Defining next gen in-store shopping experiences
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The Challenge
A leading technology company introduced a next-generation, AI-enabled grocery shopping cart designed to transform the in-store experience. The cart combined hardware and software capabilities—such as item recognition, integrated weighing, personalized guidance, and cart-based checkout—into a single system used while moving through a retail environment.
This innovation introduced a fundamental challenge: shoppers had no established mental model for interacting with a cart that simultaneously scans, weighs, suggests, guides, and transacts.
Business Context
The smart cart initiative is a strategic investment in the future of in-store retail. Our client’s product and design teams were advancing features such as personalization, search, item recognition, and quantity selection, supported by a small research team.
AnswerLab’s Approach
AnswerLab designed and executed in-store, semi-structured research sessions during real shopping trips in an active grocery environment.
Research conducted where behavior actually happens
Participants navigated the aisles, selected items, and used the cart as they would naturally.
Think beyond traditional usability testing
We examined how deeply ingrained shopping habits shape expectations.
Research built for complexity
AnswerLab synthesized cross-disciplinary inputs into a single, coherent participant flow.
Strategic collaboration
We partnered closely with designers and researchers to refine study plans.
Key Insights & Results
Familiar cues anchor understanding of unfamiliar technology
Users default to long-established habits when they are introduced to net-new experiences.
Physical context is equal to digital context
Crowded aisles, full hands, and constant movement influenced how participants interacted with the system.
Transparency builds trust in AI-driven systems
Participants responded positively when the system explained why certain suggestions appeared.
Business Impact
Faster adoption through behavior-aligned interactions
Grounding the experience in natural shopping behaviors reduced friction and hesitation.
Higher satisfaction and stronger perceived value
Participants felt more confident and in control when the system matched their expectations.
Reduced operational risk
Addressing behavioral misalignment early improved reliability and reduced operational strain.
Strategic pathways to scale new features
By identifying underlying behavioral patterns, the client gained a reusable framework.
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