Save For Later

Gopuff is a convenient and innovative on-demand delivery platform that brings a vast array of everyday essentials and specialty products directly to users' doorsteps. The Gopuff app seamlessly connects users with a diverse range of products, offering a user-friendly interface designed to enhance convenience and streamline the shopping experience.

In this UX research case study, I investigated the enhancement of Gopuff's user experience through the introduction of a new "Save for Later" feature. Our core objectives encompassed an exploration of how a "Save for Later" functionality could integrate into user behaviors within the app. Our research aimed to illuminate the motivations behind users' desire to create lists, customize them, and potentially share them.

Introduction

Research

1

Design

2

Test

3

Evaluation

4

Research

Planning

Before conducting any research, I created a research brief that I could share with my mentor and stakeholders. Our goal was to gain an understanding of how users "Save for Later" within the Gopuff app. To achieve this, we aimed to explore user behaviors, preferences, and reactions, ultimately guiding the potential adoption of the feature.

The research brief served as our guide, outlining the study's primary focus areas and research methods. We were committed to understanding user motivations behind creating lists, identifying scenarios when the feature is utilized, and comprehending the dynamics of sharing and collaboration.

We designed a two-phase approach, combining user interviews and usability testing within the same 30-minute session. This dual-pronged strategy allowed us to gather both generative and evaluative data, ensuring a holistic understanding of user behaviors and preferences.

With the research brief serving as our compass, I proceeded to write the research protocol. From the introduction, where I established rapport and assured confidentiality, to the usability test scenarios that simulated real-world interactions, every aspect of the protocol aimed to foster an environment conducive to capturing genuine user perceptions.

Recruiting

A critical aspect of the planning process was to identify our target audience. We aimed to connect with users of the Gopuff app and potentially competitors' platforms. This audience selection ensured that our insights would be directly relevant to Gopuff's user base and competitive landscape. Fortunately, I had previously designed a screening questionnaire that aimed to filter individuals who aligned with our study's objectives and repurposed it.

Participant summary

Leveraging the features of userinterviews.com such as video calling and easy-to-distribute compensation, I seamlessly integrated the original screening questionnaire into the recruitment process. By analyzing participants' responses to the screening questions, I identified individuals who exhibited the desired behaviors and experiences, allowing me to create a pool of participants.

User Interviews

To optimize the interview process for the "Save for Later" project, I structured the questions to delve deep into user interactions with "Saving for Later," preferences for list customization, motivations behind utilizing these features, and expectations of the experience.

Conducting interviews with 6 participants, the discussion guide was written to facilitate conversations. It began with an engaging introduction, fostering an open and comfortable atmosphere for participants to freely share their thoughts and feedback. The subsequent questions delved into participants' shopping behaviors to explore their motivations for using lists on similar apps and the scenarios in which they find these features valuable; their views on list composition, customization, and expectations for notifications and promotions related to their saved items to reveal their preferred organization methods and navigation choices.

Usability Testing

The usability testing phase aimed to assess users' interactions with the "Save for Later" feature prototypes, providing insights into its usability and effectiveness. This step involved guiding participants through realistic tasks to gauge their reactions and gather feedback on the proposed flow.

Conducted with 6 participants, the usability testing was structured to ensure a comprehensive evaluation. The process began with an informative introduction to the mockup, emphasizing the importance of candid feedback from participants.

An interactive early-stage prototype was then presented to participants, allowing them to view the Gopuff shopping experience. Two tasks were assigned to participants, focusing on different aspects of the "Save for Later" feature. These tasks aimed to uncover opinions on adding items to the list, navigating the "Saved for Later" section, and managing items within it.

The prototype participants interacted with during usability testing

As the usability testing sessions concluded, participants were invited to share their overall thoughts, impressions, and any additional insights. This concluding segment offered participants the opportunity to provide holistic feedback and offer suggestions beyond the specific tasks.

Design

Collaboration

Effective communication played a pivotal role in the collaboration with our UX designers. By proactively discussing the project timeline and identifying critical milestones over Zoom and Slack, we could strategize and allocate resources effectively. This collaboration allowed us to prioritize certain parts of the testing process and ensure that mockups were ready in time for the usability tests. By sharing our research, we ensured that the designers had a clear understanding of our vision.

This open dialogue facilitated the creation of mockups that aligned with our research goals. The designs were tailored to reflect the proposed flow, allowing us to present users with a realistic prototype during usability testing.

Other prototype pages

As a result of this collaborative effort, we seamlessly integrated these prototypes into our usability tests. Participants were able to interact with these designs, providing invaluable insights into their reactions, preferences, and usability.

Test

Results

Upon conducting both research methodologies, I meticulously analyzed the data, refining them to a comprehensive set of findings that highlight patterns and insights drawn from the notable points given by participants during the study.

User Interview Insights:

Enhanced Shopping Experience: Users find lists and "Save for Later" features to be highly convenient, providing a means to save and revisit items for future consideration, even if they are not immediately purchasing.
Variety of Use Cases: Participants use lists for a range of purposes, such as saving items they want to try, organizing future purchases, and even sharing with others for recommendations or collaborative shopping.
Organizational Value: Users appreciate the ability to categorize and organize their shopping thoughts, especially for items they might want to buy in the future.
Price Sensitivity: Clear notifications about price changes and sales are important, influencing users' decisions on whether to purchase items on their lists.
Promotion and Suggestions: Users find value in promotions and suggestions that highlight relevant products, helping them discover better deals or alternatives.
Interface Clarity: There is a desire for clear indicators and intuitive icons for "Save for Later," ensuring that users can easily recognize and utilize the feature.

Usability Testing Insights:

Streamlined Interaction: Users find the "Add to List" button beneficial for organizing their shopping preferences and future considerations.
Differentiating Use Cases: Participants distinguish between various list types, such as "Save for Later," "Favorites," and "Wishlists," assigning specific purposes based on intent and immediacy of purchase.
Ease of Use: One-click actions for adding items to lists or moving them to the cart are appreciated for their simplicity and convenience.
Price Awareness: Users are attentive to price changes and discounts, with notifications about sales and promotions aiding their decision-making process.
Sharing and Collaboration: The option to share and collaborate on lists is seen as useful, particularly for recommendations or joint shopping endeavors.
Recommendation Relevance: Users express interest in personalized recommendations that align with their preferences and previous shopping behaviors.
Visibility and Accessibility: Participants highlight the importance of the placement of the "Save for Later" feature, whether on the main screen or within the cart, to enhance user experience.

Evaluation

Report Analysis

I compiled a report for stakeholders, which thoroughly examines key facets of the feature. This report delves into crucial areas, including user behavior, interface placement, and more. It also investigates various scenarios for utilizing the feature effectively, providing valuable guidance on how to seamlessly integrate "Save for Later" within the app's interface. Moreover, these findings play a pivotal role in shaping potential feature experiments, establishing a strong groundwork for informed design choices and refinements. In my analysis, the following insights emerged.

Diverse Use Cases for Lists: Users frequently use lists on Gopuff through placing items in their active cart to save products for extended periods, relying on them for both comparing similar items and saving products to purchase later.
Impact of Product Cost: The cost of items is a significant factor influencing users' decisions to add products to their lists. Notifying users about upcoming discounts or stock shortages on items in their lists encourages purchasing, as users aim to secure the best deal for items they intend to buy.
Desire for Organization and Clarity: Users appreciate the ability to organize their lists with features familiar from other apps, such as multiple lists with customizable names. Clear labeling and easy access to product details contribute to a user-friendly experience.
Sharing and Collaboration Potential: Users see value in sharing and collaborating on lists, enabling inspiration for gift ideas, family shopping, and party planning. Collaborative features could enhance the social aspect of list-making.
Recommendations and Convenience: Users actively seek recommendations for products similar to those on their lists, often looking for better deals. Convenience and cost plays a crucial role, and users desire streamlined interactions, including easier access to list management and the option to retain items in the bag when adding to a list.

Next Steps

Outlined below is a summarized list of recommendations that were written in the report to guide the enhancement of the "Save for Later" feature, aiming to refine the user experience by aligning with user preferences, optimizing the presentation of saved items, and facilitating smooth interaction at every stage of the shopping process.

Enhance List Details: Display comprehensive item information in lists, including a link to the Product Detail Page (PDP), image, name, specifications, price, and price changes.
Multiple and Named Lists: Enable users to create and name multiple lists to better organize their saved items.
Persistent Lists: Retain lists and their contents until users decide to delete them, ensuring a consistent and reliable experience.
Promote Deals: Focus on offering deals and promotions for popular products on users' lists to drive purchasing decisions.
Sharing and Collaboration: Introduce sharing and collaboration features for lists to facilitate collective decision-making and gift ideas.
Product Recommendations: Provide recommendations for additional items to add to users' lists based on their existing selections.
Clear Add-to-List Option: Clarify the "add to list" function by using text or alternative icons instead of the flag icon to reduce confusion.
Sale and Stock Notifications: Notify users when items on their lists are on sale or at risk of going out of stock to prompt timely action.

What I Learned

As I reflect on the project, I am proud of the collaborative effort that went into it. The research brief was our roadmap, steering us toward gathering insightful data for the designers to implement. The process taught the importance of qualitative data collection and thoughtful methodology selection. Here are a few key points I learned.

Timeliness and Urgency in User Actions: The importance of notifying users about sales or potential stock shortages for items on their lists provides insights into the value of a sense of urgency.
Iconography and Visual Clarity: Confusion surrounding the flag icon for adding items to lists taught me the importance of the visual clarity of design elements.
Convenience and Interaction Streamlining: Many participants emphasized the convenience of list management, including bulk actions and efficient interactions, leading me to learn that convenience is of the top three things users want in a shopping app.
Recommendation Systems and Personalization: The concept of providing product recommendations based on users' existing lists contributes to my learning of how important it is for users to have personalized experiences, while also not knowing what they exactly want.

Previous Project

Next Project