Sobeys in-store checklist
An interim solution for checkout: create lists at home, check-off in store
6 weeks
Interactive prototyping, visual design
In 2024, IBM led the redesign of Empire’s national eCommerce platform, modernizing digital storefronts across banners including Sobeys. However, most grocery purchases still happened in-store with no way to measure conversion.
I designed an in-store mobile shopping list feature that helped IBM measure its digital impact on Sobeys' bottomline from inferring website to in-store conversion.
I led product strategy from research and concept to launch, delivering various features of the shopping list function that bridged meal planning to digital shopping.
Sobeys was modernizing its digital experience to compete with major grocery retailers. This included integrating an online product catalogue but there was a key missing feature: customers could not complete checkout within the website.
Native checkout was not in-scope, so there was no way to measure conversion. Therefore, we needed to figure out another way to measure impact of our work.
Currently, customers were redirected to Voilà.com to fulfill their orders for pickup and delivery. Prices online varied and were typically more expensive than in-store.
Developing the interim solution required collaborative brainstorming. Since Sobeys’ scope was to leverage existing capabilities rather than build a new system from scratch, we identified an opportunity to rework the existing shopping list feature.
With the launch of the new online product catalog, we asked: why not use this feature to let shoppers compile a shopping list to use in-store?
After 20 user interviews, I explored workflows of how shoppers create grocery lists and plan meals, which uncovered opportunities to differentiate Sobeys' shopping list feature and encourage user adoption.
A more reliable memory aid
Participants sometimes forgot to add items to their lists and only remembered to buy them when they came across them in-store.
Accurate in-store prices and tracking deals
Participants liked seeing online prices for products because they could calculate total grocery costs without cross-referencing flyers. They also wanted to keep a pulse on limited time deals.
Mobile portability for on-the-go shopping
Some participants relied on their smartphone to track purchases, while others brought paper lists to check-off items as they shopped.
Gamification using Scene+ rewards (out-of-scope)
I considered ways to gamify the shopping list by enabling shoppers to receive exclusive awards that could be redeemed in-store. This was an area that would require looping in Sobeys' Scene+ team at a later time.
Adding shopping list contributors (out-of-scope)
Family members, room mates, and couples often built shopping lists together. Providing an option to share shopping lists was something that was possible, but providing editing access was not currently feasible at this time.
As a group, we brainstormed and landed on an initial idea to toggle between 1) building the grocery list and 2) tracking its completion during in-store shopping.
However, I realized there were still some kinks to smooth out in how users transitioned between these modes. There was no clear end state, which risked user guidance and unclear signal of task completion.
I realized instead of having multiple key actions on one screen, we could provide shoppers with two clear pathways: delivery via Voilà or in-store pickup. A linear flow offers an end state that captures completed shopping lists and a better account of products purchased.
Based on this flow, I proposed linking digital shopping list interactions with Scene+ purchase data to infer in-store purchases. While the capability was limited for non-members, it provided the strongest path to capturing actionable insights.
A major focus was reducing errors tied to store-specific pricing, while also providing clear recovery paths when users made mistakes. Revisions helped improve the quality of telemetry data that gets captured to infer list-based sales.
Before
The use of the toggle to switch between phases of adding items and checking them off led to passive engagement.
After
CTAs function as a decision point that create a moment of commitment, between saving money by shopping in-person or choosing delivery with Voilà.
Before
Pricing varies across store locations—not only between in-store and online. Even though users select their store earlier, the existing disclaimer is understated and risks being overlooked.
After
Displaying a map of the selected location provides clear confirmation while subtly transitioning users into an in-store shopping mindset.
Before
I noticed that items couldn’t be removed, potentially leading users to check them off just to clear the list—producing inaccurate data.
After
A clear “remove” action distinguishes between when users mark a product as purchased or abandoned. Additionally, we added an "undo" option to recover accidentally marked items.
Prior to this solution, Sobeys had no way to measure how their new website and online catalog was performing. I also transformed a simple shopping checklist into a playful journey where checking off items felt satisfying and goal-driven.
My design direction not only helped IBM communicate measure by creating a bridge between digital browsing and physical shopping — but also users. The feature itself contributed to a broader digital transformation initiative with a projected 23% growth in revenue.
