Short answer

Designers must focus on the emotional quality of user experiences at all touchpoints, especially in physical retail and through social interactions, as these can be more persuasive than traditional advertising.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: Journal of Retailing (2015)
Method: Real-time Experience Tracking (RET) using contemporaneous text message reporting.
Evidence: Strong effect

The emotional valence of a customer's experience with a touchpoint, particularly in-store communications and observing peers, has a greater impact on their likelihood to consider a brand than the frequency of exposure to brand advertising alone. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2015 study published in Journal of Retailing. Using Real-time experience tracking (ret) using contemporaneous text message reporting., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers must focus on the emotional quality of user experiences at all touchpoints, especially in physical retail and through social interactions, as these can be more persuasive than traditional advertising.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Positive in-store communication and peer observation significantly increase brand consideration more than brand advertising

Journal of Retailing · 2015

Key Findings

01Positivity of in-store communication is generally more influential than other touchpoints, including brand advertising.
02Peer observation (seeing other customers) is a consistently significant, yet often neglected, touchpoint.
03Touchpoint positivity adds more explanatory power to predicting brand consideration changes than touchpoint frequency alone.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing a product or service, consider all potential points of interaction a user might have, from initial advertising to post-purchase use and social sharing. Focus on making each of these interactions emotionally positive and leverage opportunities for social influence.

Project actions

01When evaluating a product, consider not just its features but also the emotional response it evokes and how it might be perceived by others.
02Think about how a product's design can encourage positive social interactions or observations.

Method & Evidence

AimTo understand the relative impact of multiple touchpoints on changes in brand consideration, considering both frequency and positivity of touchpoint experience.

MethodReal-time Experience Tracking (RET) using contemporaneous text message reporting.

ProcedureRespondents reported on their experiences with various touchpoints (brand advertising, retailer advertising, in-store communications, word-of-mouth, peer observation, earned media) via text message in real-time across four consumer categories. The impact of touchpoint frequency and positivity on brand consideration was modeled.

ContextConsumer electronics, technology products, mobile handsets, and soft drinks categories.

Variables

IV["Touchpoint type (brand advertising, retailer advertising, in-store communications, word-of-mouth, peer observation, earned media)","Touchpoint frequency","Touchpoint positivity (valence of affective response)"]

DVChange in brand consideration

CV["Consumer category (electrical goods, technology products, mobile handsets, soft drinks)","Respondent's initial brand consideration"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes a novel real-time tracking method (RET) to capture immediate user responses.
+Examines a comprehensive range of touchpoints, moving beyond traditional advertising-centric models.

Limitations

Self-reporting can be subjective. The study focused on specific product categories, so results might differ for highly technical or niche products.

Reliability & validity

The RET method enhances ecological validity by capturing real-time, in-situ responses. However, reliance on self-report may affect reliability and introduce social desirability bias. The use of multiple categories and modeling aims to improve generalizability.

Think critically

To what extent can the 'positivity' of a touchpoint be objectively measured and designed for, rather than being purely subjective?

Design Principles

"User experience design should actively cultivate positive emotional valence across all interaction touchpoints, with a particular emphasis on in-store environments and social proof mechanisms."

This research highlights that the emotional response and social context of product interaction are critical drivers of consumer decision-making. For design students, this underscores the importance of designing not just for functional usability but also for positive emotional engagement and leveraging social influences within the user experience.

What This Means for Your Design

How happy a customer feels when they see an ad in a store or see someone else using a product is more important for them thinking about buying it than just seeing lots of ads.

How to use in your project

1.Use this insight to justify focusing on user emotional responses and social factors in your user research and design iterations.
2.When evaluating existing products, analyze their touchpoints for potential emotional impact and social visibility.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research by Baxendale, Macdonald, and Wilson (2015) indicates that the emotional valence of touchpoints, particularly in-store communication and peer observation, significantly influences brand consideration more than mere frequency of exposure to advertising. This suggests that designing for positive emotional user experiences and leveraging social influences are critical for product success, aligning with User-Centred Design principles.

Source

Journal of Retailing

The Impact of Different Touchpoints on Brand Consideration

journal · 2015

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about positive in-store communication and peer observation significantly increase brand consideration more than brand advertising?: Designers must focus on the emotional quality of user experiences at all touchpoints, especially in physical retail and through social interactions, as these can be more persuasive than traditional advertising. Evidence: Journal of Retailing (2015).
Why does "Positive in-store communication and peer observation significantly increase brand consideration more than brand advertising" matter for design?: This research highlights that the emotional response and social context of product interaction are critical drivers of consumer decision-making. For IB DT students, this underscores the importance of designing not just for functional usability but also for positive emotional engagement and leveraging social influences within the user experience.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers must focus on the emotional quality of user experiences at all touchpoints, especially in physical retail and through social interactions, as these can be more persuasive than traditional advertising.
What were the main findings?: Positivity of in-store communication is generally more influential than other touchpoints, including brand advertising.. Peer observation (seeing other customers) is a consistently significant, yet often neglected, touchpoint.. Touchpoint positivity adds more explanatory power to predicting brand consideration changes than touchpoint frequency alone.
What research method was used?: Real-time Experience Tracking (RET) using contemporaneous text message reporting..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2015 journal from Journal of Retailing.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing a product or service, consider all potential points of interaction a user might have, from initial advertising to post-purchase use and social sharing. Focus on making each of these interactions emotionally positive and leverage opportunities for social influence.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings might vary across different product categories and cultural contexts. The reliance on self-reported data via text message could introduce biases.