How an optics chain mapped the digital purchase decision
By observing actual online purchase behavior instead of asking about it, the chain identified conversion barriers that had never surfaced in traditional surveys.
A leading Nordic optics chain faced a challenge: they knew a growing share of the purchase decision happened online, but did not understand how the process actually worked. Traditional customer surveys gave answers that did not match actual behavior — customers said they compared prices, but behavioral data showed they got stuck in entirely different parts of the process.
Reflect conducted a Journey Decision Engine (JDE) study that observed how customers actually navigated the online purchase process. Instead of asking 'how do you choose?' we followed the decision process in real time and used AI classification to interpret purchase narratives.
The study revealed fundamental differences between product categories. Contact lens customers exhibited almost transactional behavior — they knew what they wanted and sought the most efficient path. Eyewear customers, however, had an exploratory process with more touchpoints, where inspiration and visual presentation played a decisive role.
Results were visualized as Sankey diagrams clearly showing decision flows per segment and channel. The chain could identify exactly where in the process potential customers dropped off and which touchpoints had the greatest impact on conversion.
Key takeaways
- Actual behavior differs markedly from self-reported behavior
- Contact lenses and eyewear have fundamentally different purchase processes
- Conversion barriers were identified that never appeared in surveys
- AI classification of purchase narratives revealed hidden decision paths