Usability baskets and checkouts: analysis of the top 20 Russian niche online stores
In the article, I analyze the basket and order in top online stores for a number of indicators, its conclusions formed the basis of the recommendations described in the article: Designing an online store for SEO: (theory + checklist)
The most common point of customer loss in an online store is a basket and checkout (checkout). A lot has been said about the usability of these modules and opinions are often controversial.
The simplest advice is to make a minimum of fields to take orders faster. But at the same time, it is inconvenient to work with such orders - you need to call and “by ear” find out the delivery address or the full name of the recipient.
At the same time, there are obvious things: price, availability and the buy button in a prominent place. The ability to change the amount of goods in the basket. Convenient selection of related products. The logic of placing an order (why, for example, ask the buyer for pickup?).
In my research, I looked at large online stores and their work with usability: patterns, errors, interesting solutions.
Focusing on the top ten online stores from the top (m-video, dns) is obviously the wrong way. Their value as brands is so great that they will be forgiven for any problems in usability: the inability to order captcha at the entrance without SMS, SMS code in the order confirmation.
That’s why my research included large niche online stores with traffic to up to a million people per month. Those who really fight for every customer.
For research, I formed a checklist and 24 usability points at three points on the site: adding goods to the basket, basket page, placing an order.
Of the interesting finds at several stores, there are several steps to place an order, with the first step being a name and a telephone. This combines the benefits of a simple and detailed checkout. We immediately have the person’s contacts and if he can’t cope with the detailed form, we can always call him and accept the order by phone.
Adding product to cart:
Cart on site
Checkout
Pivot table analysis (click to go to the full version)
From this, I gathered the main problems of usability of stores and ways to solve them
Login, password and registration
About half of the stores forget the password, which means not being able to place an order. This is one of the biggest usability problems, as not all users remember their passwords or store them correctly.
There are several solutions
Almost no one has thoughtful recommendations in the basket
In some cases, this is not necessary (an example is a massage chair shop for which there are no related products).
And in some, they were just too lazy to fill out.
The problem with the recommendations in the basket is that they should not reassure you about previously selected products.
So they cannot be filled in automatically.
And manually filling in for a large catalog is too difficult.
One possible solution is to manually fill in for 100-200 key positions.
You can only postpone goods at one store
For goods that do not buy instantly, for goods that buy in large quantities. In general, many people have a favorite function, and if you add them to the basket from it, it can help customers a lot.
A trifle, but unpleasant
The recommendations in the products of many are not visible (they are located beyond the second screen of the page). Nobody will definitely find them there. It is worth displaying them either in the first 2 screens, or in the side column visible from the first screen.
Conclusion
There are several general areas of usability where you can and should grow.
Some of them will bring tangible results, some will simply increase customer loyalty, but their overall effect can be very strong.
PS To keep abreast of new publications, follow me on Facebook .
The most common point of customer loss in an online store is a basket and checkout (checkout). A lot has been said about the usability of these modules and opinions are often controversial.
The simplest advice is to make a minimum of fields to take orders faster. But at the same time, it is inconvenient to work with such orders - you need to call and “by ear” find out the delivery address or the full name of the recipient.
At the same time, there are obvious things: price, availability and the buy button in a prominent place. The ability to change the amount of goods in the basket. Convenient selection of related products. The logic of placing an order (why, for example, ask the buyer for pickup?).
In my research, I looked at large online stores and their work with usability: patterns, errors, interesting solutions.
Focusing on the top ten online stores from the top (m-video, dns) is obviously the wrong way. Their value as brands is so great that they will be forgiven for any problems in usability: the inability to order captcha at the entrance without SMS, SMS code in the order confirmation.
That’s why my research included large niche online stores with traffic to up to a million people per month. Those who really fight for every customer.
For research, I formed a checklist and 24 usability points at three points on the site: adding goods to the basket, basket page, placing an order.
Of the interesting finds at several stores, there are several steps to place an order, with the first step being a name and a telephone. This combines the benefits of a simple and detailed checkout. We immediately have the person’s contacts and if he can’t cope with the detailed form, we can always call him and accept the order by phone.
Adding product to cart:
- You can see the availability of goods in the card
- Add to basket - noticeable button
- The delivery price is in the product card
- Are there any recommendations in the product
- Recommendations within 2 screens from the top of the page (if they are lower, they get to them much less often)
- Amount in the basket widget (you can see how much goods are in the basket without going into it)
- Is it easy to find the cart widget on the page
Cart on site
- Photos in the basket
- Are there any recommendations in the basket
- The basket does not persuade to change the product (this is when the recommended products in the basket do not supplement, but act as a replacement for the added one)
- Increase in basket quantity
- Is there a sum of the quantity in the basket (or just the quantity and unit price)
- The basket is recalculated automatically (no need to click the “recount” button)
- You can postpone goods from the basket
- Is there a description in the basket
- Is there at least a minimum info on delivery
Checkout
- Capturing contacts before placing an order
- No need to remember password
- There is a definition of the city
- There is a choice of delivery
- Order form without extra fields (for example, the address for pickup)
- Fill-in hint
- Notes field
- Offer and personal data in a prominent place
Pivot table analysis (click to go to the full version)
From this, I gathered the main problems of usability of stores and ways to solve them
Login, password and registration
About half of the stores forget the password, which means not being able to place an order. This is one of the biggest usability problems, as not all users remember their passwords or store them correctly.
There are several solutions
- send SMS or login link (this is how DNS does it)
- remember contact details and order, so that if a person does not remember the password, then update the order by call (3 stores from the investigated)
- allow you to place an order, and view previously issued open only with a password
Almost no one has thoughtful recommendations in the basket
In some cases, this is not necessary (an example is a massage chair shop for which there are no related products).
And in some, they were just too lazy to fill out.
The problem with the recommendations in the basket is that they should not reassure you about previously selected products.
So they cannot be filled in automatically.
And manually filling in for a large catalog is too difficult.
One possible solution is to manually fill in for 100-200 key positions.
You can only postpone goods at one store
For goods that do not buy instantly, for goods that buy in large quantities. In general, many people have a favorite function, and if you add them to the basket from it, it can help customers a lot.
A trifle, but unpleasant
The recommendations in the products of many are not visible (they are located beyond the second screen of the page). Nobody will definitely find them there. It is worth displaying them either in the first 2 screens, or in the side column visible from the first screen.
Conclusion
There are several general areas of usability where you can and should grow.
Some of them will bring tangible results, some will simply increase customer loyalty, but their overall effect can be very strong.
PS To keep abreast of new publications, follow me on Facebook .
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