Dec 5, 2024
Bridging Digital Identities Across Latin American E-commerce Markets in Chile and Mexico
The Challenge
As multilingual UX research specialists, we partnered with a leading US-based UX agency to explore a major global retailer's cross-border identity unification strategy in Mexico and Chile. Our client needed to:
Understand how users perceive digital identities when shopping across multiple geographies
Assess the value proposition of account merging and optimise communication of its benefits
Evaluate proposed design concepts for a global account unification interface
Navigate tight timelines with research materials that required significant on-the-fly adaptation
Our Approach
To provide comprehensive insights into cross-border shopping behaviours, we conducted in-depth UX interviews across Mexico and Chile:
Phase 1: Careful recruitment of qualified participants from both markets, ensuring representation across two key segments:
Users with multiple regional accounts for the same retail brands
Users with unified global accounts for cross-border shopping
Phase 2: Moderation of 60-minute remote sessions with n=20 participants (n=10 from each market)
Our comprehensive research methodology included:
Expert moderation with seasoned local researchers who navigated complex discussion guides while incorporating real-time feedback from client observers
Nuanced exploration of cross-border shopping behaviours, pain points, and user preferences regarding account unification
Interactive prototype evaluation where participants assessed potential interface designs for account merging experiences
Simultaneous interpretation ensuring US-based stakeholders could follow Spanish-language sessions in real-time
Key Insights & Impact
Regional Account Management Challenges – Participants with multiple regional accounts for the same retailer reported significant confusion and frustration when managing payment methods, delivery addresses, and login credentials across markets. This validated the retailer's vision of a unified global user identity.
Preference Hierarchy Clarification – Research revealed that users preferred country-specific preferences driven by delivery destination rather than geolocation, with currency, payment methods, and catalogues being the most important contextual elements to preserve during unification.
Communication Opportunity – Participants strongly valued the concept of a unified account but needed clear, transparent communication about what would change (and what wouldn't) during the merging process. This insight prompted significant revisions to the retailer's planned transition messaging.
User Privacy Concerns – The research highlighted unexpected concerns about personal data sharing across borders, which informed additional security and privacy features for the retailer's account unification strategy.
Why MindMarket?
As human-first, cross-cultural UX research experts, we understand the nuances of regional shopping behaviours and how retailers can successfully implement global user experience strategies.
We prioritise authentic human connections in our research, fostering environments where participants feel comfortable sharing genuine experiences and emotions
We excel under pressure, adapting to challenging research materials and demanding stakeholders while maintaining methodological rigour
Our bilingual, local moderators ensure cultural nuances are captured that might otherwise be missed in translated sessions
We are meticulously thorough in our recruitment process—ensuring only the most qualified participants contribute to the research
With deep expertise in international retail UX research, we equip businesses with actionable insights that bridge the gap between local human needs and global business strategies
What's Next? Let's Talk.
Looking to unify your customer experience across markets? Let's connect.