Useful Tips to Enhance the User Experience of an E-commerce Website

Optimizing an E-commerce Website(s) requires taking into account so many elements that we sometimes forget how important it is that users have the best possible experience once they arrive on the website…

However, user experience is an essential concept in any digital environment for your E-commerce Marketing.

USER EXPERIENCE: DEFINITION

User experience (UX) encompasses all the devices that increase user satisfaction by improving accessibility, ease of use and efficiency of interaction with the Ecommerce Website(s). It all relates to the emotions felt by users when they visit the site.

There is a reason why we come back to the same supermarket every week. The reason is the same when we get into the habit of going systematically to the same hairdresser, DIY store or restaurant. These traders have created a positive experience, which in turn generates customer loyalty.

In physical commerce, brand experience and engagement are the main drivers of loyalty. E-commerce is no different. Design, atmosphere, speed, and functionality are all pillars of good user experience in an e-shop.

Concretely, it means being clear, accessible, easy to “use” and focused not on your company, but on the user.

IMPROVING USER EXPERIENCE (UX) OF YOUR WEBSITE

IMPROVE LOADING SPEED

Most internet users expect a website to load within three to four seconds. Each additional fraction of a second increases a visitor’s frustration.

A study by Radware found that a delay of 2 seconds on the loading time during a visit leads to dropout rates of up to 87%. To keep visitors on your e-shop and see them come back again, your site must load in less than three seconds. Get Free Shopify Themes that make your website load faster.

MAKE NAVIGATION INTUITIVE

Your site is neither a puzzle nor an enigma to solve! Use clear and descriptive headings in the navigation menus so that users know where to go without hesitation. If they are vague, the user will not understand where each title will lead him. In this sense, and in order not to mislead the visitor, the navigation path (breadcrumb) must appear clearly on each page.

Also, never let users wonder where they should go after they finish viewing one of your pages. Suggest an outing or an alternative route, for example, by adding suggestions “you will also like” at the bottom of the product pages on an e-commerce website.

AIR YOUR WEB PAGES

Keeping enough white space between items (texts, titles, photos, videos, etc.) remains one of the most elegant and easy ways to draw the user’s attention to the most important information on your website. In addition to highlighting essential content, these spaces improve reading comprehension and make the overall appearance of the site more pleasant and modern.

MAKE YOUR SITE ACCESSIBLE FROM ALL DEVICES

In 2020, people are browsing websites at work, on the go, and in their living rooms. When a computer is not nearby, they connect to their smartphone or tablet to browse the Internet.

The responsive and represents a crucial part of the user experience. It allows websites to modify their layouts according to the visitor’s screen resolution. Therefore, you need to make sure that your e-commerce website(s) is responsive so that users can access and buy on your site regardless of the devices they use.

USE CALLS TO ACTION

The calls to action show visitors what to do on your website. These must stand out clearly from the rest thanks to:

• Colour: must be in contrast with the background colour to be easily identified by the user. Before choosing the colour of your call to action, learn about the emotions associated with it. Different colours evoke different messages. Think about the message you want to convey and choose your call to action button colour accordingly.
• Text: avoid using texts that do not clearly express what the user is going to by clicking. Ban “Next“, “Submit” and other “Continue“. Prefer words that clearly tell the visitor what they will get when they click on your call-to-action button.
• Call to Action button

For each action or effort, you solicit from users, give them something in return. For example, if you are asking for a phone number, explain why and when you will use it.

Example: “we will contact you if there is a problem with your order“.

INCLUDE A SEARCH BAR

Imagine a website like Amazon without a search bar. Would people find the desired products so easily? Certainly not. The same goes for your e-commerce website.
When potential customers search for a specific item on your site, they will be frustrated that they cannot locate it easily. And a bad user experience often stems from frustration, which undermines user satisfaction.

PROVIDE FULL CONTACT INFORMATION

Your customers may have a question when they visit your website. Therefore, you must include your full contact information to allow them to communicate with you at any time. The contact page should contain the following information:

• Full company name
• Contact address
• Phone number
• Email address

For better user experience, enter the phone number and email address in the footer of all your pages. When your potential customers see your contact details, they immediately perceive your legitimacy, which helps build their confidence.

IMPROVE CONTENT

For most websites, UX is more than just casual interactions, eye-catching design, or intuitive navigation. Good user experience also depends on how the information is delivered. It must be in the right place, at the right time and in an engaging way:

• Center your content on the user: favour the personal pronoun “you” over “us” or over passive phrases. Content that involves the visitor and gives him a feeling of belonging.
• Get rid of all the technical jargon in your text content: you don’t have to say big abstract words to make a big statement. On the contrary, the best way to get a message across is almost always the easiest. Even if you do not doubt the culture and professionalism of your target, it is always better for the UX to write as if you were only talking to beginners. After all, people who understand you may ignore the explanations – but the rest will have to look elsewhere.
• Get to the point: on the 2020 web, the user does not like long cobblestones. He prefers short texts, which deliver information quickly. To remove every word that is not 100% necessary. You can remove adverbs, adjectives or replace the conjugations of the verb “to be” with a more dynamic verb to add more punch and shorten your sentences.
• Set an engaging tone and incorporate an appropriate dose of humour.
• Set up animations and transitions corresponding to the personality of your brand.

SET UP A CHATBOT SYSTEM

Setting up a live chat or a chatbot is a good way to improve the UX of your e-commerce at the same time as the conversion rate. This system triggers a pop-up window allowing the Internet user to get in touch with a sales consultant or a conversational agent. If the internet user needs help or has questions (about a delivery, for example, or return policy), he can chat with the advisor or chatbot.

STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES

Storytelling is an integral part of branding. On its e-commerce, a brand must know how to relate: to highlight the universe, the vision, the values that make it unique to involve the visitor emotionally. The history and the values claimed will be the basis of the emerging feelings among customers. Use emotionally engaging icons, images, videos and animations to make your customers’ experience engaging.

In summary, good user experience on a website allows visitors to find everything they are looking for easily and quickly. It is up to you to create an e-commerce website(s) rich in content and which creates commitment in order to retain your customers. By following all of these tips, your conversion rate should increase dramatically over time.