Project 2
International Research
As a business, we made the strategic decision to expand our international eCommerce operations. Although we had already been successfully selling and shipping a large portion of our product catalog to customers across numerous countries, we identified an opportunity to better serve the Canadian market by launching a dedicated eCommerce website specifically tailored to Canadian consumers.
The Problem
While we had developed a strong understanding of our U.S. customer base, we wanted to gain deeper insight into the nuances of Canadian consumers and determine whether our existing customer personas remained aligned within this market.
Research & Discovery
After conducting several team mapping exercises, we made a deliberate decision to examine even the smallest details rather than overlook them. This approach revealed that many factors we initially considered minor were, in fact, highly significant to Canadian consumers. The experience reinforced the importance of thorough research and avoiding assumptions during the knowledge acquisition process.
Among the research topics that emerged as particularly notable were:
- Product pricing display
- The importance of international product reviews versus reviews from the U.S.
- Canadian English spelling conventions
- French Canadian translation
- Presentation of discounts and promotions
- Coupons versus promo codes
- Duties and taxes
- Legal and regulatory differences
- Role of mobile apps in establishing consumer trust and brand legitimacy
Design & Iteration
This research served as the foundation for launching our MVP site, which we continued to expand over several years. The ongoing research also played a key role in refining and evolving the site over time.
Outcome & Impact
The two months we invested in thorough research and strategic mapping established a strong foundation that enabled me to create effective, user-focused designs and empowered our development team to successfully launch a completely new website within three months. This launch also played a key role in expanding our presence in the Canadian market, and with each subsequent iteration, we continued to see steady growth in sales.
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