video ethnography snowboard commerce Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

PROBLEM Beginner snowboarders can’t make their decision because the information they need is split between two different environments. Less money for business Less play for snowboarders Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Beginner snowboarders can’t make their decision because the information they need is split between two different environments.

Less money for business

Less play for snowboarders

DISJOINT EXPERIENCE Can I afford it? Who else uses it? Other people’s UX? Can I trust them? Does it solve my problem? Does it match? Does it fit? Snowbird | 06/07/09 | Online Online Online Online ~ In store Online ~ In store In store In store

Can I afford it?

Who else uses it?

Other people’s UX?

Can I trust them?

Does it solve my problem?

Does it match?

Does it fit?

Online

Online

Online

Online ~ In store

Online ~ In store

In store

In store

DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS [U01] Provide pricing and benefits tool for customers that help compare products based on their desires in store [U02] Help customers identify and evaluate products in store that compliment all of their existing equipment Include color, brand and feature filters [U03] Increase and sustain excitement level on/offline [U04] Provide a tool that explain features and terminology Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

[U01] Provide pricing and benefits tool for customers that help compare products based on their desires in store

[U02] Help customers identify and evaluate products in store that compliment all of their existing equipment

Include color, brand and feature filters

[U03] Increase and sustain excitement level on/offline

[U04] Provide a tool that explain features and terminology

BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS [B01] Track and showcase sales staff’s snowboarding experience publicly [B02] Increase customer intelligence through casual ongoing relationship management Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

[B01] Track and showcase sales staff’s snowboarding experience publicly

[B02] Increase customer intelligence through casual ongoing relationship management

INSIGHTS Price is a high priority in a beginner’s purchasing process Sales staff from a specialty store earn trust by being up in the mountains with their potential customers It’s hard for shoppers to evaluate compatibility between new and existing equipment Videos, photos and art excite shoppers online and in store Sub brands and branded features don’t make sense to beginners Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Price is a high priority in a beginner’s purchasing process

Sales staff from a specialty store earn trust by being up in the mountains with their potential customers

It’s hard for shoppers to evaluate compatibility between new and existing equipment

Videos, photos and art excite shoppers online and in store

Sub brands and branded features don’t make sense to beginners

PRICE IS A HIGH PRIORITY IN A BEGINNER’S PURCHASING PROCESS Search online prior to visiting a store to gauge price expectation Search sales section after reviewing other products in retail Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Search online prior to visiting a store to gauge price expectation

Search sales section after reviewing other products in retail

IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT PRICE IS A HIGH PRIORITY IN A BEGINNER’S PURCHASING PROCESS

SALES STAFF FROM A SPECIALTY STORE EARN TRUST BY BEING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH THEIR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS Seeing and meeting with people on the mountains creates new business or reinforces existing ones Sales staff tell personal stories that relate to customers Sales staff tell personal stories to explain features Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Seeing and meeting with people on the mountains creates new business or reinforces existing ones

Sales staff tell personal stories that relate to customers

Sales staff tell personal stories to explain features

IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT SALES STAFF FROM A SPECIALTY STORE EARN TRUST BY BEING UP IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH THEIR POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT Female shoppers want to match by color Female shoppers seek advice from friends for soft goods Female shoppers seek advice from experienced friends or sales staff for hard goods (see above) Male shoppers want to match by brand and features Shoppers feel better about their equipment when they have items that match functionally and aesthetically Beginners limit their choices because they have a misconception that they need to shop for the same brand on all their gear Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Female shoppers want to match by color

Female shoppers seek advice from friends for soft goods

Female shoppers seek advice from experienced friends or sales staff for hard goods (see above)

Male shoppers want to match by brand and features

Shoppers feel better about their equipment when they have items that match functionally and aesthetically

Beginners limit their choices because they have a misconception that they need to shop for the same brand on all their gear

IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT Snowbird | 06/07/09 | IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT

VIDEOS, PHOTOS AND ART EXCITE SHOPPERS ONLINE AND IN STORE Shoppers get excited about going up to snowboard when they see videos of others, especially professionals who do tricks Shoppers are initially intimidated by the amount of culture that is on display in specialty stores Snowboards themselves carry emotional value because it allows the person to remember where they’ve been and how far they’ve come Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Shoppers get excited about going up to snowboard when they see videos of others, especially professionals who do tricks

Shoppers are initially intimidated by the amount of culture that is on display in specialty stores

Snowboards themselves carry emotional value because it allows the person to remember where they’ve been and how far they’ve come

Snowbird | 06/07/09 | IT’S HARD FOR SHOPPERS TO EVALUATE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN NEW AND EXISTING EQUIPMENT VIDEOS, PHOTOS AND ART EXCITE SHOPPERS ONLINE AND IN STORE

SUB BRANDS AND BRANDED FEATURES DON’T MAKE SENSE TO BEGINNERS Beginner and intermediate don’t understand the different kinds of technology on the hang tags There’s no need to understand the technical details until people reach a higher skill level because then they would need specific features for their riding style Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Beginner and intermediate don’t understand the different kinds of technology on the hang tags

There’s no need to understand the technical details until people reach a higher skill level because then they would need specific features for their riding style

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES Multi Device [U01, U02, U03, U04] Integrating tools and information between different devices in and outside of the store Multi Channel [B01, B02, B03] Marketing and communicating with customers across different contexts (e.g. SMS, SNS, Email, etc) Community [U03, B01, B03] Leveraging social media data that informs and promotes purchasing criteria Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Multi Device [U01, U02, U03, U04]

Integrating tools and information between different devices in and outside of the store

Multi Channel [B01, B02, B03]

Marketing and communicating with customers across different contexts (e.g. SMS, SNS, Email, etc)

Community [U03, B01, B03]

Leveraging social media data that informs and promotes purchasing criteria

MULTI DEVICE Pricing and feedback from friends or experienced snowboarders in store similar to online experience [U01, U02, U03, U04] Observations Computer station availability in store to access inventory via web Shoppers with smart phones searching for prices via mobile web Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Pricing and feedback from friends or experienced snowboarders in store similar to online experience

[U01, U02, U03, U04]

Observations

Computer station availability in store to access inventory via web

Shoppers with smart phones searching for prices via mobile web

MULTI CHANNEL Connecting shoppers with sales associates (experts) everywhere, from in store, online to on the mountain slopes via SMS, Twitter or SNS [B01, B02] Observations Customers, and prospective customers seeing and talking to the sales staff on the mountain builds trust Store owner updating customers on new promotions and company reflections through the blog Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Connecting shoppers with sales associates (experts) everywhere, from in store, online to on the mountain slopes via SMS, Twitter or SNS

[B01, B02]

Observations

Customers, and prospective customers seeing and talking to the sales staff on the mountain builds trust

Store owner updating customers on new promotions and company reflections through the blog

COMMUNITY Snowboarders influencing each other on what brands they buy, what they own, their skill level, their style and where they have snowboarded [U03, B01, B03] Observations Brand awareness through other people’s equipment Sharing product information on Facebook Sending sale promotions between friends via email Borrowing or passing down equipment along siblings Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

Snowboarders influencing each other on what brands they buy, what they own, their skill level, their style and where they have snowboarded

[U03, B01, B03]

Observations

Brand awareness through other people’s equipment

Sharing product information on Facebook

Sending sale promotions between friends via email

Borrowing or passing down equipment along siblings

VIDEO http://www.vimeo.com/2935704 Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

http://www.vimeo.com/2935704

PARTICIPANTS 7 total participants 1 store owner 1 store employee 3 novices 1 intermediate 1 advanced Snowbird | 06/07/09 |

7 total participants

1 store owner

1 store employee

3 novices

1 intermediate

1 advanced