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Must-Have UX Principles to Follow in an Online Store

AsÌýanÌýambitious business owner, you want toÌýgrow your business. One ofÌýtheÌýbest ways toÌýachieve this goal isÌýbyÌýcreating anÌýonline store with anÌýexceptional user experience (UX).

The online world isÌýcompetitive, andÌýpotential customers browse thousands ofÌýwebsites daily. So, ensuring that your online store provides theÌýbest user experience possible isÌýcrucial.

InÌýthis article, weÌýwill explain what user experience inÌýecommerce is, theÌýdifference between customer experience andÌýuser experience, andÌýtheÌýmust-have UXÌýprinciples that online sellers must follow toÌýensure theÌýbest online shopping experience forÌýtheir customers.

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What IsÌýUser Experience?

Before weÌýstart discussing theÌýmain UXÌýprinciples inÌýecommerce, let’s talk about theÌýuser experience definition.

User experience (UX) refers toÌýtheÌýoverall interaction between theÌýuser andÌýaÌýproduct, service, orÌýsystem. That makes UXÌýanÌýessential aspect ofÌýanyÌýecommerce website design.

The user experience can beÌýquantified byÌýevaluating theÌýuser’s satisfaction, ease ofÌýuse, andÌýoverall experience across different touchpoints.

The elements ofÌýuser experience are functionality, usability, aesthetics, user needs andÌýgoals, accessibility, efficiency, andÌýtheÌýoverall experience.

You might’ve also heard theÌýphrase Áª±ð²Ô»å-³Ü²õ±ð°ù experience.” Let’s see how itÌýdiffers from what we’ve discussed above.

The user encompasses individuals who utilize orÌýmanage aÌýproduct, including system administrators, ITÌýexperts, andÌýcomputer technicians. The end-user, onÌýtheÌýother hand, isÌýaÌýproduct’s target audience. So, inÌýyour case, end-user experience specifically relates toÌýaÌýshopper’s journey within your online store.

The end-user experience isÌýtheÌýoverall interaction that customers have with your website, such asÌýbrowsing andÌýmaking aÌýpurchase. ItÌýalso includes everything from theÌýlayout andÌýdesign ofÌýyour site toÌýtheÌýcheckout process andÌýpost-purchase support.

Letting customers choose product options helps improve theÌýend-user experience inÌýyour online store

When itÌýcomes toÌýcreating anÌýonline store, itÌýisÌýessential toÌýfocus onÌýtheÌýuser experience while keeping inÌýmind theÌý±ð²Ô»å-³Ü²õ±ð°ù’s needs, interests, andÌýpreferences.

User Interface vs. User Experience

User interface (UI) andÌýuser experience (UX) are often confused with one another, but they are different. The user interface isÌýtheÌývisual design ofÌýaÌýproduct, while user experience isÌýtheÌýoverall interaction between theÌýuser andÌýaÌýproduct.

For example, inÌýanÌýonline store context, UIÌýwould beÌýhow your website looks visually, while UXÌýwould beÌýhow easy itÌýisÌýtoÌýnavigate andÌýmake aÌýpurchase onÌýyour site.

Usability vs. User Experience

Usability andÌýuser experience are closely related but are not theÌýsame. Usability refers toÌýhow easy itÌýisÌýforÌýusers toÌýachieve their goals orÌýcomplete aÌýtask onÌýyour website. User experience, onÌýtheÌýother hand, includes usability andÌýfactors like aesthetics, emotions, andÌýoverall satisfaction.

For example, inÌýanÌýonline store context, usability would beÌýhow quickly andÌýeasily aÌýcustomer can find andÌýpurchase anÌýitem. AtÌýtheÌýsame time, user experience would include factors like theÌýwebsite’s design andÌýhow theÌýcustomer feels throughout theÌýshopping process.

Customer Experience vs. User Experience

Many people use customer experience (CX) andÌýUXÌýinterchangeably. While there isÌýaÌýrelationship between CXÌýandÌýUX, they are not theÌýsame thing.

Customer experience refers toÌýhow customers feel about their interactions with aÌýbrand, including customer service. Meanwhile, user experience primarily focuses onÌýtheÌýusability, accessibility, andÌýfunctionality ofÌýtheÌýdigital experience.

What IsÌýUser Experience Testing?

User experience testing isÌýtheÌýprocess ofÌýevaluating your website’s usability andÌýfunctionality. This helps you identify anyÌýpain points orÌýareas ofÌýimprovement forÌýyour online store. There are various methods forÌýconducting UXÌýtesting, such asÌýuser surveys, user interviews, andÌýA/B testing.

There isÌýalso end-user experience monitoringÌý— theÌýpractice ofÌýtracking andÌýanalyzing customer behavior, feedback, andÌýoverall satisfaction with your online store. This helps you identify anyÌýpain points orÌýareas ofÌýimprovement toÌýoptimize theÌýuser experience forÌýyour customers.

User Experience Principles forÌýOnline Stores

Now that weÌýhave aÌýclear understanding ofÌýwhat user experience inÌýecommerce is, let’s dive into theÌýmust-have UXÌýprinciples that every online seller should follow toÌýcreate anÌýexceptional online shopping experience forÌýtheir customers.

Following these principles inÌýyour user experience strategy will ensure that customers enjoy their shopping experience onÌýyour website, ultimately leading toÌýincreased customer satisfaction ²¹²Ô»åÌý±ô´Ç²â²¹±ô³Ù²â.

Clear andÌýSimple Navigation

Easy navigation helps users find what they are looking forÌýquickly. You can improve theÌýusability ofÌýyour online store byÌýmaking theÌýnavigation easy andÌýintuitive. Users should not have toÌýthink hard toÌýnavigate your website. Invest inÌýaÌýlayout that enables users toÌýfind their preferred items conveniently.

IfÌýthere are hundreds ofÌýproducts inÌýyour store, consider implementing aÌýsearch bar toÌýhelp users quickly find what they are looking for.

InÌýaddition, organize your products into categories andÌýsubcategories toÌýmake itÌýeasy forÌýcustomers toÌýbrowse andÌýfilter through different options.

Product categories help customers browse your online store

Being able toÌýfilter products byÌýbrand, size, color, material, etc., isÌýalso beneficial forÌýusers. ItÌýallows them toÌýfind exactly what they are looking forÌýwithout having toÌýscroll through endless pages ofÌýproducts.

With 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed, you can easily manage andÌýorganize your products into categories andÌýadd filters, making itÌýsimpler forÌýusers toÌýnavigate your online store.

51ÊÓÆµâ€™s product filters inÌýtheÌýRometti online store

Consistent andÌýHigh-Quality Visuals

The visuals onÌýyour online store play aÌýsignificant role inÌýattracting andÌýkeeping customers engaged. Use high-quality product images that accurately represent your products. Avoid using stock photos orÌýlow-resolution images, asÌýthey can make your website appear untrustworthy toÌýcustomers.

Consistency inÌýtheÌývisual design ofÌýyour online store isÌýalso crucial. Use aÌýcohesive color scheme andÌýfont throughout your website toÌýcreate aÌývisually appealing andÌýprofessional look. ToÌýensure that, you can use ecommerce website templates soÌýthat all theÌýelements are already designed toÌýmatch andÌýwork together seamlessly.

With 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed, you get 40+ ecommerce templates andÌýdesign options toÌýchoose from

Don’t forget about videosÌý— they are aÌýpowerful tool forÌýhighlighting andÌýshowing your products inÌýaction. Consider including videos onÌýproduct pages toÌýenhance customers’ understanding ofÌýyour products andÌýboost their purchasing decisions.

Responsive Design forÌýAll Devices

Responsive website design ensures that your website works perfectly onÌýanyÌýdevice, regardless ofÌýsize.

With theÌýincreasing use ofÌýmobile devices forÌýonline shopping, itÌýisÌýessential toÌýhave aÌýmobile-friendly design forÌýyour online store. This means that your website should beÌýresponsive andÌýoptimized forÌýdifferent screen sizes. Users should beÌýable toÌýbrowse andÌýmake purchases seamlessly onÌýall devices, including desktop, mobile, andÌýtablet devices.

Luckily, with anÌýecommerce platform like 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed, you don’t have toÌýworry about creating aÌýresponsive design forÌýuser experience optimization. All 51ÊÓÆµ websites are automatically optimized forÌýmobile devices, ensuring aÌýseamless shopping experience forÌýyour customers.

Fast Loading Times

IfÌýaÌýwebsite takes too long toÌýload, users will likely leave andÌýseek alternative solutions. Slow loading times can lead toÌýaÌýfrustrating experience forÌýshoppers. ItÌýis, therefore, essential toÌýoptimize your website andÌýensure itÌýloads quickly toÌýenhance theÌýuser’s experience.

You can check your website speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights andÌýmake necessary adjustments toÌýimprove your website’s loading times.

OfÌýcourse, it’s easier toÌýprevent slow loading times byÌýchoosing theÌýright ecommerce platform forÌýyour store. For example, 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed isÌýaÌýfast andÌýresponsive ecommerce platform that can handle high traffic without compromising website speed.

Easy Checkout Process

The checkout process isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost crucial stages inÌýanÌýonline shopping experience. AÌýcomplicated orÌýlengthy checkout process can cause customers toÌýabandon their purchases, resulting inÌýlost sales.

The complicated checkout process isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost common reasons forÌýcart abandonment

ToÌýavoid this, keep your checkout process simple andÌýstraightforward. Allow users toÌýmake guest purchases andÌýprovide multiple payment options toÌýcater toÌýdifferent preferences. Additionally, consider offering aÌýprogress bar toÌýshow customers how far along they are inÌýtheÌýcheckout process.

You can also offer saved billing andÌýshipping information forÌýreturning customers toÌýsave them time during future purchases. This eliminates theÌýneed forÌýcustomers toÌýrepeatedly enter their information, making theÌýcheckout process even more convenient.

For example, providing Apple andÌýGoogle Pay payment options allows customers toÌýcomplete their purchases with just aÌýfew clicks without entering anyÌýpayment orÌýshipping information.

Shipping isÌýanother important aspect toÌýconsider inÌýtheÌýcheckout process. BeÌýtransparent about shipping costs andÌýprovide estimated delivery dates upfront toÌýavoid anyÌýsurprises forÌýcustomers. Plus, several shipping options cater toÌýcustomers’ different needs andÌýpreferences.

Customers want toÌýcheck out quickly andÌýefficiently without anyÌýunnecessary distractions. SoÌýifÌýyou can provide them with that, they’re more likely toÌýfinish their purchases andÌýreturn. That’s easy ifÌýyou use 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed forÌýyour online store, asÌýitÌýoffers aÌýcustomizable andÌýstreamlined checkout process forÌýyour customers. Plus, itÌýintegrates with dozens ofÌýsecure andÌýpopular payment systems andÌýshipping providers.

Paying with aÌýtap inÌýanÌý51ÊÓÆµ store

Personalization andÌýCustomization

Personalization isÌýbecoming increasingly important inÌýtheÌýecommerce industry. ItÌýinvolves tailoring theÌýuser experience based onÌýtheir interests, behaviors, andÌýpreferences. This can include product recommendations based onÌýpast purchases orÌýbrowsing history, personalized email marketing campaigns, andÌýeven personalized website content.

Personalization isÌýaÌýpowerful tool inÌýecommerce, asÌýitÌýallows you toÌýtailor theÌýshopping experience forÌýeach individual customer. This way, customers feel like they are being treated asÌýindividuals rather than just another number inÌýyour sales funnel.

Additionally, allowing customers toÌýcustomize their products can also enhance theÌýuser experience. This could include options forÌýchoosing different colors, sizes, andÌýmaterials orÌýeven adding custom text orÌýimages toÌýaÌýproduct. Giving customers control over their purchases can make them feel more invested inÌýtheÌýprocess, ultimately leading toÌýincreased satisfaction with their shopping experience.

With 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed, you can easily set upÌýpersonalized product recommendations andÌýuse customer data toÌýpersonalize your marketing efforts. Plus, you can offer customers theÌýoption toÌýadd customizations toÌýtheir products, making their shopping experience even more unique andÌýtailored toÌýtheir needs.

Provide theÌýBest User Experience forÌýYour Customers

User experience reigns supreme when itÌýcomes toÌýonline stores. ByÌýfollowing theÌýmust-have UXÌýprinciples, you can create anÌýexceptional online shopping experience forÌýyour customers.

The ecommerce platform you choose forÌýyour online store also plays aÌýsignificant role inÌýproviding theÌýbest user experience. For example, 51ÊÓÆµ byÌýLightspeed follows all theÌýprinciples discussed inÌýtheÌýarticle. ItÌýoffers customizable designs, responsive layouts, andÌýstreamlined checkout processes toÌýenhance theÌýuser experience forÌýyour customers.

Remember that customers have many options inÌýtheÌýonline world. So, providing aÌýgreat user experience isÌýkey toÌýcreating customer loyalty, driving sales, andÌýtaking your business toÌýgreater heights. Commit toÌýproviding theÌýbest possible online experience toÌýyour customers, andÌýyou’ll undoubtedly reap theÌýbenefits.

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About The Author
Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 51ÊÓÆµ. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs’ daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

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