Product Page Design, Williams Sonoma, Inc.
Smart Shopping Tool with Machine Learning
Using algorithms to build a perfect nursery for your bundle of joy
Willams Sonoma, Inc. is known for inspirational brand imagery. This project aimed to help users identify preferences for styles, colors, and product categories by asking users to rate their favorite lifestyle images. The smart shopping tool utilizes algorithms developed in-house. This tool was designed to gain insights on shopper preference and serve highly targeted product recommendations to early funnel customers.
We used analytics and qualitative research to look for opportunities to increase “units per transaction”. The business identified living room shoppers as a possible target for a smart shopping tool. Using the data collected we identified nursery shoppers as a potential target for full room shopping.
Nursery room shopping data:
Registry offered a great opportunity for a product discovery tool. There are many points of friction during the registry experience, and many users felt that there was a disconnect between the aspirational in store experience and the web experience.
Registrants are usually early in the shopping funnel.
Crib shoppers are much more likely to purchase additional products, eg. a crib liner + bedding
Customers shopping for glider/rockers are more likely to be shopping for a nursery room.
DESIGN
WSI machine learning algorithms follow the following logic:
Browse, Browse: “you may also like” display the top items that users have browsed in order of most browsed.
Browse, Buy: “customers ultimately bought” display the top items that people who browsed this item ended up buying in order of most purchased.
Buy, Browse: “customers also viewed” display the items a person who purchased this product also looked at in order of most viewed.
Buy, Buy: “you may also need” display the items that people also bought.
INTERACTION:
I created multiple interaction models, experimenting with layouts and on page behaviors. I also explored image styles, dismissal patterns and css micro-interactions. A woking prototype was created in InVision and Framer to experiment with interaction speed and to scroll animations.
LAYOUT:
I worked on multiple layouts with different hypothesis: Larger lifestyle images, with secondary product silo images, smaller scrolling carousels, and image trays.
COLLABORATION WITH DEV:
I worked closely with a remote development team to pilot this project in Zeplin. We wanted to have a handoff-free experience that streamlined communication and made the specification process effortless. We met bi-weekly to validate designs, make UX recommendations, and to view progress.
DEPLOYMENT AND IMPACT
Interest and continued investment in online design tools.
Cross brand interest in use as a template