You have probably heard the terms "eCommerce" and "usability" thousands of times, but what are they? We solve all your doubts! Throughout this blog, we will explain what it is and how to improve it.
Before talking about usability, you have to understand very clearly what eCommerce is:
ECommerce is a business model that in recent years has become key for companies, it is electronic commerce or in other words an online store, there are different types of eCommerce such as:
B2B (business to business)
B2C (business to consumer)
C2B (consumer to business)
C2C (Consumer to consumer)
Thanks to electronic commerce, companies have been able to get closer to their customers and access new markets no matter where they are in the world, something that would be very difficult to achieve by a traditional method. It is important to bear in mind that before launching into the world of the internet the web pages must be well designed based on our market so that the user experience is satisfactory.
Usability in eCommerce
But then, how do we make the user experience the best? This is what usability is for! Here's what you need to know:
More and more companies are betting on eCommerce and due to the great offer on the market, users tend to lean towards those pages that are easier to find, use, that are desirable, accessible, and credible, so that they feel completely comfortable while browsing that page.
The objective of good usability is that the user experience is pleasant and that their needs as consumers are met, this is one of the key aspects in the purchase process.
Poor usability of the website can have a negative impact on the sales of your company, if users do not understand the options you offer or if the information about a product is missing, can trigger them to leave the page before you can generate a sale.
So, what aspects should I take into account so that my site has good usability?
Nielsen heuristics! Surely you are wondering what this is, we will explain it to you: it is a series of guidelines written by Jakob Nielsen in the 90s that to this day remain valid thanks to its functionality.
We are completely sure that they contain key points, below we will present what each of these principles is about and how they can help you improve the usability of your eCommerce. We recommend you carry them out!
System status visibility. The user must always be aware of what is happening at the moment, the system must be designed to be able to give feedback to each click that the user makes anywhere on the site within a reasonable time.
Matching the system to the real world. The system must communicate with users through images, concepts, and phrases that are familiar to them in a natural and logical order.
Give the user control and freedom. You must be given the control and freedom to perform the actions you want and even undo actions that you may have taken by mistake, they must be well marked.
Consistency and standards. It is important to follow the conventions already established for certain icons and colors. The user should not wonder if actions or situations actually mean the same thing.
Error prevention. Preventing any error that the user may make, anticipating any possible error is essential so that he can correct it at the same time.
Recognize before remembering. Maintain a standard in visual design so that the elements are consistent on different screens, the instructions for use of the system should not be a problem, they must always be in view or retrievable when necessary.
Flexibility and efficiency of use. Anyone must understand what happens when browsing your website, they will have to be prepared for any type of user, whether it is a beginner or someone more experienced.
Aesthetic and minimalist design. If it is not essential, do not put it, all dialogues must contain relevant information.
Help users to recognize, diagnose, and correct errors. It must be borne in mind that all errors that may occur within our website must be expressed in a language understandable by all users and indicate precisely and clearly the problem and suggest a solution to the problem.
Help and documentation. If we have already applied the previous 9 guidelines, it is very likely that no user needs help, but it is worth offering it with explanations or support, it must be visible and it must not be too extensive.
Now that you know about eCommerce, usability, and you understand these key points, would you like to improve your eCommerce?
We can help you!