Map the Consumer Journey

A premium apparel company partnered with W5 to understand how consumer segments shop for active and lifestyle accessories. A primary goal was to identify opportunities and barriers to purchase in the retail and online environments.

APPROACH

W5 conducted online discussions and shop-along interviews to explore two key segments’ shopping behaviors for active and lifestyle accessories. Online discussions provided foundational information regarding each segment’s daily behavior, media intake, and overall perceptions of the category. Shop-along interviews with the same cohort of participants examined purchase triggers and barriers in-depth. W5 ethnographers conducted the shop-along interviews in-store and online to explore segments’ multi-channel behaviors before, during, and post-purchase.

RESULTS

W5 identified cultural and environmental barriers to purchasing the client brand for both in-store and online shopping. This information was used to refine the brand’s communication strategies, online presence, and in-store displays to optimize appeal and engagement among each segment. W5 also developed a Consumer Journey Map detailing the main motivations, touchpoints, and barriers influencing the consumers’ path-to-purchase. The map also highlighted opportunities to promote appealing product features shoppers were unaware of when browsing and selecting accessories.