Digital Storytelling Analysis of Gittigidiyor
By having 100 thousand vendors and 28 million registered users, Gittigidiyor is one of the Turkey’s most preferred shopping sites. From electronics to decoration, cosmetics to mother-baby products, fashion to supermarket, it offers millions of products to users in a total of 50 categories. Thanks to the opportunity to work in global as an eBay company, Turkish brands and products meets with 183 million active users in 190 countries (https://www.gittigidiyor.com/hakkimizda/biz-kimiz).
Therefore, we have analyzed the digital storytelling of e-trade website named as “GittiGidiyor” in Turkey, “eBay” in global in the following sections.
1. Name of the story / e-trade website
When I hear the name “GittiGidiyor”, I think the first scene that many of us think of is an “auction” environment or a “market place“. An environment in which products are offered at affordable prices and to have the chance to purchase these affordable products, one needs to act fast. The name makes us feel that it is intended to affect consumers materially, not spiritually. Although it does not touch the five senses of the consumer, it also gives its commercial message clearly.
2. Message, the story / e-trade website
When GittiGidiyor website is reviewed specifically, to analyze the message that the e-trade website wants to give to the consumers, only the message of “eBay company” is noticed below the GittiGidiyor logo, like a tagline. The message that passes to consumer is GittiGidiyor wants to take eBay’s brand power behind it to serve in Turkey. As a matter of fact, it is desired to give a message that will not be too dismissive for a company with a commercial stance.
3. Entrance of the story / Home page of the e-trade website
The home page of the GittiGidiyor website has a much cleaner appearance than many e-trade sites. Products are divided into categories, instead of many product images, clear product categories are displayed on the main page. It has an unobtrusive look that guides the consumer towards what category they want to reach. Same as the first two elements, it has a stance that does not establish an emotional connection with the consumer but provides ease of use on the site.
4. Journey that the e-trade website promises to consumers
When we examine the journey that GittiGidiyor offers to the user, it is observed that website tries to offer ease of use in many aspects. The website aims to provide convenience for the consumers while finding a product they are looking for with different category suggestions such as product search filter, categories on the main banner, star deals, etc.
While examining a selected product, its technical features are included, but the visuals and videos are not required in every product description. The approach that appeals to the 5 senses of the consumer and facilitates connection is not applied.
The most important feature that attracts attention in the purchasing process of a selected product is that it offers the consumer the opportunity to purchase the product without the obligation of membership entry. As mentioned earlier, membership login is an approach that discourages consumers demand to purchase. Consumers are dissatisfied with repeating this process on many e-trade sites.
In summary, the product is easy to find on the website, the information, images and videos presented are relatively inadequate, where else the purchasing process has not been made difficult for the consumer. To underline again, the journey is not supported by digital storytelling elements that connect with the consumers and motivate them to buy.
5. Conflicts / Contradictions / Analysis in the e-trade website
One of the key elements in catching the audience in storytelling is creating a conflict and resolving it during the narration. As with other e-trade sites in similar category, it cannot be said that an analysis or solution after creating a conflict / contradiction observed in GittiGidiyor’s message and the content it uses. This element of digital storytelling, which is intriguing and increasing the retention, is not included in GittiGidiyor.
6. Archetype of the character / e-trade website
As Ballester & Sabiote (2016) states, the use of archetypes in the brand story helps to connect and present products and brands in a meaningful way. Since archetypes are forms or images of collective nature that represent a typical human experience, define the personality of a brand and are voiced to tell the story to consumers, e-trade websites have the advantages of archetypes to influence consumers and make the main message, brand or company mission pass consumers easier.
When GittiGidiyor is evaluated in this respect, it has a closer stance to the archetype of “one of us /regular man”. Regular man archetype wants to add to the product: “Used by everybody in their daily life”. Brands that have middle or economic segment in price, serve to mainly all society and do not categorize people are considered under this archetype, due to its stance, GittiGidiyor should also be included under this category.
When GittiGidiyor applies the other features of archetype, which are strong empathy direction and usage, and creating the feeling of belonging in people, the site can achieve more successful business results.
7. Place / Atmosphere of the e-trade website
Creating a “Place” in e-trade websites is actually for creating an atmosphere in consumers’ mind that evokes emotions. Although “GittiGidiyor” evokes a market place in mind with its name, it doesn’t have the look of disorganized product displays on the site. On the contrary, unlike many auction / marketplace environments, the products are categorized very cleanly and searching a product is facilitated. In terms of digital storytelling, the atmosphere that the website has, does not create a warm connection with consumers, it has more mechanical environment instead.
8. Narration / The narrative language of the e-trade website
Use of description, adjectives, phrases and first-person singular & plural expression increase the sincerity and create a warm atmosphere in the websites. GittiGidiyor has not implemented this element of digital storytelling, just like other e-trade sites in similar category. It does not have a communication with the consumer to create an emotional bond.
9. “Feature + Benefit + Meaning” analysis of the products in the e-trade
GittiGidiyor has stated the features of the products, but has not set any standards in displaying product benefits, only included as much information as vendors share. In addition to that “meaning” hasn’t been included in almost any product.
10. Persuasion capability of the e-trade website
One of the most important roles of digital storytelling is to assist consumers in the decision making process while buying a product. When GittiGidiyor is evaluated in particular, any feature developed by the e-trade site to get consumers’ attention is not observed. The most important feature that can convince the consumer to buy from GittiGidiyor is its global connection to eBay. Apart from that, there is no persuasion process supported by digital storytelling.
11. Recall level of the e-trade website
Storytelling is one of the most important factors that increase brand awareness, which has a positive effect on the recall levels of e-trade sites as well. As can be seen in many of the elements detailed above, GittiGidiyor did not refer to digital storytelling. Only its brand awareness supports the recall level of GittiGidiyor site.
12. Reality of the e-trade website
Considering the fact that GittiGidiyor site does not refer to digital storytelling, it is not possible to evaluate the reality of the story. However, in general, it cannot be doubted about the reality of the products and the services that the company, which has been serving in the e-trade sector for a long time and has a significant market share, offers to the consumer according to the comments section.
Summary of GittiGidiyor Storytelling Analysis:
Average score in GittiGidiyor’s digital storytelling analysis is 4.33 out of 10. GittiGidiyor has not included almost any of the digital storytelling elements on its site. If these elements are improved and the contact with the consumer is increased, improved performance of the site will also be observed.
