LCBO
A mobile feature
This Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) mobile QR feature allows the consumer to have a seamless, informative and enhanced in-store shopping experience.
Skills
Product Thinking
Research & Testing
Visual Design
Platform
Mobile Web
Role
Product Designer
THE PROBLEM WITH THE LCBO
While the LCBO is Ontario’s largest alcoholic beverage retailer, people turn to microbreweries, artisanal distilleries, and boutique wineries for their expertise and curated experiences.
This feature is proposing to reinvent the relationship between the LCBO and the consumer in-store experience.
Information to the consumer during the window of in-store browsing.
By scanning a QR code on a LCBO label and clicking the link, users can gain instant access to a dedicated product page filled with helpful information.
This interactive feature transforms shopping into an enlightening journey, making a consumer’s choice more informed and personalized.
Empower the Customer
Provide familiar points of reference to encourage customers to try new drinks such as personalized recommendations based on their past preferences, allowing them to explore similar options to what they've had before.
An Engaging Experience
Create a digital feature that is interactive and evokes a sense of fun, thoughtfulness, and friendliness which goes beyond a transactional in-store experience.
Project Goals
Bridge the Knowledge Gap
Equip customers with the right amount of information during the key moment of decision-making in-store.
How might we help consumers enjoy their in-store browsing experience at the LCBO?
Implementing a QR code scanning feature would provide customers with an interactive way to delve into product specifics, enhancing their learning and engagement with the in-store merchandise.
QR IN ACTION
The browsing journey
SCAN
PRODUCT PAGE
LEARN
DECIDE
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Scan the QR code
To learn more, scan the QR code of a product of interest.
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Go to the product page
Within one click, the QR link brings you to the LCBO’s product page of that particular beverage.
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Learn about the product
Information such as the alcohol profile, tasting notes, suggested food pairings, allergen alerts, and other recommendations are easily available all on one page.
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Make an informed purchase
With the knowledge attained and the Personal Match percentage given, you can feel more confident with your beverage choice!
RESEARCH
Gather insights
To start the design process, I conducted user research among 6 participants to assess their needs, goals, and pain points around choosing alcoholic beverages.
Based on the interviews, I identified 3 important factors involved in the experience.
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The lack of information in-store at the LCBO puts the burden on the consumer to bridge the knowledge gap.
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The sheer selection of different alcoholic products is overwhelming, especially when there is limited product information to guide and support the consumer.
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The industry can be off-putting for several reasons, including the alienating jargon used in product descriptions, the pretentious demeanor of experts, and the impersonal, transaction-oriented experience at the LCBO.
“The dream would be that every bottle of wine has a QR code and you go on the QR code and then it sends you to stats. I'm literally picturing a hockey card.”
“It's kind of like a Walmart experience where you go into the LCBO and no one knows what's going on, there are a few signs that say sale or like this is a flavor profile.”
“I find wine descriptions more confusing than reading poetry, which I already find very confusing.”
FOUNDATION
Mapping out the blueprint
The priority of the feature is to seamlessly and efficiently bring users directly to the product page with a simple scan.
When encountering a QR code, users can easily activate their smartphone's camera and scan the code within seconds. Once scanned, the QR code directs the user to the designated product page, eliminating the need for manual searching or typing. This streamlined process not only saves time but also ensures accuracy, taking users directly to the desired information about the product.
PLEASANTRIES
Elevating the LCBO experience
Bridging the knowledge gap
To equip customers with more information during key moments of decision-making, relevant information is presented in a quick and concise manner. A delicate balance of delivering details without overwhelming consumers with excessive information was continually considered.
Implemented:
drink details (ABV, sugar, and gluten content) with visual icons
flavor characteristics shown graphically
food pairing suggestions with imagery
Engaging experience
To move beyond the transactional in-store experience, it was important to have an interactive digital feature that evoked a sense of fun, thoughtfulness, and friendliness.
Implemented:
exciting descriptions that use familiar language
cocktail or drink ideas to inspire the imagination
teaching moments like the “Flavour Players”
Empower the customer
To encourage customers to be more adventurous, and venture out from their go-to drinks, the product page displays a Personal Match percentage, calculated based on past “Likes”.
LOOK & FEEL
Visual identity evolution
I centered the visual designs around LCBO’s existing branding, bringing back their iconic green colour to revitalize the palette.
Interface evolution: Landing page for the product
Interface evolution: Additional features for better usability
Research behind the design iterations
The iterations above were based on user testing conducted with 6 participants.
With the flow being straight-forward, there were no issues with the usability of the flow. Overall, the feedback indicated that users found the product engaging. Suggestions for enhancement predominantly focused on the user interface and the organization of information.
User feedback was organized in an Effort/Impact chart to prioritize iterations.
Play with the prototype!
Final thoughts
Creating new feature for the LCBO had been a great learning experience for me.
I enjoyed discovering a lack of service in the field and ideating on a solution to fulfill this need in the form of a digital feature.
If given more time, I would have retested my iterations to gauge user feedback on the new changes.
I absolutely adore this process. It was enlightening to work within the constraint of an existing brand and exciting to design while keeping their business goals in mind.
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