1. More, bigger photos
If there was one thing we’d say to any eCommerce site owner it would be: find a way to get more, bigger photographs on your site.
Bigger photos build trust - the customer can see the product and tell that it’s as advertised. Smaller photos lead to anxious customers wondering if they’re really getting what they hope for.
More photos mean the customer can inspect a product from all angles - customers look to photos first, and text descriptions second. Fewer photos make customers wonder if you’re hiding something. So it pays to put more and bigger photos on your site.
2. Consistent, clear information
The fastest way to undermine trust is to be vague or inconsistent. That’s why customers put more trust in pithy bullet points than in flowery text. And it’s why customers bail if the product data sheet doesn’t match the product description.
Invest in a good proof reader, and check the readability of all the information on your site.
3. Upfront P&P information
The longer you wait in the order process before telling customers their package and postage charges, the more anxious they become. The more anxious they become, the more likely they are to bail out.
So, even though it’s often hard to give accurate P&P information at the start, it’s better to say something (‘£5 delivery charge - this item may qualify for free deliver’) than nothing. Customers will press on to see if they’re getting that saving. They’ll bail out if they think they might get hit with an extra charge.
4. Remember me?
Users hate retyping their details again and again. But eCommerce sites have a duty to protect their private data. That’s why ‘remember me’ functionality that lets users automatically log back is isn’t always appropriate. At best it needs to be handled with care.
But there are lots of simple ways to minimise customers’ burden of typing and retyping data. One common way is to ask for E-mail addresses instead of user names. Many people are so used to typing this that it comes automatically.
This approach has other benefits - they’re easier to remember and they’re always unique, so you avoid the problem of another user having already taken a username.
5. Show your trust
One thing we’ve noticed is how little things, like a telephone number in the header, reassure users on eCommerce sites. Sure, it costs more if customers pick up the phone. But most don’t call. And many who would have bailed out are encouraged to persevere with a web site because the phone number reassures them.
Showing customers they can trust you pays dividends.
Putting it all together
Putting guidelines in place isn’t always as straightforward as it sounds. That’s why usability testing is so important in improving eCommerce websites. Watching real users helps you know when a design is optimised and answer the tricky problems that come up when a project comes to be executed.
What next?
Read about how we work with eCommerce usability
Take a look at some of our other articles on shopping
Or ask us about our training and consultancy for eCommerce.
About the author
Giles Colborne
Giles is a managing director at cxpartners. He has worked extensively with loads of big clients and does talks on the subject of usability and design all over the world. He’s a Nintendo obsessive and loves a game of Zelda. email Giles
