Step by step Amazon Shopping Experience

Designers of commercial Web sites now have to face several challenges in trying to build a user experience that increases the likelihood that visitors to shop online.

A line of battle fierce competition and eliminate the fears of skeptical buyers, designers can take a series of measures to improve the usability of their online stores.

Since 1995, Amazon has become the world leader in electronic commerce. Their success is no accident, nor merely being in the right place at the right time.

Amazon’s success is the direct result of an outright purchase of the user experience.

In this article we will discuss a range of characteristics of the buying experience on Amazon, which, in principle or in practice, provide a model worthy of emulation by proponents of e-commerce Today .
A dual purpose clear

The shopping experience starts Amazon, of course, on the main page where the user is notified of the visual object site is twofold:

Search products and online shopping

Amazon Home

By scanning the Amazon site (screenshot above), highlighting? Amid the supply perpetually disheveled, a little housekeeping, distinct elements immediately draw the attention of the user: the navigation section at the top left and search checks basket near the top.

The screenshot below shows the same elements highlighted gray the rest:

Amazon page with a search and navigation stressed

With these elements of relief, we see how easily Amazon is done twice:

* The user is able to quickly find and buy products
* The seller is able to process online purchases quickly and make a profit

Because Amazon is so well known, only the visitor does not know that the two rare (ie, product search and online shopping) are available.

But the Amazon team of designers and architects have ensured that these two elements to the site structure is important and useful.

Designers, clients, project managers and developers involved in building commercial sites could follow suit, which is clearly the product search and online stores from the beginning of the user experience, whether for new users or returning customers.

Content adapted to the current user

Once you have established research in the website of products and capabilities of online shopping, users are likely to want to take advantage of the features immediately, starting with research.

Amazon uses cookies to maintain a registered user, and track purchasing habits of users and storage on the server side.

This is a good improvement since dynamically adapts the user experience based on previous research, page views, additions wish list, written comments and, ultimately, buy.

Related Items Displayed

An example of custom content that you see on the home page by modifying the primary content based on how users (registered or not) interacting with the search function products:

Amazon content tailored to users

Articles recommendations based on past

The same type of personalized content appears on subsequent visits until the browser cookies are intact:

Amazon recommended content

Since Amazon does a good e-commerce site will track performance on the client side (server side) to ensure that the subsequent visits of each user are increasingly tailored to their tastes and habits.

This increases the likelihood that the user makes a purchase and, in some cases accelerate the buying process.

More importantly, the user is exposed to a wide range of products and services that relate to their areas of interest.

Several “Why shop with us,” recalls

Our experience with Amazon is littered with reminders of why the user must buy a product from Amazon and not another source (online or not).

Some examples are presented and discussed below.

Compared with suggested retail prices

Amazon price comparison

Each product listed above is not only reduced the price offered by Amazon, but also MRSP (suggested retail price or “list price”).

This simple function, it is immediately apparent to the user because of the strike through text, is seen in almost all products from Amazon.

He says that the user (but not in so many words), “That’s why you should buy this from us. “This is a simple but strong sales incentive which has undoubtedly boosted the incomes of the Amazon.

Users advised to “free shipping” Early On

Early Amazon delivery notification

Another good example of the store, “Why” reminder is displayed in the image above. After the user has added items to your basket, a large yellow sign clearly marked at the top of the screen, inviting the user to qualify today for free shipping.

The banner also includes a link to gently all restrictions that may apply.

Logically, the announcement of “free delivery” should be a step in the “shipping options”, but this process occurs after the user has demonstrated a commitment items in your cart.

Therefore, this display yellow flag as the car user is eligible for free shipping increases the probability of follow through buying. Again, the yellow flag in effect states, “This is another good reason to buy from us.”

Life-Like Book Preview

One of the reasons why a buyer can not miss the opportunity of buying online is that you can not assess the quality of a product.

But even a glimpse into a product that is comparable to that which addresses the issue in their hands can help eliminate some if not all, of the doubt.

The “Look Inside” Feature

Books are one of the most frequently purchased on Amazon, so no wonder that the development team has built the Amazon service called “Look Inside”.

The “Look Inside” feature allows buyers to view certain sections of books generally cover, table of contents, first pages, index and coverage.

This can be extremely useful, because buyers are often able to tell at a glance at the table of contents or introduction of a book, if it suits them.

Look Inside Feature

As shown in the screen above and some of the pictures above, the “Look Inside” feature (available for many books) is accessible from any page that has images of book covers and Individual products booklet.

Hovering over the thumbnail on the product page opens a menu of chapters.

The “Search Inside” Feature

The preview menu for the “Look Inside” also has a small box called “Read this book, which allows users to search the entire book, not only the sections available for preview.

When the user selects an option from the “Look Inside” from the menu, a light box, giving users an overview of the product that is almost as good as the book in your hands.

Look Inside Feature

As mentioned, the search “within” is also included in the light box and offers more features. The following image shows an example of what happens when a user searches.

Within the search function

The “Search Inside” function returns the results of all the pages, but warns the user when the page is not available for preview.

The search engine is intuitive enough to include the plural simple words, which is the best practice. Although I think this feature is free of errors, is always a good option to have when researching a book.

E-commerce developers today can not have the budget or technical resources to enable this feature on its site, but may, during the design phase that the products are offered as a possible exposure.

History customizable and recommendations

Previously, we discussed how the recommended articles “appear in some sections of the Amazon site. Some of these sections, and any history of purchases of display can be changed. See table below .

Setting Recommendations

Any product listed on the site of personal purchases Amazon under the “Recommendations for you today” can be edited.

By clicking the “Fix this recommendation” link displays a window that explains why this item was recommended that gives the buyer the opportunity to change.

Generally, we recommend a point on the basis of a previous purchase or tracking buying habits. The buyer can say no more Amazon recommended items based on this factor.

Another customizable features is a history of all the products that the buyer has seen. This option is not always easy to find, but at the top of the page of the user. An example of the history of navigation a user is shown below.

Clear History

Items are listed in order of when they were visited, starting with the most recent. And each element has a “Delete this article, similar to what you would find in any page of your shopping cart.

When you delete an item, the page refreshes and reloads the list. This feature would be more effective if done with AJAX, but still a useful adjunct.

On the right side on the same page, the user sees a list of search terms and categories that have seen recently:

Searches and categories on the History sidebar

By clicking the “x” next to each item, the user can delete any item from your search history category. It is a typical client-side, if the result is instantaneous: the user does not have to wait until the entire page to reload when an object is deleted.

These customizable (changed) make it possible shopping experience is not mandatory for the user. If the recommendations are not met, the user can change that will improve your future visits.

E-commerce developers follow suit in May, enabling any user of the dynamic content tailored to be as customizable as possible. This ensures that users do not feel as if the contents were forced through advertising or promotional incentives.

Well placed navigation elements

Fundamental to the success of any online store is the ease with which users can navigate through the sections. Store pages basic user categories, basket, basket web and as everyone should be easily accessible to almost anywhere in the shopping experience.

Amazon did a good job of it, as shown by the numbered sections on the image below.

Navigation Elements

Hovering over the “All departments of the store” button (# 1) activates a menu that displays all categories of the main store, offering customers easy access to other products. The navigation point is exactly where the user expects to be: in the upper left corner, below the logo.

Next to the logo (# 2) are slightly less important links, such as sitting, personal recommendations and personal Amazon page for the user. This section is not very prominent, but is also where it belongs: on top, above or at eye level with the logo.

The following agenda (# 3) is the section containing the purchase “and” Wish list “. Shopping cart feature is almost always located in the upper right corner of the design of an e-commerce site.

And each time a user visits a product page, they are invited to add the item to your shopping cart or wish list (# 4). Users will naturally find this feature exactly where Amazon did: right product and the product description.

Finally, Amazon invites users to watch “Truck of new versions of the same product from Amazon Marketplace (# 5). The sale of products on the market clearly does not increase the revenue from Amazon in the short term but is likely to bear fruit in the long run because the mere knowledge that this option is available for many buyers choose Amazon, which is their main destination, even for products used.

Amazon does because he knows enough to put the interest of the patient and recognizes the long-term benefits.

You’ll also notice that the elements that stand out most among the five we have highlighted are those with bright colors, gradients and subtle 3-D effects

This is certainly no coincidence that Amazon wants to alert the user really.

The placement of navigation elements is essential to any successful website. Amazon offers a good example in this sense, what users expect and ensure that the most important components are accessible at any time, or as needed.

If the buyer still feels comfortable

This is important for any e-commerce website and Amazon does well.

To increase the likelihood that a user makes a purchase, you must make sure they feel comfortable with each step of the shopping experience. Amazon handles this fine giving the customer total control at all times.

Easy to filter and compare Reviews

Amazon reviews easy to compare

In the screen above compares two opposing evaluations and feedback from customers (which appears on both sides of the Contra Figure). The user can also profile client assessment by the filter. Why do they feel comfortable? Because the user is about to spend their hard earned money in this product feel more comfortable and easily accessible to both positive and negative comments.

Get a glimpse into a product through customer feedback, both good and bad, gives the buyer peace of mind and help them make an informed decision.

Users are encouraged to buy a product, but rather considers the decision to buy a product or not is entirely under their control.

Extra Shopping Options

Amazon Buying Options

As indicated, some options are listed on the page of shopping cart that makes the wearer comfortable. First, if a user changes his mind on a particular purchase, are able to remove it from your car.

However, the deletion is rather a final act, so they can save for later, too. You can call it a “provision” removes the item from the basket, but the guard in the shopping page, the user purchase a list of saved items, where the user can easily add to your car any time.

Edit or delete items in the submission page

User Control continues in the later stages of the purchase. See table below.

The user sees the choice of delivery option, which probably means that you have committed, or almost committed to buying the product.

Amazon shipping options

When choosing a shipping method, the user can, with a button instead of leading to “change quantities or delete. Seeing shipping methods, you may well need these options, having If the button is now useful and reassuring.

Recalls Continue does not mean “Final Decision”

Amazon shopping cart before final

After the user has added an item to your basket and select a shipping method to review the summary of your order and click “continue” with their purchase. This button has no confirmation of their order, but a final page where you actually purchase.

To ensure that the user knows he is not the “final” step, a useful reminder that lies directly below the “Continue” button to inform the final decision will be confirmed after a final summary.

E-commerce developers could learn from the example of the user experience with Amazon empathy by understanding the different concerns and fears that the user can have at each stage of the shopping experience.

Developers should add improvements to the shopping experience that makes the wearer comfortable and in control.

Conclusion

We can not possibly cover all the benefits of the Amazon shopping experience in this article.

However, the few features we have discussed should be strong enough to help you understand how architects have shaped the Amazon online experience.

Lessons learned from the experience of shopping Amazon

* The goal of e-commerce site should be to find and buy products online.
* Whenever possible, the content must be unique for each user.
* Create sales incentives, providing “Why buy from us,” recalls.
* Provide products that exposure.
* Do not make the user feel that certain products / services are forced on them.
* Make the important parts easily accessible as soon as possible.
* Make the buyer feel comfortable and in control at all times.

Our experience of the Amazon is not perfect. It has its faults, that is the subject of another article. But much more good than harm.

And, of course, technical and budgetary constraints will keep some of the improvements mentioned here out of reach for some developers of e-commerce. But following the principles underlying these best practices, you will be able to apply usability enhancements that are different in your project budget and specifications.

Applying these principles will ensure that your online store offers a rewarding experience for buyers and a good basis for the seller.