Project Background:

A popular fitness brand struggled to understand its low conversion rate, with a high number of people entering the store but a low number actually making a purchase. Moreover, they were curious to learn more about how customers' needs were being met by its competitors.

Approach:

Our approach aimed to gather insights from shoppers at the critical moment they left the store without making a purchase. This approach enabled us to capture insights while they were actively engaged in the behavior we sought to understand. To achieve this, we intercepted and surveyed shoppers as they left our client's store empty-handed. In total, we completed 1,300 intercepts and 600 surveys (in 3 markets). 

Our second phase of research included 24 in-depth interviews with shoppers recruited from the 600 intercept surveys. In these deep-dive, in-depth interviews, we were able to explore the shoppers' brand loyalty, their history with the brand, and gain a deeper understanding into how our client’s offering stacked up against its competitors.

Insights and Impact:

The 24 in-depth interviews provided a clear explanation as to why shoppers were not converting. Funnily enough, it was often the most loyal shoppers who kept a pulse on new inventory that would visit the store and not convert, highlighting an opportunity for an increased breadth of style options. 

Our insights also helped to identify problem areas that needed to be addressed in the in-store experience (including inventory issues and lack of variety in styles), along with ideas for re-imagining and enhancing the shopping experience.