The user experience (UX) of a website is often wrongly simplified to mean “how easy it is to use a website.” However, this definition only describes one of the many facets of UX. Instead, UX can be described more accurately as what it looks like: a experience. And as an experience, it encompasses every part of a website and how a user interacts with it. Great UX results in a website that is polished, detailed, highly satisfying to its users and, when it comes to e-commerce sites, as cost-effective as possible.
Ecommerce UX has a lot in common with general website UX; However, ecommerce UX also has many unique aspects, like product pages and checkout pages. It’s these unique UX elements of ecommerce that can make all the difference between a good online store and an incredible one. How? Let’s go.
What is UX?
UX is a field in constant evolution and, as such, many definitions have appeared (and still come up) to try to explain it. To reduce the abundance of literature trying to define what UX is, we will look at two of the most comprehensive and relevant definitions specific to e-commerce.
The definition of “usability body of knowledge”
Let’s first examine the Usability Body of KnowledgeThe definition of UX. To better apply it to e-commerce, we’re going to break this definition down a bit. Starting with the first sentence…“All aspects of the user’s interaction with a product, service or company that constitute the user’s perception of the whole. »…we can define e-commerce UX as “every aspect of the user’s interaction with a e-commerce sitewhich together constitute the user’s perceptions of the the company as a whole“So when you judge the quality of your store’s UX, you’ll look at everything your customers can see or click on, and study how they respond to it.
But to say we should look at everything a customer can see is casting the net incredibly wide. Using the second sentence of the definition…“User experience design as a discipline is about all the elements that make up that interface, including layout, visual design, text, branding, sound, and interaction. »…let’s organize your store interface into smaller, more specific groups listed in the definition:
- THE layout of your website is how elements are presented on a web page. This includes everything from where your navigation menu is located, to whether your products are displayed in a grid or list format, and even how you list information in your footer.
- Visual aspect refers to the images and colors used on your website. If you use a template, this makes up the majority of your visual design. However, small details like making a CTA button red or changing the font of your title are also included in this group.
- Text is just another word for your written copy. This not only refers to large blocks of copy like the ones you’ll find on your About Us page, but also your product names, product descriptions, and even your navigation menu button labels.
- Brand refers to your company’s overall personality, vision, values, and how they manifest in your online store. It also refers to the consistency of this information from page to page and from one medium to another.
- Her is the audio component, which does not easily apply to most e-commerce websites. However, aspects such as volume control and sound quality would be good things to consider if you stream or sell music as part of your online business.
- Interaction it’s when your customers come into contact with your website, the actions they take once there, and how your website responds to those actions. Everything from clicking a button to navigating your site to filling out a form falls into this category.
This brings us to the third and final sentence of this definition…“U[X] works to coordinate these elements to enable the best possible user interaction.…which tells us that UX combines these six areas that a customer sees, uses and responds to into a positive interaction and perception (when approached correctly).
Definition of UX expert Frank Guo
If you are inclined to more abstract ways of thinking, we have a second definition of UX for you. According to Frank Guo, a highly respected UX strategist and architect, there are four major elements of UX: usability, value, adoptability, and desirability. These are separate but cooperating entities that are all necessary to have the best possible UX. Let’s briefly take a closer look at each component and how it relates to your ecommerce site.
- Usability: how easily a user can complete a task on your website. Examples include making it easier to purchase products, placing your contact details in an obvious place, and ensuring your content is easy to read.
- Value: how well your e-commerce site meets the needs of your customers. For example, if your customer is a beginner angler and your store offers basic fishing rods, accessories, and helpful getting started guides, your store value would be higher.
- Adoptability: how easy it is to access your ecommerce site and how well it can adapt to different mediums. An example would be if your website is easily accessible, well structured and pleasant to use on desktop, mobile and tablet.
- Desirability : how attractive, engaging and enjoyable your e-commerce site is for customers. An example would be if your online store has a well-designed and relevant template and uses a brand voice that makes your customers smile.
UX is a multifaceted and constantly evolving field, especially since it is closely linked to advances in technology. But with these two definitions on our side, we can better understand UX and what it means to improve it on your e-commerce site.
Why is UX important?
Investing in the UX of your ecommerce site has many benefits that help both your store and your customers. When your store’s UX is optimized, it helps you stand out from the competition, leading to improvements in customer satisfaction and loyalty, efficiency, conversion and ROI. Let’s look at each of these benefits in a little more detail to understand how.
Distinguish your business
We all know that competition is high online, and with tons of new e-commerce sites released every day, the situation is only getting worse. Today’s online consumer is well aware of the multitude of choices available to them, making them very likely to shop around before deciding where to put their money. This means that to grab customers’ attention, you’ll need more than just great design or great products: you’ll need to create an online shopping experience like no other.
How does your online business achieve this? By improving your UX. When your business focuses on creating a specific shopping experience for your customers, your entire approach to your business will end up having that comprehensive, holistic perspective that will put it ahead of the rest.
Increases customer satisfaction and loyalty
Believe it or not, you can actually make your customers happy just by having a user-friendly website. Online shopping is becoming an increasingly popular way to reduce stress, especially with the abundance of pandemic-related shutdowns. When you are able to provide exactly what your customer wants in a fun and engaging way, they will make their purchase with a smile rather than frustration.
By its very nature, your e-commerce website benefits from all the benefits of the Internet, such as speed, efficiency, and convenience (which, by the way, are all things customers look for in their purchasing experiences). So, good UX is essential. By making your site intuitive to use, you reduce obstacles that discourage the purchasing process while helping to strengthen positive associations with your e-commerce site. Plus, when a customer is happy with their experience, it builds loyalty to your brand, which generates more revenue for you and helps you save money on new customer acquisition.
Creates efficiency and productivity
In a world where time is money, the more efficient your e-commerce site is, the better. Generally, good UX helps your business be more agile. When your online store is easy to use, your customers can do everything faster, including browsing and purchasing products. This means they can get in and out, so to speak, as quickly as possible.
Think of it this way: the faster a task is, the less time it takes. The less time it takes, the more you can get done. Likewise, when you make purchasing products easier and faster, you open up the opportunity to make more purchases in a day.
Increases conversion rates and ROI
Good UX pays off handsomely because an e-commerce website with good UX makes it easy for buyers to search, access, and purchase its products. When users can easily find and purchase products, your online store is better equipped to turn browsers into buyers. Plus, as mentioned earlier, customers who become loyal to your brand will often come back to buy more of your products, which means even greater profit for your business.
Of course, you’ll also want to make improvements to your online store at some point. Whether you invest in custom design or search engine optimization, poor UX could thwart or even negate these improvements. To get the most bang for your buck, you need your site’s UX to be at its best so that it doesn’t distract from those investments.
Final Thoughts
Ecommerce websites can benefit greatly from paying close attention to their UX and ensuring their layout, design, text, branding, sound and interaction are as user-friendly as possible . By being usable, useful, adaptable and desirable, online stores and their customers enjoy a number of benefits that help both the business and the consumer.
Check out our other UX blog posts, including our tips for evaluating your ecommerce site’s UX, best practices for maintaining great UX, and features that improve UX on your site.
