UX Writing Case Study: Lowe’s Garden Center
June 2022
If a user experience case study is an audit of the design and usability of an experience, then a UX writing case study is an audit of the language used in said experience. After secondary research, I conducted a UX writing audit of the Lowe’s Garden Center online experience. After determining the voice of the brand, mining content, creating personas, and scenarios I make recommendations for copy rewrites that could help ease and improve the experience.
What is the Lowe’s brand voice?
While Lowe’s is one of the biggest home improvement stores in the world, Lowe’s Executive Vice President, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer Marisa Thalberg has leaned in to the idea that this massive store can be a part of many, small communities. These communities look to Lowe’s for the maintenance and care of their homes and gardens. The keep and care of homes became even more relevant in the past few years, and as such Lowe’s has opted to appeal to a more diverse audience.
Considering the efforts of Thalberg and an examination of the website, the Lowe’s brand voice
Friendly
Accessible to the layman
Direct
Emphasizes ease
Emphasizes safety
Promotes brand partners
Content Mining
More specifically, the Garden Center page on Lowes.com speaks to its visitors with a reassuring voice.
“We will help you take the guesswork out of your garden.”
“If your trees, shrubs or perennials don’t survive within a year, we’ll replace them free of charge. Just bring in the plant and your receipt.”
The mission statement at the bottom of the Garden Center page acts as a running list of things that you can do with the help of their product selection, no matter where you might live.
This serves to reinforce the message that Lowe’s is accessible to their new base of customers as a reliable part of their community.
A quick content mine of the Garden Center reveals language typical to lawn care and gardening
perfect plant
indoor / outdoor
low maintenance
fragrant
landscape
colorful
healthy plants
… and so on.
Personas
“Lowe’s also has two very different types of audiences. We have our general audience, which we call the DIY consumer, and our professional consumer.” said Thalberg in an interview with Forbes. As such, let’s consider two personas that might visit the Lowe’s Garden Center.
The DIY Consumer
Parvati Nayak
26 years old
Seminole, TX
Data Analyst
Works from home
Parvati has gotten a succulent or two from Lowe’s before, but has now moved into a house with a front yard. She wants to plant some flowers and shrubs by the front door to brighten up the place. Parvati doesn’t consider herself very handy–but she did paint her new walls a chic shade of green! She works from home, so it is important to her that her house is aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. She has watched a few gardening videos on social media and feels that she’s up to the task as long as she can find the right equipment and some plants that strike her fancy.
Goals:
Find basic gardening equipment and plants
Find clarification on which plants will grow together
Find information about which plants will grow in her hardiness zone
Frustrations:
She doesn’t have a car (yet)
She is immunocompromised and wants to avoid contact as much as possible
She doesn’t feel confident in her gardening expertise
The Professional Consumer
Dean Conners
42 years old
Fort Wayne, IN
Owns and operates a small landscaping company
Dean built his small landscaping business after a neighbor admired Dean’s wellkept lawn and colorful garden. Now he and two full time employees take care of approximately 40 gardens and lawns in Fort Wayne. At first mowing, leaf blowing, and weeding were their primary service, but for the past two springs Dean’s company has been planting shrubs, annual flowers, and ornamental trees for a few gardens. He prides himself on affordable, but professional service. He knows what plants grow well together and designs bright gardens.
Goals:
Find gardening supplies like mulch, soil, and plants
Spend frugally
Find options to buy in bulk
Frustrations:
He worries about finding deals to keep his prices low
He wants to order online to pick up later
He wants to find enough plants to fill gardens
Scenarios
Situation > Emotion > Content Strategy
Item is not in stock at the local store > frustrated, disappointed > Be clear, concise. Offer other options.
Situation > Emotion > Content Strategy
Adds item to cart > happy, satisfied > A celebratory, encouraging tone is appropriate.
Rewrites
“If you find a price from a qualified retailer that’s lower on an exact product, we’ll match it.”
—>
“If you find a lower price on an item from a qualified retailer, we’ll match it.”
Rationale
Rewritten for clarity
More naturalistic language
“Safer for pets”
—>
“Safe for pets”
Rationale
Rewritten for clarity
What’s the difference between “safe” and “safer” – “safe” establishes more trust
“New at Lowe’s”
—>
“New at your Lowe’s”
Rationale
Reinforces local, community brand of Lowe’s
Friendlier
“We didn’t find any items that match your filter preferences.”
—>
“There aren’t any [category] available for pick up at your local store. Check out what we have available in our online catalog.”
Rationale
Offers solutions
More naturalistic language