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SHYLA UX

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Sam’s Club Pet Innovations, 2022

Exploring Team Creativity

My Roles

~Team Project Monitoring Lead (link to team charter) ~

~Research, User Experience, Project Management~

~March 21st-May 4th, 6 Weeks, Spring 2022~

STAR Summary

Situation

My team and I were challenged with coming up with the Sam's Club Pet Department's "Next Big Idea." My team, Team Harmony, chose seven of my twenty ideas (link to twenty ideas) to analyze within my team to submit to Jonathan Saffian (link to LinkedIn), Sam's Club's Senior Director of Innovation, and then present the finalized idea to Sam’s Club executives.

Tasks

  • Team Monitoring Lead - Strategically assigned tasks based on each team member's unique strengths (link to team charter).

  • Developed and led team brainstorming sessions (link to mural).

  • Led 2 journey mapping exercises over two hours (link to mural).

  • Collected customer feedback through a Qualtrics survey (link to survey) with 26 respondents and 15 in-person interviews with Sam’s Club Members (link to responses). 

  • Performed 3 in-person observations of wine sections for various stores (Sam’s Club, PetSmart, & Kroger) to note customer behavior (link to observations).

  • Identified and validated 3 innovation categories (Subscription Boxes/Trials, Customer Experience, and Gamification) with our stakeholder, Jonathan Saffian (link to mural).

  • Led 3 one-hour Ideation Sessions with my team over 2 weeks,

  • Created 48 "How Might We" statements to address pain points in the customer journey (link to mural).

  • Asked the 5 Whys to find the root cause of the problems.

Actions

  • Used Journey Map to evaluate pain points (link to mural).

  • Organized and directed four Stakeholder meetings with Jonathan that were conducted to gather feedback.

  • Conducted weekly hour-long ideation sessions.

  • Headed the final presentation (will insert link later) of our solutions to the Director of Innovation.

  • Facilitated 7 team ideation sessions that included:

  • Presented & discussed creative innovative ideas over 3 meetings with Jonathan Saffian.

  • Presented Finalized Idea (will insert future link) to Sam’s Club executives & received final feedback.

Results

  • Worked with the Innovation Director on: 

    • Ideating 48 ideas with 3 of those voted highly by the team and Jonathan Saffian

    • Discovering new pivots in ideas related to pain points in the Subscription Boxes/Trials, Customer Experience, and Gamification insights (link to mural)

    • Evolving ideas via partnerships with pet-related businesses, pet focus groups (link to pet research), research-based personas (link to mural), and further developed ideations

My Ideas

Have a Personalized Members Mark Pet Subscription Package option where pet products are delivered monthly to pet owners at a discounted bulk price.

1.

Pain Point: Many pet owners are busy and don’t have the luxury of time to shop for their pet products. 

 

Conducting interviews and surveys, I found that consumers who shop for their pets spend a lot of time trying to find the right products and get them in time.

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Here is a quote from one of the interviews conducted:

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“I am very picky with my dog's products. It takes forever to shop and get everything she needs. With work, I am so busy to shop in person.”

- Michelle, 40-year-old female, 4/6/2022, Online Interview

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Insights: More pet consumers are starting to shop online and for bundles.

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Online research into studies on pet shopping behaviors revealed that 80% of pet owners use pet subscription services for their pets (Source).

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Additionally, there is a significant increase in interest in pet-related auto-replenishment services (from 63% to 79% in 2020) (Source).

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Looking into Bark Box (Source) and Chewy’s Autoship (Source) pet subscription functions, offering subscription services for pet products is appealing to consumers...

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  • Bark Box has maintained a 70% year-over-year revenue growth rate while also maintaining a 95% shopper retention rate (Source, Source). 

  • Chewy’s Autoship function accounts for 70% of their net sales (Source).

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Another customer interview that I collected stated:

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“I prefer to buy online because it's convenient and easier. Also, there are more deals.” 

- Ingrid L., 20-year-old female, 4/5/2022, In-Store Interview

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Solution: Offer an exclusive Sam’s Club Membership Package that includes a personalized and discounted option for pet product subscriptions.

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This would provide pet owners with a seamless and personal way to provide for their pets.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to implement personalized subscription boxes that provide flexibility and simplicity for customers and their pet needs, there would be a potential expansion in their market share of pet owners since 80% use subscription services (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • Idea lessens the burden on pet owners.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • How do we make this something that reflects Sam’s brand image? 

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept incorporated an activity or something involving family?

2.

Implement a Personalized Pet Survey that integrates with a Pet Profile in the Sam’s Club App. 

Pain Point: Customers feel frustrated at the lack of personalization when it comes to pet shopping (Source). 

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Insights: Fun & personalized surveys and profiles are becoming more valuable with engaging features (Source, Source, Source).

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Solution: Create a fun & engaging Personalized Pet Survey in the Sam's Club App that is linked to a Pet Profile.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to introduce a fun & interactive survey involving personalization to a profile for pet owners, about 25% of pet owners would engage with it (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • The idea creates an enjoyable pet shopping experience.

    • Makes pet shopping easier.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • Needs more value-added for Sam’s Club. 

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept is combined with the activity box idea?

Offer a free “Sam’s Pet Pouch” or a Reusable Pet Food Travel Size Container that members can bring to Sam’s Club to fill with their personalized meals.

3.

Pain Point: Pet owners struggle finding quality packaging for pet products; their pets tear it up (Source).

 

Insights: Pet-owners desire reusable packages and sustainable products (Source, Source).

 

Solution: Provide members a free "Sam's Pet Pouch" or a Reusable & Sustainable Pet Food Travel Size Container to fill with their tailored meals at Sam's Club.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to offer more reusable and sustainable packaging, 51% of consumers would be more willing to buy (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • The idea promotes sustainability.

    • Helps consumers reuse.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • This idea alone would add little value.

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept is integrated within other ideas, like ideas #4 and #5?

Have an online “Food From Scratch” page within the Sam’s Club App that includes DIY Pet Recipes & the option for further personalized meals.

4.

Pain Point: Consumers struggle to find healthy food for their pets (Source).

 

Insights: There is an increasing trend of pet-owners starting to care for their pet’s food as their own (Source).

 

Solution: Within the Sam's Club App, have an online "Food from Scratch" tab with DIY Pet Recipes and the opportunity for more tailored meals provided by Sam’s Club.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to implement an option for members to build their meals online from scratch with the help of the kitchen, about 53.1% of pet owners will be interested in it (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • The idea provides comfort to members.

    • Promotes healthy food. 

    • Creates a personalized experience space.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • Difficult to build.

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept is integrated with Tastry  (Source), a human wine machine learning system, and with other ideas?

Have “The Pet Kitchen” or a “Build Your Own Pet Food” system within the Sam’s Club App where members can completely persoanlize their pet meals by each ingredient virtually & have it delivered or for pick up.

5.

Pain Point: Consumers struggle to find healthy food for their pets (Source).

 

Insights: There is an increasing trend of pet-owners trying to make their own pet food with recipes online (Source, Source).

 

Solution: Within the Sam's Club App, offer a "Pet Kitchen" or "Build Your Own Pet Food" system where members can, virtually or in-person, customize their pet meals by each ingredient and have it delivered or picked up.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club implements a Pet Kitchen where members can personalize their pet’s meals by ingredients, about 53.1% of pet consumers would be interested (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • The idea creates a personalized space in the pet shopping experience.

    • Helps conscious pet-owners with peace & ease.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • Difficult to implement and standardize.

    • Costly.

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept is solely virtual?

    • What if this concept involves a subscription?

Place a free-use “Pet Photo Booth” outside of Sam’s Club locations for members that own pets.

6.

Pain Point: Sam’s Club is not a place people normally buy their pet products from (Source).

 

Insights: Pet consumers are increasingly treating their pets as their family (Source).

 

Solution: For members who own pets, set up a free-to-use "Pet Photo Booth" outside of Sam's Club locations.

 

Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to implement personalized subscription boxes that provide flexibility and simplicity for customers and their pet needs, there would be a potential expansion in their market share of pet owners since 80% use subscription services (Source).

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • The idea helps create an exclusive experience.

    • Promotes the family-like view of pets.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • Pets are not so welcome within Sam’s Club.

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept were outside of Sam’s Club?

Implement a “Sam’s Club Furry Friend Blog” or a Pet Blogging Platform within the Sam’s Club App for members that own pets.

7.

Pain Point: Early pet-owners are often confused on how to provide for their pets.

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Insights: The internet is a source of resources for new pet-owners trying to learn responsibilities.

 

Solution: For members who own pets, create a "Sam's Club Furry Friend Blog" or a Pet Blogging Platform within the Sam's Club App.

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Here's a storyboard of this idea...

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Who, What, Wow: 

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If Sam’s Club were to implement a pet blog that coached newer pet owners on responsibilities, there will be a new opportunity space in education.

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Result: Below are a few comments on the idea comprised by my team based on Jonathan’s feedback:

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  • Yellow Hat (Positive commentary)

    • Easy access for members.

    • Educates pet-owners.

  • Black Hat (Critical commentary)

    • Too similar to the internet.

  • Green Hat (Revision commentary)

    • What if this concept was gamified in coaching new pet owners within the Sam’s Club app?

The Future...

My team presented the finalized idea (link to presentation) with our innovation, Paw Packs and Members Bark, that we agreed had potential for revolutionizing the pet experience for members. We discussed them with Jonathan and the idea is planned to be explored in the Sam’s Club Innovation Lab. I enjoyed working vigorously with Jonathan and Sam’s Club with my team (images below links to our final presentation).

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