Apple store locator in process

Finding a store UX Redesign
Store Locator http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

User Experience Redesign: Finding a store / store locator www.apple.com
Version 1.0 Date August, 2012 Author Yanina Guerzovich

UX Analysis
/ Current experience review

/ Other cases review

/ Usability test+interviews with users (to do)


Customer Journey Map overview

Motivation Discover Find a store Determine the Get directions Arrive at the
Why? What? best location store
Current touchpoints
Apple Website
Apple Retail store
Reseller store
Other Website
Mobile...

People: needs & emotions ?
Newbie
Luca,32, is a math teacher He is looking for the He decides to go to He looks for stores He browses in the He writes down the He arrives to the
from San Francisco. He new iPad for her girl- apple.com to see in San Francisco, CA. list the different address and opening store where he can
enjoys teaching, reading and friend. He lives out- where he can find a First, he browses in stores and in the hours. He checks the chat with a specialist
running. He likes to take his side San Francisco store. He finds hard the map, then, enters map. He sees 2 distance at Google- that advices about
new iPod that his girlfriend and works downtown to find the store wrong the name different stores. He Maps and get final the best product for
got him for his last birthday. so he needs to find a locator link, finally, just writing down decides to go to the directions. his girlfriend. He
He uses his laptop everyday store next to either he decides to look his town, but after Apple Store where arranges to go to the
for email, homebanking, place. He is not sure for a reseller since reading the sugges- he thinks he will get next event to learn
research, etc. which model to get. his work is next to a tions he gets a list of better advice. more.
Target Store. results.

Apple geek
Wonderer...
Apple Store staff
Reseller store staff...
Community...
Other

To start to understand the experience we map stories of people focusing on emotional insights. We map the steps in the process, to identify where
we can make the experience easier, more pleasant and efficient. To build a correct map, we should get to know users, observe and interview them
and understand the current trends. For this excersice we take only one “Persona” and his potential story, but we do know other stories from dif-
ferent user types can give us other insights - a deeper user research should be done.


Discover - Website overview / www.apple.com

[Page Title] - Microsoft Internet Explorer
Website Goals
File Edit View Favorites Tools Help
It addresses the business and creative main goals:
Back Search Favorites 1. Products/services catalog
www.apple.com Go Links 2. Online Store + Other shopping ways*
1
2 3. Support

* Redesign focus

1 Visuals & Branding
It is inline with the Brands´ Identity.

2 Navigation
The placement and sizing of the navigation items
are pertinent and clear. It represents all the appro-
priate pages, however the label Store that is linked
to the online store may be confusing to users look-
ing for a physical store, which can be found at the
g
bottom part of the page “Visit an Apple Retail Store
p p pp
or find a Reseller”


Wireframe analysis / http://www.apple.com/

Page purpouse and Action Calls
They respond to its purpouse: Brand presentation
Back Search Favorites through main product.
www.apple.com Go Links

Layout and Hierarchy
Headings, heavier weighted and different sizes text
are well used to define different levels of informa-
tion. The good use of whitepace and the amount of
text and images makes also the page readable.
Our focus “Find a store” is not a located at the bot-
tom of the page and has very small regular font (3rd
level hierarchy), thus is not easily findable.
1
Content
The wireframe content responds to the page pur-
pose. It that sense it is appropriate: it is grouped
correctly with surrounding information, images and
videos are placed correctly.

2

Visit an Apple Retail Store or ﬁnd a Reseller.
s
si pp ﬁnd
n
3


Finding a store / Screenshot flow

1 Go to Apple´s site 2 Decide where I want go (to buy products) 3 Find a store
The user goes to www.apple.com The page presents 3 options: Shop online, Shop Finally the users arrives to the store locator page.
Retail (Apple Stores), Find a Reseller. Observations:
He scrolls down and clicks on (find a) Reseller
Observations: The user should go to the third block and type 1. If the user has typed the text correctly, then the results are
where he would like to find a reseller. The search shown by list and in the map. If not (e.g. the user has typed one
1. The link Apple Retail Store directs the user to a different the City and not the State or viceversa), it shows “No Results
page where he can find ONLY Apple stores without showing acn be done by “City AND State or Zip code” and Found” and some Search Tips, making the user to retype the
other possible stores (resellers) where the users may also find press enter to go to the next page. correct location.
what they are looking for.
Observations:
2. Many users looking for a storemay start their journey
1. Predefined results list is not available to help user write
through a google search (e.g. search for “apple store in san
the right text.
francisco”), in this case the the results should lead him to the
store locator (step 3). 2. ‘Suggest searches as you type’ based on user´s history
browser´s tool is available.


Task 3 : Find a Store Page overview / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Page purpouse
The title of the page “Store Locator” indicates clearly
Back Search Favorites the page purpouse: To locate a sore.
http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/ Go Links

heavier weighted and different sizes text are well
used to define different levels of information. The
good use of whitepace and the amount of text and
images makes also the page readable.
Our focus “Find a store” is not a located at the bot-
tom of the page and has very small regular font (3rd
level hierarchy), thus is not easily findable.

Content
Search criteria: The basic search required input is
City AND State or Zip code. Based on the country
presection, a preset list of possible results is shown
to help the user write correclty. The dropdown
menu to specify the product the user is looking for
is optional. This variable is important since not all
resellers sell all the products, however you can see
this clearly when the results are displayed with its
differentiators.

Results visualization:

Calls to Action
4
eadings, heavier weighted and different sizes text
are well used to define different levels of informa-
tion. The good use


Task 3.3 : Find a Store Wireframe overview (with results) / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

1
Layout and Hierarchy
The page is divided in 4 areas, defining also the
2.1 3.1 hierarchy of the page:

1 Page title

2 Column 1
2.2 2.1
Search Bar (basic+advanced): Main call to action
2.2 Space for Results List

2
3 Column 2
3.1 Empty Interactive Map powered by Google (show

founded results)
3.2 Other (4) Shopping options Links+Text
3

4 Breadcrumbs (link to Home)
3.2

Main Visual Area:
It does show the main purpouse of the page. How-
ever, it displays the Map is shown in an important
part of the page, even if it is not possible to search
through it.

Grouping
Column 1 groups 2 Different Tasks a: Searching and
Selecting the best result (by list)
S l i h b l (b li )
4 Also, C l
Al Column 2 groups 2 Different Tasks: Select-
Diff T k S l
ing the best result (by map) and Discovering other
i h b l (b ) d Di i h
shopping options (secondary function).
h i i ( d f i )
Thus, the main task Selecting the best result is
divided and the 2 visualizations are not well con-
nected; when scrolling down the user does not see
simultaneously the result in the list and in the map.
results”
(see page “Task 3.2: Selecting the best results”)


Task 3.1 : Searching for a store / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Task 3.1 : Searching for a store
In order to find a location, the users needs to enter
WHERE is the store located, through the text search.
2.1 2.2
1
The component provides:

1 Basic search: the required input is City AND State or
2.3 Zip code.
2
2.4 2.1 While typing if, given enough time, based on the
country presection, a preset list of possible results
is shown to help the user write correclty.

2.4 If the text is not correct (e.g. the user has typed one
2.1 2.2
the City and not the State or viceversa), no results
are shown and some Search Tips, making the user
to retype the correct location (done also before).
2.2
The dropdown list filter allows the user to specify
the product the user is looking for is optional. This
p g p
variable is important since not all resellers sell all
p
2.3 the products, however you can see this clearly when
the results are displayed with its differentiators (see
page “Task 3.2: Selecting the best results”)

2 Advanced Search: allows the user to filter
2.4 Solution and Store Name. This search is pertinent
for users knowing exaclty where and what they
need but not for most of the users. By default the
advanced search is shown, without reflecting most
users´ needs; it can be hidden clicking its link.

2.3 By Solution: a dropdown list offers many detailed
options to the users.

2.3 Store Name: Textbox


Task 3.2 : Selecting the best store - Browsing / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Task 2 : Selecting the best store - Browsing
Once the user has writen a “correct location”, he can
browse the different options through a list or map.

Results can be visualize by:

1 List: Under the search component, a table lists the
results, organized by proximity to the criteria (city
center if not specified) with differentiators, allowing
1
the user to select by description. Eight results are
2
shown by page, if there are more the user needs to
hit the Next/Previous button.

Each result shows:
- a map marker reference icon
- the name of the store (title hierarchy)
- the store´s address
- the products that can be found in that store
marked with different color dots.

2 Location in a Map powered by Google: Once the
search is done, the user can navigate in the map
to decide if the shown results macht his needs by
location. The results shown correspond to the ones
in the list, when zooming out, no other results are
shown, only when the user advances in the list, he
can see the other results, hiding the previous in the
map. This reduces the functionality of having a map
where the user can see at a glance all results to
help him understand where he preferes to go.


Task 3.3 : Choosing one store / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Task 3 : Choosing one store
The selection can be done in the list or map.

The user can select one store clicking in the list or
2
map. When clicking in either place, the chosen op-
tion is highlited in both visualizations:

1 List: Different color background is used. (Normal:
White / Hoover: Light blue / Active: Blue)

2 Map: the marker+pop-up is centered in the map and
1 a pop-up description is shown with:
- the name of the store (title hierarchy)
- the store´s address
- the aprox. distance to the city center
- a link to Get directions.
- a tablink to see services offered.

Services and Shopping at Apple Store are other dif-
ferentiator, but the first are not shown in the table
only in this tab and the second are identified with a
special icon . Users can also search for services
through the links below.

To check other results, the user can directly select
other item in the map or list.
To unselect all options, the user must close the
pop-up description in the map hitting the close icon
“X” or going to the Next/Previous results page in the
list.

The selection is guided by the location as the shown
results are the ones near-by. Other filters can be
applied (Products, Solution, Name) in the search
component however, the user must do a new search
(hit enter or go) to apply the filters.


Task 3.4 : Getting directions to get there / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Task 3 : Getting directions to get there
The user can write down the address, orient himself
through the map or enter a start address and get the
directions through a GoogleMaps integration.

1 When clicking on Get directions a text box is shown
where the user can write a specific start address.
By hitting the Button Get directions, he will be di-
rected to https://maps.google.com/... where he can
use all GoogleMaps functions (distance, route, etc).
1

Other shopping options
A B
A The page presents other options to help the user
find what he is looking for.

B
Find a Solution Professional: Link to http://solution-
professionals.apple.com/

D C
Buy Online: Link to http://store.apple.com/us
C
D Find a Service Provider: http://www.apple.com/buy/
locator/service/ :
Apple Stores and other resellers to provide services.

Shop Retail: http://www.apple.com/retail/ :
Apple Stores: these results can also be found with
the Store Locator.


Reflexions
First, even if Apple’s products evolve, its core beliefs are still the same:
simple, clean design - effortless, in fact. It´s website tries to reflect this
elements and it should remain the same - a radical redesign of Apple.
com would only be appropriate if it would accompany a an equally radical
change from their traditional ideals.

Second, Apple is offering new ways to buy and extra services that engage
the customer and helps the user. However, the store locator seems to be
set behind since other experiences such as shopping at a Apple Store have
taken over, with better interaction design and augmented delighters.

We think it is important to improve the general store locator experience.
Users looking for a store, even if it is not a Branded one, should have a easy
and pleasant journey. We have identified different opportunites and prob-
lems that can be solved through a newer design in a first stage.


UX Redesign
/ Wireframes exploration

/ Redesign proposal

/ Usability test+interviews with users (to do)


Find a Store / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

A Show all results in a map B Show no results - give a reference of what the B Show No results found with tips
user can find to orient if he is in the right page

Selected Solution


Finding a store / Screenshot flow

1 Go to Apple´s site 2 Decide where I want go (to buy products) 3 Find a store
The user goes to www.apple.com This step dissapears. The user arrives the the Store Locator.
He can search directly there where he is looking
for.
The search allows, City OR State OR Zip code with
a dropdown list of preset results.


Task 1 : Find a Store prototype overview / http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/

Apple store locator in process

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