To observe how users actually behave while shopping online — specifically how they interact with product reviews, ratings, and trust signals in their real environment — and compare their actual behavior with what they reported in interviews.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Contextual Inquiry (Observation + Follow-up Questions) |
| Mode | In-person observation / Video call with screen share |
| Participants | 4 users (selected from interview participants) |
| Task Given | "You want to buy a product online. Shop the way you normally do — I will observe silently." |
| Duration | 20–30 minutes per session |
| Recording | Screen recording with consent + real-time notes |
| Timeline | Feb 2025 |
| # | Name | Age | Occupation | Why Selected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mani | 24 | Software Engineer | Tech-savvy, heavy online shopper — represents young professionals |
| 2 | Teja | 22 | College Student | Budget-conscious, price-sensitive — represents student segment |
| 3 | Surya | 28 | Marketing Executive | Skeptical about reviews, understands marketing tricks — represents aware buyers |
| 4 | Kirana | 26 | Teacher | Careful shopper, buys for family — represents household buyers |
"Imagine you need to buy wireless earbuds under ₹2000. Use your phone the way you normally shop. I will sit beside you and observe. Please think aloud — say whatever comes to your mind while shopping."
Setup:
In-person at his apartment, Hyderabad. Used his own phone (Android). Observed for 25 minutes.
| Time | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Opened Amazon app | Default app for shopping |
| 0:30 | Typed "wireless earbuds under 2000" | Specific search with price filter |
| 1:00 | Scrolled through search results | Skipped sponsored products immediately |
| 1:45 | Clicked first product (4.1 stars, 12K reviews) | Said "This looks decent" |
| 2:00 | Scrolled past product images quickly | Spent only 3 seconds on images |
| 2:20 | Jumped directly to ratings section | Skipped product description entirely |
| 2:40 | Looked at star distribution bar chart | Said "Hmm, too many 5 stars... suspicious" |
| 3:10 | Scrolled to reviews section | Did NOT use any filter — just scrolled |
| 3:30 | Stopped at a review with photo | Read it for 12 seconds |
| 4:00 | Skipped 3 short reviews ("Good product", "Nice", "Okay") | Said "These are useless" |
| 4:30 | Found a 2-star review with detailed text | Read it for 18 seconds, nodded |
| 5:15 | Scrolled back up to check price | Comparing value vs risk |
| 5:45 | Pressed back, opened second product | Said "Let me check one more" |
| 6:30 | Same pattern — went straight to reviews | Consistent behavior |
| 8:00 | Compared both products mentally | Said "First one had better negative reviews" |
| 9:00 | Went back to first product | Added to cart but did NOT buy |
| 10:00 | Said "I'll buy later, need to check YouTube reviews too" | External validation needed |