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Most shopping carts don't give me shipping dates or availability information as I make my selections. (Just recently I ordered something, only to hear from merchant via email that their software wasn't working and color and size wasn't recorded, so they had to contact me for that information.)
We assume ecommerce have functional websites. We assume incorrectly. We assume they built them for many types of customers, but again, we've assumed wrong. We assume that top 20 sites in search engine results are best of best based on our search keywords. That, I'm afraid, is saddest shock of all. Top rank doesn't equal best online experience once you click into that website.
That part of usability wasn't tested for you by search engine or directory. That's not their job.
My daughter looks good in everything. So did I when I was a teenager. If I still had that body I could order from any lingerie site on Internet and feel quite sure I'd look as fantastic and sexy as their starving models do. But, I never buy sexy lingerie on Internet because quite frankly, they're not selling it to me. One look at their models, their poses, their ages and their airbrushed faces tells me their target market is men who dream of making their women look like that too, if they just buy that lacey thing for them.
Fortunately I have a levelheaded daughter who loves to hunt for bargains. The last time we shopped at Mall together was because I wanted to get her a gift for making Distinguished Honor Roll that marking period in school. She found something at her favorite teen store for under $20. We splurged at Starbucks on our favorite chocolate coffee fixes, which was logical choice after doing so well at clothing store.
Online, after a sale, I'd be alone staring at my monitor at a "Thank you screen" and likely not directed to go anywhere interesting next. This is another common ecommerce practice; dumping customer off after last screen of a shopping cart. Instead, they should try suggesting a related site (via paid sponsored link?) or a reminder to bookmark site for later shopping or better yet, how about a quick "Did you find what you were looking for?" survey. One quick question, one button click is all it takes to say "We hoped you like your shopping experience but if not, please tell us how to make it better."
This is what cute pierced nose sales clerk said to us when I handed her $20 for my daughter's new shirt. I gratefully accepted receipt from nail polished hand attached to 18 year old face with a pimple on forehead, multi-colored hair and glittered eye shadow. You just can't get mimic that kind of user experience on Internet yet.
Usability Consultant, Kimberly Krause Berg, is the owner of UsabilityEffect.com, Cre8pc.com, Cre8asiteForums.com and co-founder of Cre8asite.net. Her background in organic search engine optimization, combined with web site usability consulting, offers unique insight into web site development.