Upon his arrival at the Urban Ladder store, the customer felt an immediate sense of welcome, largely attributed to the store’s use of cool and daylight white lighting. This lighting choice created a noticeably inviting ambiance, setting a positive tone for his visit.

The customer appreciated the enthusiastic greeting he received from the staff, coupled with the freedom to explore the store at his own pace. This approach struck a balance, providing him with space yet ensuring availability for assistance when needed.

While browsing, particularly in the sofa section, a store executive approached the customer to inquire if he was looking for sofa sets. This proactive engagement was well-received and the customer explained his ongoing home interior project and his desire for sofas that would complement it. Although he found it challenging to specify the exact style of sofas he was looking for, the executive tactfully suggested using photos of his home interior to better understand and meet his needs.

Upon reviewing the photos, the executive complimented the customer’s interior design choices and proceeded to showcase various sofa styles on a tablet. This method not only provided a visual aid but also allowed the customer to experience the comfort of different sofas firsthand. The executive’s efforts to ensure that all furniture suggestions aligned with the customer’s interior were particularly noteworthy.

Moreover, the store’s hospitality extended to offering refreshments like coffee or tea, further enhancing the customer’s shopping experience. When the customer showed interest in a wing chair, the executive promptly displayed the same product on the tablet, providing an immediate, hands-on view of the product and similar options. This efficient use of technology enabled the customer to make a well-informed decision while comfortably seated in the chair he was considering.

Upon entering the Pepperfry store, the customer, Mr. Sudhakar was immediately greeted by the warmer ambiance set by the warm white lights. However, this lighting did little to enhance the mood or distinguish the store’s atmosphere from the outside environment, resulting in a somewhat neutral experience.

As the customer browsed through the various products, he noted that the store executives were not as engaging or proactive as expected. This led him to take the initiative to approach and start a conversation with one of them, marking a noticeable difference in customer service dynamics compared to other stores.

During the interaction, the store executive’s approach was basic, asking “What are you looking for?” despite the customer’s evident interest in sofas. The customer shared his requirements for sofas that would match his home’s almost-complete interior, specifically looking for modern designer styles. However, he found it challenging to articulate the exact designs he had in mind. Unfortunately, the store executive did not exhibit much interest in understanding the importance of matching the sofas with the customer’s home interior, a crucial aspect of his furniture shopping experience.

The executive then invited the customer to sit and began displaying a range of 3-seater sofas on a TV screen. Presented with a multitude of options, the customer felt overwhelmed and somewhat unsupported in his decision-making process. He had a specific vision for his home, desiring a match with the interior, but the experience of choosing from numerous options without personalised guidance or enthusiasm from the executive did not align with his expectations.

As the customer entered the Wooden Street store, he immediately noticed the warm white lighting. However, this lighting choice failed to make any significant impact on the mood or ambiance of the store, essentially mirroring the outdoor environment and resulting in a rather uninspiring first impression.

Throughout his visit, the customer found the overall engagement level of the store executives to be underwhelming. Similar to his experience at Pepperfry, the executives at Wooden Street did not show much initiative or interest in assisting him. They seemed indifferent and were not proactive in approaching customers, which required him to consistently take the first step to seek assistance.

Furthermore, the store executives did not actively inquire about the customer’s specific needs. When the customer expressed that he was looking for sofas, there was a noticeable lack of enthusiasm or effort from the executives to engage in a meaningful conversation or to understand his requirements. This lack of interest made the customer feel undervalued and somewhat neglected.

Additionally, the customer’s experience was compounded by a few more negative aspects. He noticed a lack of product knowledge among some of the staff, which hindered their ability to offer helpful advice or suggestions. The store layout also appeared to be somewhat disorganised, making it challenging for him to navigate and locate specific items of interest. Moreover, the customer observed a lack of cleanliness in some areas of the store, which detracted from the overall shopping experience.

Conducting one-on-one interviews with studio employees, asking open-ended questions to gather insights about their role, responsibilities, and interactions with customers.

• How do you assist customers in finding the right furniture for their needs?
• What challenges do you face when using Pepperfry’s website and app to showcase products to customers?
• How do you handle customer queries or issues related to the website or app?
• Are there any specific features or improvements you would like to see on the website or app to better support your interactions with customers?
• How do you perceive the overall user experience of Pepperfry’s platforms?

• Have you purchased from Pepperfry before?
• If YES –
  • What did you purchase?
  • Was it a store or online purchase?
  • What do you like about Pepperfry?
  • What brought you back?
• If NO –
  • How did you get to know about Pepperfry?
  • Have you used the website/app before?
  • What comes to mind when someone says Pepperfry?
• What is your relationship/family status?
• Are you a homeowner?
• What is your profession?
• How comfortable are you shopping online?
• Why did you visit the store today?
• How did you visit the store? (Were you passing by/searching on google/through the website/recommendation?)

• What product/category are you looking for? Why?
• How much research have you done about the furniture you need?
• Do you/have you compared with other websites/stores while making a purchase? (not specific to furniture)
• What are the factors that influence your decision while making a purchase? Example – materials, style, color, price, delivery timelines, offers etc.
• What are the major pain points you experience while shopping for furniture?
• Who would make the decision during the purchase?
• What is a dealbreaker while making a purchase? (When would you not buy?)

• Did you visit the website/app before coming to the store?
• If YES –
  • Did you find the product that you were looking for or something similar?
  • Why did you decide to visit the store? What did you need that wasn’t available online?
  • What was the starting point of using the Pepperfry: link/direct/ad/Word of mouth?
  • Which platform did you use?
  • How did you navigate to the products?
  • If you found the right product, how much time did it take to find the product?
  • How many pages did you visit before leaving the website?
  • At what point in the journey did you decide to visit offline?
  • Did you use the VR and 3D feature? Did it help?
• If NO –
  • Were you aware of the online platforms?
  • If YES –
    • What encouraged you to visit the studio instead of browsing the online catalogue?
  • If NO –
    • If aware, would you have visited the store?
  • How important is it for you to see furniture/home items before making a purchase?