Retail environments characterized by a high diversity of products, rapidly changing assortments, and limited availability of expert assistance pose significant challenges for inexperienced consumers. In garden centres, these challenges are further amplified by high staff turnover, which often results in purchase decisions being made on the basis of incomplete information. The aim of this master’s thesis was to design and evaluate a decision support system (DSS) intended for use in a physical retail environment, assisting customers in selecting appropriate gardening products based on available inventory. Customer needs were identified through a survey conducted among users of the Posadi.si (Tomappo) gardening mobile application, as well as through interviews with employees of garden centres. Based on the findings, a decision support system was developed and tested in a real retail setting. System usability was evaluated using the think-aloud method and the standardized System Usability Scale (SUS-SI). The results indicate that customers experience the greatest difficulty when selecting plant protection products, fertilizers, and substrates. The developed system achieved a high level of usability (SUS = 85; SD = 12.3), and participants reported faster product selection and a positive shopping experience. The findings demonstrate that digital tools, although they do not replace traditional personal assistance, can significantly contribute to a more efficient purchasing process and support the gradual introduction of innovation in retail environments for gardening products.
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