Think with Google showing research that can help UX designers and marketers work together
Think we Google has just released the results of global research to assist guiding an e-commerce strategy, which can be read as a very “Google-sells-advertising-placement” strategic tool for them to support their customers. But anyone engaged in a Design-Led and Design Thinking-based company can learn from the results of this research, particularly in the earliest part of a design-thinking based cycle of iteration AND the measurement and learning in order to continue/change or drop whatever you are working on for the next iteration. When everything is aligned with understanding customers AND putting all work effort to respond to their needs/desires, then a company truly is Design-Led.
This kind of research should serve everyone, therefore, although at different points of the design/delivery: For the strategist, this is invaluable knowledge to make decisions about matching customer needs (and pain points) to value propositions. This makes for better definition of KPI’s, especially when you look for outcomes that include customer satisfaction.
From the UX perspective, this is helpful in empathy mapping, and persona and customer journey design, which carries over into the development sprints, right through testing and measurement. Marketing and even customer service now have a better idea of where and what to address that may be unspoken by customers, but important enough to carry over to satisfaction and continued loyalty.
The full article is here, but I’m culling key findings and offering observations to direct your attention to the subtle differences that can affect your decisions throughout the sprint, iteration, cycle.. whatever you choose to call that point of “keep or toss”.
Global marketplaces are still local, though local may be bigger than you think
Google conducted their research globally, yet report on four large markets: US, UK, Brasil and India. These are all larger than a local city, or even a regional hub, yet there is enough commonality that Google has decided to treat this data as homogeneous enough to ascribe some Persona-defining attributes to the e-commerce shoppers that differentiate one from another.
Decision-making is a process; but shared values, biases and customs affect the chain of steps and perceived pains and gains in making decisions.
Cultural norms, processes steps that are buried as deeply as in language and daily patterns of life, accessibility to technology and the flow of economy (cash based? heavy reliance on credit? political effects on consumer confidence in a particular economy?) color the perceived value proposition simply because of how easy or difficult it may be to complete a transaction. Count technology as important but not simply whether or not it’s available as a pain or gain.
Trust is the underpinning for all successful transactions, but what is trusted is the nuance to be examined
Is it who you know who recommends something to be done? Is speaking the same language enough to garner trust? Is demonstrating real action to improve people’s lives important? Is being established for so many years that there’s a “familarity bias” that can be tapped into? What rises to to the surface in these markets that differentiates not just the messaging (which is, often, too late) but the reason for creating a product or service or even a process that will engage, delight, be desireable and satisfy a need? If marketing is covering up for missing that purpose or objective in the process, a product or service that DOES will win the favorable position, inevitably.
Do your research homework early and shorten the number of iterations needed to get to finding the right value propositions that match the right client/consumer AND market.
and now, some information to consider:
Graphic from Google Study
- Americans tend to identify as “deal seekers”: Price point is usually the most important purchase consideration with free shipping right behind it.
- U.K. shopper values tend to mirror U.S. shoppers’, with low prices considered very important.
- U.K. shoppers may pay more attention to customs, taxes, and shipping times in the near future, which might affect the rank and order of their values.
- Many Brazilian e-commerce vendors support cash or voucher services, like Boleto, because a significant portion of the population doesn’t have access to credit cards. This is why they value payment options more than the other markets in the study.
- Brazilians are willing to shop international sites for better prices or a more trustworthy seller so their values translate outside their country’s borders.
- Consumers seek out shopping apps that support cash-on-delivery payment methods. Cash is still one of the primary means of purchasing in the country.
- Reverse shopping operations are critical as consumers tend to value assurances like warranty options and an easy return process more than other markets. There have been some growing pains for online buyers when it comes to product quality and expectations.
SOURCE: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/feature/online-shopping-trends/landing
