After a series of presentations and feedback sessions, I’m slightly switching direction at this point again back to focusing on the check out process. I keep coming back to feeling that the business will make more money by focusing on the customer satisfaction and I feel that the thing that needs to be worked on the most is the check out process. (putting the items in the basket, taking them out to scan, putting them back in the basket using paper bags, taking them out and putting them in the car, and finally taking them all out when you get home)
I think by focusing back on this issue, I can focus on the bigger picture as well, the environmental issue. At least in the area where I live (Seattle) plastic bags are starting to disappear because it’s becoming a serious enough issue.
People are encouraged to bring their own bags instead of the store continuously issuing out plastic and paper bags and this is where the trend is going in terms of preserving the environment and everyone should be part of that. I feel that designing a cart that encourages customers to bring their own bag would make sense at this point. I would assume that customers at organic food stores such as Trader Joe’s would be open to adopt such carts, so I’m planning to get into the store in the near future to conduct some more interviews.
The concept will certainly have UX aspect to it as well. One concept that I had was to design a cart that has a separate basket and a frame which at the end the customer can actually take home with them and they will be encouraged to bring back the basket. I haven’t yet thought much about how the interaction side of how the basket return system would work.