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Introduction:
Having multiple options to choose from feels nice but can quickly get overwhelming. In fact, recent studies reveal that choice overload leads to reduced conversion rates and increased customer dissatisfaction.
The most effective way to stop that from happening is by providing product recommendation quizzes on your online store. They help narrow down product choices by asking relevant questions and leading your shoppers to the perfect product.
On the flip side, you get invaluable customer data and increased sales. Clever, isn’t it?
Continue reading to discover how you can get started with product recommendation quizzes for your online store.
How Too Much Choice Can Be a Problem for Online Retailers?
Remember the last time you scrolled through pages of products but ended up feeling exhausted and immobilized rather than satisfied? This feeling has a term and it is called the paradox of choice.
As an e-commerce merchant, you do not want your customers to suffer from decision fatigue. This isn't a speculation either. A study reveals that shoppers are more likely to make a purchase when presented with 6 varieties instead of 24 or more.
That being said, it's important to note that variety attracts a wider audience, encourages impulse buys, and keeps customers coming back.
Lack of variety means you risk falling behind competitors, limited customer appeal, and missing out on market trends.
So, what should an e-commerce store owner do? While too many choices could lead to customers leaving your store overwhelmed, too few choices, on the other hand, can make them feel frustrated and still leave your store.
The answer lies in personalization and curating your shopping experiences carefully:
👉80% of online shoppers are more likely to buy from a store that offers a fluid and personalized shopping experience
👉Personalized product recommendations can increase conversion rates by up to 8%.
👉Brands can increase AOV by up to 12% by tailoring the customer journey.
One way to go about personalization is by offering product recommendation quizzes. Think of it as a personal shopping assistant that helps your shopper buy products that best suit their needs and budget while saving time browsing a large catalog.
What Exactly are Product Recommendation Quizzes?
Product recommendation quizzes are like personal shopping assistants that help buyers find products that best match their preferences, needs, and budget. They can be an effective way to guide shoppers through the decision-making process and help them discover products that they might not have otherwise considered.
Product recommendation quizzes are generally short and engaging with questions designed to uncover the buyer’s preferences, lifestyle, budget, and buying style. Based on your answers, the quiz narrows down the vast selection of products and suggests the ones that best suit you, leading to a faster and more satisfying shopping experience.
Besides increasing customer satisfaction and conversion rates, a product recommendation quiz is also one of the most effective ways to get more insights into buyer behavior and know your customers better. Insights from such quizzes can be used for targeted marketing, strategic cross-selling and upselling, customer loyalty programs, and product development.
Take the Kerastase Hair Quiz, for instance; it allows buyers to find the perfect hair care routine tailored to their hair type. All one needs to do is answer a few questions and the quiz will then recommend the ideal products for certain hair concerns.
The product recommendation quiz starts by asking a few questions related to the customer’s hair type and scalp. It then asks questions regarding the hair concerns that the buyer might be facing. They are also required to mention details about their everyday environment so that the quiz can finally deliver the diagnosis.
Once all the information is collected the buyer gets to know about the key issue they must focus on which is then followed by an expert tip.
And finally based on the answers the product recommendation quiz generates a personalized multi-step Hair Care routine for the customer wherein each product highlights the buyers’ preferences. Kerastase goes a step further to make its customers happy by giving them the option to receive the personalized haircare routine right in their inbox so that they don’t need to take the quiz next time.
Overall, product recommendation quizzes are a win-win. They make shopping online easier and more efficient for you while helping stores understand their customers better and boost sales.
4 Reasons Why Your Online Store Needs A Product Recommendation Quiz
Think of a product recommendation quiz as a salesperson for your online store.
No matter the traffic, time, or circumstance, this salesperson ensures that each of your customers gets a uniquely tailored experience and leaves your online store satisfied with their purchase. Let’s have a look at a few reasons why you shouldn’t be missing out on a product recommendation quiz:
Increased Conversions & Sales
Let’s say you walk into a clothing store overflowing with options. You have a vague idea of what you need, but the sheer volume of choices leaves you feeling overwhelmed and stuck. This is exactly what many online shoppers experience. Product recommendation quizzes remove this "decision fatigue" by acting as a helpful guide. They further gamify the shopping experience by making it interactive, rewarding, and personalized.
For example, a shoe store quiz might ask about preferred activity (running, walking), desired features (cushioning, breathability), and budget.
This targeted approach eliminates the need to browse through countless irrelevant products, saving the customer time and frustration. Ultimately, a happy and confident customer who has found the perfect product is much more likely to make a purchase, leading to increased sales for your online store.
Personalization: Creating a Memorable Shopping Experience
Online shopping can sometimes feel impersonal. Customers browse through endless pages and product listings, lacking the interaction they experience in a physical store. Product recommendation quizzes close this gap by adding a touch of personalization to the shopping experience.
By asking questions and making recommendations based on preferences, a product recommendation quiz creates a more engaging and interactive journey for the customer. This also helps in creating a stronger connection with your brand. When your customers feel like you genuinely care about their needs, they are more likely to return to your store in the future.
Gather Valuable Customer Data
The more you know about your customers, the better you can address their needs and preferences. A product recommendation quiz’s responses give a goldmine of information about your customers. You get to know their likes, dislikes, pain points, and buying habits. This data can then help you to tailor your products, marketing strategies, and content for maximum impact.
For example, if quiz results show a strong demand for a specific product you don't currently offer, you can prioritize its development. Similarly, you can segment your email marketing campaigns based on quiz data, sending targeted promotions and product recommendations that resonate with specific customer groups.
Increased Customer Engagement
Browsing through endless product pages is definitely boring. Buyers quickly lose focus and may abandon their shopping journey altogether.
Unlike passive browsing, product recommendation quizzes are engaging and need active participation. Your customers are presented with a series of questions that pique their interest and keep them mentally stimulated.
The interactive format of a product recommendation quiz not only makes shopping more fun but also helps customers stay focused on their goal of finding the perfect product.
How to Set Up a Product Recommendation Quiz?
Step 1: Defining Your Goals
Ask yourself: What exactly do I want to achieve with this product recommendation quiz? Do I want to boost sales by guiding customers straight to the perfect product?
Or maybe your main goal is to increase customer engagement, keeping shoppers on your website longer. In that case, creating a lighthearted personality-based quiz that uses clear and vibrant product images as options would be more relevant.
What if you want to use the product recommendation quiz to collect valuable customer data about buying behavior and preferences so that you can make better future decisions? Then it would be wise to add specific questions that uncover customer demographics, buying habits, and pain points.
Understanding your primary objective is essential for tailoring the quiz format, questions, and desired outcomes.
Step 2: Knowing Your Target Audience
Creating an effective product recommendation quiz isn't a one-size-fits-all approach.
To truly resonate with your customers, you need to know them better as individuals rather than numbers or sales.
What does this mean? Start collecting details about their demographics like age, gender, location, etc, as all these factors play a role in influencing product preferences and buying behavior.
If you want to not just sell but build a long-lasting relationship with your customers, then it is also important to know what they like or care about. Are they fitness enthusiasts? Bookworms? Fashionistas? Understanding their hobbies and lifestyle choices would help you greatly in crafting questions around how different types of people use your products.
Finally, consider their buying behavior. Do they spend hours researching products before making a purchase, or do they just buy impulsively? Knowing this will inform the level of detail you provide in your questions and answer options.
Let’s say, if your target audience is a tech-savvy demographic, you can add interactive elements and go for personality-based questions. For those who struggle with decision fatigue, you can focus on personalized recommendations through branching logic within the quiz.
Step 3: Choose Your Quiz Format
Crafting a great product recommendation quiz depends greatly on choosing the right format. Here are the big three:
Multiple Choice: The multiple-choice format is the classic approach. This familiar format is widely understood by users of all ages and technical backgrounds, making it easy to implement and navigate. The structured nature of multiple choice questions allows for clear and easy analysis of user responses.
Personality-based: Such product recommendation quizzes focus on uncovering the user's inner self. Through a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits, interests, and lifestyle preferences, the quiz paints a picture of the user's unique persona.
Image-based: This visually appealing approach utilizes images of your actual products as answer options. Shoppers select the image that best represents their preferences or ideal product features. It's a fantastic way to showcase the aesthetics and key features of your products in an interactive way.
Pro-tip: Don't stick to one format! Multiple choice questions are great for gathering preferences, while yes/no options can quickly gauge user needs. Visual elements like image selection can make the quiz more interactive, and open-ended questions can provide deeper insights (use sparingly to avoid discouraging users).
Step 4: Choose a Quiz-Builder Platform
Now, it’s time you choose the platform to create and host your product recommendation quiz. There are various quiz-building tools available, including quiz-builder plugins for websites, social media platforms, or dedicated quiz-creation platforms.
Byte by Skai Lama is one such ideal platform for Shopify merchants to easily add product recommendation quizzes to their online store. Byte offers features beyond basic quizzes, allowing you to create personalized experiences. It lets you design fun quizzes, leverage AI for smart product recommendations, and gather valuable feedback through post-purchase surveys. Click here to install the app on the Shopify App Store.
Step 5: Craft Engaging Questions
Crafting engaging questions is the heart of a successful product recommendation quiz. Keep these points in mind while creating your product quiz questions:
- Keep it Quick and Clear: Go for concise questions (ideally 4-10) that are easy to understand. Your customers shouldn't be spending too much time wondering the answer and should be able to choose quickly.
- Focus on Needs and Preferences: Don't just randomly ask anything. Instead, delve into what truly matters to your customers when choosing a product. For example, if you sell athletic wear, you might ask "What's your primary focus: breathability, durability, or style?"
- Go Beyond Basic Choices: Multiple-choice questions with clear options are effective, but consider incorporating visuals or other interactive elements to keep users engaged. Imagine showing images of different running shoe styles and asking users to pick the one that best suits their running goals.
- Use Images: Also, incorporate images throughout the quiz. Use product photos, lifestyle shots, or icons to visually represent answer choices. This can make the quiz more engaging and user-friendly, especially for visual learners.
Step 6: Design Your Quiz
Designing a product recommendation quiz for your e-commerce store goes beyond just the questions themselves. The visual design and user experience (UX) are as important when it comes to keeping users engaged and ultimately guiding them towards products they'll love.
Think of Milk Makeup quizzes. They use a clean, modern design that aligns perfectly with their brand identity. The quizzes incorporate high-quality images of various makeup products and other relevant images alongside the questions. This allows shoppers to not only visualize the products but also see how different colors or shades might look on them.
Milk Makeup also strategically places a 15% discount offer at the end of the quiz. This encourages users to further make a purchase after finding the right fit for their skin.
By focusing on these design elements - clear branding, engaging visuals, and a user-friendly interface - you can transform your product recommendation quiz from a simple question-and-answer format into an interactive and informative experience that keeps users engaged and ultimately drives sales for your brand.
Step 7: Placement & Promotion
Once your product recommendation quiz is polished and ready for the world, it's time to get it in front of your target audience.
Choosing the Right Placement:
Hawthorne cleverly places their product recommendation quizzes right on their homepage to grab the shopper’s attention.
- Homepage: Capture attention from new visitors.
- Product Pages: Offer personalized recommendations alongside product descriptions.
- Blog Posts: Enhance content engagement by including a quiz related to the topic.
- Pop-ups: (Use strategically!) Catch visitors' attention with a relevant quiz offer
Promoting Your Quiz:
- Craft a Compelling Hook: Create a catchy title and tagline that explains the quiz's purpose and benefits for the user (e.g., "Find Your Perfect [Product Category] in 5 Minutes!").
- Highlight the Value Proposition: Clearly communicate how the quiz will benefit the user. Will it save them time, solve a problem, or help them discover something new?
- Visually Appealing Marketing Materials: Use eye-catching graphics and images in your promotions to grab attention.
Step 8: Monitor and Analyse
Your product recommendation quiz is live! That doesn’t mean your work is done here. The final step is to monitor its performance and use the insights to continuously improve it. Here's how:
- Track Key Metrics: Use your quiz platform's analytics to track metrics like completion rates, drop-off points, and chosen product recommendations.
- Analyze User Behavior: Identify questions with high drop-off rates or answer choices that aren't performing well. This might indicate confusing questions or a need for additional answer options.
- Gather Customer Feedback: Consider including an optional feedback section at the end of the quiz. This allows users to share their thoughts on the experience and highlight areas for improvement.
- Refine and Update: Based on your analysis and feedback, refine your quiz by adjusting question-wording, adding visuals, or even revamping the question flow.
- Test and Iterate: Don't be afraid to test different versions of your quiz and see what resonates best with your audience. A/B testing different question structures or answer options can yield valuable insights for further refinement.
This ongoing process will keep your quiz fresh and relevant, leading to a more satisfying customer experience and potentially boosting conversions in the long run.
Top 5 Product Recommendation Quiz Examples
1. Warby Parker
Warby Parker's quiz handles the key challenge of buying glasses online – making sure you get a good fit.
Focus: Face Shape & Style Preferences
- They ask questions to identify your face shape (round, oval, square, etc.).
- You'll indicate your preferred style (classic, bold, vintage, etc.) and any colors, shapes, or materials you particularly like or dislike.
Warby Parker's quiz is also a masterclass in combining personalization with subtle upselling and exceptional customer service. Just before revealing your quiz results, they cleverly ask if you'd also like sunglasses recommendations. This taps into the possibility that someone looking for eyeglasses might also be interested in sunglasses, increasing their product consideration.
Based on your answers, the quiz recommends frames that will complement your face shape and suit your style choices.
Online glasses shopping can be tricky regarding fit. To address this, they further offer their Home Try-On program where they allow you to choose 5 frames to try at home for free for 5 days. This lets you see how the glasses look and feel in person, ensuring a perfect fit before you commit to buying.
2. Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee knows its audience craves a bold brew, and its "Find Your Perfect Blend" quiz is designed for them to find their ideal cup.
- The quiz begins by asking whether you enjoy "sweet and creamy flavors," "nutty and chocolatey notes," or a "bold and bitter taste." Understanding your flavor preferences allows them to recommend blends that align with your taste buds.
- Questions around the shopper’s preferred brew strength help Death Wish Coffee to gauge the caffeine tolerance and desired level of intensity. Milk & Sugar
Based on your answers, the quiz narrows down the Death Wish lineup to the blends that best fit your personality. It might even suggest trying a blend alongside their iconic dark roast for a taste comparison.
Ultimately, Death Wish Coffee's quiz is a playful and informative way to navigate their selection and discover the perfect cup to jumpstart your day (or conquer that afternoon slump) according to your unique coffee personality.
3. Sephora
Sephora's quiz goes beyond just color selection, aiming to find the perfect foundation for your unique complexion and needs. Here's how:
Focus: Skin Tone, Coverage & Finish Preferences:
- The quiz starts by understanding your skin tone (fair, light, medium, deep, etc.) and any undertones (cool, warm, neutral).
- It then delves into your coverage preferences. Do you want a light, buildable foundation for a natural look, or a full-coverage formula to conceal imperfections?
- Finally, the quiz considers your desired finish – matte for a shine-free look, dewy for a radiant glow, or something in between.
Based on your answers, the quiz recommends foundations that match your skin tone and cater to your coverage and finish preferences.
4. Andie Swim
Andie Swim understands that swimsuit shopping can be frustrating. Their quiz tackles this head-on by appearing right on the navigation bar, making it easy to find. The quiz keeps it simple with just a few key questions focused on:
- It asks about your body type (curvy, athletic, etc.) to understand your desired level of support and fit.
- You'll indicate your preferred coverage level (full, high-waisted, cheeky, etc.) for both tops and bottoms, allowing for personalization based on your comfort and style.
- The genius is in asking about your biggest swimwear frustration. This helps them suggest styles that address common issues like lack of support or unflattering fits.
This way, Andie Swim prioritizes a positive user experience throughout the quiz. The best part? The quiz carefully uses inclusive language that focuses on fit and style preferences rather than body negativity. Of course, the customers love it and keep coming back for more.
5. Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club understands that achieving a comfortable, irritation-free shave isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. That's why they developed their Grooming Quiz, a personalized tool that takes the guesswork out of finding the right shaving products for you. Here's how it works:
- Their quiz asks questions about shaving frequency, hair type, and skin sensitivity. This helps understand the customer's shaving experience and recommend products that address their specific concerns.
- The quiz is quick and to the point, keeping the user engaged.
- If someone shaves daily, the quiz might suggest a sharper blade "because you shave every day." This builds trust and makes the recommendation feel more personal.
Finally, based on your answers, the quiz creates a personalized shaving plan with Dollar Shave Club products.
Product Recommendation Quiz Best Practices
Connect With Your Marketing Funnel
Think of the product recommendation quiz as a conversation. The quiz is like the first meeting where you get to know someone a little bit. You learn about their interests and what they're looking for. Then, you can use this knowledge to stay in touch and recommend things they might actually like.
Here’s how you can leverage that data:
Targeted Email Marketing: Once a user completes the quiz, you can use their answers to segment your email list. This allows you to send them personalized emails with product recommendations, special offers, or educational content that aligns with their interests revealed in the quiz.
Retargeting Ads: Utilize quiz data to inform your retargeting ad campaigns. These ads appear to users who have previously interacted with your brand online. By understanding a user's quiz preferences, you can display targeted ads showcasing products that closely match their needs, increasing the chance of a conversion.
This personalized approach makes people feel like you're actually listening and trying to help them find what they need. This way, you get a better chance of making a sale or building a stronger connection with potential customers.
Start With Understanding Their Needs
Don't just try to sell your products. Understand what your customers are trying to achieve and tailor your questions to identify their needs and preferences. Instead of "What kind of headphones do you like?" ask "What will you be using the headphones for? Working out, commuting, or listening to music at home?"
Segment Your Customers
Imagine two customers: an athlete and a musician. Their needs for headphones are vastly different. This is where segmentation comes in. Group your customers based on shared characteristics like demographics, interests, or past purchases. This will help you create targeted questions and recommendations that resonate more effectively.
For example, the athlete might be recommended sweatproof headphones, while the musician might be recommended noise-canceling studio headphones.
Keep the Questions Concise
Aim for 5-10 questions. People are busy and short on attention spans. A concise quiz is more likely to be completed than a lengthy one. Think of it like a conversation - you want to get to the point quickly but keep it interesting.
Use Conversational and Simple Tone
People don't enjoy feeling interrogated! Frame your questions in a friendly, conversational tone. Use "you" and "your" to personalize the experience and make users feel like you're having a dialogue with them. Also, avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse users. For instance, instead of "What level of lumen output do you prioritize?" ask "How bright do you need the light to be?".
Add a Progress indicator
A progress bar shows users how far they've progressed through the quiz and keeps them motivated to finish. It's like a little nudge that says, "Hey, you're almost done!" This can be especially helpful for quizzes with more questions.
Logical Flow
This refers to how your questions build upon each other. Imagine a branching path where each answer leads them closer to a product that perfectly suits their needs. For instance, for a makeup store, an early question might ask about skin type (dry, oily, combination). The next question could then be specific to their chosen type, like "For dry skin, are you looking for a moisturizer that's more lightweight or deeply hydrating?"
Make it Easy to Take Action (CTA)
Once the buyers have their recommendation, provide a clear call to action (CTA). This tells them what to do next, whether it's "Shop Now," "Read Reviews," or "Add to Cart." Also, make the CTA easy to follow. Ideally, it should take them directly to the product page, shopping cart, or relevant signup form with minimal clicks.
Consider Giving an Offer
Sometimes, a little nudge can go a long way. That’s why, you can consider offering an incentive to encourage users to complete your quiz. This could be a discount on their recommended product, free shipping, or even entry into sweepstakes. An incentive can make the quiz feel more rewarding and increase the chances of users completing it.
The Takeaway
Product recommendation quizzes offer a unique opportunity to engage your audience, personalize their shopping experience, and ultimately drive sales. However, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
If you are selling simple, well-defined products, your online store might not see a significant benefit from a quiz. For instance, if your store sells only a handful of phone cases, a product recommendation quiz might be unnecessary. Shoppers can likely browse your limited selection and make a quick decision. In this case, focusing on high-quality product descriptions and clear category organization might be a more effective strategy.
The best way to know if a quiz is right for your store is to test it! Start with a small, well-designed quiz and track its impact on metrics like conversion rates and customer engagement. This data will tell you definitively if it's a valuable addition to your online store.
If you're an online store owner looking to create a more engaging and personalized shopping experience, a product recommendation quiz could be the perfect solution. Here at Skai Lama, we specialize in helping businesses develop and implement effective quizzes that drive results. Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help you take your online store to the next level!
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