Shopping Experience Research Study
Enhancing the Web Experience Through User-Centered Research
My Role
Lead researcher
Project manager
Prototype
Strategist
Platforms
Web
Mobile
Product Type
E-commerce website
Client /
Balsam Brands
Overview
Balsam Brands is a global e-commerce retailer specializing in holiday and home décor. The company's mission is to "create joy together" and has earned multiple industry awards.
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While artificial Christmas trees are their primary product offering, little focused research had been conducted on their second most popular category—ornaments. To address this gap, we embarked on generative research to uncover crucial insights.
My Role
I led the research project from start to finish, serving as project manager, researcher, and strategist. A UX Designer collaborated with me on design and prototype tasks.
Given the project’s organization-wide scope, we took a holistic approach to understanding our users. As a high-priority initiative, I worked closely with the VP of Digital Experience to ensure its strategic alignment.
To foster cross-functional engagement, I collaborated with product managers, marketing, customer support, developers, and e-commerce, incorporating them through:​​​
Cross-functional kickoff sessions to brainstorm knowledge gaps​
Open-door interview policy, allowing stakeholders to observe user interviews firsthand
Debrief sessions after each interview to extract key insights
Activation workshops to translate findings into actionable strategies
Timeline
From start (planning) to finish (activation workshops completed), this project took eight weeks.
Success Criteria
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Identify opportunities for innovation to elevate the ornament shopping experience.
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Examine market trends and address gaps to ensure competitive value.
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Understand user needs, pain points, and overarching goals to align the ornament shopping journey with expectations.
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Drive measurable improvements in key success metrics:​
Research Goals
Gain a holistic understanding of non-tree shoppers to enhance the end-to-end shopping experience.
Identify shopper joys and pain points throughout the ornament shopping journey, including moments where they seek product information elsewhere.
Uncover opportunities for innovation and improvement to refine the ornament shopping experience.
Find and compare the most common sites shoppers visit for ornaments to understand competitive positioning and shopper preferences.
Research methodologies
Competitive Analysis
Why: To understand industry standards and best practices for ornament shopping experiences. How: Analyzed competitor sites (e.g., Pottery Barn, Wayfair, West Elm, Amazon, etc.) to identify common patterns in Product Detail Page (PDP) structure, swatch usage, and complementary modules. Outcome: Found that competitors overwhelmingly use Parent-level PDPs (multiple variations on the same page), swatches, and bundling modules to enhance shopping experiences.
Customer Sentiment Analysis
Why: To gather insights on how customers emotionally connect with ornaments and their shopping behaviors. How: Partnered with the Consumer Insights Team to analyze qualitative feedback on ornament purchasing motivations, sentimental value, and shopping preferences. Outcome: Identified key themes, such as ornaments being legacy pieces, shoppers refreshing collections rather than starting from scratch, and the importance of base ornaments for cohesion.
Live Site Deep Dive
Why: To test the current ornament PDP experience and identify usability issues. How: I conducted moderated interviews for the three distinct shopper segments, using either mobile or desktop devices, to observe their interactions with the live site and gather direct feedback. Outcome: Found that shoppers prefer Parent-level PDPs, clearer product descriptions, and a more robust photo gallery.
Concept Testing
Why: To validate potential improvements before implementation. How: Created and tested improvement concepts based on research findings, using robust, fully interactive prototype via Figma, testing on either mobile or desktop devices. Outcome: Shoppers understood that ornaments are part of a collection and enjoyed being able to easily mix and match colors, styles, and set sizes, all without having to leave the product page they're on. The workflow is smooth, intuitive, and delightfully engaging.
Participant Recruitment & Screening Process
To ensure a balanced perspective, we recruited participants from our existing customer base and our research platform’s participant panel. This allowed us to capture insights from both loyal customers and shoppers unfamiliar with our brand, products, and site experience.
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We conducted a screener survey with key questions such as:​
“How much Christmas decor have you purchased online within the past 12 months?”
“When was the last time you purchased Christmas ornaments?”
“How comfortable are you browsing websites and using mobile apps to shop online?”
18
participants
1 HR
1-on-1 interviews
Mob + DT
devide types
Sample Questions Asked
Decision-Making Factors
“Is there anything that you find particularly helpful when deciding whether or not to purchase this ornament set?”
→ Helps determine which elements drive purchase confidence
Price Perception
“What do you think the relationship is between the price shown and the smaller images?”
→ Uncovers how shoppers interpret pricing in relation to variant previews, ensuring clarity in perceived value.
Purchase Barriers
“Is there anything that is keeping them from adding the product to the cart?”
→ Identifies blockers that could prevent conversion, such as unclear pricing, missing details, or usability concerns.
Visual Attention Drivers
“What catches your eye on this page?”
→ Uncovers how shoppers interpret pricing in relation to variant previews, ensuring clarity in perceived value.
Analysis & Synthesis Process
To ensure a collaborative and transparent approach, I facilitated progress check sessions with key cross-functional teams. These sessions allowed us to:
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Discuss the latest insights gathered by each team member
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Track how findings were trending across user segments and device-specific experiences
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Maintain engagement, ensuring stakeholders feel included and up-to-date
For synthesis, I leveraged a mix of tools to spot patterns and present findings visually:
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AI-powered aggregation via our research platform
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FigJam’s analysis tools, including post-it note boards for trend mapping
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Data visualizations used in the final executive shareout
Impact
Organizational Impact
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Refined decision-making to better serve primary customers and more effectively target prospective shoppers.
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Increased design confidence, allowing UX designers to make informed decisions based on shopper expectations.
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Improved product strategy, enabling product managers to prioritize feature development with shopper insights in mind.
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More strategic A/B testing, giving marketing teams greater confidence in testing and optimizing campaigns.
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Enhanced company-wide understanding of ornament shoppers, leading to more precise marketing efforts and targeted experience improvements.
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Business Impact​
8%
increase in conversion rate​
17%
increase in checkout funnel click-through rate
35%
decrease in bounce rate on the ornament product detail page
15%
reduction in customer support calls and emails related to ornaments
Next Steps & Implementation Plan
With key stakeholders fully informed and engaged, we outlined a strategic path forward:​
01
Prioritize essential shopping experience updates
Ensure high-impact improvements are in place before the first major sale of the year.
Plan additional refinements leading up to the main holiday season for peak engagement.
02
Conduct A/B testing on nuanced interactions
Optimize smaller UI/UX elements based on behavioral insights.
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Validate adjustments to ensure seamless shopper experience improvements.
03
Revise the company roadmap & vision
Align organizational strategy with research findings.
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Integrate customer-driven insights into long-term planning and execution.
Reflections
Participant Attendance Challenges

Despite multiple touchpoints, such as reminder emails, confirmation steps in the recruitment screener, and countdown notifications, over 50% of participants didn’t show up. Securing reliable attendance remains a hurdle, even with proactive engagement strategies.
Stakeholder Involvement Was Key
Including stakeholders in every phase of the research process was instrumental in how insights were received, trusted, and acted upon. This close collaboration ensured alignment and buy-in across teams.
The Value of Cross-Team Collaboration
My UX designer was a fantastic support, especially regarding last-minute Figma updates and handling the many logistical details required to keep the project moving smoothly.
​Seeing Research Drive Action
One of the most rewarding aspects was witnessing how projects, prototypes, and experimentation emerged directly from research insights. Watching findings translate into tangible changes reinforced the impact and value of this work.