User Research

Methodology 

Who is the demographic?:

• Middle class gen z and millennials

• "More than 55% of US consumers prefer to shop online" (2022 Raydiant study on US consumer behavior)

• "There were 41.8 million online shoppers aged 25 to 34 years in 2022, the largest group among digital buyers":

• This group is appropriate to focus on given the research question because they represent a demographic that is likely to be tech-savvy and open to using innovative products to save money. As young professionals, they may have limited disposable income and a strong incentive to seek out discounts and savings opportunities.

10 Questions Asked (all interviews):

*3 Main Questions

1. How often do you utilize discounts/coupons, if any

2. What methods do you use to find discounts? What do you like or not like about them?*

3.  Have you ever missed out on using a coupon or discount due to difficulties in organizing or remembering them?

4. How do you decide which coupons to use and when?

5. Can you walk me through a recent experience of finding, storing, and utilizing a coupon? What challenges do you encounter when trying to utilize coupons and discounts effectively?*

6. On average, how much money do you think you save through coupons?

7. What shopping category would you like to save the most money on ? 

8. Do you prefer digital coupons, physical coupons, or a combination of both? Why?

9. Are there any discounts that you have passed up on and why? 

10. What features would you find helpful in a coupon and discount management app?*

Interview 1: Alissa

Description of participant:  

Elaine, a 19 year old UC Berkeley junior majoring in Data Science

Explanation of why this participant appropriate to focus on:  

As a self proclaimed impulse buyer, she is constantly shopping throughout the week. She is always looking for the best deal. 

Completed interview:

She uses discounts and cupons at least once a week, and looks for them mainly online. She tries to find instant cash back extensions, such as Rakuten. She has missed out on numerous cupons due to difficulties organizing or remembering them. If there is something she has been on the fence about buying, but it has a cash back extension that is high, for example 12%, she will buy it. On average, she would say she saves about $400 a year on cupons. Elaine would like to save the most money on food and beauty purchaces. And, she prefers digital cupons because it makes her not feel nervous about the transaction. She has passed up on cupons before if there was nothing from the seller that interested her. Elaine said the most helpful features in a cupon app would be to get deals from brands she has already bought from, or even include a "For you" category.

Full transcript

Interview 2: Aisha 

Description of participant: Ece, a third-year student UC Berkeley student, majoring in Art Practice 

Explanation of why this participant appropriate to focus on:  As an art practice major, Ece spends most of her money buying arts and crafts supplies to practice outside of class not only to better her skills but also to experiment with different mediums of art. As most craft stores offer good deals, she frequently collects coupons from craft stores and tracks discount offers diligently.

Completed interview:  Even though a frequent coupon user, Ece never uses coupons for what she doesn’t need. As a conscious deal-seeker, she tries to find specific coupons for only the supplies she plans on buying. Ece does this by “searching the web for possible coupons” before entering a store. Unfortunately, finding art coupons is difficult for Ece since most of them focus on clothing or food. Therefore, Ece is looking for an app that would easily gather all the art coupons into one place. Additionally, Ece shops for art supplies frequently and receives personalized coupons from stores, but she fails to take advantage of them simply because she forgets about them. Thus, Ece is also looking for an app that would allow her to manually input her personalized coupons and get a reminder for when they're about to expire. Ece saves up to 50 dollars each month as a result of coupon hunting and is convinced that she could double this amount if she had the time to access more coupons, but unfortunately, she just doesn’t have enough time.

Interview 4: Marcus

Description of participant: Magnus, 18-year-old UC Berkeley sophomore studying Business Administration

Explanation of why this participant is appropriate to focus on: Magnus is starting a podcasting business and frequently makes online purchases to scale his operations. He is very cost-conscious and is financially responsible, but due to his hectic academic and extracurricular schedule, has difficulty spending time to reap the most optimal savings. 

Completed interview: Magnus is a resourceful shopper who prioritizes savings, particularly when making purchases for his podcasting business. He actively seeks out discounts and coupons online, often using websites like Groupon or Honey to find deals. Despite his efforts, Magnus sometimes struggles to organize and remember his coupons due to his busy schedule. On average, he estimates saving around $50-$100 a month through coupons. Magnus prefers digital coupons for their ease of use but is open to using physical coupons if they are more convenient. In a coupon and discount management app, Magnus would desire features such as an automatic coupon application at checkout, reminders for expiring coupons, and a centralized organization system to streamline his shopping experience and maximize his savings potential.

 Insights

1. Preference for Convenience and Digital Coupons: Across all interviews, participants express a clear preference for digital coupons over traditional paper coupons. They find digital coupons more convenient to use and store, which enhances their shopping experience and reduces transactional anxiety.

2. Targeted Couponing: Participants demonstrate a preference for targeted couponing, seeking discounts specifically tailored to their needs and interests. They express frustration when coupons are not relevant to their purchases, indicating a desire for personalized couponing experiences.

3. Coupon Organization and Reminders: Several participants mention difficulties in organizing and remembering coupons, leading to missed opportunities for savings. They express a need for coupon management apps that offer features such as organizing coupons by category, setting reminders for expiration dates, and integrating with digital wallets for seamless redemption.

4. Maximizing Savings: While participants vary in their shopping priorities, they consistently prioritize maximizing savings when utilizing coupons. They actively seek out high-value discounts, cashback offers, and promotions that offer substantial savings on their purchases, indicating a strong desire to optimize their shopping expenditure.

5. Time Constraints and Efficiency: Time constraints emerge as a significant barrier to effective coupon utilization, particularly for participants with busy schedules. Despite recognizing the potential for increased savings with more time investment, they struggle to allocate sufficient time to search for and utilize coupons effectively. Therefore, they express a need for coupon management tools that streamline the process and require minimal time investment to access relevant discounts.

User needs identified

1. Elaine needs a way to easily organize and access digital coupons from multiple sources to prevent missing out on potential savings.

2. Ece needs a platform that consolidates art supply coupons into one easily accessible location, addressing the current challenge of fragmented coupon availability.

3. Jocelyn needs a tool that notifies her of discounts or sales on items saved in her cart, optimizing her shopping experience without overwhelming her with unnecessary notifications.

4. Florence needs a coupon management app that simplifies the process of sorting, comparing, and redeeming coupons, reducing the cognitive load associated with coupon organization.

5. Elaine needs a reminder system within a coupon app to alert her before coupons expire, ensuring she maximizes savings opportunities.

6. Ece needs a feature in a coupon app that allows manual input of personalized coupons, coupled with reminders to utilize them before they expire.

7. Jocelyn needs the option to customize notification settings within a coupon app to control the frequency and type of alerts received, preventing overspending.

8. Florence needs a coupon app that integrates with her digital wallet, enabling seamless redemption of discounts during transactions.

9. Elaine needs a coupon app that provides recommendations based on her past purchases and preferences, enhancing her shopping experience with tailored deals.

10. Ece needs a platform that curates art-related discounts and promotions based on her specific interests and purchasing history, saving her time and effort in searching for relevant coupons.

11. Jocelyn needs a feature in a coupon app that tracks items she intends to purchase and notifies her when they go on sale or become eligible for discounts.

12. Florence needs a coupon app with a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of browsing, selecting, and redeeming coupons, catering to her preference for simplicity.

13. Elaine needs a coupon app that offers real-time updates on available discounts or promotions, enabling her to capitalize on time-sensitive deals.

14. Ece needs a coupon management tool with an integrated scanner feature, allowing her to easily digitize and store paper coupons for future use.

15. Jocelyn needs a coupon app that provides insights into potential savings based on her shopping habits and preferences, empowering her to make informed purchasing decisions.

16. Magnus needs a centralized coupon management platform to streamline his shopping experience and maximize his savings potential.

Feedback Questions:

1. What factors would be important in designing a solution to this problem?

2. Which elements of the affinity diagram do you resonate most with?

3. What tools do you currently use to address the issues described by the problem space?