Research about Wawa customers’ shopping experiences
Our primary objective as a UX research team is to deeply understand the needs, pain points, and behaviors of our target audience in relation to our client’s services and offerings.
The Team
Pencilvanians - Xinyi Hu, Nancy Manoj, Nithin Namani, Yogini Patel
My Role
UX Researcher, UX designer, Project Coordinator
Duration
May 2023 to Aug 2023
Research Process
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Understand the client mandate, and transfer it into a design mandate
Assign the research group, delegate responsibilities to different roles
Decide the research methodology, create a research protocol
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Recruit qualified participants for user interviews
Visit the local Wawa store, take fieldnotes as an observer participant
Design interactive probes to send out to participants
Conduct user interviews, document interview transcripts
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Look for historical and relevant resources to support the primary research
Create a secondary research report with annotated bibliography
Share findings with the rest of the team
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Collect interview feedback and prepare user data for analysis
Devise a coding strategy to analyze qualitative data
Conduct a triangulation session to compare data interpretation perceptions
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Discuss the design opportunities in a well-established design space
Define the user problem and find possible design solutions
Create design recommendations to share with key stakeholders and handoff to the design team
Project Overview
The Client Mandate
“We know people really like their digital devices. They get attached to them. We want to replicate that attachment in our stores, to tie them closer to our brand. We want you to design a shopping cart for us that includes all kinds of digital tools and toys.”
The Project Mandate
Determine how we can make the shopping experience better for customers.
Determine the features in a grocery store that promote brand loyalty amongst working-age shoppers in the city.
Explore the relationship between shoppers and the shopping cart in the store.
Explore how shoppers use technology in the store.
Project Plan Rationale
Client Info
Wawa, Inc.
Wawa is an American chain of convenience stores and gas stations that originated in Pennsylvania and flourished along the east coast of the United States.
Background
We want to understand the shopping experiences of our local Pennsylvania customers when they visit Wawa stores, to differentiate us from other stores and tie our local customers closer to our brand since Pennsylvania is our home. Also, we would like to find out how Wawa customers in Pennsylvania specifically use technology, to identify any potential pain points they might experience when shopping in our stores.
Research Goals
Identify the relationship between Wawa shoppers in Pennsylvania and shopping carts in Wawa stores.
Determine if using technology would improve the shopping experience for Wawa customers in Pennsylvania.
Find out what brand loyalty means to customers.
Research Questions
How do demographic factors such as age, income and shopping frequency influence Wawa customers’ shopping experiences and technology usage patterns in Pennsylvania?
How can Wawa enhance the shopping experience of Pennsylvania customers through the effective utilization of technology, addressing any pain points and improving convenience, efficiency, and satisfaction?
Methods
Observation: gather qualitative data by visiting participants in the environment, to understand our target users from a rich and nuanced background
Interviews: the most effective way in primary research to understand the experiences, motivations, and experiences of our users
Secondary research: provide insights into the industry and the brand and support the primary research.
Ethical Consideration
Confidentiality: Our researchers will ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of the collected data and take measures to protect sensitive information.
Informed Consent: Our research team will obtain informed consent from participants before interviews and will provide clear and comprehensive information about the research purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and the rights of the participants where participants will have the freedom to withdraw their consent at any time without consequences.
Data Collection and Storage: Researchers will align with the applicable data protection regulations. Collect and store the data securely and employ encryption, password protection, or other safeguards to prevent unauthorized access or loss of data.
Data Retention and Disposal: The data collected will be retained until the completion of the project and subsequently disposed of to prevent any potential misuse.
Transparency and Communication: Our researchers will communicate their data privacy and informed consent practices to participants and provide clear explanations and opportunities for participants to ask questions or seek clarification about the research.
Participants Recruitment
In order to conduct user research, we need to recruit qualified participants. The recruitment plan includes a participant recruitment strategy, a screener survey, an advertisement that we are going to send out on social media, and finally a consent form for our selected participants to sign before the interview.
Participants
Age 19-65
Resident in Pennsylvania
Visit Wawa stores on a regular basis
Recruitment Timeline
Participant recruitment will start after creating the interview protocol
It will last for 2-4 weeks
Compensation Strategy
$25 Wawa Gift Card for a 30-minute in-person interview session
$20 Wawa Gift Card for a 30-minute remote session
Interview Protocol
Methodology
Location: parking lots at local Pennsylvania Wawa stores, virtual meetings on Zoom
Length: 30 minutes
Compensation: $25 Wawa Gift Card for an in-person interview, $20 Wawa Gift Card for an online interview
Conversation Prompts
Can you describe to me your most recent shopping experience in Wawa?
Positives & Negatives
How long did you spend in the Wawa store to find what you want?
Can you tell me more about how you find what you are looking for inside the Wawa store?
Do you prefer to use the app to order ahead or place the order in person? Why? Or why not?
Could you please share your experience and level of comfort using the automated ordering and self-beverage-making machines at Wawa convenience stores?
Are there any specific features or functionalities of these machines that make you feel comfortable or uncomfortable?
In terms of time efficiency, can you describe your experience with these automated ordering and self-beverage-making machines?
When you mentioned getting stuck while using the machines, could you please provide more details about the nature of the issue or what specifically caused the difficulty?
Can you clarify whether the availability of employees for assistance was easily identifiable when you were stuck?
Can you describe your experience with the checkout process at Wawa?
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely efficient and fast, how would you rate the overall efficiency and speed of the checkout lines at Wawa?
Have you ever had to wait in long lines at Wawa during peak hours? If so, how long was the average wait time?
Interview Preparation Checklist
In-person interview:
Make sure the recorder is working properly
Remember to bring a pen for the participant to sign the form and for the interviewer to take notes
Test the sound on the recording
Give the participant your contact information
Online interview:
Make sure the Internet is stable, and the device’s camera is working
Make sure the Zoom app is working correctly on the device
Test the Zoom app’s recording
Make sure to send the participant a copy of the consent form prior to the interview via email
Give the participant your contact information
Post-Interview Decompression
15-20 minutes to sit quietly and reflect on what happened
Make notes about:
what you heard and saw
how you felt during the interview and how you feel now
how to adjust the interview process next time you run it
Take photos of all notes for documentation and reference purposes
Download and secure any recording documents, the consent form and the receipt of the Wawa Gift Card
All interview materials shall be stored digitally in the designated Microsoft Teams folder – including any and all material where the meeting notes were recorded.
All interview materials should be transferred within a span of 2 days to avoid loss of information.
Plan to complete individual interview reflections as soon as possible to retain the most amount of information from the interviews.
User Interviews
Based on the interview protocol, our team conducted a total of 6 user interviews and visited local Wawa stores 4 times to take fieldnote as observer participants. In this way, we collected valuable data to move to the next step: data analysis.
Ethnographic Fieldwork notes
Here is my fieldnote with time stamps and audio recordings:
User Interview reflection
Here is a list of reflections I had after conducting interviews:
the shopping experience in Wawa stores is fast.
the automated machines are straightforward to use and easy to understand
the checkout process is fast and efficient, even in rush hours
the app is not used, because in-store shopping is very fast, and there is no need to pre-order stuff
Wawa is relatively small and lacks diversity in the product
Research Data Analysis
At this stage, we turned raw research data into actionable results. We first set up a data analysis workbook in Excel, then completed iterative qualitative data analysis coding. We were able to manage a triangulation process with peers, stakeholders and key informant end users, to be prepared to communicate the results to peers, stakeholders and clients via design debriefs.
Top 3 Themes
Efficiency
Time
In-store technology
Point-of-View
An adult who is shopping in a city location in Pennsylvania needs to purchase breakfast or lunch quickly and efficiently during rush hours in order to save time.
An individual in Philadelphia who experiences the everyday hustle of being both employed and a shopper, needs to purchase necessities quickly, to better utilize their time and enjoy a harmonious shopping experience that's not only convenient but also engaging.
A person living in the city who subscribes to a healthy lifestyle and avoids fast food chains like Wawa.
An adult who enjoys road trips and travels often within Pennsylvania, needs to purchase ready-to-eat food items and drinks quickly and efficiently during a short break to save time and avoid standing in queues.
How Might We
How might we create an exceptional and time-saving breakfast and lunch purchasing experience for adults shopping in Pennsylvania's city locations, particularly during rush hours, that saves their valuable time and leaves them feeling satisfied and eager to return?
How might we enhance the user interface and interactivity of the hybrid kiosk to create a more engaging and user-friendly shopping experience?
How might we diversify our food product offerings to include and attract people with diverse dietary requirements thereby changing our image of being an unhealthy option?
How might we collaborate with local food suppliers and retailers to obtain real-time product availability data and pricing information?
How might we design a delightful and user-centric mobile application or self-checkout option that caters to the needs of adults on road trips and frequent travelers in Pennsylvania to efficiently purchase ready-to-eat food items and drinks during short breaks, enhancing their overall travel experience by minimizing wait times and queue frustrations?
Design Solution Recommendations
Based on the POVs and HMWs we concluded from our user research data, we prepared 8 design recommendations, linked back to the design space. Every design recommendation is grounded in group work, brainstorming and collaboration, so that they are user-centered.
Solution Recommendation 1
Adults shopping in Pennsylvania's city locations face a significant challenge during rush hours – finding a quick and efficient way to purchase breakfast or lunch. Long wait times at checkout counters often lead to frustration and dissatisfaction, discouraging repeat visits. This presents an opportunity to create a seamless experience that not only saves time for the users but also leaves them satisfied and eager to return.
1. Introduction of Quick-Service Kiosks:
Install self-service kiosks strategically near high-traffic areas within the store. These kiosks will allow users to quickly browse breakfast and lunch options, customize their orders, and make payments seamlessly. Clear and intuitive user interfaces will guide users through the process. Also, ensuring that all payment methods, including mobile wallets and contactless payments, are seamlessly integrated into both the kiosk and mobile app interfaces. This will further expedite the purchasing process.
2. Dedicated Express Checkout Lanes:
Designate express checkout lanes specifically for breakfast and lunch purchases during rush hours. Staff these lanes adequately to ensure efficient handling of customer traffic. Customers with kiosk orders can use these lanes to expedite their checkout process.
Solution Recommendation 2
Frequent travelers within Pennsylvania, particularly those on road trips, often face the challenge of quickly purchasing ready-to-eat food items and drinks during short breaks. Lengthy queues at the stores leads to delays and frustration. This presents an opportunity to enhance the customer’s experience by offering a seamless and efficient "drive-through" solution.
1. Pre-Ordering via Mobile App:
Enhancing the mobile app that enables travelers to pre-order their refreshments before reaching the stores. The app will display the menu, allow customization, show frequently bought items and provide estimated pickup times.
2. Introducing curbside pickup:
Introducing a curbside pickup alternative for individuals who opt to remain in their vehicles. Establishing well-defined curbside pickup areas in close proximity to the drive-through kiosks at rest stops, ensuring effective order handover and minimal impact on traffic movement. Also, employing a notification system through the mobile app to inform travelers once their orders are prepared for pickup, thus promoting smooth communication between travelers and staff, ultimately improving the curbside pickup process.
Solution Recommendation 3
Some customers may avoid Wawa due to the misconception that there are not many healthy or varied dietary options at the store. There is a gap in the products offered and the whole consumer market being overlooked. We can introduce more items with more product options, to improve customer satisfaction rate and brand reputation.
1. Improve store layout for better visibility:
The store layout could be improved and made more efficient. More visibility within the store could be given to products offered that would cater to those customers looking for a healthier option.
2. Include more product options:
Offering more variety in the kind of products offered or maybe allowing for more product customization to meet dietary requirements might be more inviting to customers who subscribe to varied dietary regimens. Adding a new section next to the ordering kiosk to sell pre-made healthy food and locally popular food, so that customers can save time on getting the food they need in the store.
Solution Recommendation 4
The individual shopper in Philadelphia is currently experiencing challenges while engaging in both shopping for food items and beverages and being employed. The existing process of purchasing items lacks efficiency due to the absence of easily accessible information regarding product availability and up-to-date prices. This not only results in a time-consuming shopping experience but also places an unnecessary burden on the in-store staff who are frequently approached for assistance. As a result, the individual shopper's shopping trips are often prolonged, and the dual role of being a shopper and an employee becomes increasingly demanding. This indicates an opportunity to improve the current kiosk design with better technology.
1. Introduction of Hybrid kiosk with human assistance:
Assign one or two staff to the self-ordering section to help customers out when they encounter technical difficulties with the ordering machines, so that we can allow real-time communication between local customers and staff to ensure efficient navigation while ordering food.
2. Enhance the design and accuracy of the kiosk:
Design a visually appealing and intuitive user interface for the kiosk, and implement interactive elements such as swipeable product carousels, product filters, and touch-based navigation for a more immersive experience, so that the shopping experiences for the local customers can be more enjoyable and more engaging. At the same time, integrate the kiosk with the store's real-time inventory management system to display up-to-date product availability information, to make sure any changes in stock levels are reflected instantly on the kiosk screen. In this way, we can reduce the risk of customer disappointment and improve the satisfaction rate.
Takeaways
Impact
Wawa can use this research outcome to improve current product design to support current technology in stores and build brand loyalty with a better sense of community.
What I Learned
The Business Mandate is not necessarily what users want. As UX researchers, we need to learn how to speak from our user’s standpoint.
Our UX assumptions can be very different from the real user pain point. For instance, we assumed that there was a shopping cart session in the Wawa store and our goal was to improve the pre-existing products. But the reality is that there is NO shopping cart available in the store. Customers only need to grab a few items due to their short and convenient shopping experiences.
Next Steps
Communicate insights with the design team and key stakeholders through story telling.