# User Interview Emotions & Triggers
## Individual Interviews
### 1. Ellie
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Stress / Hatred | Car shopping in general - "I hate this. It's so stressful" |
| Fatigue | Time commitment of visiting multiple dealerships |
| Avoidance | The whole car ownership experience - wants to be car-free |
| Need for company | Going alone feels daunting - needs emotional support |
---
### 2. Katherine
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Defensiveness | Walking into a dealership - "I came in defensive knowing people were going to try to take advantage of me" |
| Powerlessness | Dealers treating her differently than they would a man - talking past her, assuming less knowledge |
| Hypervigilance | Fear of being ripped off - constantly on guard |
| Desire for autonomy | Salespeople hovering - "Just leave me alone" |
| Regret | Avoiding the dealership meant she missed seeing a hybrid option |
---
### 3. Linda Lee
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Worst experience ever | Honda dealership - late to appointment, held her license too long, unfriendly staff |
| Disbelief / Outrage | Outrageous pricing quote - "You gotta be kidding me" |
| Discomfort / Distrust | "Greasy" feeling from Subaru manager |
| Anxiety / Freaked out | Driving a Tesla - never got comfortable with it |
| Feeling rushed / Unwelcome | Honda dealership atmosphere from the moment she walked in |
---
### 4. Soroush B
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Fear | "What am I getting ripped off on?" - lack of knowledge to negotiate |
| Unpleasantness | Traditional dealership experience - "It's not a pleasant experience for me" |
| Relief | Tesla's online process - "kind of a godsend" avoiding dealer interaction |
| Lack of confidence | Not knowing enough about car components to push back |
---
### 5. Pegah Saki
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Rushed / Pressured | Finance team moving too fast - "I felt very rushed" |
| Distrust | Finance people specifically - "The finance people I don't trust" |
| Frustration | Being told "BMW never negotiates" |
| Vulnerability | Dealers assuming she doesn't know anything and treating her as an "easy target" |
| Would never shop alone | Expects to be upsold aggressively without companion |
---
### 6. Michael Payne
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Suspicion / Distrust | Salespeople in general - "That's the person to, oh, let's screw you" |
| Distrust of financing | In-house lenders - "definitely not getting the best rates" |
| Comfort | Has sales background, so feels confident negotiating |
| Frustration | Lack of transparency in used car pricing |
---
### 7. Nika Saki
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Frustration | Unhelpful salespeople with attitude |
| Feeling underestimated | Dealers assuming she can't afford the car |
| Uncertainty | Not knowing "where there's room to give" in negotiations |
| Confidence undermined | Dealers talking in ways that make buyers feel ignorant |
---
### 8. First-time buyer (Car buying research interview)
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Unprepared / Hesitant | Thought of going to dealership - "I don't feel prepared" |
| Like going into battle | Entering a dealership - "going in well prepared arms" |
| Anxiety | Test driving - self-conscious about the process |
| Overwhelmed | Information overload from salespeople |
| Fear of being taken advantage of | "That's probably what it comes down to" |
| Conflict avoidance | Negotiation - "I don't like conflict" |
| Expects condescension | Anticipating dealers will assume things "go over her head" and talk down to her |
---
### 9. First-time buyer from India
| Emotion | Trigger |
|---------|---------|
| Nervousness | Anticipating negotiation and how salesperson will react |
| Intimidation | Salespeople's tactics - "they know how to sell" |
| Fear of overpaying | "Paying too much or not negotiating as much as I can" |
| Self-doubt | "Am I negotiating correctly?" |
| Need to breathe | Feeling overwhelmed - "ask them to chill out, back up, let me breathe" |
| Suspicion | If dealer accepts low offer too quickly, would feel scammed |
---
## Pattern Summary
| Core Emotion | # People | Common Triggers |
|--------------|----------|-----------------|
| Fear of being ripped off | 8/9 | Lack of pricing transparency, information asymmetry |
| Stress / Anxiety | 7/9 | High-pressure dealership environment, negotiation confrontation |
| Distrust | 7/9 | Salespeople tactics, finance team upselling, hidden fees |
| Feeling rushed | 4/9 | Finance people pushing fast decisions, not given time to think |
| Powerlessness | 5/9 | Dealers talking down to them, being dismissed, condescending explanations |
| Need for companion | 6/9 | Expecting to be targeted/upsold when alone, needing validation |
---
## Key Insight
The root cause of negative emotions is **dealer behavior** - not the buyer's identity or circumstances. Specific dealer behaviors that trigger negative emotions:
1. **Information asymmetry** - Dealers know more and use it as leverage
2. **Pressure tactics** - Rushing decisions, not giving time to think
3. **Condescension** - Talking down, assuming ignorance
4. **Targeting** - Treating certain buyers as "easy marks"
5. **Lack of transparency** - Hidden fees, unclear pricing, refusing to negotiate
6. **Dismissiveness** - Not taking buyers seriously, talking past them to companions
