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UX Review: Kobobooks.com Fails on Recommendations

As a User Experience Strategist, I am amazed at how some websites don't invest in their greatest assets.  If you are an ebook marketer, why not expose your repeat customers to your wide selection of titles?  Kobo, please give me a reason to give you my money!!

Full Customer Profile & Experience:
I love being surrounded by the books I have purchased.  Not that I have read all of those I own, not by any stretch.  And frankly I create a whole new pile of books TO READ everytime I tidy up and rearrange them.  That is what it means to have a physical artifact.

When I am on my computer, I vary my time between work, surfing reading and allow my mind to go wherever it wants (as long as I'm not under deadline).   If I purchase an ebook, I can only read it on my laptop or my iPhone.  I refuse to purchase yet another device, when I should just read one of these paper artifacts.

While doing research, there was a book that was only available on kobobooks.com, so (being game), I went to the site and purchased it.  Had to find an app that could allow me to read it, fine, no problem.  In fact, I bought another book on the same topic, which was twice as expensive (but actually much more informative).

So far, I'm a great customer and it's a great service.

A few weeks later, I get an email (I don't even recognize the website name).  Recommendations "Just for You"!  Awww, how sweet, the algorithm thought of me!  What is the top pick?  "The Tree Faller's Manual" (Wow, how to chop down trees.  Esoteric or symbolic of my being a paper lover?)  Apparently the algorithm is as tuned into my tastes as my ex-boyfriend.  Did it matter that I had just bought 2 books about music?

I go on the site, and out of 5, there are 2 books related to music.  One of which I might buy.  As soon as I finish the 2 books I just bought.  And haven't accessed since the day I purchased them.

So I hit the "Save Preview" and continue the empty exercise of browsing.  I'm unlikely to spend more money at this point, but I know their collections are quirky enough that I will (again) spring for my obscure obsessions.  THIS IS THE CRUCIAL POINT!!!  Help me to enjoy my experience here!  I have a history of spending money on 2 books about an obscure 60's rock band; this could go in a million different directions!  Astound me!

Website Critique:
But the more time I spend, the more frustrated I'm getting.  The "Save Preview" seems to also bring up an odd tab on the right of my PREVIOUS choice. Like an annoying "Don't forget about me!" reminder.
Then, when I scroll down, a top banner appears with a buy now button.  So now I have 2 floating images of the books I do not want to commit to.

What I'm interested in are the Recommended Suggestions (which I am much more likely to use than a random search function), I get 5 books, only one of which is relevant.  Unfortunately, me putting in more choices doesn't add to the recommendations.  After selecting 5 books, some of the titles begin to look very familiar.  I notice there are 10 suggestions (max) 3 of which are repeated on each display.

Upshot: Consumers would rather play (and pay) on your website, if you stop bugging them.  The personalized algorithm is actually important.  If OKCupid can master this, why can't a book selling service, which would maximize its profits, perform a proper match-up?


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