LG Electronics' Online Brand Shop embodies the vision of the integration platform of all LG's brand shops. It delivers diverse values with consistent storytelling and encompasses the holistic brand experience to secure loyal customers.
Duration
August ~ November 2020
Team
Project manager, Project leads (LG Electronics, LG Hausys), UX designers
Our team worked closely with the clients in development, design, and business organization.
Role
Project Lead (LG Electronics)
I led a team of 5 designers to improve the experience of the LG electronics’ website.
Achievements
Launched on both web and native mobile app (LG Electronics)
Created UX/UI Principles for the integrated platform
Problem
Being a conglomerate, LG has a large number of affiliates and they all had different websites to introduce their brands and products. This inevitably led to inconsistency in representing LG's identity and they decided to build an unified online platform to integrate all brands.
How can we reorient dispersed brands to have a consistent brand experience?
Our role was to improve the experience of LG Electronics and LG Hausys online shops in preparation of platform integration (Phase 1)
Approach
As the output of this project is meant to be applied to the massive integration, we wanted to ensure that our ideas were accurately portrayed to the the users. Thus, we put the “validation” phase in the first half of the process and reflected the results in our final deliverables.
Lean process
How might we differentiate brand shops from other channels?
Initial Research
Analyzing the current channels of LG with the AISAS model, a consumer behavior model, we found out that LG had a good amount of touch points. However, those channels weren’t interconnected and the brand shops didn’t showcase a unique identity to their customers since they all presented the same type of content in the search and action phases.
Overlapped experience with little value creation
Channel analysis based on AISAS model
Why brand shops?
The core value that a brand shop provides is information quality. According to a survey we conducted, the users anticipated detailed information about the newly released product or its brand. When their interests grows deeper, they even visit the offline store to experience the real product.
Brand shops quench people's thirst for genuine information
Anticipation on brand shops
Hypothesis
The brand exists beyond the time of purchase. We believe that the goal of the brand shop shouldn't be to compete with other commerce channels in a price-cutting race but provide high quality information that people can always rely on. We shaped our goal by tailoring AISAS models for each brand and defining sub-goals for each phase.
How should the brand shops increase their presence?
Increasing the reliability of the channel with verified information will increase the purchase at the brand shops.
Storytelling of the value of the products will increase the visit of the brand shops.
Increase in loyalty of the brand would induce people to purchase at online brand shop
Interest
Introduce the distinct brand values with diversity
Search
Find products that would enrich users' current status
Check
Illuminate product features in a concise manner
Action
Support users in experiencing the product
Maintain
Be proactive in widening users' use of product
Share
Widen the influence of practical reviews
Customer behavior model (Electronics)
Validation
To validate our hypothesis, I carried out user testing sessions with Minimum Viable Product (MVP) prototypes. The prototypes were made in mid/high fidelity to get detailed feedback about the features and I directed the 3D visualization for showcasing product features.
Testing out our ideas with MVP prototypes
Utilizing 3D modeling to provide "palpable" product description on the product detail page
20 Interviewees
Group A: tech-savvy, recently purchased large/small electronic products(online, offline)
Group B: recently purchased large/small electronic products(online, offline)
User interviews (LG Electronics)
Research Insights
Throughout the research, we confirmed the users' desire to glean authentic information about products and their expectation shifts to managing their products after the purchase. Referring to the key findings, we were able to set a unified UX model for both LG Electronics and LG Hausys which would be the standard model for the future platform.
Continuous exposure to brand products and practical reviews from acquaintances have the most positive effect on product preference and brand awareness.
Search
Video is the most comprehensive format to digest information.
People lean towards the product that causes synergy with their existing product and matches well with their environment.
Although Product’s features and performance are the most important determinants in selecting a product, numerous models and wordy description makes it difficult to compare the products.
Choosing a store differs depending on the purchase intent.
People experienced dissatisfaction with the service at the store if the employee wasn’t an expert.
Often, people replace the consumables of their products after they experience the malfunction of the product.
People opt to get instructions for their product from other channels such as blogs as it is more understandable.
People trust reviewers who have bought lots of products as they might have insights in comparing products.
Rewarding or appreciation for former reviewers greatly effects motivating people to leave reviews.
Check
Action
Maintanance
Share
Key findings (Electronics)
Consolidated key findings (Electronics, Hausys)
UX Model for LG online brand shop
User Flow
Filling out the gaps for continuous experience
With the UX model in mind, we've structured IA that includes the entire journey of users. One thing we've considered was that both brands sell high involvement products, which makes it unavoidable to let customers leave the channel before purchasing the products. Thus, we've contrived the features such as Story and Store visit to connect the disconnected experience.
UX Structure
We've designed global components that could be used across the brands. Nevertheless, as it was meant to be applied to multiple brands, we've made sure that the system has flexibility.
Easing the learning curve with design systems
Menu bar
Process component is flexible enough to include different functions
How might we provide coherent gateway experience across brands?
Design Principles
One benefit of having multiple brands in a platform is that user could satisfy their needs even beyond what they expected. To make this pleasant experience more discoverable, we created universal design principles.
Informative, yet seamless
Structure content to increase the delivery of the information
Card UI
Regardless of the source of information, content clearly introduces themselves by displaying key information up front.
Electronics
Hausys
Offer routes to navigate and hint usefulness
Nudge
Service should incentivize users to deepen their experience to meet their expectation
Provide a link when users are interested in the other brand
Recommendation
Service senses the users needs and leverage them to create connections between brands
UI Design
INTEREST
Story
Users can find the latest tech news on Story menu. From brand stories to knowhows for using LG devices, all sorts of official content are archived. By setting their interests, users can customized the story feed which will increase the visibility of those content.
Story details
Subscription
SEARCH
Product or lifestyle
Searching experience could be different depending on the users' purchase intent. If users are willing to buy a product, they can find the right product by answering essential questions for choosing a product. While if users are just browsing, they can find a product that supports their desirable lifestyle.
Find my product
Lifestyle-matching
CHECK
Product features??
Product features are explained f user using theroduct Storytelling
Authentic information
With palpable product description, users can
Product features are demonstrated in order of use scenario with bite-sized animations which helps users to digest the key specification at a glance.
This would help users to comprehend the product with Also, users can get more Users can finalize their decision by referring to the checklist provided to reduce the possibility of fault selection.
With the palpable description of the product, users can compare the models and figure out the product they need. The 3D illustrated scenario would allow them to quickly digest the key specification of the product at a glance and understand the efficacy of the product.
CHECK
Exclusive in-depth description
Product features are explained with bite-sized animations according to the order in which the product is used. By swiping the feature slides, users can understand how the applied technology is interwined into the products. Users can scroll down to obtain more detailed information.
Product features
Product details
ACTION
Online for Offline
Upon their visit to the physical store, users can still get assistance from the online website. Their search history is available to them so that they can check out the physical products in store. To get detailed information, users can scan the QR code attached on the products.
MAINTAIN
Management
After making the purchase and registering the product online, users can access a platform that consolidates all management service. Once registered, users will get maintenance notifications such as replacing accessories or updating the software. Users who subscribed to the premium care service - Care Solution - are be able to keep track of management status and adjust the in-house visit schedule if necessary.
SHARE
Reviews
Users are encouraged to share their experience with their products. The collected reviews are shared with ratings of how people evaluated the products. Users can see reviews left by "reliable reviewers" who are customers that have left many helpful comments.
LG Hausys
Guidelines for future integration
As this is the first step of the creating platform, maintaining consistency was the foremost important factor in the upcoming integration. Therefore, we created detailed guidelines of the interface and experience.
Framing experience for consistency
UI Guidelines
LG Electronics
LG Hausys
UX Principles
The Impact
We were grateful to see that LG Electronics decided to launch not just a website but also a native mobile application. This was a meaningful decision in that it enabled us to equip the augmented reality feature which enriches the pre-purchase experience.
Released in both web and native app
Personal Achievement
Leading a team led me to view the design process from a broader point of view. It was not about being responsible for my sole work but more about setting things up so that every member could maximize their capabilities. One lesson that I learned was that managing is caring.
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