How Thoughts Become Things
An alternative approach to online shopping
Role
UX / UI Designer
Supervisors
Prof. Constanze Langer, Denny Koch
Product
Bachelor Thesis
Timeframe
2020 – 2021
This my Bachelor Thesis project. In late 2020 I looked into online shopping experiences to see how online shops shape purchasing behaviour. I interviewed online shoppers and conducted research experiments to find out if there were patterns to their behaviour. In my thesis, I postulate that most online shops are designed to encourage shoppers to buy as much as possible. And I explore the possibility of how an online shopping experience might look if the online shop was actively trying to help you to find out what you're looking for.
Abstract
Shopping experiences have changed and evolved over time to adapt to new demands and consumer behaviours, trying to catch the attention of customers to make a profit. This trend has translated into online shopping as well, which has been rapidly growing in recent years. So far, online shopping experiences have been shaped from the perspective of retailers.
This work proposes an alternative approach to online shopping experiences, that slows down the decision-making process and focuses on listening to the consumer’s problems and needs. On the basis of empirical research and theories in behavioural economics and behavioural psychology regarding unplanned purchases and impulsive decision-making, the consumer-centric perspective on the topic is outlined. This perspective provides a benchmark for comparing this work’s solution with the status quo. The focus of the experience lies on the search process, therefore the examples explored in the design will follow the consumer experience from searching for a product to finding a product.
The design further explores conversational user interface design and, in emphasising slowness and reflection, challenges interaction design standards. As the consumer is guided through the experience, the process relies on both the user’s voluntary input and the system’s contextual responses. The work is concluded with a discussion of the results and remarks about the future of shopping experiences.