Improving Inventory Visibility: Testing UX Solutions for Out-of-Stock product

Background

In a foundational study conducted for the Seek squad, it was identified that the most common and frustrating issue users face when shopping online is finding products sold out in their size. The Seek team hypothesized that streamlining size filtering on the search grid, allowing the user to save size preferences, and offering customers the ability to browse similar products available in their size could all be potential ways to alleviate this frustration and help ensure customers see products available in their size.

Approach A: The Seek team introduced a quick size filter on the search grid, enabling customers to efficiently select and save multiple size preferences without needing to log in or create an account.

Approach B: The Seek team added a feature on the product detail page (PDP) that prompts customers to save their size for future searches after selecting it for an item.

Approach C: The Seek team implemented a feature on the PDP that allows users to browse similar products available in their size, with the ability to choose the specific attributes and features they want to explore.

The research focused on understanding customer expectations when encountering an out-of-stock item in their size and evaluated whether customers found these approaches helpful, determining which one was most useful and why.

Research Plan

Methods & Tools

For this project, I chose moderated user interviews as the primary research method to evaluate and gather in-depth feedback on three distinct design concepts. Moderated interviews offered the flexibility to probe users' thought processes in real-time, allowing me to ask clarifying questions and adapt the conversation based on user responses. This approach was particularly valuable because it enabled me to explore nuanced insights that might not emerge from unmoderated methods, like surveys or A/B testing.

By conducting these interviews, I could directly observe users interacting with each design, identifying usability issues, and gathering qualitative data on their preferences, pain points, and overall experience. This method allowed for rich, open-ended feedback, ensuring that I could compare the effectiveness of each design and understand which elements resonated most with users. The real-time interactions also helped surface unmet user needs, informing subsequent iterations.

The tools used for this process included utilizing UserZoom testing software for remote interviews on 3 mobile web prototypes, with 6 current and/or potential A&F shoppers utilizing our demographic and screener criteria.

Script Example

Task: You have have landed on this category page. Take a moment to take in the information. Tell me your thoughts on what you’re seeing, good or bad.

• (See if they naturally notice ‘All Sizes’ and if they comment on it, if not prompt them).

• What do you think ‘All Sizes’ means? Do you feel inclined to select, why or why not? What do you think the interaction would do if you were to select it?

• Now, please select it.

• What are your thoughts on the information that’s being displayed? Do you find it useful or helpful? Why or why not?

• Interact with it and feel free to speak out loud your thoughts on the interaction.

• What do you think edit more sizes means?

• How many do you think you could apply? How many would you expect or want to apply?

• Are there any other size related filters you would like or want to have? (baggy, tight, etc.)

• Show me how you would remove or edit these features.

• What are your thoughts on the interaction thus far? Do you find it useful/helpful? Why or why not? (Do you feel confident that you are only viewing sizes you selected? / is it displaying enough information to let user know their sizes are selected / is there anything that would make user more confident in their selections)

• Follow up questions

  • Did this experience match your expectations? Why or why not? If not, what did you expect this to be?

  • How would you rate the usefulness of this feature on a scale of 1-5? (1 being not at useful, 5 being extremely useful)

  • Is there anything you would suggest as an improvement or anything missing that you would expect to find?

Process & Findings

Process

1. Take notes during interviews

   • I often take notes during sessions, highlighting important themes or participant quotes, as well as relevant non-verbal cues, like pauses or emotional tones.

2. Familiarize myself with the Data

   • Before diving into analysis, I read through the transcripts a few times to get a sense of the general flow and main ideas.

3. Initial Coding

   • Now I’ll go through the transcripts and mark anything that stands out. The goal here is to capture key points without worrying too much about categorizing them yet.

4. Group Themes

   • After initial coding, I’ll start grouping similar themes together. For example, themes related to frustrations, motivations, or pain points can be grouped into broader categories.

   • I’ll use the participants’ own words, highlighting quotes or phrases related to themes.

5. Identify Findings

   • Next, I’ll define themes clearly to ensure they are well-defined and distinct, providing clear explanations of what each theme represents and how it relates to the user experience.

   • I will also reference Baymard Institute if there are relevant guidelines and findings from their research.

6. Actionable Insights

   • Finally, I use the themes to tell a cohesive story about the users’ experiences, and present them in a way that stakeholders can easily understand.

   • I’ll also ensure the themes lead to actionable insights that can guide design improvements, helping to solve user pain points or enhance positive experiences.

Sample of Findings

Provide more detailed information on product pages regarding whether an item is out of stock permanently or expected to be restocked soon. Additionally, offer options to be notified of similar items if the original product is not expected to return.

• Participants express a desire to be notified when items are back in stock but are frustrated when these notifications do not work effectively or items never return. Improving the reliability and functionality of back-in-stock notifications would greatly improve usability.

Relevant User Quotes

“Being notified, sometimes they work, sometimes items don't ever come back in stock, would be nice if they did. It would be nice to request another similar item.”

“I’ll bookmark the page and come back in couple weeks, and hope it gets restocked. Maybe have a recommendation of a similar style that is in stock. AI that recommends clothing brand with similar style.”

“I wish it would be tell me if it will be out of stock forever, or out of stock BUT planning to replenish it. If I don’t know I won't check back for it.”

It is recommended that a user can select multiple sizes. It is best to avoid limiting the amount of products a user sees, which could cause them to bounce from the site faster. Additionally, it is recommended that products unavailable in a participants size selection are still displayed on the search grid page. Research reveals that participants still want to see all products available on the site.

• Many participants mentioned that products can fit slightly different even in the same size and brand, and that reading reviews and size and fit information is still important in determining which size to purchase. They also stated that depending on the size and fit of a product, they will sometimes size up or down (e.g. they want a product to fit more loose or baggy, or to fit tighter).

Relevant User Quotes

“I don't know that I would select it when ordering an item. The fit and actual size can vary so much site to site and brand to brand. I would want to try the item on first to see how true to size it is for me. It would be interesting if it continuously updated based on your purchases and ratings after purchasing.”

“I would select medium to XL. Having the option to select multiple is a big thing.”

“I definitely would want to filter by my size, or multiple sizes, because sometimes I'm between sizes, sometimes I want to see medium and large or large and XL.”

“I wouldn't want to be pigeonholed into my size, some mom jeans you can go a size up. I would want to use the site normally and search, once I get to a category page, with some stars on the product, to see thats my size range, it recommends my closest size. I like the idea of putting an icon on the sizes that are my size.”

It is recommended to provide an opt-in feature for users to save their size preferences and allow them to easily toggle the feature on or off. Additionally, allow users to create multiple profiles or size sets for different people they may shop for.

• Some participants appreciate the idea of a "My Sizes" feature to streamline the shopping experience but have concerns about it being too restrictive. Participants don’t want this feature to automatically filter results without clear consent.

Relevant User Quotes

“It seems nice, but I assume not every size fits the same. I could see it being helpful but could also see it taking away pairs you might like in a different style that you might miss out on because of this.”

“It can make future searches faster, but I don’t want to accidentally miss a new pair of pants because I have this filter on on accident.”

“If I wasn't signed in and I didn't tell it to remember that, I feel like that would make me feel weird about the tracking.”

Users expressed having the ability to create multiple profiles or size sets for other people they may shop for.

Relevant User Quotes

“I definitely want mine, and depending on children or whoever I shop for, definitely save theirs.”

Impact & Outcome

Through effective cross-functional collaboration with designers, product managers, and stakeholders, I was able to present clear, actionable research findings that directly informed critical design iterations. These adjustments were made early enough to address key user pain points and optimize the product experience. The iterative process led to further rounds of research and testing, ensuring a more user-centered design before launch. This approach not only improved the product’s usability but also fostered alignment across teams, streamlining the path to a successful product launch.