UX (user experience) is playing an ever-expanding role in eCommerce. Customers are increasingly demanding fast, user-friendly, and aesthetically appealing experiences when they shop online. Here are the top 5 UX trends that will help you meet and exceed your customers’ expectations.
1. Voice Search
Consumers are quickly getting comfortable with voice search. In fact, many people prefer the convenience of speaking queries out loud rather than typing them. eCommerce sites need to pay attention to this trend as there are many signs that voice commerce is transforming the eCommerce industry. This is closely related to the growth of mobile as it’s easy for users to speak into their phones. Keep in mind that voice searches are a little different than traditional searches. People tend to speak in longer and more natural sentences rather than using a few keywords. One way to meet this demand is to research long tail keywords for your products, which tend to be more like natural speech.
2. Chatbots
As AI quickly advances, more and more websites are introducing chatbots. This is a particularly useful feature for eCommerce sites, where customers are often searching for a specific item. While it’s also important to have a good search function, some visitors find it more interesting and convenient to interact with a chatbot. Nor can chatbots replace excellent customer support. They can, however, guide customers and lighten the load for customer service reps. The key to a good chatbot is that it’s well-informed and consistently updated with your latest products and features. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to see and use.
3. Mobile-First Design
As more and more customers use mobile devices, it’s essential to provide these users with the best possible experience. Remember that visitors to eCommerce sites often absorb lots of information in a short amount of time. They’re looking at product photos and reading descriptions and reviews. It’s important to use a mobile-first design to ensure that they can access everything with ease. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Make your site design clean and easy to navigate. Minimalist design without clutter is good for everyone, especially mobile users.
- Use one or two-column design as more columns than this are hard for mobile users to navigate.
- Keep product descriptions brief and concise as mobile users don’t want to scroll to read long blocks of text.
- Use fonts that are large enough for people to see on small screens.
4. Personalization
Personalizing the shopping experience makes customers feel more at home on your site. It also makes it easier for them to find what they’re looking for. You can make content more targeted and relevant in a number of ways.
- Recommend products and categories
- Geo-location targeting
- Personalized offers based on past purchases
- Personalize home page and navigation based on visitors’ interests
- Segment emails for better targeting. This is really an email marketing tip but it’s connected to customers’ actions on your website.
5. Augmented Reality
AR (augmented reality) gives visitors a more engaging and immersive experience. This works especially well in industries where customers want to see how something looks in their home or when worn. Sephora, for example, is making good use of AR combined with advanced facial recognition. Customers can get a realistic preview of how beauty care products will look on their faces. AR is also great for fashion brands, interior design, and many other industries where customers want a realistic idea of how something will look in a specific environment.
UX Will Continue to Influence eCommerce
The above are just a few of the UX trends that are affecting eCommerce. Emerging trends such as AI, AR, and voice technology are rapidly transforming visitors’ experiences when they shop online. As more businesses incorporate such features, customers come to expect them. It’s important to keep up with the latest changes so you can deliver the best possible experience for your customers.
