Gifting Research
The Problem
The innovation team had done some earlier research, and a provocation that came from it was, "How do we give confidence around gift-giving?". My task, to answer this ambiguous question with very little to go on.
Framing the Design Challenge
How might we help customers, who don’t know what gifts to buy, feel confident in purchasing a gift for a person they care about?
Ultimate Impact
Increase personalization.
Primary - 11 Interviews
Qualitative interviews aimed at understanding the behavior and psychology behind gift giving and receiving. Uncovering the go-to’s, the rituals, the values, the needs, the friction, and the hacks.
Ages 24 - 72
California
Missouri
Georgia
Right out of college
Stay at home moms
Full time employees
Retired
Secondary
Digging deeper into stories, solutions, studies, business, technologies, disruptions, and innovations that drive gifting.
The Atlantic | Fashion Blogs | Gap Inc. Internal Reports (Strategy, Marketing, Case Studies) | Social Psychology | YouTube
Synthesis
Gifting is highly emotionally charged. It is an extension of the relationship bolstered by self-gratification. Budget has little meaning when buying the right gift.
Gift Giving
Gifting begins with a reason (trigger).
GETTING IT DONE
Not a close relationship.
Being told what to get.
You have to get something.
Timing is tight.
GETTING IT RIGHT
Incredibly personal.
Truly knowing the recipient.
An exclusive feeling.
Highly desired.
"Well, when you know someone well enough, you just see it and go, 'perfect'."
-Anette M.
“I’ll just run into the mall and go somewhere really quick. But then I feel bad because its not putting in as much time thinking about it.”
-Sophia C.
Less...
Meaningful
Effort
Thought
More...
Meaning
Effort
Thought
Framework
Within a relationship (close or distant), the strength of the relationship correlates with the amount of personalization and sentiment in the gift.
Provocations
How will we win December through gifting? It starts with workshopping, brainstorming, creating insight statements, asking our HMW’s, and other questions.
How might we make a gift card more personal and strengthen a relationship?
Personalized video or pictures showing up social media feeds.
How might we help more people “get it right” with choosing apparel?
The New Gift Guide displaying trending items for a given profile.
Match with Bright Members and True Fit measurements.
