Enhancing Online Furniture Shopping: Improving the IKEA Purchasing Path through User-centric Insights
Overview
This school project was focused on investigating the online shopping habits and behaviours of IKEA customers, specifically when shopping for furniture. The primary goal was to better understand how users shop for furniture online and identify opportunities to enhance the IKEA purchasing path for improved customer satisfaction.
About
My Role
Content
Case Study
3.5 Months
5 UX Designers
Research planning
Heuristic evaluation
Conducting interviews
Conducting usability
testing
Data analysis
1.Competitive Analysis and Heuristics Evaluation
2.User Interviews
3.Usability Testing
Problem Statement
The purpose of this project was to address several challenges in the online furniture shopping experience at IKEA. Users reported difficulties in distinguishing store pick-up from click-and-collect options, expressed frustration with certain aspects of the checkout process, and desired more clarity regarding product availability. The project sought to find solutions to these pain points and streamline the entire shopping process.
Users & Audience
The users of this project were IKEA's online customers, including both new and existing users. The audience also included internal stakeholders such as the UX design team, product managers, and marketing personnel. The project focused on a diverse group of users, including college students who frequently shop online and have prior interactions with the IKEA brand.
- Competitive Analysis and Heuristic Evaluation
As a first step, I conducted a competitive analysis to learn about the strengths and unique selling points of Wayfair and Crate&Barrel. This helped us find areas where IKEA could potentially improve its online shopping experience.
Ikea offers affordable, sustainable, and visually appealing furniture with an engaging shopping experience.
Wayfair offers a wide selection of home goods at competitive prices with a convenient online shopping experience.
Crate and Barrel's value proposition is to offer high-quality, stylish and functional home furnishings and decor at an accessible price point.
Heuristic Evaluation
The IKEA website's heuristic evaluatation revealed particular usability flaws that may negatively effect the shopping experience. These insights give us a complete picture of the IKEA website and its needs.
2. User Interviews
Remote interviews were conducted with 10 participants selected from local college students, meeting specific criteria of being frequent online shoppers with experiences in buying furniture or bulky items online and prior interactions with IKEA.
Findings
Users expressed the desire for clear product availability information, experienced confusion with pick-up vs. click-and-collect options, and found certain checkout aspects frustrating.
Users want to have a clear picture of item availability
Unobtainable items waste users' time
Users want to know if their desired delivery option is available for the item
Pick-up and click-and-collect options confuse users
Checkout frustrates users
User Persona
Charley
22, Student
Key Findings
The research suggests improving IKEA's online purchase path by:
- Displaying only available items and verifying their location and delivery/pickup availability.
- Reduce mental load at checkout, and simplify delivery and pickup.
- Showing tax and shipping estimates early at checkout, streamlining the process, and adding alternative payment options.
- Make delivery and pickup free or justify the cost.
3. Usability Testing
The team conducted remote usability testing with volunteers, observing user journeys, and validating the project's hypotheses. The key findings included high, mid, and low-severity issues that could impact the user experience.
Raw data
During the usability testing, notes were taken for each user.
Data Input
Data from tests were added to an excel sheet. Data was organized by tasks, process and issues. Each participant's data was added column by column.
Data system
Severity of the issue for the user was color coded: yellow (high), light blue (medium) and blue (low/positive).
Data comparison
To compare all data, a point system was used: high severity (1pt.), medium (0.5pt.) were summed up in the issues column. Positive remarks (1 pt.) were added to a separate column.
Findings
High severity was considered above 3.5 points, medium severity below 3. For the positive column, remarks totalling more than 2 points.
Methodology
Participants
10 participants
Method - Remote moderated usability testing
Microsoft Teams meeting
Zoom meeting
Screen and audio recording
Tasks
1. Buy an item that is available at your closest IKEA store
2. After adding an item to your shopping cart, set a date and a time for it to be delivered
3. Purchase furniture and choose to pick it up at the desired store
4. Buy an item and ship that to your home address
Key findings
HIGH SEVERITY
MEDIUM SEVERITY
LOW SEVERITY
- The system is unable to find the closest stores
- Unclear differences between all Click and Collect services
- Limited delivery options
- Categories are unclear
- Pick-up visibility and selection are unclear
- Pick-up nomenclature issues
- The store page does not show available items
- Item findability
- Search bar results issues
- Subcategories organization
- Breadcrumbs and page navigation issues
- Recommended items
- Continue to Cart button visibility
- Stock availability messaging
- Price and fee transparency
- Guest checkout
- Users were able to easily find where to add postal code
- Users are very at ease using filters
- The search bar is easy to use
- Users enjoy the choice of images displayed
- Availability information on the product page is easy to spot
- Users have no difficulty changing the postal code
Positive findings
- Guest checkout
- Users were able to easily find where to add postal code
- Users are very at ease using filters
- The search bar is easy to use
- Users enjoy the choice of images displayed
- Availability information on the product page is easy to spot
- Users have no difficulty changing the postal code
Recommendations
ISSUE TYPE | ISSUE | PAGE | RECOMMENDATIONS | EASE OF FIXING |
Efficiency of use | System is unable to find closest stores | Homepage | checking the accuracy of the store locator data, reviewing the search algorithm, utilizing geolocation technology, implementing a manual search feature. | Hard |
Recognition rather than recall and Consistency | Unclear difference between Click and Collect services | Checkout | Add a clickable information option or legend. | Easy |
User Control and Freedom | Limited delivery dates and options | Checkout | Add other types of deliveries and dates | Medium |
Recognition rather than recall | Unclear pick-up terminology | Checkout | Simplifying the wording, Use commonly used terms. Like Pick up at store. | Medium |
Match between system and real world | Store page does not show available items | Store location page | Add available items to store location page or have a button that directs the customer to see item with a location filter on. | Medium |
Recommendations
ISSUE TYPE | ISSUE | PAGE | RECOMMENDATIONS | EASE OF FIXING |
Match between system and real world | Users not being able to find items via search results | Homepage and search results | Tailor results even if items are misspelled. Smart suggestions. | Hard |
Match between system and real world | Item categorization. | Homepage | Have a tighter informational architecture system. | Hard |
User control and freedom | Breadcrumbs and navigation issues | Results page | Add back buttons and page numbers to product listing page | Easy |
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design | "Continue to cart" button visibility | Shopping Cart | Increase size or change colors. | Easy |
Error prevention | Stock availability messaging | Shopping Cart and Checkout | Improve connection between online and backstock inventory system. | Medium |
Consistency and standards | Price and fee transparency | Shopping Cart and Checkout | Add delivery fee option in the shopping cart and a total with taxes at checkout | Easy |
Outcomes and Lesson's Learned
Outcome: The research provided valuable insights, enabling the team to identify areas of improvement and propose solutions for IKEA's online shopping experience.
Learnings: Understanding user expectations and pain points is crucial in optimizing the online shopping path. Consistency in information presentation and minimizing user effort during checkout are essential.
Next Time: In future projects, the team would consider a broader participant pool to gather diverse perspectives. Additionally, they would emphasize real-time feedback during usability testing to address issues promptly.
The project successfully uncovered valuable insights into IKEA's online shopping experience, leading to the implementation of a mobile MVP with enhanced usability and improved user satisfaction. By addressing user pain points and aligning the platform with customer expectations, IKEA aimed to establish a more engaging and seamless online furniture shopping experience for its users.
Conclusion
THANK YOU