VR in Supermarkets

[mental bone]

A beautiful user interface for sure, but I doubt there are far too many problems with the solution you've created

#1 if it displays the items on screen then won't it get cluttered with a million things on screen? because the screen you shared on behance has only a few items popping up

#2 isn't it a hassle to manually add the item in the cart both digitally and irl 😵‍💫

so if your app cant display all items at once then you are supposed to get upclose to the item which defeats the purpose of the app

and the biggest problem of all is, using VR headsets in supermarket. #1 it seems highly inefficientt way to shop #2 it's not something peoplele find comfortable enough o use in public spaces

[runic sable]

I get this is an exploratory project, but something I feel gets lost in design is the impact what we do can have on society. I get this is a small use case and isn’t “real” in the first place so it sounds like I’m being overdramatic, but I look at stuff like this and just think of a society where everyone has a headset on and doesn’t talk face to face anymore if we’re using VR for simple stuff like this. I think a solution that discusses the intersection of technology and physical aids would be much more meaningful.

As for the case study itself, your interview quotes sound like stuff you made up just to support your design and the stock photos next to each quote don’t really add to the validity either. Assuming you’re using your behance portfolio to get a job, you’re going to need more than 1. Problem 2. Interviews 3. Solution to convey enough material for a substantial story also

[mental bone]

agreed with you, it's like solving a almost non existent problem with most complicated setup ever

shops and stores have perfected the art of selling for decades now so I never really thought it could be a problem. A problem that needs an app to solve, let alone a vr headset

[runic sable]

Most stores also tell you were stuff is if you use the app/website with the store location picked

Edit: Also stores don't want you to zip from product to product, they want you to have to wander around to find stuff. So even if you perfectly solve how to find stuff, you need to make it work for stores

[stable sand]

Hi, thank you for your feedback. No, it will not get cluttered with more items because when the customer moves through the store, a maximum of five items are displayed on the VR UI in real-time. The idea of someone else putting the products in the cart is great. Probably when you purchase the selected products inside an app, staff can put them in the cart for the customer. However, the problem is that there is too little staff to do this task among other customers in the store.

Even though this app can't display all items at once, according to Miller's Law—a cognitive psychology principle that states the average person can only hold about 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their working memory at a time—having all the items displayed at once does not actually provide any benefit. Customers can often feel lost in the stores even though there are many different items around them. Additionally, customers cannot see all store items at once, as they are physically located in just one store department at a time.

[stable sand]

Thank you for your feedback. Interview questions were conducted with real customers. VR technology does not have to be used solely with VR headsets. In my case study, I used it to demonstrate how this technology can help solve the problems I addressed.

As mentioned, users had issues with finding the right products in the correct store sections. Secondly, there is a problem with reading the labels or descriptions of the products, as it is hard to read without using magnification or zooming in on their phones. Additionally, customers often cannot find or get help in the stores due to the lack of staff (this observation is based on stores in Croatia; I am unsure about stores in other countries).

This is an exploratory case study, which means it is not a full UX design project. That is why it does not include the entire UX design process. It is an idea presented using different technologies, such as VR, AI, and the Internet, so users can get accurate information according to their dietary needs. When consumers enter the store, it shows which products they can consume according to their diet, including intolerances, allergies, etc. This is beneficial because consumers often have difficulty finding and reading product labels.

Product declarations can contain many allergens and intolerant ingredients. With my exploratory case study, consumers can safely buy products that are safe for them. If a product contains allergens or intolerant ingredients that are harmful to the consumer, it is shown as a warning near the specific product. Also, during user interviews, it was noted that consumers usually get lost in larger supermarkets, so I included a map feature so they can see where they are going.

[stable sand]

I don't agree with this statement. Many stores still don't have mobile or web apps to sell their items online. If stores want to make money, they should prioritize taking care of their customers.
Years ago, there were hardly any mobile or web apps for selling store items online or offering home delivery and drive-through services. Today, it’s really important for stores to keep up with what customers need.
Having an online shopping option through mobile or web apps can make customers happier and more loyal. By making shopping easier and using new technologies, stores can not only boost their sales but also create better connections with their customers.
Plus, not having digital platforms means missing out on making things run more smoothly and improving service. Using technologies like VR, AI, and online apps can help solve common problems, like finding products and reading labels, which makes shopping a better experience overall.

[runic sable]

By any chance, did you do the interviews with the participants in Croatian?

[stable sand]

Yes

[runic sable]

That's probably why they seem fake to me. I believe you did them, but to a person who only speaks english, and very fluently, it reads like they were written by a chat bot or something like that. It also doesnt add to the 'realness' when the interview quotes shown suggest the change they'd make to help themselves, and then they end up in the solution.

Also with interviews in general, your question displayed is "How often have you struggled to find a product on store shelves, mistaken the store department, or been unable to read product details without zooming in on your mobile device" which is a very leading question. It's like you already "know" the problem, but you just want others to say it back so you can use it as evidence + it's also kind of a yes/no question. It's usually better to have something along the lines of "Can you walk me through a time where you were surprised at how much you struggled with a task in a grocery store" or something like that. It's good to bring out the emotion and have people recount their stories when you're talking to people because that's how you get to your true needs.

Maybe having trouble finding something wasn't the real issue, but the fact that they felt out of place and like they didn't know what they're doing. In which case if they're using some mix of VR/AR, others will be able to clearly tell they struggle with something and they'll stand out like a sore thumb or feel embarrassed. Obv idk what their actual feelings is like, but just some other things to consider in the future.

When consumers enter the store, it shows which products they can consume according to their diet, including intolerances, allergies, etc. This is beneficial because consumers often have difficulty finding and reading product labels.

Product declarations can contain many allergens and intolerant ingredients. With my exploratory case study, consumers can safely buy products that are safe for them. If a product contains allergens or intolerant ingredients that are harmful to the consumer, it is shown as a warning near the specific product. Also, during user interviews, it was noted that consumers usually get lost in larger supermarkets, so I included a map feature so they can see where they are going.
The dietary stuff seems helpful, but you didn't mention any of it in the case study either

[stable sand]

That kind of interview is pretty hard to get, especially in front of the store where people usually don't want any conversation. When you say, "Can I ask you a question?", they often think you want to sell them something 😅. So, I agree that I should have probably asked broader questions. That’s why, in my case studies, I usually spend two weeks finding the right participants and making a list of questions.

Also, including their real quotes is not always a good idea since they sometimes swear. Regarding dietary restrictions, I have those screens in mind so users can enter those details in their profile. This is also one of the main reasons they can log in, to save their data.

I’ve done a lot of work on this problem (dietary restrictions and intolerances) in my previous case studies, so I didn’t want to repeat myself, but maybe I'll add it in this one as well. Noted. Thank you for your time. Shalom. ✨

[near glen]

I agree with this statement too, some of the problem I can see it being a real pain point, but with the deliverable being VR does not make sense

[mental bone]

I think you got the wrong idea, I did not mean to say that employees should fill the card with items you choose to buy, isn't it a hassle to add it manually irl as well as digitally in your app's cart? It's simply adding more tasks to do for the customer in the end. And regarding 5 items at once I suppose it will show nearest 5 items right? the one's in the immediate view sight so how is it helping when the items that are being identified are right in front of you? what is it solving here that's the question... Let's say the VR app gives you an overview of all the allergies listed on the label. but that can be done so easily if it was just a AR app on a phone. It will save so much more headache of wearing a bulky headset. I get it that you're trying to find ways to make VR useful in real world space and this project doesn't consider any real world problems that come with this solution, Imo it's not a problem to be solved with VR ( an AR app is much better ) I appreciate the creativity in this space since many people would "just make an app" for everything. A new approach is great but this one ain't it. My suggestion going forward with explorative ideas like this is always imagine the product you're making in real world with real people in mind

[mental bone]

Having an online shopping option through mobile or web apps can make customers happier and more loyal but isn't this a VR app that you use to walk in stores with? I'm sorry im getting a lil confused on this statement. Yes home delivery is something that seems alluring at first but comes with a lot of problems of it's own. that's the reason not every store is trying to build itself online. The delivery charges, hiring an entire staff to carry it out is just something most store owners would not want to deal with. And there are so many people who would rather shop in thier nearest store than ordering things online. In my mind there are only 3 main reasons people shop online. 1 they don't like going out, 2 the item is not available in thier area, 3 it's discounted heavily online

Having an online shopping option through mobile or web apps can make customers happier and more loyal do you have any info that backs this statement? Because people are not loyal to any shops online at least for grocery shopping ones, there's very little incentive to be loyal to a specific shopping app. They are the most easily replaced as people value features and benefits they get so once a new competitor store makes better features or benefits then people will immediately switch over and never look back. And remember competing in online space and investing heavily to make this all work seems like too expensive for local shops and grocery stores ( which is thinking too far into the future ik ) Take what you want from this criticism and goodluck for future projects