Why is it important to have usability analysis of the online shop?

When a new web shop being developed or already owning one, the ultimate goal is to have users to enjoy using that website and ultimately place orders. But what makes the user stay on your site or leave it to the competition?

Of course, there are many factors that make people stay on your website, but one of the most important is user-friendliness. In this article, we explain what user-friendliness is, what it consists of, and how to use it successfully.

In general, usability is a measure of how easy or difficult it is for a person to use a web-shop or product in a specific context. When the user is confronted with an interface - be it an application, a website or even a physical product - it is important that he can use it easily, intuitively and without external help.

In the digital world, the usability of a website is essential for one very simple reason: to Survive. How many websites selling sneakers one can find with a simple Google search? Hundreds? Thousands? Because of this, if the user has difficulty using one web-shop, they will move to the competition in just a few seconds. There is no time to read a manual on how to navigate your website. Very simple: If it is difficult, user moves on to the other online shop.

Important aspects of usability

Visibility

Don't leave your user without information. Let the user know what's happening on your site (updates, feedback, etc.) It is important to analyze the main points, such as:

• Got a 404 error page?
• Does every action taken have clear and visible feedback?
• Are the links working and bringing to the right pages?

Compatibility with the real world

A good website should reflect the real world for your audience, with realistic images and with the same language, that is, don't use jargon or terms with very specific knowledge.

• Does the website's communication style match that of your user?
• Does your website look like the world your users live in?
• Do the nomenclatures used match what your audience understands?

User Control and Freedom

As much as you might want the user to do something specific, e.g. when buying something, they must also have the freedom to leave, cancel, undo, or edit anything they want. You must offer and display a promotion, but the buyer must have complete control of his choices. Therefore, check whether:

• Does your website have a working breadcrumb (page navigation)?
• Do you have a "back" option or other links within internal pages?

Consistency and standardization

It is important to be consistent across all pages of the website and to have a common standard. Do not display different actions with the same meaning. Therefore, analyze these points on your website:

• Do all pages have the same visual pattern?
• Do all actions have their meaning (text and/or icon) and correct links?

Error prevention

Better than having a good error message is to prevent error from happening. Be careful with your website and pay attention to details.

• Are all connections and redirects working?
• If there's an important action like "delete" something, ask the user if they're "sure" about what they want to do? – Don't let the user do something “unintentionally”.
• Do you give the user the ability to undo any action they may have accidentally taken?

Aesthetics and minimalist design

Website design must be purposeful and suitable for your audience. No more and no less. If in doubt about some message or sign, don't say or don't show it. Show only what is needed and you will get a lot more results.

• Is the purpose of your website clear?
• Are the texts factual and clear?
• Does the image resonate with your audience and doesn't interfere with the information?

Recognize mistakes

It's not enough just to prevent the bugs, as we saw above. The error messages need to be clear, so people can understand what happened and also know what the solution is.

• Show the user why the error occurred?
• Are the error messages clear?
• Do you provide a solution for each error found?

Efficiency and flexibility

In general, there are beginners and advanced users on the Internet. So think through the best and worst case scenarios to ensure everyone has a good user experience. After all, your online shop is just one and has to communicate with everyone. In addition, it must be efficient.

How to analyze the usability of a website?

And the answer couldn't be simpler: carry out Usability Tests!

Usability test is a tool that basically involves presenting the website to a user to complete a set of predetermined tasks.

Main goals of the usability tests:

• understand user behavior
• analyze possible usability errors
• discover opportunities for improvement

At first glance, it might seem that usability test should only be applied when the website is ready. But make no mistake. In fact, usability test should be performed multiple times throughout product development, alongside the others Software-Tests. In this way, errors are detected and corrected in advance.

The usability analysis of your online store is essential to make the user's life easier, as well as to make your website more accessible and enjoyable. Naturally, shop sales and/or services will increase significantly as customers will prefer your online shop to others. The way to achieve this upgrade in your system undoubtedly involves usability test, and it's an investment that's certainly paying off very quickly.

Our agency Kenner Soft Services GmbH has been dealing with various e-commerce software solutions for years and carries out the usability analyzes of the online shops, both during development and separately on request. Below, we offer our customers various services related to improving the user-friendliness of the online shops, based on the results of the analysis. We would be happy to advise you on all these questions and offer the best possible solutions.