If you run an e-commerce store, then you know that user experience is everything. Think about it. Your e-commerce store is the digital equivalent of a brick-and-mortar store. When you visit a physical store, the experience matters. Everything from the store interior to how easy it is to find everything to the shop assistants- influences whether you’ll visit the store again or not. The same is true for an e-commerce store. The only difference is that this experience happens online. As more and more people start shopping online, their expectations are still formed by years of offline shopping experience. With e-commerce sales predicted to hit $8 trillion globally, your e-commerce user experience will make or break your business.
What’s user experience in e-commerce?
User experience is all about how your customers feel when they visit your e-commerce store. It consists of everything that is a part of your customer’s shopping journey. Here’s what makes up a stellar user experience.
- Website Navigation: is your website easy to use? Is the navigation menu designed with search features your customers would want?
- Site Speed: Does your website load quickly across devices?
- Mobile Friendliness: Is your e-commerce store easy to access and responsive on mobile?
- Aesthetic Design and Copy: Do your website graphics match your brand voice and personality?
- Product Information: Are you providing your customers with clear and detailed product descriptions, images, and videos?
- Customer Support: Do you provide accessible help through live chat, email, phone, or social media?
- Checkout Process: Is the checkout process simple, quick, and hassle-free?
A great UX means combining all these elements to create a satisfying shopping experience for your customers.
6 ways of enhancing user experience in e-commerce
As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon once said, “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful”. This means creating a great user experience is crucial for the success of your e-commerce store.
Here are 6 ways you can enhance the user experience of your e-commerce store.
1. Keep the Navigation Bar Clean
Imagine walking into a store where you can't find anything. How frustrating would it be? The same goes for your website. Keep your navigation bar clean and straightforward. Use clear menus, straightforward categories, and a solid search function. The goal is to help your customers find what they’re looking for easily. Take a cue from big names like Amazon—they’ve nailed it with intuitive layouts and easy-to-find products.
- Optimize Mobile Experience
Mobile retail e-commerce sales are projected to hit $710 billion by 2025. Mobile shopping is booming, and if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out big time. Make sure your website looks great and is fully functional on mobile devices. This means using responsive design and making sure all buttons are tappable. No one wants to zoom in on their phones to click a tiny button.
Also, keep in mind people often browse e-commerce stores when they’re on the go so your website needs to be fast and efficient.
- Personalize the Shopping Experience
Did you know that 60% of consumers say that they’ll become repeat customers after a personalized shopping experience? Personalization makes your customers feel valued by your business. Think of it as the online version of a friendly shop assistant who knows your name.
Personalization should happen at various stages of the customer journey, from browsing to product recommendations to checkout and post-purchase follow-up. Even addressing your customer by name and tailoring content as per their preference can go a long way. You can learn about how to personalize the shopping experience for your customers here.
- Implement Live Chat
Even with a perfect website, customers will have questions and issues. That’s why your customers must have a way to contact you easily. Being accessible and available will prevent them from feeling like a faceless person.
Live chat provides real-time assistance, helping customers with their queries and concerns immediately. This can improve their shopping experience and increase the chances of a sale. Quick, helpful responses can turn a frustrated customer into a loyal one.
- Create a Seamless Checkout Process
Want to know the fastest way of losing a sureshot customer? A long and annoying checkout process. When customers are checking out their items, they’re either excited or second-guessing themselves. Use that excitement to your benefit by making the checkout process as simple and quick as possible. Offer multiple payment options (debit cards, credit cards, wallets, and UPI and don’t ask for unnecessary information. Trust is key here, so ensure your site is secure and reassure your customers that their data is safe. Your checkout process is the final hurdle to a sale so make it easy to jump over.
- Use Shoppable Videos
Shoppable videos are the best tools to engage customers and enhance their shopping experience. These videos allow customers to click and buy products directly from the video. It’s a fun and interactive way to showcase your products, tell your brand story, and drive sales.
One of our e-commerce clients, Interior Delights generated an extra $20,000 in sales simply by using shoppable videos on their website. You can read about their full story here.
And there you have it! You can create an outstanding user experience for your e-commerce store by implementing these simple yet effective tips. Remember, happy customers are repeat customers. So provide an excellent shopping experience and watch your e-commerce store become the next big thing.
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