Background
Boston Ski + Tennis is an independent ski and tennis retailer whose mission is to…
“take the stress out of shopping by offering exceptional customer service and advice through the buying process.”
Based on customer reviews and in store observations, it appears the business delivers on this promise, however, it has yet to apply the same ethos to its online presence.
I designed an information architecture and online store focused around giving customers access to knowledgeable staff members and expert advice during their path to purchase.
Category
Web design, E-commerce, Information Architecture (IA)
Role & time
Sole designer responsible for research, Information Architecture, digital wire-framing, and prototyping
Tools
Axure, Optimal Workshop
Business Research
An evaluation of the current site made it clear that Boston Ski + Tennis attributes much of their success to its knowledgable staff. They repeatedly refer to their team as; engaged, highly qualified, experts, gurus, and consultants. As a brick and mortar retailer this makes a ton of sense - at the end of the day, expert knowledge is how most brick and mortar businesses compete with online competition who are typically larger and can easily compete on cost.
I determined that a successful e-com concept for Boston Ski + Tennis should try incorporate this competitive advantage.
Can I help online customers take advantage of their expert advice during their path to purchase?
A store manager expressed that Boston Ski + Tennis customers fall into three main categories. These categories were confirmed through in-store observations and referencing current copy on their site.
But, which of these customer categories is most likely to shop online?
With no online order history to reference and not enough time to incorporate real-world target customer analysis, I used the following rational to select a customer category for user interviews.
👨👩👦👦 Busy families? No.
they have the goal of outfitting multiple family members with gear all at once
parents of growing children are highly aware of sizing and therefore value try-ons
appreciate a helping hand from staff to decrease their time in-store
🥇 Elite level customers? Nope.
often have built relationships with staff over the history with their sport and enjoy popping in
have developed particular fit and feel preferences that can only be tested in person
🎾 Recreational level customers? Yes.
less picky about their gear preference due to lack of history with sport
beginner/intermediate gear is more in line with price points shoppers feel comfortable spending online
User Research
User Interviews (5)
My discussion guide for user interviews was designed to uncover general behaviors, habits and feelings towards online shopping. I started by asking participants to speak to both good and bad online shopping experiences that stuck out in their memory. From there I was able to steer the conversation into more specific lines of inquiry related to recent ski and tennis related purchases.
Key takeaways
Recreational users are uncomfortable buying ski and tennis related products online where fit, feel, and size is critical
Recreational users are unlikely to purchase products without access to customer reviews
Recreational users rely heavily on expert opinions but don’t necessarily expect to have access to them while shopping online
Problem
Recreational level ski and tennis customers need access to expert advice during their shopping experience but often don’t have the time or ability to make an in-store visit.
Solution
By creating an e-com experience with intuitive information architecture and opportunities for customers to take advantage of expert advice, customers will be able to quickly and confidently purchase needed items.
Card Sorts & IA
My original card labels where pulled from Boston Ski + Tennis’ inventory management system, an internal facing tool. The product titles needed to be made user friendly in order to draw valid insight from an open card sorts.
The open cart sorts showed that users were able to create clear groupings relating to activity, gender, and brand.
It was important to consider that users would likely be visiting the site with the intention of purchasing ski or tennis related items rather than products from both categories. The resulting navigation incorporated findings from the card sorts while keeping this consideration in mind.
Testing & Iterations
In order to test the navigability of the site I gave recreational level tennis users a task; locate a suitable tennis racquet and make a purchase. In observing customers go through the path to purchase it became immediately apparent that version one of the prototype was not giving recreational level users enough information about the racquet buying process.
“I have to measure my grip size?”
“Wait, racquets don’t come pre-strung?”
“A buyers guide might be helpful.”
In response to feedback, I made iterations to the main tennis dropdown menu to give users the ability to engage with expert staff members at the beginning of their sit visit. I also added a ‘Buyer’s Guide’ to the product discovery page to help users learn more about the process of purchasing a tennis racquet online.