Shopping Quest: Transforming the shopping experience by creating a more immersive and enjoyable experience

In the post-pandemic era, this thesis looks into how gamification and augmented reality (AR) can get customers back into physical retail settings. Brick-and-mortar stores have found it difficult to stay relevant as consumer preferences have shifted toward online convenience. Shopping Quest attempts to make in-store grocery shopping an engaging experience. The project started with qualitative surveys using a human-centered design process to determine the main frustrations of shoppers, which were navigation and remembering what to buy. The final idea makes use of a wearable AR interface that directs users with a virtual rocket and promotes exploration with collectible digital petals. These characteristics provide progression, reduce decision fatigue, and make shopping feel purposeful. Iterative testing was used to create the final prototype, which was improved with user input and public showcase presentations. Visual design decisions were informed by principles of spatial clarity and emotional resonance, borrowing from familiar digital languages and narrative cues. The platform repositions physical shopping as an emotionally rich experience by combining storytelling, navigation, and sensory interaction. This thesis provides a model for how retail environments can move beyond efficiency toward experiential value and shows how AR and gamified design can reengage users with real-world spaces.