Plan a focused conversation about a real shopping decision, then turn the evidence into one useful improvement. Replace bracketed fields with your details. Keep names and contact details out of shared research notes.
Decide what you need to learn
- Decision this research will support: [one page, product or journey decision]
- Question we cannot answer from analytics alone: [question]
- Relevant participants: [recent buyers, repeat buyers, people who chose another option]
- Recruitment channel and permission basis: [details]
- Session length and incentive, if any: [details]
- Note owner, access and deletion date: [details]
Invitation template
Hello [name], we are improving how people choose [product type]. Would you be interested in a [length]-minute conversation about your recent shopping experience? This is research, not a sales call, and honest criticism is welcome. Participation is optional. [Explain any incentive, independent of purchasing or positive feedback.] If you are interested, [reply or scheduling instruction].
Send only through an appropriate channel. An order or abandoned checkout does not automatically establish permission for every kind of outreach.
Opening and discussion guide
Explain the purpose and how notes will be used. Ask separately before recording. Tell participants they may skip questions or stop.
- Tell me about the last time you looked for [product type].
- What was happening that made you start looking?
- What did you use or do before that?
- Which alternatives did you consider?
- Walk me through what you did next.
- What was hard to understand, compare or trust?
- What nearly stopped you buying, or led you to another option?
- If you purchased, what happened after delivery?
- What have I missed that mattered to your decision?
Follow up with “Can you give me an example?” Avoid pitching a solution mid-interview. Test the discussion guide with a colleague before recruiting.
Evidence log
| Anonymous participant | Recent situation | Exact observation or quote | Our interpretation | Contradictory evidence | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [ID] | [context] | [evidence] | [hypothesis] | [evidence] | [action] |
Keep quotes separate from paraphrases. Do not turn the number of interviewees mentioning an issue into a population percentage.
Improvement brief
- Repeated uncertainty: [what shoppers need to know]
- Supporting evidence from interviews and another source: [details]
- Proposed change: [small, accurate improvement]
- Expected behavior: [observable outcome]
- Guardrail: [returns, complaints, margin or another risk]
- Owner and review date: [details]
- Decision after review: [keep, revise, stop or gather more evidence]
Read the customer interview guide for examples and interpretation. Method reference: GOV.UK interview guidance.
Want help applying this to your store?
Take the free store assessment for a suggested next step, or book a 15-minute call to talk it through.