability but provide strategies to enhance the customer service and increase brand loyalty, and support Carlyle Avenue's growth and competitiveness in the market. My hypothesis is that these are the underlying issues that address the client’s initial problem.
Research Goals
Understand the current pain points and preferences of customers on the website’s shopping experience.
Discover opportunities for how Carlyle Avenue can maintain current customers while growing their audience.
Approach
Retail Industry Research
Heuristic Evaluation
Usability Testing
Persona development
Brand research and refinement
Information Architecture
Visual Design recommendations
retail industry research
I sought to understand: what are the key factors that are shaping consumer behavior today in the e-commerce and retail space?
Customer service builds trust
“One in three customers still prefer to consult store associates for assistance when selecting and validating products.” (Deloitte)
personalization leads to more sales
“80% of business leaders say customers spend 34% more (on average) when offered personalized shopping experiences.” (Mckinsey)
loyalty matters
“Over half (56%) of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a brand with a loyalty program.” (Insider Intelligence)
sustainability is important to people
“Shoppers continue to care about a brand’s sustainable values. Right now, 44% of global consumers are more likely to buy from a brand with a clear commitment to sustainability.” (Shopify)
Heuristic Evaluation
With industry factors in mind, I evaluated the current Carlyle Avenue website using Nielsen Norman’s usability heuristics, and ranked each issue according to severity between 0-4. The biggest issues revolved around:
timeliness of the customer service chat feature
inconsistency of specific design standards
lack of distinct visual cues
Usability Testing
In order to gain insights from real users, I assigned specific tasks for participants to complete on both the web and mobile versions of the website, based on their typical behaviors. The results of this user testing revealed several key findings:
Users had difficulty locating the search bar, as one participant stated, "I didn't even see the search bar." This indicated that the categories alone were not clear enough for users, necessitating the need for a search function to help users find the exact items they were looking for.
On the mobile version, participants found the "bag" icon to be less recognizable, which could potentially impact the shopping experience.
The filtering feature on the website appeared to cause more confusion than assistance for users, implying the need for a more intuitive and user-friendly filtering system.
Users expressed a challenge in remembering the items placed in their cart without any form of reminder, pointing to an opportunity for enhancing the shopping cart experience.
On a positive note, participants demonstrated an appreciation for Carlyle Avenue's unique and beautiful product offerings, indicating that the brand's distinctiveness and quality were well-received by users.
understanding the customer
What are typical home decor customer shopping and decorating behaviors?
Hosting family for the holidays plays a role in need to update decor
The sense that a home furnishings store helps people “be creative” inspires consumers to shop there more often
As spaces evolve with inhabitants, there’s a growing need to reassess space and make changes every so often
In-store shopping allows consumers to find inspiration and new ideas
Social media users follow brands on social media for discounts
customer segmentation
Different types of home decor customers include:
Gift buyer
Wants a quick and convenient way to send or give wrapped gifts to people - whether its for a birthday, wedding, or holiday. Gift buyers who are looking for a home decor gift for someone else are often looking for something unique and special, in a variety of styles.
New Homeowner
People who’ve just purchased a new home usually need to buy everything for it. They might not have any furniture or home decor at all and could be starting from scratch. These customers are looking for ideas and inspiration. They might not have a specific style in mind but are open to suggestions.
Redecorator
May be redecorating because they’re bored with their current style, or it might be due to a change in their life circumstances. For example, they could be getting married, having a baby, or downsizing because their children have grown up and left home.
Home decor hobbyist
Changes their décor 5 or more times a year and values variety and an ever-changing assortment more than price points. They consider decorating a passion and are always on the lookout for unique, on-trend pieces.
Target User Persona
Creating this persona based on user testing and customer segments allowed us to be able to create solutions that cater to the specific needs and expectations of the target audience, as the lack of brand cohesion was making it unclear who we were designing for.
The brand
For more insight into what Carlyle Avenue customers are specifically looking for, I conducted a poll on Instagram, keeping in mind age and how that might affect product preferences. Offering two very different styles of the same product category, I asked which style customers preferred. This poll confirmed that the audience preference varies, and that customers of Carlyle Avenue value having the choice of different styles.
The website’s product images exhibit a wide range of styles, spanning from subdued and traditional to eclectic and youthful. Although I think it's possible for both types of products to coexist on the website, the stark contrast in the photography style and visual aesthetics can be somewhat jarring. Carlyle Avenue should aim to streamline the visuals in order to provide a more cohesive browsing experience.
To begin redefining Carlyle Avenue's brand personality, I completed a couple exercises that involved delving into the visual aspects of the brand to establish a clear and distinct direction for its expression. By studying various visuals, I sought to identify pieces of furniture and specific key words that encapsulated the essence of the brand. These exercises served as a creative foundation for defining the brand's personality, helping to envision and articulate the most fitting qualities that would set Carlyle Avenue apart in the world of home decor.
The branding exercises as well as the persona really helped me discover how Carlyle Avenue can position itself. The "About Us" section on the website was initially quite generic, lacking the distinctive elements that would set Carlyle Avenue apart as a unique home decor website. It provided little insight into what made the brand special or why it was a home decor expert in the field. However, after the update, the "About Us" section now features compelling visuals and offers unique, detailed information that truly showcases what sets Carlyle Avenue apart from the competition.
This revamped section effectively communicates the brand's expertise and its commitment to offering exceptional home decor products and services, making it more appealing and memorable to potential customers. It also gives users a better understanding of why shopping at Carlyle Avenue is different and potentially better suited to their needs.
Design recommendations
Design Principles:
Trust
Personalization
Loyalty
Sustainability
Efficiency
Clarity
Eclectic
Re-grouping categories
New home page on Figma
More design improvements include:
Implemented “you may also like…” products below product page view to cater to customer’s preferences
Reworked the navigation to better represent how users would flow through the site
Improved accessibility of colors and touch target sizes on mobile
Based on users’ frequently asked questions, I created some predefined responses on the live chat so that customer support is not spending time repeatedly on the same queries.
Further recommendations:
Having a system that can prioritize inquiries based on factors like severity of the issue
Leveraging AI; for example with AI-powered chatbots which could free up the representative’s time for more complex issues, and also provide some balance of technology/human interaction
These features would also help maintain current customers, hoping they would repurchase in the future with a better experience.
Total sales increase captured from Shopify
Results and Impact
30% increase in online store conversion rate
20% increase in Average Order Value (AOV), resulting in higher revenue per transaction
Increased positive customer reviews
Business recommendations
Gift baskets with sets of products
Incorporate AR
Prioritize mobile experience
Publish blog posts that discuss interior design and home decor education
Send a gift to loyal customers when launching a new product
Provide personalized recommendations for products
Send testers for fragrances
Reflection
A small team might have limited viewpoints, potentially resulting in tunnel vision and overlooking crucial aspects of the project.
Using existing resources efficiently maximizes the potential to streamline processes.
Communicating complex research methodologies and findings to non-designers requires honing effective communication skills. Breaking down technical jargon and presenting insights in a clear and accessible manner facilitated better understanding