Ecommerce optimisation tips part 4: 10 guidelines to consider when designing for trust
TIP: Ecommerce blogsRead our other blogs on ecommerce.This is the fourth of a series of six posts where I’m uncovering fundamental UX principles for designing great ecommerce user experiences.
Last time we discussed the importance of measuring your site’s success: Combining web analytics with user research.
This week we share 10 simple guidelines to follow when designing for trust.
Make a good first impression
Once people have got over the initial leap of faith of using an online retailer for the first time they will often continue to do so provided that their initial experience was successful, but that first time experience is critical in determining the likelihood of repeat business.
The idea of ‘first impressions’ is critical when it comes to web design and has a huge influence over whether people will be willing to spend their cash with a particular online retailer.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/exfordy/128576390/sizes/m/During our research we often hear how people are still reticent to spend online and employ tactics such as getting dedicated credit cards to use to buy goods online.
This is a good example of where people create their own work-arounds. These ‘work arounds’ are fascinating as they often identify an underlying issue that needs to be fixed. In this case it’s the person’s concern that they are going to be the victim of fraud.
10 ways to impress users
There are numerous elements that will help to build users trust in a site, here are 10 that we have found can influence users trust and confidence when spending money on websites.
Security – Make it clear that the site is secure by displaying security logos and messages that will reassure the user. Don’t expect people to check the url or to look out for small padlocks.
Endorsement – People look to other people for reassurance that they are doing the right thing. It’s fascinating how people are reassured online by the opinions of strangers.
Logout – Many people will access your sites from computers that are used by more than one person. Make it clear how users can logout and be sure to automatically logout users if they leave their session idle.
Brand – Well known brands will carry trust from offline experiences. If your brand has this advantage make the most of it. If your brand is new to the market make extra effort to reassure users of your credibility.
Design – Professional design gives instant credibility to any site. First impressions count on the web and a site that looks amateur will never perform as well as a well designed equivalent. Obvious stock photography and clip art are recognised by users as being undesirable.
Help – A useful help service gives credibility and shows that you care. Think of your help as something that helps your users to buy and you will give it more focus. Help needs to be contextual – and not hidden away deep in the site.
Search ranking – Top ranking sites convey popularity and people trust the behavior of others. If you design for accessibility and search you will maximize your chances of ranking well.
Advertising – A proliferation of poorly placed advertising will deter users. Consider your business model carefully. Advertising may pay well but we know from user testing how badly users react to poorly executed advertising campaigns. Consider the types of advertiser on your site too – do they ‘fit’ with your brand without being competitors?
Content – Quality content will always engender trust. Consider the tasks that users are coming to your site to fulfill and provide content to match. Providing a rich source of information or desirable products will help build rapport with your users and encourage them to return to you.
Associations – Show your affiliations to reassure users that you are credible and trustworthy. Users will expect to see certain associations and accreditations within certain industries so display them clearly and tick that box in the users’ head.
Look out for my next ecommerce post where I will be looking at the factors that encourage people to buy online.
About the author
James is a Principal User Experience consultant at cxpartners. He’s got over 10 years of experience working with brands like MTV, Orange and Expedia. He loves photography and is very proud of his garden shed. Email James, or call +44 (0)117 946 3930
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Well explained. Building trust is essential.
Good Guidelines….very helpful