Ecommerce websites are letdown by poor navigation
Most ecommerce websites are still taking a very hit-and-miss approach to the design and navigation of their sites – arguably the most powerful shop window they have.
All too often, customers are still being bounced around poorly constructed websites in such a way that they are left dizzy and frustrated by the time they shut down their PC, with their basket still empty.
The most effective websites should always be works in progress, which use ongoing, interactive changes to continually improve the customer experience. By constantly testing out thousands of slightly different variations of a web page in a live environment, brands can see which pages yield the best results. This is very easy and affordable to do, and has been shown to represent much greater value for money than search engine optimisation.
The factors that make the biggest difference to website performance can often be small and subtle. For example, just by flipping the position of the “log-in” and “register” boxes has enabled some companies to achieve a 10% increase on conversion rates.
Being innovative needn’t mean making radical or costly changes. It’s about paying more attention to the detail of how customers navigate and behave on your website, and then responding with enhancements that can be delivered quickly – without having to wait for the next web development cycle.
Mark Simpson,
Founding and maaging director, Maxymiser
