A good user experience (UX) of an online store or shopping application is currently a differentiating factor among several competitors. Many of them offer the same items and services to customers. Customers’ demands and expectations can have a significant impact on their purchasing decisions. By focusing on the User Experience (UX) of the online store, you will keep customers engaged, resulting in a higher sales conversion rate.
There is much discussion on UX in e-commerce. What is it in essence?
User Experience (UX) in the context of e-commerce is simply the feelings and experiences of a person using an online store or shopping application, whereas UX as a field of study is primarily expert analysis and research with users, the results of which enable the store to be optimised and adapted to the target audience in order to increase conversion.
Perhaps a question will now arise? What is conversion, and how can UX enhance its development?
Whether you’re operating an online store or creating a shopping application, you’ve undoubtedly heard about this crucial notion multiple times.
Typically, conversion in e-commerce refers to the number of website visits that resulted in a customer purchase (i.e. conversion / conversion of visits to purchase). If 1000 visitors visited your company’s online store and 12 of them purchased a product, the conversion rate is 1.2%. The higher this ratio, the better sales outcomes the store achieves. Because of this, it is imperative that you take care of its growth.
How does UX affect conversion rate?
User Experience is concerned with the customer’s experience and focuses on making the use of an online store or shopping application effortless and pleasurable.
The key to minimising the number of abandoned shopping carts and increasing the sales conversion rate of any online business, including your company’s storefront, is to maintain a great experience and convenience.
UX brings modifications that enhance the consumer experience, which frequently do not necessitate a severe and expensive website redesign.
What UX actions can result in this?
The first step in making your company’s online store more customer-friendly is to undertake a UX assessment.
UX audit, also known as usability audit, is a professional evaluation of websites and applications in numerous categories:
Each of the aforementioned categories influences whether a specific website inspires favourable emotions in us or, alternatively, frustrates us so much that we want to leave it immediately.
The online store should be predictable, visually designed, and moderate (Website Design, which is the responsibility of the UI designer), but also devoid of faults that could make it difficult for customers to purchase or locate the information or products they want.
Why is the predictability of a page important? Users are accustomed to certain well-established patterns, and altering them would not benefit the store. Example? The online store should include a shopping cart icon in the top right corner of the screen, much as most systems have a close button in the upper right corner of the programme. The customer’s buying trip should be predictable, not unexpected. Only when we feel secure are we inclined to purchase something.
Surely you have visited an internet business that unpleasantly surprised you at some point.
Someone evidently did not consider the sophistication of the product categories, or it was not informed until after the product was added to the shopping cart that it is currently out of supply and will be delivered in three weeks. The Japanese teapot purchased on the website was supposed to be the ideal birthday present for my aunt, whose birthday is in five days. The highlighted information regarding the store’s 24-hour shipping policy, which was prominently displayed, gave you the impression that you will be on time and that your search will be successful.
In this circumstance, we feel tricked. You will likely recall that this store did not treat you well as a consumer, and you will not consider reviewing their offer again.
Performing a UX audit of the store avoids this type of inaccuracy, as well as a number of other obstacles that could hinder your company’s customers.
Respondents for UX research are picked such that they match the target audience profile of a particular online store or shopping application. During UX research, we rely not only on the UX Specialist’s expert knowledge, but also on qualitative data acquired from the target audience. The collected data enables the UX researcher to formulate precise optimization recommendations.
What is our value in this situation? User research can prevent future customers from facing obstacles that could deter them from making a purchase.
What is the primary benefit of UX research? Possibility of performing tests that uncover non-intuitively sorted products or identify which website information respondents find unclear.
A proprietor of a home improvement store has filed a lawnmower under the “Garage” category. Since he hides the lawnmower there after each time he mows the grass, he may find it completely reasonable that this is where it belongs. However, respondents testing the store will indicate (e.g., by not being able to locate a product) that a much better category for placing a lawnmower would be “Garden,” as it is the category with which they have the strongest association. The menu constructed on the basis of the study is then put to the test, and there is a good probability that a more intuitive classification of the selection will result in increased sales. This allows us to learn how to tailor the business to the needs of the client and test our ideas and solutions with end users.
What else can respondents substantiate? Everything you would not have considered yourself.
Furthermore, it is important to address the question, “What can UX research give marketing?”
During user research, the UX researcher collects information that can be used to optimise the consumer persona. Persona enables the marketing department to create consistent communication between the store and the customer and to tailor that message to the client’s preferences and needs.
Thanks to the acquisition of such data, the marketing department will be able to produce more effective messages for the website and social media channels.
The e-commerce market is currently saturated.
Numerous websites and applications offer the same items or services, but not all of them prioritise the user experience.
Remember that by focusing on the User Experience (UX) of your company’s online store, you may set it apart from the competitors.
Expert analysis (UX audit) will aid in the eradication of key flaws that may dissuade customers from purchasing from your organisation.
UX research will optimise the store to take care of the customer’s experience and meet their needs.
Thanks to the UX audit and user research, the UX agency’s professionals are able to recommend modifications that will make customer navigation of your online store simple and intuitive.
Choosing a UX agency is the key to optimising your online business, increasing sales conversion, and separating yourself from the competition.
If you are interested in the subject of website errors, you may read the outcomes of their eradication here. You will observe how error exclusion contributed to the enhancement of market-active online retailers and the increase in sales conversion. You will also learn how UX improvement could benefit your company’s online store.