Product Feature Builder
Qatar Airways Inflight Experience Market Place
Feature Brief
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The Problem
Passengers often experience fragmented and generic shopping options during flights, leading to missed revenue opportunities for airlines. The current inflight entertainment systems are underutilised as potential commercial channels.
Customer Needs
Passengers desire a seamless and relevant shopping experience that aligns with their journey and personal preferences. Qatar Select addresses this by offering curated products and experiences that are contextually relevant, making it easier and more enjoyable for passengers to explore and purchase.
Business Needs
For Qatar Airways, this feature unlocks a new commercial channel, enhancing brand differentiation and increasing engagement. It supports data-driven upsell and cross-sell strategies, leveraging Starlink connectivity to provide meaningful passenger interactions and boosting overall revenue.
Operational Needs
Successful implementation requires integration with Qatar Airways’ systems for product management, inventory, loyalty platforms, and flight data. The marketplace must function on both connected and non-connected aircraft, requiring secure API communication and compliance with data privacy standards.
Success Metrics
Key performance indicators include marketplace penetration rate, average time spent, conversion rate, revenue per passenger, and engagement uplift in loyalty programs. These metrics will measure passenger engagement, commercial performance, and strategic differentiation.
Initial Concept
Qatar Select operates as a modular marketplace within the seatback IFE, evolving through phases. Initially, it provides a content-led shopping experience with QR-based handoff to personal devices. Later phases introduce dynamic catalogues, real-time inventory, and personalised experiences, integrating loyalty and tailored offers to enhance passenger interaction and satisfaction.
Feature Canvas
Objectives
Transform the inflight entertainment (IFE) system into a unified, contextual digital marketplace that enhances passenger shopping experiences while unlocking a new revenue channel for Qatar Airways.
Goals
Provide a seamless and premium shopping experience for passengers, align commercial strategies across business units, and leverage Starlink connectivity to maximize passenger engagement and revenue generation.
Dependancies
1. Integration with Qatar Airways’ product management, inventory, loyalty, and flight data systems.
2. Availability and scalability of Starlink connectivity.
3. Compliance with data privacy and security standards.
4. Collaboration across internal business units for content and merchandising.
Deliverables
1. Modular seatback IFE marketplace with phased development (content-led, dynamic catalogues, personalized experiences).
2. Integration with loyalty platforms, flight data, and inventory systems.
3. Secure API communication for data exchange and QR-based handoffs to personal devices.
4. End-to-end analytics for marketplace performance measurement and revenue attribution.
Timeline
Phase 1 (Short-term): Content-led shopping experience with QR-based handoff.
Phase 2 (Mid-term): Dynamic catalogues and real-time inventory for connected aircraft.
Phase 3 (Long-term): Fully personalized experience with loyalty and tailored offers integration.
Key Metrics
1. Marketplace penetration rate and average time spent by passengers.
2. Conversion rate, revenue per passenger, and average order value.
3. Privilege Club engagement uplift and personalized offer performance.
4. Starlink utilization uplift and marketplace-driven connectivity sessions.
5. Operational metrics such as business unit participation and time-to-launch for campaigns.
Stakeholders
1. Qatar Airways Business Units (Duty Free, Privilege Club, Holidays & Experiences, Ancillary & Retail teams).
2. Passengers across core segments (Premium & Business Class, Privilege Club Members, Long-Haul Leisure Travelers, Digitally Engaged Economy Passengers).
3. Internal IT and IFE teams for technical implementation.
Feature Research
It is really important at this point that you do additional research. We suggest you do Competitor Analysis and then Surveys and Customer interviews on the feature concept. to ensure your feature is bring value and solving customer problems. This helps you refine your thought and will aid in surfacing requirements.
Story Map
User Activities
User Stories
Success Metrics
Tasks
Value Proposition Canvas
Customer Jobs
- Explore and purchase products relevant to their journey.
- Discover exclusive offers and experiences tailored to their preferences.
- Utilise loyalty points for meaningful rewards during flights.
- Engage with a premium shopping experience in a seamless manner.
- Access curated content and promotions without leaving the IFE screen.
- Enjoy a convenient, integrated inflight retail journey.
Customer Pains
- Fragmented and generic shopping options onboard.
- Limited visibility of relevant offers during flights.
- Inconvenience of switching between devices to complete transactions.
- Lack of personalisation in the inflight shopping experience.
- Underutilised loyalty points due to unclear redemption opportunities.
- Time wasted navigating non-contextual inflight systems.
Customer Gains
- Personalised and contextual shopping aligned with journey details.
- Integrated loyalty points earning and redemption opportunities.
- Streamlined discovery of premium products and experiences.
- Enhanced passenger engagement through curated content.
- Seamless transition between IFE and personal devices for transactions.
- Access to exclusive, time-bound offers and promotions.
Gain Creators
- Consolidates fragmented inflight shopping options into one platform.
- Reduces friction in discovering and purchasing relevant offers.
- Eliminates the need for passengers to switch between devices unnecessarily.
- Improves clarity and ease of loyalty point redemption inflight.
- Minimises generic or irrelevant content exposure.
- Addresses operational inefficiencies by unifying business unit offerings.
Pain Relievers
- Provides a premium, airline-controlled retail experience.
- Enhances passenger satisfaction with personalised offers.
- Enables loyalty engagement through tailored rewards.
- Boosts revenue via cross-sell and upsell opportunities.
- Leverages connectivity to deliver meaningful inflight interactions.
- Strengthens brand differentiation through curated experiences.
Products & Services
- Seatback inflight digital marketplace.
- Curated product catalogues and destination-specific experiences.
- QR-based handoff for transactions on personal devices.
- Integration with Privilege Club loyalty program.
- Dynamic, real-time inventory for connected aircraft.
- Content-led discovery tailored to passenger profiles.
Requirements
Product Feature Goals
Goals of Qatar Airways Inflight Experience Marketplace
The primary goal of the Qatar Airways Inflight Experience Marketplace, known as Qatar Select, is to transform the existing inflight entertainment (IFE) system into a comprehensive, contextual digital marketplace. The aim is to enhance the shopping experience for passengers while unlocking a significant revenue channel for Qatar Airways. This initiative seeks to provide a seamless and premium shopping environment, synchronize commercial strategies across business units, and leverage Starlink connectivity to maximise passenger engagement and revenue generation.
Strategic Fit of Qatar Airways Inflight Experience Marketplace
The Qatar Select initiative aligns closely with Qatar Airways' strategic goals of enhancing passenger experience and introducing innovative revenue streams. By converting the IFE into a unified shopping platform, the airline can maintain brand differentiation and improve passenger satisfaction through personalised offers and relevant product curation. The initiative also fits into the broader strategy of integrating advanced technology solutions, such as Starlink, to elevate the airline’s service offering and operational efficiency.
Alignment with Core Business Objectives
The marketplace fosters collaboration between business units like Duty Free, Privilege Club, and Ancillary Retail, reducing siloed operations and creating stronger cross-sell and upsell opportunities. It positions Qatar Airways as a leader in inflight digital commerce through a curated, airline-controlled retail experience that resonates with passengers' travel context and preferences.
Assumptions for Implementation
The successful implementation of Qatar Select is based on several key assumptions:
- Passengers will welcome a unified and contextual shopping experience within the IFE, leading to increased engagement and revenue.
- Integration with existing Qatar Airways systems (product management, inventory, loyalty, flight data) will be seamless, supporting a cohesive passenger journey.
- Starlink connectivity will be sufficiently available and scalable to support the marketplace’s functionalities, especially on connected aircraft.
- Internal stakeholders and business units will actively collaborate to contribute content, participate in merchandising, and utilize the marketplace for improved visibility and customer engagement.
- Compliance with data privacy and security standards will be maintained throughout all phases, ensuring passenger data is handled with care.
Customer needs to be meet
Customer Needs to be met
Seamless Shopping Experience
As a customer, I want to have a seamless shopping experience during my flight to enjoy browsing and purchasing without hassles.
As a customer, I want curated product recommendations that are relevant to my journey, destination, and personal preferences, to make my shopping experience more enjoyable.
Integrated Experience
As a customer, I want a shopping environment that integrates with the inflight entertainment system so that I can easily explore shopping options without leaving the interface.
As a customer, I desire a unified shopping experience where I can explore duty free, loyalty, holiday packages, and merchandise all in one place.
Ease of Transaction
As a customer, I desire the ability to complete transactions securely using my personal device, facilitated through a quick and easy QR-based handoff.
As a customer, I want assurance that my personal information and payment details are securely managed during the shopping process.
Personalised Offers
As a customer, I want to receive personalised offers based on my Qatar Privilege Club status and travel history to make the most of my membership benefits.
As a customer, I expect loyalty-driven offers, including Avios earn and burn opportunities, to be accessible during my inflight shopping experience.
Premium and Engaging Content
As a customer, I want premium, targeted content that enhances my shopping experience and engages me with relevant videos and product details.
As a customer, I want engaging promotions or limited-time offers to make my inflight shopping experience exciting and rewarding.
Business needs to be meet
Business Needs to be Met
Epic 1: Enhance Passenger Experience
As a business, we want to provide a seamless and premium shopping experience during flights by transforming the IFE system into a contextual digital marketplace.
As a business, we want to curate products and experiences that align with passengers' journey, destination, cabin class, and loyalty status to make the inflight shopping experience more relevant and enjoyable.
As a business, we want to offer a 'lean-back' discovery experience that integrates shopping into the inflight journey, reducing the need for passengers to leave the IFE environment.
Epic 2: Drive Revenue and Commercial Uplift
As a business, we want to unlock a new, high-value commercial channel within an airline-controlled digital environment, thereby increasing revenue opportunities during flights.
As a business, we want to utilize data-driven upsell and cross-sell strategies across duty-free, loyalty, holidays, and ancillaries to maximise returns on Starlink connectivity and passenger interactions.
As a business, we want to consolidate commercial offers into a single inflight storefront, thereby strengthening brand differentiation and adding a measurable revenue engine linked to passenger behaviour.
Epic 3: Leverage Technology and Connectivity
As a business, we want to integrate the marketplace with Qatar Airways’ various systems, including product management, inventory, loyalty platforms, and flight data to ensure seamless operation on both connected and non-connected aircraft.
As a business, we want secure API communication for data exchange and QR-based handoffs to personal devices to support a continuous passenger shopping journey.
As a business, we want to adhere to data privacy and security standards to ensure compliance while leveraging detailed analytics to measure marketplace performance and engagement.
Epic 4: Align Internal Business Strategies
As a business, we want to increase the visibility and performance of internal business unit offers by integrating them into a shared, premium inflight channel, reducing siloed touchpoints.
As a business, we want to foster collaboration across business units, enhancing member satisfaction through relevant offers and providing clear analytics to understand passenger preferences.
As a business, we want to create a scalable foundation for future partnerships, personalization, and loyalty-driven growth by reducing duplication and aligning commercial priorities.
Operational needs to be meet
Operational Needs to be Met
System Integration and Technical Requirements
Integrate with Qatar Airways’ product management, inventory, loyalty, and flight data systems to ensure seamless functionality across all business units and passenger interactions. Implement secure API communication for data exchange and QR-based handoffs to personal devices to minimize payment security risks.
Platform Compatibility and Accessibility
Ensure the marketplace is designed as a modular, service-based layer that functions across both connected and non-connected aircraft. This requires compatibility with existing Thales fleet IFE platforms and scalability for integration with other IFE platforms as dictated by operational expansion.
Security and Compliance
Maintain compliance with Qatar Airways’ data privacy and security standards, ensuring all personal data is encrypted during transactions without storing personally identifiable information (PII) on the seatback system. Enable role-based access for internal business units to manage data ownership effectively.
Collaborative Content Management
Encourage collaboration across Qatar Airways’ business units to ensure cohesive content and merchandising strategies within the inflight marketplace. This involves regular updates and coordination to keep the marketplace offerings aligned with commercial priorities and seasonal campaigns.
Scalability and Connectivity Management
Leverage Starlink connectivity to enhance the marketplace experience, delivering dynamic catalogues and real-time inventory on connected aircraft. Prepare operations to expand connectivity services as more aircraft become Starlink-capable, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Proposed Roadmap
Roadmap Breakdown
Roadmap Timeline