Target the shopper, but design for the people!
This article is meant to bring awareness, it’s not a deep dive into consumer archetypes, and marketing for e-commerce. There are specialists in our community who can tell the story of masterful online selling much better than us.
Our intent is to help online sellers make the most of their digital real estate.
Let’s start with the term “user”, it’s a word that implies getting the job done. It’s easy to funnel “users” to the same places on a website quickly – in a store environment that means a shopping cart, and then a checkout. That’s good!
But what about the “users” whose shopping behavior is out of sync with the aggregated version of “users” our industry has decided to benchmark?
Let’s go to the mall together. Today I’m a “social shopper”; I don’t have a list, I don’t need to buy anything, but I really like spending time with you, and you need some socks and a carving knife.
I’m kinda hoping that we can start with a treat from the food court, but you’re all business. You’re a “determined shopper”. So we hit up the usual suspects, the places near the entrance, the stores with clear signage and easy to navigate merchandising that herds us towards the checkout as you collect the crews, tubes, and ankles required for your family. Your 10 year-old is back at school now, so I’m standing in for her. I want to veer off into the novelty section and peruse socks with funny slogans, and oh! there’s candles! I love candles – this one smells like amber, it’s on clearance – I join you at the till with my treasure… eventually.
Let’s go to the mall together. Today I’m a “social shopper”; I don’t have a list, I don’t need to buy anything, but I really like spending time with you, and you need some socks and a carving knife.
There’s a woman standing in line behind us waiting to buy a gorgeous pair of legwarmers, she’s really elegant, I’m sure she’s a dancer. She’s happy to wait, there are product fixtures all around us with cute hair stuff, energy bars, and what? MORE candles!! I see her sniffing the same amber one I’m buying, of course she has to have it too. The ballerina is both a “determined shopper”, AND and “impulse shopper”.
This store has the right idea, they know there’s a person, tagging along with their target market, with eyes on those little extras. And they also know that “determined shoppers” can also be “impulse shoppers”.
We LOVE making sure “impulse shoppers”, and “social shoppers” are top of mind when designing an online store. Sure, the meat and potato products for the determined shopper need to be easy to find and appetizing, but discretionary items can often be merchandised in fun ways and in unexpected places. Those little corners of beauty and joy make a difference, and that experience is what friends will tell you about when you’re the one looking for a store that sells socks.
Sure, the meat and potato products for the determined shopper need to be easy to find and appetizing, but discretionary items can often be merchandised in fun ways and in unexpected places.
Moving on. I still haven’t had my treat from the food court, but you are on a mission. We head to the knife store.
The knife store is full of… knives, it’s well laid out, the merchandising is sensible. You’re in the right place. A good carving knife is no joke. Sharp, and expensive.
But what about me? Surely there’s something here I can feast my eyes on while you compare the weight and balance of various knives like a noble savage.
I’d entertain a pocket-size grilling guide, I overcook every single animal flesh I get my hands on. Or perhaps one of those OdoRocks (it’s not magic it’s science) that kills the fishy smell on Salmon Saturdays.
Alas, I’m not a “user” in this store, I’m an interloper. “Social shoppers” like me aren’t their target, and that’s ok. But I bet there are “determined shoppers” who might throw caution to the wind at the check-out and purchase a Zippo to have on hand to elevate their hibachi lighting routine.
“Determined shoppers” can be “impulse shoppers” simultaneously.
But what about me? Surely there’s something here I can feast my eyes on while you compare the weight and balance of various knives like a noble savage.
In the online shopping ecosystem, experience is everything, we expect to be served not only what we need, but thanks to the modern retail machine, we’ve been conditioned to keep our options open to further spending possibilities! (I’m looking at you Estée Lauder!)
We want business owners to think about everyone, even the interlopers, the “social shoppers”. A Tesla may still be out of reach, but I can swing a bottle of tequila on their website.
*For those of you who care about my wellbeing; I never did get my treat from the food court, you can send your concerns to Robyn Derdall, maybe she’ll be persuaded to think about me for a change
~ Sarah Deschamps, Lead Designer at Violet Webworks
