Define Problems
A product Idea from a startup team to improve the incomplete global goods transaction market
At the end of 2023, I received a job opportunity from a Taiwanese startup that had identified a strong demand for purchasing goods from Japan and South Korea. Despite this, no digital services in Taiwan catered to this need. Their aim was to create a platform connecting users with travelers to help them buy desired products from these countries. As an international student from Taiwan living in New York, I’ve struggled to purchase specific items from Taiwan, which sparked my curiosity about why the market still fails to meet the demand for international goods despite globalization.
goods not available locally, sold through niche channels, or requiring assistance for procurement oversea.
5 channels for acquire foreign products
Like many startups, this team initially focused on observing the market and generating ideas but struggled to clearly define the core problem they were solving for users. To address this, I decided to conduct a series of research before diving into interface design to better understand consumer purchasing behavior and refine the product's positioning. In the initial industry research, I identified five primary channels for obtaining foreign goods: local physical and online stores, global e-commerce, purchase agents, direct online purchases from foreign shops, and family or friends. Each channel has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of price, product variety, credibility, and purchasing flexibility.
8 users who purchased foreign products in the past one year
In this round of interviews, I recruited participants through a questionnaire, targeting individuals who have purchased goods from foreign countries at least three times in the past year. To enhance the diversity of insights during the project exploration phase, I ultimately selected eight final interviewees from four different countries, currently residing in five different countries.
People are motivated by cultural background and habit
In these interviews, an interesting discovery was made among frequent purchasers of foreign goods: they primarily fall into two user groups. Firstly, there are users who have relocated from their home country to another country due to reasons like marriage, study, or work. Due to their personal habits and cultural backgrounds, most of them often have a strong motivation to purchase goods from their home country. However, they also face the risk of opting for similar substitutes locally due to higher costs and uncertain quality.
People are motivated by personal interests and hobbies
The second group consists of individuals living in their home country who choose to purchase foreign products primarily out of interest or hobbies, which strongly motivates them. For example, fans of K-pop or Japanese anime often cross borders to purchase region-specific limited edition products due to their passion for collecting related items. Compared to the first group, these users tend to have a higher frequency of purchases.
The scarcity of products determines channel selection
In these interviews, it was found that users' choice of purchasing channels is directly influenced by the scarcity and popularity of products. For popular regional products influenced by globalization, people often prefer the convenience of global e-commerce platforms or local foreign stores, despite higher prices. However, for unique foreign products, acquiring them usually involves commissioning others, using services, or managing international orders personally, posing more challenges. Clarifying this, I've decided to focus my design solution on optimizing the acquisition of unique foreign products.
Social pressure and inflexibility reduce people's willingness to ask acquaintances for help
Many interviewees mentioned that direct purchasing from foreign stores and using purchase agents allow them to make purchases independently. However, they often face high free shipping thresholds, and in some cases, the shipping cost may be higher than the product's value. As a result, they tend to rely more on friends or family for purchasing foreign goods. Yet, such opportunities are rare because it's not always possible to find someone familiar with traveling at the right time. Furthermore, even when the opportunity arises, they often worry about inconveniencing others or disrupting their travel plans.
HMW statement
After understanding user purchasing behaviors, I've defined my design focus and crafted a How Might We (HMW) statement to guide my design decisions. I aim to create an interactive solution that helps people find assistance more seamlessly in purchasing desired unique foreign products, reducing their mental burden.
