MARCH 2023
Introducing...
CAPSULE...
This Project is dedicated to people who like spending money.
A 5th Year Industrial Interactive Design Thesis.
Secondary Research
Intro: Trials and Tribulations of a High Spending Maniac
I was born and raised in Taiwan, and the environment in which I was raised taught me that the most important goal in life is to accumulate wealth. This doctrine that adults regurgitated throughout my childhood and into my late teen years led to a fast decline in mental health for both me and my peers.
The expectation placed upon us was to prioritize the pursuit of money over our mental well-being, leading to a sacrifice of the latter. Consequently, a fallacious idea emerged that one must choose between money and happiness.
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As we got older and entered college, most of my friends stayed loyal to their upbringing and pursued careers with impressive dedication and diligence. Nevertheless, although they worked hard, they also spent extravagantly. I too was not immune to this trend.
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Skipping ahead a few years into college, the world was hit by the COVID-19 virus. Quarantined in my apartment I had to navigate the challenging balance between managing my finances and coping with my already deteriorating mental health in the midst of a pandemic. As my emotional well-being continued to decline, I illogically attempted to find happiness through material possessions. Upon reflection, I recognize that my choices and decisions during quarantine were misguided.
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During the research phase, my goal is to define the concept of retail therapy and examine specific issues by examining various sources that focus on retail and therapy independently. My approach involves carrying out both primary and secondary research to pinpoint a particular target audience and articulate a design problem to be solved.
Picture of where I grew up. Taipei|Taiwan
ABSTRACT:
TEXT SUMMARY:
Purpose:
The purpose is to explore the potential benefits of retail therapy for individuals. Retail therapy has been a popular concept since the 1980s, and the term has been used in various contexts. According to the Oxford Dictionary, retail therapy refers to shopping as a means of increasing one's happiness and is often used humorously. While books and journals typically focus on either retail or therapy, rather than integrating both ideas. In casual conversation, people often use the term "retail therapy" to refer to shopping as a way to escape negative emotions without much consideration for the definition of the words being used. The meaning of the term can vary depending on the context and situation. This book seeks to establish a clear definition of retail therapy by examining research on retail and therapy. It will also explore the positive and negative effects of retail therapy on individuals and the economy.
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Multiple usages for retail therapy. Defining retail therapy for my thesis.
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In what ways can Retail Therapy be beneficial for individuals?
Design/Methodology/Approach:
We will examine how retail therapy is perceived from the perspectives of both business and therapy and analyze the impact it has on consumers. By investigating how various industries define retail therapy, We can identify potential issues that may arise from its use and the emotional effects it may have on consumers. Through surveys and interviews, we will gain insight into the thought processes of individual consumers and better comprehend how emotions influence their purchasing decisions.
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This research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the concept of retail therapy by exploring the separate definitions of retail and therapy.
Findings:
The findings of this study reveal that the definition of retail therapy varies among individuals. For the purposes of this paper, retail therapy will be defined as an emotional purchase. For many people, spending money is a positive experience that benefits both the consumer and the economy. However, retailers often prefer in-person retail destinations to online shops due to the ease of inventory management and the adaptability of brick-and-mortar stores. This, however, is not perfect. In recent years, overstocking in certain discretionary categories, such as apparel and home décor has occurred as middle-lower class income households have limited income.
From a consumer perspective, making logical rather than emotional purchasing decisions can lead to better financial outcomes. Although emotional purchases have individualized consequences, studies have shown that negative emotions often lead to impulse buying and buyer's remorse. Interestingly, planned purchases made during negative emotions can increase happiness.
Some business experts suggest that increased product research may impact in-person retail from an employee perspective, as employees shift from salespeople to experience providers. Factors such as the store or website's aesthetic, brand, and price point heavily influence the emotional experience of the customer, and emotions are often the driving force behind brand name purchases. Businesses also use negative emotions, such as envy and physical insecurities, to target specific consumer groups. In conclusion, the overall shopping experience, rather than the product itself, plays a significant role in retail therapy or emotional purchases.
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Some business experts are suggesting employees transition from being traditional salespeople to experience providers.
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Designing an engaging experience is what drives sales.
Value:
This study aims to examine the concept of retail therapy in depth and clarify any misunderstandings about the term. By considering various viewpoints, we can identify the potential benefits that retail therapy can offer individuals and develop design solutions to address issues related to retail and therapy such as overspending.
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It is important to define and address existing issues related to retail therapy, such as overspending.
Definition of Retail Therapy:
Shopping in order to make oneself feel happier.
Definition of Retail Therapy for my Thesis:
An Emotional Purchase
"RETAIL" therapy:
In 2019, in-person retail made a significant contribution of 26 trillion dollars to the global economy, accounting for approximately 31 percent of the global GDP. The industry also provided direct employment to 3.5 million people in the United Kingdom, and an additional 3.5 million in associated jobs such as suppliers and investors. In the United States, the numbers are even higher, with 15 million people directly employed and an additional 15 million in associated jobs. These figures are remarkable, indicating the long and profitable history of in-person retail. Large corporations have been reaping benefits from in-person retail for decades. However, in the 21st century, in-person retail has been struggling as e-commerce gains more customers. The recent global pandemic has further exacerbated the situation. If the retail industry were to collapse, it would have a severe impact on unemployment rates. In business and marketing books/journals, the term "Retail Therapy" is used to define a potential solution to this crisis. The word "therapy" is employed to describe the solution for the decline of in-person retail. During the Covid-19 pandemic, online shops saw a surge in popularity as people were forced to stay at home and had no choice but to shop online. This led to a misconception that in-person retail was dying. While it may be true that malls are suffering and online stores are turning over a higher profit, this doesn't necessarily mean the end of in-person retail. After the pandemic, people will still need physical stores to walk into. Although e-commerce has its benefits, it also has downsides such as high shipping costs, high return rates, and stiff competition from other online stores. In the world of online shopping, competition among retailers is fierce. Even with a well-designed user interface, it can be difficult to attract a significant increase in traffic due to the saturation of established shopping sites on the internet. This is where having a physical store can offer a significant advantage in terms of publicity to midigate the downsides of e-commerce. Research indicates that physical stores can generate a 37% increase in web traffic. Shipping costs are a significant factor for online shoppers, with over two-thirds of them expecting free shipping even for products priced under $50. Additionally, around 36% of online shoppers have reported stolen packages, leading to full refunds for 73% of them. However, with a physical store, customers can choose to pick up their purchases in-store, which can result in additional in-store purchases. In fact, over 70% of buyers opted for in-store pickup, with 85% of them buying additional items from the store. Furthermore, a Harris Group Study found that 72% of millennials place greater value on the experience of shopping rather than the actual product. Lauren Bitar, a retail consultant at Retail Next, reported that in 2019, from January to December, there was a 5% decrease in foot traffic and a 2% decrease in net sales for big in-person retail stores. However, the value of individual shoppers increased by 3%. This may be due to customers researching products online and then going to stores to avoid shipping costs. Some argue that this trend may render retail workers obsolete, as customers come in with a pre-planned product they have already researched, making it harder for workers to engage and sell products. On the other hand, some experts believe this creates new opportunities, requiring retail workers to be "more productive and additive to what consumers are buying."
The Depressing State of Retail:
Despite the potential for e-commerce and in-person retail to complement each other, why is there a prevalent notion that e-commerce will eventually dominate and leave in-person retail behind? Although the impact of Covid is often cited as the main reason for the struggles of many stores, it is essential to acknowledge that stores have been facing challenges long before the pandemic. James Brumley, a writer for Kiplinger, reported that in 2017, around 7,000 stores had to close, while NBC News estimated that over 8,000 stores would close that same year. During the same year Business Insider predicted that around 3,800 stores would close the following year (2018). The actual number was much higher at 5,700 stores. In 2019, a whopping 9,300 stores closed, marking a 63% increase from the previous year. This shows that in-person retail was already facing challenges before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in late 2019. Some refer to this trend as "trimming," which means that large companies are cutting down on the number of physical stores to focus on a combination of online shopping and brick-and-mortar shops. However, this does not necessarily mean that companies are facing financial difficulties. According to Michael Brown, a retail practice partner at the firm A.T. Kearny, the rise of online shopping has made it costly to continue operating a large store base, and companies must rationalize the number of stores and the role they play. Many large corporations that faced bankruptcy saw it as an opportunity to shed unnecessary business costs such as resizing stores and selling real estate. While the combination of in-person retail and online shopping can be a profitable business model, many companies were still unable to turn a profit. For example, Payless a shoe company fell into debt in 2019 and was forced to close all 2,500 North American locations, while accessories chain Charmy Charlie had to file for bankruptcy in July of 2019 because it couldn't come up with a long-term profitability strategy. As a result, both of these companies had to shut down completely.
A Virus
The retail industry was taken by surprise with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes had predicted that by the end of the pandemic, there would be a 20% reduction in retail space, but this was an overestimation. In reality there was an 8.2% decrease in retail space. A study by Deloitte from 2017 to 2019 showed that "surviving retailers have increased leverage over their manufacturing partners." The Covid-19 pandemic is expected to accelerate this trend. Even before the pandemic, there was a shift towards digital shopping, but only 4% of grocery sales in the US were online in 2019. However, at the beginning of the pandemic in February 2020, apps like Instacart, Walmart Grocery, and Shipt saw a significant increase in downloads in the app store. According to Rakuten Intelligence's data, "online order volume from full-assortment grocery merchants rose 210.1% from March 12 through March 15 in 2020 compared to 2019." Consumers who started purchasing groceries online during the pandemic have continued to do so, driven by concerns about germs. Retailers have had to adapt by finding ways to limit customer contact, including offering no-touch deliveries. Consumers are also less likely to engage in food sampling in stores or use public touch screens and keypads. This pattern was seen before in China during the 2003 SARS epidemic, which helped Alibaba and JD.com become the biggest e-commerce firms in the world. As a result of the pandemic, online market share gains hit the $1 trillion mark in the third quarter of 2022, doubling sales in just four years. Consumer needs and purchase patterns have undergone a shift due to the pandemic, as people's lifestyles have changed. This shift is reflected in their consumer behavior. For instance, people who have been working out at home are less likely to renew their gym membership, and those who have purchased coffee machines may not visit Starbucks as frequently. However, families who started streaming subscriptions over quarantine may continue to maintain them. This change in behavior shows that consumers are exploring new products and forming new habits, and if these habits persist, it may significantly alter demands. As a result, brand loyalty may become a thing of the past, or at the very least, customer preferences may shift. Forbes has referred to this phenomenon as the "Hoarding Hangover," as shoppers aggressively bought essential items during the pandemic. Now, we are seeing a decrease in sales of certain products such as toiletries and medication, as consumers continue to work through their stockpiles at home. Both Morgan Stanley and the Goldman Sachs group have issued warnings of a global recession, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Labor Department reported that in March of 2020, unemployment claims in the U.S. rose to 3.28 million. As of December 13, 2022, there are still 6 million unemployed people in the U.S. with 1.8 million unemployment insurance claims, leading to a decrease in consumer spending and an increase in saving. Additionally, even if the economy rebounds, consumers may experience "economic scarring," which can have long-lasting effects beyond the recession.
retail "THERAPY"
The term "therapy" typically refers to psychotherapy, which involves talk therapy aimed at alleviating emotional distress and mental health issues. It is a treatment provided by various trained professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or licensed counselors, that involves exploring and gaining insight into the life choices and challenges faced by individuals, couples, or families. Psychotherapy has been extensively tested and has been found to be helpful and even "life-changing." In contrast, the definition of retail therapy is more consistent with retail than therapy. Retail therapy refers to the act of shopping with the primary goal of making oneself feel better. While people may have their own interpretations of the term when using it informally. The primary research will delve deeper into how emotions factor into retail therapy.
ONLINE
SURVEYS
PRIMARY
RESEARCH
Overview:
Brief Description:
5th Year Design Thesis: Using "retail therapy" to design a product to combat destructive spending habits.
Goal of this survey: Collecting data on general shopping habits along with the emotional state of users during the shopping experience.
Brief Description:
Survey Work
The purpose of my research is to create a product that addresses predatory aspects of shopping through design.
Participant Confidentiality:
Participation in this study is completely voluntary and should only take 10-15 minutes. All participants' data will be anonymous. Your name and email addresses will not be collected during or after the study. There are three sections in this survey. If at any point, the study makes you feel uncomfortable and you want to end your participation, simply close your browser. If any specific question makes you uncomfortable, you may choose to skip them without penalty. Once the survey has been submitted it cannot be edited at a later date. All data will be kept on a password-protected computer. Collected data will be kept private and used solely for research. Once the project has been completed all data will be erased. Thank you for assisting with the learning experience of undergraduate students.
Survey Questions Full Text:
Conducting surveys is beneficial in gathering information about user behaviors, needs, and opinions, which helps in identifying the target audience. With the survey results, we can create a pool of potential interview participants. We don't use their names or individuality to make our selection. Instead, we consider the average answers to our questions. Then a new survey will be submitted with the same questions. The one change is that this time we will be collecting personal information. By comparing the new survey answers with the old results, we can locate potential individuals to interview and gain a more in-depth understanding of their perspectives. I administered two rounds of online surveys by creating Google Forms and sharing them on my Instagram account and Reddit. The survey includes the following questions (some of which may have been rephrased): General Questions: 1. Gender 2. Profession 3. Which country do you currently live in? 4. What income group do you belong to? If your family supports you what income group do they belong to? 5. I spend around ___ shopping for fun on a weekly basis (United States Dollars) Questions about Shopping Habits: 6. How often do you shop online? 7. Do you shop when you're happy? 8. Do you shop when you're sad? 9. Do you shop when you're bored? 10. Are you more likely to make purchases when you're emotional? 11. Do you only shop for necessities? 12. Do you often shop for someone else? 13. What comes to mind when you think about "retail therapy?" 14. Do you think you participate in retail therapy? Questions about Emotion: 15. How happy are you right now? 16. Do you cry? 17. How confident are you in yourself? 18. How often do you find joy in your daily activities? 19. How often are you online? 20. Do you go to Therapy?
Survey Questions Summary:
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Conducted 2 sets of surveys to understand shopping habits.
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Specific survey questions are listed and categorized.
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The purpose of the surveys is to locate a target audience to interview.
How Often Are People Online?
38/96 people say they
ARE ALWAYS ONLINE
38/96 people say they
SPEND OVER HALF OF THEIR TIME ONLINE
20/96 people say they
ARE OCCASIONALLY ONLINE
Participants are then chosen from each category for additional interviews. It is important to note that a fourth category was included for individuals who do not use the internet, but no one selected that option.
What is the average weekly expenditure of individuals when shopping for liesure?
$500-$600
$1-$9
$10-$24
$100-$199
$200-$299
$50-$99
$25-$49
$1-$9
$10-$24
$25-$49
$50-$99
$100-$199
$200-$299
$300-$499
$500-$600
6 Participants
22 Participants
22 Participants
18 Participants
18 Participants
2 Participants
0 Participants
6 Participants
The results are used to ascertain the amount of disposable income for each participant.
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There are 94 total participants. Ages 20-35.
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With this data, we can move forward with conducting in-person interviews to assess participants' spending habits and evaluate their emotional well being in relation to their personal income. Moreover, by analyzing their weekly spending, we can determine which products fall within their budget.
Being Happy = Buying?
Participants were asked to rate on a scale of 1-5 their likelihood of making an impulsive purchase when feeling happy.
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1 being Never and 5 being Always
2 Participants
7 Participants
13 Participants
24 Participants
2 Participants
Graph shows how happy or sad the participants are in general.
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From Sad (1) to Happy (10).
Understanding the Numbers
It is unsurprising that all participants in an online survey reported being online. However, in response to this specific question, 79% of participants indicated that they spend 50% or more of their time online. This suggests that my final product may be better suited for an online experience rather than a physical one. The average weekly expenditure of individuals when shopping for leisure reveals a significant range of expenses. 23.4% of twenty to thirty five year old's spend 10-24 dollars another 23.4% spend in between 25-49 dollars. Additionally, 19.1% of participants spend 50-99 dollars and finally another 19.1% of participants spend 100-199 dollars. These figures represent the highest percentages within each spending bracket. This indicates a need for products at various price points to cater to different budgets. While the survey data shows a wide range of expenditures, it does not necessarily suggest unhealthy spending habits as individual expenses for the most part align with annual income. Generally, those with higher incomes tend to spend more on a weekly basis. 50% of the participants reported that they almost always make a purchase when they are happy. Additionally, 27% of the participants said they would occasionally spend money when happy, while 4% always made purchases and another 4% never made purchases when feeling happy. This suggests that positive emotions could be a strong driver for spending money.
Summary:
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Survey results suggests that my final product may be better suited for an online experience rather than a physical one.
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Survey further indicates that there is a significant range of expenses. Alluding a need for various products to cater to different budgets.
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Positive emotions could be a strong driver for spending money.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
A DEEPER DIVE
Into the User Experience
All interviews are anonymous
INTERVIEWS
What are Interview Personas?
Personas are fictional profiles of people created using real data about the target audience, users, or customer base. The aim of creating personas is to provide a better understanding of user behavior compared to analyzing raw data in the form of graphs and figures. In this case, the survey data serves as the foundation for the interviews. The findings from the interviews are then used to create personas, which are fictitious profiles based on real data from the participants. This approach enables the creation of depersonalized data, as the identities of the interviewees remain anonymous. Each persona could contain information from multiple interviewees.
INTERVIEW PERSONAS
Persona 1: Working Will
Age: 32 / Works on Wall Street
NYC, New York, USA
Quote:
"Dude, I just work, eat, and sleep in that order. You think I have time for anything else?"
Tech Exposure:
Low
Medium
High
Personal Laptop, Work Computer, Phone, Pager.
Devices:
Disposable Income:
250 USD/Week
Purchase Pattern:
Eating out alone to relieve stress. Purchasing video game content.
Goals and Motivation:
Wants to retire early, settle down and start a family.
Persona 2: Freshman Florence
Age: 19 / Attends Community College
LA, California, USA
Quote:
"My friends are very important to me. I'm excited for the future but also a but nervous. It's okay though, I'm young I have time to figure it out.
Tech Exposure:
Low
Medium
High
Devices:
Personal Laptop, Phone
Disposable Income:
10 USD/Week
Purchase Pattern:
Small purchases online. Bracelets, earrings etc.
Goals and Motivation:
Figure out what her interests are and become self sufficient so she can move out of her parent's house.
Persona 3: Graduating Gary
Age: 22 / Attends Private College
Taipei, Taiwan
Quote:
"All I am looking for right now is a job that pays well and that I am passionate about... please."
Tech Exposure:
Low
Medium
High
Devices:
Personal Laptop, Personal Computer, Phone.
Disposable Income:
17 USD/Week
Purchase Pattern:
Multiple Coffee purchases. Occasional big spendings for travel.
Goals and Motivation:
Find a high paying job to fund his need for adventure. Wants to eventually start his own software company.
Persona 4: Unemployed Ursula
Age: 27 / Single Mother
Glasgow, Scotland
Quote:
"My child is my priority. I also have hobbies that I do on the side but my main focus right now is to support my family and find a job."
Tech Exposure:
Low
Medium
High
Devices:
Personal Laptop, I Pad, Phone
Disposable Income:
32 USD/Week
Purchase Pattern:
Small purchases in the app store on video games. Snacks.
Goals and Motivation:
Get her 5 year old kid through college as well as getting a degree in law.
RECAP
The results of the primary research suggest that users spend a considerable amount of time online and prefer to make small, frequent purchases instead of saving up for a big one, regardless of their income. That being said the overall spendings greatly vary from person to person. These findings also align with emotional purchases, as emotions can be a strong driver for spending money.
MOVING FORWARD
The issue I seek to address pertains to individuals' flawed perception of money, wherein they may readily spend a significant sum, such as $4, on coffee daily, but exhibit reluctance in contributing a few cents to a charitable cause due to their perception of it as poor money management.
IDEATION:
Concept 1: Self Help Journaling App
The aim is to encourage people to view money as a sentimental item or keepsake, similar to how time capsules are used to store sentimental items.
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Designed to promote regular journaling for improved mental health, this app is integrated with online shops. The longer you use the app to record your thoughts and emotions on a daily basis, the greater the discounts you receive on online purchases. You can even choose a lovable animal companion, and the digital pet's health improves as you continue to use the app. Additionally, cosmetics can be added to enhance the app's appeal. The cosmetics could be scaled in relation to the number of in app purchases made.
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The primary focus of the app will always be journaling, with shopping being secondary. Professional help links will be provided.
Concept 2: Cash App
With Concept 2, the aim is to get people hooked onto the app like a drug. Users will get addicted and use the app to make weekly purchases.
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The app would allocate a fixed amount of money daily, which would accumulate over time to enable purchases. The duration of saving, as well as the daily amount added, would determine the discounts available for each item on your shopping list. Consistent purchases are rewarded with more discounts of the same brand. The application itself would be represented by a pill capsule, conveying the idea of it being a form of medication or "remedy" for the user's mental well-being. The primary focus of the app will always be shopping.
FINAL IDEA: COMBINING BOTH CONCEPTS
To tackle this, my application endeavors to offer a solution by allowing users to proactively allocate a predetermined amount of money from their daily expenses into a virtual vault within a app. Over time, this sum accumulates, and due to its inconspicuous nature, it becomes largely forgotten by the user. Subsequently, at the end of a year-long period, the vault "unlocks" and presents the total accumulated amount, serving as a reminder to users of the substantial sum they have saved. Through this approach, my app aims to recalibrate individuals' perceptions of money by instilling a sense of delayed gratification and fostering a positive association with long-term savings, ultimately encouraging mindful financial management practices.
TESTING:
During the app's user testing phase, the key pages of the initial design were printed and cut into rectangular shapes that resembled the size of an iPhone. These cutouts were then given to 8 participants to observe how they would interact with the app's interface. An additional group of 24 participants were given access to the app online to test its usability.
Group 1:
Group 1 users show a greater preference for concept 1 in comparison to concept 2. Their ideal app is a cute shopping app with a high level of self-awareness. However, what is interesting is group 1 prefers the app to collect more data on their shopping history rather than their emotional well-being which is more in line with concept 2, but ultimately they're drawn to the unique and cool aspect of the journaling feature. While they appreciate the journaling and self help aspect, they fear it may be too invasive and would rather have it play a lesser role in influencing their recommended products online. The information architecture that was developed for the app places a strong emphasis on storytelling, with a linear sequence of steps that encourages daily engagement with the app. As the app is intended to be used on a regular basis over a long period of time, the information provided to the user is straightforward and easy to comprehend, creating a sense of comfort and familiarity each time the app is accessed.
Group 2:
Group 2 users have expressed their desire for the app to integrate with other shopping applications they use. They also want the app to be accessible as both a browser and an app. Their interest in the self-help features of the app is apparent, but they emphasize that it should not be the primary focus of the interface. Their views align with concept 2, which promotes daily saving on the app to accumulate funds for purchasing more expensive items at discounted rates. This would allow the app to be accessed through Google Chrome browser or Google Maps, while also having a dedicated app and account linked to an email address. The user interface is highly influenced by Google Maps and offers more customization than the previous concept. Unlike the previous concept, this app doesn't emphasize daily usage but rather encourages long-term investment. API: Application Programming Interface, which refers to a collection of protocols, routines, and tools used to build software applications. Essentially, APIs define how different software components should interact with each other, enabling communication between different systems. Developers can use APIs to create applications that can retrieve, send, and manipulate data from other applications or platforms. APIs have various applications, including accessing data, sending data, and controlling hardware devices. They are commonly used in web and mobile app development, as well as in many other industries.
DESIGN PROJECT: CAPSULE
Problem:
The issue I seek to address pertains to individuals' flawed perception of money.
Solution (Capsule):
My application endeavors to offer a solution by allowing users to proactively allocate a predetermined amount of money from their daily expenses into a virtual vault within an app. At the end of a year-long period, the vault "unlocks" and presents the total accumulated amount, serving as a reminder to users of the substantial sum they have saved. During this time users are encouraged to engage with the journaling feature of the app. In return the users will gain rewards in the form of discounts for certain products or virtual cosmetics. Through this approach, my app aims to recalibrate individuals' perceptions of money by instilling a sense of delayed gratification and fostering a positive association with long-term savings, ultimately encouraging mindful financial management practices.
It’s not just retail therapy, but a proposal to help/solve/manage/scale spending.
Sign-In Page
The 4 Task Bars
The 3 Features of the APP
Sign-In Pages:
Task Bar:
On the home page of the app, users can find buttons that allow them to access the three main features: Vault, Journal, and Rewards. On the home page, users can also see the number of days they have invested money in the app, as well as the number of days they have interacted with the Journal feature. At the bottom of the page, there is a recommended list of products that the user may find interesting, along with a shortcut to the shopping page.
On the app's browse page, users have the option to either type in a specific product they are searching for or simply scroll through the recommended items that are conveniently categorized for them.
The Carts page enables users to view the items they have added for purchase and choose which items to check out. To remove an item from the list, users can simply press and hold on the product image.
The Account Page offers users the ability to manage their payment method, invite friends to use the app, and seek assistance for any issues that may arise while using it. The page includes a "Change Theme" tab that enables users to personalize the app's appearance by making an in-app purchase. This would be the primary way for the app to generate revenue when starting out.
Navigation of the Features
Sign In Pages
Features
Task Bar
Theme Concepts:
Next Steps:
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Skin the App with the other theme concepts
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Negotiate with companies to offer products for sale within the app's Capsule feature.
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Determine pricing for various in-app purchases.
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Develop a website or API to allow for expanded functionality or integration with other platforms.
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Launch a BETA version of the app to address any user concerns.
Citations
1. Retail-therapy noun - definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes: Oxford Advanced American Dictionary at Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. retail-therapy noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced American Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/retail-therapy
2. Nicole, R. (January 8, 2014). “Retail Minded”: The History of Retail Shopping: A Millennium of Change. https://retailminded.com/the-history-of-retail-shopping/#.Y3xTs3bMK3
3. Sharlene, T. (September 10, 2021) “Is Retail Therapy Real?”: What is Retail Therapy? https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/is-retail-therapy-real
4. Pilkington, M. (2019). Retail Therapy, Why the Retail Industry is Broken- And What Can Be Done to Fix it. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
5. Lee, J. Lee, Y. (2019). Does online shopping make consumers feel better? Exploring online retail therapy effects on consumers’ attitudes towards online shopping malls. Emerald Publishing Limited.
6. Retail vs. ecommerce: How are they different? Shopify. (2022, May 31). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.shopify.com/blog/retail-ecommerce
7. Reese, F. (2019, September 9). 15 famous public companies struggling to survive. Stacker. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://stacker.com/stories/3471/15-famous-public-companies-struggling-survive
8. What's the surprising truth about Ecommerce's profitability? Retail Touchpoints. (2022, January 19). Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/blog/whats-the-surprising-truth-about-ecommerces-profitability
9. What psychology knows about impulse buying in 2020. New Neuromarketing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.newneuromarketing.com/what-psychology-knows-about-impulse-buying-in-2020#:~:text=Impulse%20buying%20behavior%20relates%20to,from%20persistent%20repetitive%20purchasing%20behaviors.
10. Moser, C., Schoenebeck, S. Y., & Resnick, P. (2019). Impulse buying. Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. https://doi.org/10.1145/3290605.3300472
11. NBCUniversal News Group. (2019, December 31). More than 9,300 stores closed this year, up 63 percent from 2018. NBCNews.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/more-9-300-stores-closed-year-63-percent-increase-2018-n1109011
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