FoodDiscovery#1: The new role of search
Finding the stuff we want in our favourite supermarket is generally a no-brainer. Just type the product or brand name in the search box and voilá; more or less scrolling effort will take place, but we’ll eventually get there.
However, what happens when we don’t know what we want? Are we forgetting something in the cart? Sometimes we simply are tired of cooking the same stuff week in week out and would like some advice on new products and recipes, seasonal products etc… Wouldn’t it be super helpful? And what about if we could get personalised recommendations to replace our current products in the cart for healthier and money-saving ones? Would that be too much of a big ask?
The good news is that most of the big online grocery stores are already working on it. In fact, they’ve been doing this for so many years off-line; selecting products that fit our budget and diets is what they’re experts at. The big change now comes with conciusness and alignment with brand values. Are supermarkets selecting the right “healthy” products for us? Are supermarkets selecting the “local” products for us? Are they betting on “sustainable” packaging over plastic?
A new brand-customer relationship paradigm based on trust, purpose and ethics is underway.
Lets go back to shopping online now. Most of us order food online starting from our previous order followed by search.
Do you think that search results are similarly sorted as they would in the shelves of the store? Are those lists that display results for milk, yogurt, chocolate, olive oil, etc a true reflection of the brand and my needs? How do they make us feel as people and customers?
The role of search goes well beyond displaying a list of products. It should help us to effortlessly:
- Restock: Help me complete my cart with products I need / I don’t remember now.
- Save money: Help me save dollars on my current cart by recommending alternative and/or complementary products and promotions.
- Eat well: Help me find healthier products based on my profile (i.e. my interests, tastes and diet graph).
- Discover new products. Products I’ve never purchased before: Surprise me with personalised recommendations based on people with similar tastes.
- Discover new recipes. Recipes that match my current cart and recent purchase history: Help me evolve and diverse my diet through the discovery of new recipes.
- Trending & Seasonal products: Alerts on new seasonal products or newly launched products from my favourite brands.
Technology alone cannot solve all of the above. It requires a holistic approach, which is twofold:
- Experience: Delivering a delightful experience around operational efficiency, surprise and joyfulness
- Relevance: Providing relevant products based on the understanding of intent and context of food shoppers.
The second part of the series will focus on the design of the food discovery experience, mapping moments in the user journey to feelings etc… and the third part will dive into search relevance, and how data can be modelled and massaged to understand the true intent of a query and anticipate future discovery needs.
Note: You can read this story in Spanish here: https://marketing4ecommerce.net/mas-alla-del-buscador-retos-para-los-supermercados-online/
About Empathy.co
Helping brands provide irresistible search. Pairing software with interfaces to combine function and beauty in one. From mere results to meaningful relations and engaging interactions. Visit empathy.co to learn more.
