A UX Research case study on how pandemic has affected the ethnic apparel industry.
Overview:
Indian Dhaga is an online app for traditional wear for a complete family. Ethnic India app makes users shop easier, to design and select materials and customs for their clothes from home and having new features of 3D.
Challenge :
Fashion Industry has been hit hard due to the pandemic. Buying ethnic wear online is quite a difficult task. Indian Dhaga’s ethnic wear app has seen a drop in its sales and looking to increase their revenue and sale.
As UX research ,I want to understand the behavioural shift that the pandemic has brought and its impact on purchasing festive and ethnic apparels.Planning a research to identify new purchase pattern emerging for the business.
India Dhaga is getting ready for the new normal of apparel purchasing by users.
Role:UX Designer
Timeline: 4weeks
Platform:Mobile App
Approach :
- Competitive and Comparative Analysis
- User Interviews
- Empathy Mapping
- Feature Prioritizations
- Low and High Fidelity prototypes
- Usability Testing
- Heuristic Evaluation
RESULT
India Dhaga is getting ready for the new normal of apparel purchasing by users, custom orders.Understanding the behavioural shift that the pandemic has brought and its impact on purchasing festive and ethnic apparels.By which, users are not exposed to pandemic environment, getting rid of waiting line in shops/malls and can custom clothes based on their choice online.
PROCESS
Secondary Research
thenationalnews — Home delivery of the product has increased by 85%.User have postponed huge expenditures and women users switch to online shopping than men.
deccanchronicle — The fashion industry in the western world has been there for over 100–150 years. The Indian fashion industry has been around for only 30–40 years.India has an estimated 16 million crafts-people working in the textile industry. A majority of them in rural areas and are involved in the most intricate work like weaving, embroidery and creation of embellishments etc.Branded cloth lines sales have reduced , users are looking to cheaper,reasonable rates, second hand products — has shown a spike in their sales. Users are now buying traditional products.4% less in GDp has affected the incomes levels of user leading to change in purchasing pattern.
timesofindia — 400% growth in the sales of luxury online players across the globe even amid the uncertain times.Few luxury brands which do not have offers -due pandemic has slashed the rates of the product where everyone is affordable. Shoppers are access to all digital platforms across the globe and with delivery to their respective places.
IInsights:
- Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets have led to recovery after COVID-19 as they have been the least affected area.Contributed 22% of the online users.
- Home delivery of the product has increased by 85%.
- The fashion industry in the western world has been there for over 100–150 years. The Indian fashion industry has been around for only 30–40 years.
- 400% growth in the sales of luxury online players across the globe even amid the uncertain times.
- 96% GenZ and Millennials shopping patterns have been affected due to the pandemic.
- 34 %Gen X and 24% Boomers has not affected their purchasing pattern due to pandemic.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India where population is between 50,000 to 99,999 and 20,000 to 49,999 respectively
Millennials and GenZ are age people who are born between 1980 to1995 and 1996 and the early-mid 2000s respectively
Boomers and GenX are age people who born between 1946 to 1964 and 1965 to 1979/80 respectively
Target Audience
20–65 year old men and women from the India. College graduates, working professionals, middle class, home markers, retired professionals, business owners.Interested in sustainability development, minimalism , healthy lifestyle, ho harm to environment , technology and fashion. Enjoy shopping for new clothes, restaurants with friends and family.
Goal is saving money and be safe in the pandemic for more comfortable wear and better quality materials and services.
Key motivation points are to stay safe during the pandemic, doesn't want to step out of the house, invest in good quality apparels ,budget friendly, organised and most important Comfortness.
Primary Research
Research Guide
- Who are we solving the problem for?
- What is the ultimate goal / impact?
- Where do we need to focus most?
- When is the problem occuring?
- Why is it important to solve the problem?
Interview Guide through google documents was sent to different groups for the below questionnaire
- Name, Age
- How often do you shop ,is there any budget for shopping?
- Are you working professional or student or home maker or entrepreneur?
- Do you like to do shopping and have a pandemic changed your pattern?
- What do you like to wear (on daily /on festivals/on occasions)?
- When do you wear ethnic clothes -Any special occasions ,festivals?
- What kind of ethnic wear do you like or comfortable in?
- Do you like to spend more or extra money on ethnic wear?
- Kindly let me know if we connect over a call to talk about SHOPPING.
Based on the above responses, I have prepared Competitive and Comparative Analysis with most popular brands and its features which serve in system to increase sales and also better user experience.
IUser Interviews:
I have connected with 9 Users who were warm enough to spend their time to talk about their shopping experiences during pandemic.
Insights
Analysising the data and divided into groups below —
1.Adapters:
- Users use product/application to buy both offline and online and are frequent shoppers more than once a month.Mostly prefers comfortable clothing.
- Choose pattern of clothes — user prefers to buy offline store (ethnic wear) after checking them out on online because can do trial or exchange, check for the fittings
- User does not need to step out of the for shopping (can shop online- if brands and size are familiar).Avoid going to malls in this pandemic situation
- User preferred going to mall /physical store to buy for festival (ethnic wear)
- User traits of this group are being safe at home,easy tracking, returns,easy payments — via UPI rather than entering card number or netbanking ID and trusting the website for online shopping
2.Close Fisted:
- Users who doesn’t prefer to buy , they buy once in year or buy for festival or occasions only
- Doesn’t prefer online shopping because with the issues with size, quality, color , exchange
- Scared of payment frauds,fear of loosing money
- User traits of this group is , don’t do shopping at all and dont trust online websites and not much adaptable about the external changes
3.Vastness:
- Users who buy in bulk, prefers to buy both Online and offline
- Buy only during offers , heavy discounts or festival sale only
- To save money , Users avoid extra spending, i.e, not to buy for actual price
- Who already knows the size of the clothing, known brands or may be willing to buy new brands but does not require to do trial
- User traits of this group are looking for huge discounts, sale or offers
EMPATHY MAP
ADAPTERS
CLOSED FITTED
VASTNESS
PERSONAS
USER CHALLENGES AND FRUSTRATIONS
- Users who are preferring online shopping, may not get desired product, size, color , material , design , quality or brand
2)Does not have any intention to buy ethnic clothes on online
3)Does not know the present clothing trend nor for ethnic wear
4)User is willing to buy specific product but shows as Out of Stock and wait for the product
5)App may not be as appealing it should be for everyone like too many options or too much description, unable to understand the quality from the image
6)Scared of payments via online because online frauds, netbanking issues, not easy payment links
7)Exchange or return of the product may not be feasible in all ethnic style and leading for getting desired product late
Converting these challenges into HMW — “how might we question”
1)How might we avoid exchange and returns -Before delivering of the product, delivery agent can update to User with image (pattern and color) before delivering
2)How might give user more trial experience -Uploading our measurements and image showing how the products looks on us.Adding 3D features — uploading image of ours or standing in front of mirror with the app with swiping options to check mainly color and style which suiting our skin tone and body shape.Giving trial method by the app(suppose 5 to 8 clothes) before purchasing, keeping in mind with safety measures.
3)How might we come up different pricing strategy-Pricing reasonable ethnic wear and having comparisons with other products.Giving offers and discounts highlighted.
4)How might we show user the stock of the product before buying-Having inventory for most popular products like 3 available out of 5 dresses.
5)How might make our app simple-By not adding too many lines just product quality ,height of the model and ratings of the product.
6)How might we make simple payment gateway-Making payment easy bt OTP, UPI links rather than entering banks details or any card details.
7)How might we get new customer -Requesting our present customer to feedback and share among their circle with referral code and for next purchase they can avail discount.Adding new style like maternity wear and sleep wear in traditional style.
CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP
USER FLOW:
A user flow is a route map for the user to navigate from entry point to end point in order to complete a task in the user interface.
The user flow defines all navigation steps in the user journey in order to achieve their goal.
WIREFRAMES:
Key Learnings:
- Understanding the Users is key to solve problem
- Having a conversations with Users and making them comfortable, making Users to open up is quite a task rather than asking direct questions.
- There is no hard and rule approach for solving a case.
Looking forward for your feedback