To bring all 6 research participants together in a group discussion to observe group dynamics, uncover new perspectives through debate, identify consensus points on fake reviews and verified purchase systems, and discover edge cases that individual interviews could not reveal.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Focus Group Discussion (Moderated) |
| Mode | Online — Google Meet video call (recorded with consent) |
| Participants | 6 users (same as interview participants) |
| Moderator | Kadapa Sai Krishna (Designer / Researcher) |
| Duration | 55 minutes |
| Discussion Topics | 5 pre-defined topics |
| Recording | Video + audio recording with written consent from all participants |
| Timeline | Mar 2025 |
| # | Name | Age | Occupation | Role in Discussion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mani | 24 | Software Engineer | Active contributor — initiated technical debates |
| 2 | Ravi | 30 | Small Business Owner | Brought seller perspective — created healthy tension |
| 3 | Teja | 22 | College Student | Budget-focused voice — raised affordability concerns |
| 4 | Surya | 28 | Marketing Executive | Most analytical — challenged others' assumptions |
| 5 | Rizwan | 26 | Freelance Photographer | Balanced contributor — bridged buyer and seller views |
| 6 | Kirana | 26 | Teacher | Represented family/household buyer perspective |
| # | Topic | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you trust online reviews today? Why or why not? | 10 min |
| 2 | What makes you identify a review as fake? | 10 min |
| 3 | Should only verified buyers be allowed to write reviews? Pros & Cons? | 12 min |
| 4 | Should non-buyers be allowed to reply or ask questions on reviews? | 10 min |
| 5 | What would your ideal review system look like? | 13 min |
Mani:
"Honestly, I don't trust most reviews anymore. Especially on Amazon — too many generic 5-star reviews."
Kirana: