Case study
Explore consumer adoption of smart speaker payment technology
Challenge
A digital payments provider wanted to test market readiness for a voice-based payment system. The goal? Understand how consumers would react to making purchases through smart speakers, identify perceived value, and uncover barriers to adoption.
Solution
We recruited smart speaker owners, some with experience making purchases via voice, and conducted dyad sessions with pairs of familiar users to foster open, in-depth discussion. Participants reviewed and responded to multiple conceptual prototypes. We followed the dyads with larger focus groups to capture broader themes and common concerns across users.
Impact
The sessions revealed key expectations around trust, security, and convenience. Participants clearly defined what they would (and wouldn't) feel comfortable buying through a smart speaker, and what features would encourage or deter them from using this kind of technology.
Bold Outcomes
- Clarified which types of purchases users would trust smart speakers to handle
- Uncovered concerns around security, control, and miscommunication
- Identified core product expectations from early adopters and cautious users
- Delivered insights to shape enrollment flow, onboarding, and feature development
Result
Our findings helped the client pinpoint where voice commerce fits in consumers' lives and what needs to happen next to turn curiosity into confident use. The research gave the product team a roadmap to improve concept viability and strengthen future positioning.