Have you ever noticed how we shop differently according to our needs? Sometimes we prefer to browse, getting ideas for things to buy, perhaps based upon some general need or want. At other times, we may be very decisive, going to a store for a specific item and not browsing at all. The key differentiator between these behaviors is the experience or knowledge we have about a specific product’s ability to satisfy our needs. These two distinct modes of shopping behavior can be described as “hunting” and “gathering”. Both modes are common to offline and online shopping, although there are differences in the way retailers support hunting and gathering in each environment. In this report, we explore the differences between these two shopping behaviors. We’ll consider how websites can be designed to be more satisfying for both hunters and gatherers. We’ll look at some examples of website design from leading online retailers and consider some of the tools that can be used in the quest to meet the diverse needs of these shopping modes. Hunters Are Looking For Specific Prey The classic hunter mode is demonstrated when a shopper visits a website and immediately enters a specific product reference into the site’s search engine. This shopper is hunting out a specific item and possibly comparing it across several online sites where they shop frequently. When we hunt, we like speed. We like to be in and out of a site as quickly and efficiently as possible. Delays to hunters are a source of frustration. If a hunter can’t find what they are looking for at their preferred site, they have a list of alternative sites to try. This shopper is on a mission, hunting down the prey. (In a traditional retail environment, this is the shopper that comes into a store and asks the nearest sales associate if they have a specific product in stock). Gatherers Are Learning About Options At the other extreme, when we visit a site in gatherer mode, we have little or no understanding of what products might be most appropriate to our needs. The gatherer wants to be able to learn about the possible product options available and how to differentiate between them. Most importantly, the gatherer is looking for unbiased advice as to the best product for their particular needs. In gatherer mode, we turn to sites we respect as offering expert advice and guidance. Browsing is a key component of gatherer shopping, often involving several product comparisons. A gatherer wants to make an informed choice. As shoppers, we are constantly gathering information from our environment from sources such as magazines, television, friends, newspapers and advertisements. Hunters and Gatherers Most shoppers will adopt a mode of shopping that lies between these two extremes, and frequently they will move toward one end of the scale or the other as their understanding of their needs and related products changes. Other shopping behaviors, such as impulse purchases, also fit into this model. An impulse purchaser is a gatherer. The impulse shopper is often aware of a need but unaware of a product to satisfy the need until they see it. At this point they might think something like “that would look great on my wall in the space I’ve been trying to fill.” The need was there already, they just didn’t know what product would satisfy it. In other cases, the shopper is not even aware of a latent need until seeing the product. Because the same shopper exhibits both hunting and gathering behavior at different times, it is important that website design takes into consideration both hunters and gatherers. To ignore one behavior in favor of the other may result in lost selling opportunities and lost customers. A gatherer today may be a hunter tomorrow. Being able to design a web store to accommodate the shopping behavior of each visitor is like being able to completely rearrange a physical store, depending upon the type of shopper that walks through the door at any given moment. Hunters need to find the products they are seeking quickly. They want to get in, buy what they need, and get out. Gatherers want help to find potentially suitable products. They need to research products, compare features and benefits, read customer reviews, check-out consumer reports and learn as much as possible about product alternatives. Although it may appear easier to design a website for hunters, designing a website to support just one shopping mode at the expense of the other is likely to alienate customers over time, as they move between shopping modes. Read the full report: Hunters and Gatherers Designing online stores for gatherers Synonym Fog: How online retailers are hiding merchandise from shoppers FREE NEWSLETTER, click here | 