More than 50% of shoppers now prefer to buy online, with about 72% of shoppers agreeing that a personalised user journey is a key influencing factor when it comes to purchasing. The Body Shop wanted to implement a persuasive, engaging and socially-driven e-commerce strategy. Personalising content and cross-channel integration were two challenges that needed attention.
Ten groups of six people each were called in to talk about their experiences with the brand. Once the concept was designed, focus groups provided a cost-effective means of testing the teams’ initial assumptions. Through these sessions, relevant user segments began to emerge. These sessions helped explore product ideas where participants were asked to talk about their experiences with shopping online and at the store.
A total of 19 competitive players were reviewed. The design of the website across channels was a potential differentiator. The concept showcased persuasive techniques that urge users to convert. Behavioural design techniques and psychological principles like social proof, social learning and contrast, for example, were applied to increase online motivation while people browsed online. Trust elements were built into the design by imbuing the medium of communication with a high social presence: the perception that there is personal, sociable, and sensitive human contact in the medium.
A unique feature of the platform allowed The Body Shop to send targeted messages in sequences – that is, once a user has registered to the website, the platform provided the ability to stagger the emails. Mobile experiences serve as a path to conversion. Designing for all inbox environments was a key to success.
Aside from designing for a click-based interaction, it was also important to cater to touch, swipes and taps across devices. A week after going live, there was an increase in online conversion with the website that was designed responsively across channels with personalised content for users that improved referral traffic.