BJ's App: Item Locator
It can be a daunting experience upon first entering any warehouse retailer. The volume of products in an immense space can prove difficult to navigate, even for frequent and new visitors alike.
To complement the existing BJ’s app, the addition of my item-locating feature helps club members navigate the warehouse more quickly.
TIMEFRAME: 2020
TOOLS: Figma, Adobe Photoshop
WHAT
Current existing app helps to keep an active list of items but fails to locate them based on the member’s club location.
WHY
Club members become overwhelmed by the amount of products on display - members spend more time than expected.
HOW
By adding additional screens, users can access each unique club layout to quickly find their products via the “In-Club” Mode.
QUESTIONS
What are the 3 most critical elements during your shopping visit?
What are the typical pain points during your shopping visit?
What shortfalls exist that make this difficult?
How can technology assist you during your shopping visit?
PERSONAS
High-Level GoalS
Alleviate Stress
Minimize core stressors in the shopping experience for new and returning shoppers alike.Facilitate Better Shopping Experiences
Serve a larger BJ customer base with a more engaging app feature to provide a more time-efficient shopping experience.
DESIGN CRITERIA
Organized
The new feature is also pulls saved information from the app, whether it’s Saved Coupons, or a previously visited warehouse, users can always expect a custom mobile experience.
Familiar
With an established customer and user base, the new design should speak to the existing brand and mobile app. Features and elements all follow a similar design system to achieve a homogenous flow.
Clarity
BJ’s customers’ ages range from young to elderly adults so the new locator feature can not be hidden behind obscure menus or features, but rather front and center for the user upon arrival.
STYLING
ARCHITECTURE
WIREFRAME
Current
No option available for the user that prefers to shop for items themselves.
App does not actively locate the user or the nearest warehouse location.
Design is drastically different from the rest of the app.
“Feedback” should be moved to the “My BJ’s” tab
A visual GPS map to show users the local warehouse location
The current warehouse name and address is clearly displayed.
If the suggested warehouse location is incorrect, “No, that doesn’t look right…” allows users can locate the correct one.
The new “Save as Primary Warehouse” feature links the user’s preferred warehouse with saved coupons and available items.
NEW DESIGN
New design
A reorganized list with the popular features organized under a separate container.
“Item Locator” is placed at the top of the new design for fast access.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Existing features only accomplish half the goal.
Almost all customers surveyed use the digital mobile app but only 30% use the existing "Express Pay” and “Pick Up Check-In” features.
Varying club warehouses carry different items.
Surveyed customers often noted more than one warehouse they would frequent - one pain point identified by over 60% of these surveyed customers was “item location” in different clubs.
Aisle numbers and titles help but prolong the shopping trip.
“Time spent” was another recurring pain point amongst surveyed users. Though aisle numbers and titles help, without an accessible map or guide, users are left to still wander through aisles searching for items.
REFLECTION
Learning about the different shopping experiences of BJ’s customers helped me identify multiple pain points that all led to “time” as a key factor. Though the initial number of BJ’s mobile app users were higher than expected, engagement often ended after coupons were saved.
Interviewed users were eager and open to potential new app updates. Most suggested a similar solution during initial interviews.
Users shared similar frustrations in locating their items. They prefer to shop for themselves (vs. “Item Pickup”) but become overwhelmed when visiting different clubs.
The existing BJ’s app works can be improved upon, as it fails to serve the needs of the individual club locations.
I see a solution as this Item Locator being applicable to all physically large retailers - Apps like The Home Depot already have similar functions and help expedite store visits.