Usability of an online store is an indicator that affects the effectiveness of the resource, the number of sales. The easier and more convenient it is to interact with the site, the more targeted actions will be performed.
It is no secret that online purchases today are made more often than offline. And it is natural, because thanks to this saves time, in addition, you can choose a product from anywhere in the world. Since the number of online stores is growing, respectively, and the requirements of customers to them too. For example, many customers refuse to buy online because of distrust of the website, complicated ordering process and a number of other factors.
So what influences the decision to buy a product from an online store?
Buyers make a decision based on a variety of factors:
- recommendations and feedback from other users
- payment/delivery terms
- exchange/refundability
- payment method and much more.
But what should be taken into account at the stage of online store development to make the resource convenient for customers?
Surely you too have repeatedly had the desire to leave the site after a long search for the desired information, function or even product. Actually, this is how other users behave. If they can not understand how to interact with the resource for 3-5 minutes (and sometimes even a minute is enough for this), they will not stay on it and will go to competitors.
That is why it is important at the stage of creating a resource to think about its convenience and simplicity or usability of the online store. Let’s consider the main criteria that have a direct impact on this indicator, as well as understand how to improve the usability of an online store.
Fast loading
The loading speed of web pages directly affects the conversion rate of an online store.
For example, if the site will load more than 3 sec, you will lose a large number of customers every day. Today, no one is ready to wait, because time is the most valuable resource. You can check the loading speed with a free tool from Google PageSpeed Insights and webpagetest.org. It will evaluate your resource and give recommendations on how to increase the speed of loading web pages in your case.
Clear navigation
The user should not waste time searching for the right product or service. The longer it takes him to sort out the purchase, the higher the probability that he will simply leave your resource and go to your competitors. That is why the navigation and structure of the catalog should be given special attention. Everything should be logical, simple and intuitive.
Links, buttons, menus – all this should be located in the usual places (in the header and footer). Even at the stage of site development should think about the structure of the catalog. It should be noted that for online stores with a large assortment to do it will not be so easy. For example, some positions of goods will need to display in several departments. For example, bedding in the “Goods for children” and “Bedding”, in such cases it is worth making a multi-level structure and create a division by different categories (brands, types, gender and other characteristics)
Additional navigation elements allow you to simplify the process. For example, classic breadcrumbs. They allow you to go to the parent page in one click, which makes interaction with the online store easier and more convenient.
A little advice from our experts: you can evaluate the logicality and clarity of resource navigation with the help of a focus group or by using “Webvisor”. The tool allows you to evaluate and calculate the number of bounce rates and understand why users leave the site without buying.
Obvious mistakes
Incorrect form filling, difficulties with payment – all this should be foreseen at the development stage. For this purpose, you should create an error message with its solution. This way you can reduce the number of abandoned forms and baskets.
F-curve rule
Users most often view information on the site along a certain trajectory, which resembles the letter F. In this regard, it is worth placing the most important objects and content in the areas where the visitor is sure to notice them – the left and top of the web page.
Simple forms
Order placement should be simplified as much as possible. No one today is willing to spend more than 2 minutes filling out information. The fewer the steps, the more likely the order. This should not be forgotten at the stage of site development. Request only the information you need, for example, only the phone number. The rest of the data can be clarified by phone or chatbot. If you need more information, we recommend setting up autocomplete forms and the ability to save information for already registered users. This will increase the chances that the customer will come back to you, as they will no longer need to enter the delivery address, email and other data.
The trend of online communication
More and more customers don’t want to call. They want to choose a product and pay for it, while avoiding communicating with a manager over the phone. However, the possibility of prompt communication must be there. Chat rooms and bots are best suited for this. By placing a chat room in the right place, working out the basic scenarios, you will raise loyalty, reduce the load on managers and increase the conversion rate of the store.
Convenient product card
The product card of an online store is the last “touch” before the target action. It should have a quality description, it is also worth placing information about availability, payment methods, delivery. Not superfluous will not be superfluous and reviews of real buyers. This will strengthen your position in the market.
Related and related products
Many people do not pay much attention to these blocks and miss the opportunity to retain a potential customer or increase the average check. Modern trends say that these blocks should be not only in the product card, but also on the homepage, at all stages of the cart, in the personal cabinet, in the catalog, etc. To offer the customer the product he is looking for in a unique set that you assemble to solve different kinds of problems means to sell and get additional profit. To sell consumables or accessories at a discount means to take better care of the client and earn more.
Conclusion
Improving the usability of an online store is a constant process, even market leaders regularly introduce new features and make changes. This is due to the fact that every year new trends appear, and users become more demanding and attentive to details. It is not enough for them to just buy goods, they want to get a quality service, positive emotions from interaction.
We have considered only some techniques to improve the usability of the online store, but there are much more. If you want your sales are constantly growing, it is definitely worth improving this indicator and then the result will surprise you.
This article was sponsored by Omar Fattah
