12 UX Practices to Increase Sales in E-commerce Sites in 2019

The most important factors that drive sales in e-commerce websites are related to UX or user experience. If a store is designed to provide a proper user experience, it will lead to increase in sales, if not, your performance might be in trouble. Simply put, without a great UX, you are going nowhere with your e-commerce store.

However, a lot of e-commerce stores forget about UX and focus only on their products and prices. UX is something that needs to be optimized frequently and, as customers and their habits change, so do UX practices. Still, there are general ones that guarantee an increase in sales in your e-commerce business no matter what you are selling.

Today, we will talk about them.

1. Adopting new search methods

One of the most important factors when purchasing a product is the ability to find it. Customers like to have assistance during their purchases. This is why it is essential to implement a customer-centric search method.
Customer-centric search methods include things like voice search and image recognition. One allows users to speak to a device and find products while the other helps them find products through images they’ve taken or received.

2. Implementing horizontal toolbars

We mentioned that customers and their needs change and this is why horizontal filtering is now a standard. They offer more flexibility as they don’t rely on checkboxes and links only, but also tables, sliders, and paragraphs.
These toolbars offer easier access to tools while scrolling, they allow users to make the most of the width of the page and see more information, and they are mobile friendly.

3. Finding the right loading method

How products are shown and loaded affects the UX in a great way. You need to choose the right option for your store. It can load more buttons, you can use infinite scrolling, and pagination.
The “Load more buttons” option is a convenient way to get more content while at the same time limiting it if needed.
With infinite scrolling, users have a consistent flow that is really smooth, but it is only suitable for ecommerce stores with “flat” content.
Pagination is currently the most popular method as it separates content in smaller pieces of information and allows customers to focus on what they find important.

4. Avoiding overcrowded screens

A lot of e-commerce websites try to say as much as possible about their products and this results in a poor UX. Instead, descriptions need to be short and focused on your target audience. They should resonate with them with a few short lines.
Apart from being short, the information also needs to be scannable with subheadings, headings, added bullet points, and bolded texts. Large CTAs also need to be avoided and need to be clear and compelling.

5. Making the checkout and signup process simple

Both of these processes need to be simple and quick as users don’t have the patience for them. Avoid asking visitors a lot of questions or asking for a lot of personal information. At the same time, you can divide fields into smaller groups to make them more consumable.

6. Creating a simple newsletter form

A newsletter is one of the best tools for engaging and establishing relationships with customers. It is essential to have one and make the signup form short and sweet. Create a minimal design that is non-intrusive but noticeable and will catch everyone’s attention.
Keep it short and use simple phrases that will quickly explain what visitors will get by signing up. It is also a good idea to hide forms with pop-ups.

7. Increasing the speed of your e-commerce site

A slow site can greatly disrupt the level of user experience it provides. Each second users spend waiting for something to open brings them closer to leaving your store. This is why it is essential to build a fast site with great hosting and a content delivery network which can further improve speed.

8. Performing frequent usability tests

For e-commerce stores, some of the smallest details make the greatest difference. All e-commerce sites need to perform usability tests concerning images, designs, CTAs, descriptions, and so on. These tests can let you always keep your site in the best shape possible, providing a great UX. A/B testing is also a must.

9. Tracking essential metrics

Monitoring essential metrics can also give valuable insights into what your site is lacking and where you can improve the UX. Bounce rates, conversion rates, level of engagement, number of sales, time on site, page views, and website visits are some of the things that need to be monitored constantly.

10. Building trust

Most website visitors will not make a purchase unless they trust a certain e-commerce store. This means that your store needs to be completely transparent and functional. Include valuable pages about your business, how you work, and add a review page.

11. Implementing loyalty programs

Rewarding customers for their loyalty also comes down to the user experience. Simply put, customers will feel appreciated when they are rewarded for their shopping efforts. A loyalty program can be very effective at retaining customers and increasing repeat sales.

12. Implementing live chat

Even if you include all of the information necessary for customers, they still might find something unclear or would simply like to learn more about your services and products. In these situations, having live chat support is essential. Customers love live chat as it helps them contact a business instantly and get vital answers that can lead to their purchase.

Providing visitors with the best online experience is crucial in today’s e-commerce market and it can be the difference that helps your e-commerce business come up on top of your competitors.