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:: eTools :: usability

Did You Know?...

Utilize striking and intelligent imagery - Put your products and services in front of your customers right away. Utilize the space on your homepage for evolving information, and improve customer satisfaction and sales by directly linking products and keywords to their relevant locations within your online store and web pages. A picture really does tell a thousand words - crisp, well composed, high-quality images tell customers the level of sophistication of your business.

Get to the point quickly - Don't make your customers wait or guess. If you have a "splash" page, get rid of it ("Skip intro" will not get your customers to purchase). Include the beauty of your introduction with the full usability of navigation. Avoid undescriptive link language such as "click here." These do nothing to describe what the user will get and decrease your site's usability and search engine standings. Be specific in your product imagery - if you're selling part of a product, use that part's image, so customers know exactly what they are buying, and try to offer a "view larger image" link that provides a larger, more detailed photo or illustration.

Don't block content with ads or promotional offerings - This is even more true for error messages and other crisis points. Ad revenues may be important, but sites will lose money if promotions come at the expense of driving customers away for good. Follow the hierarchy of visual focus.

Make it easy for customers to avoid and fix form errors - If your customer leaves out a ZIP code or makes some other mistake, redisplay the same form with the errors clearly highlighted. If there's a problem spot (e.g. the phone number has too many digits), clearly identify it so it's easy for the customer to find. Red text, an error icon, and explanatory text should all be used. If it's too hard for the customer to get through the form process, he'll give up and shop elsewhere.

Dig an escape route - Give customers a clear way to continue using your site. Can they fix the error right from this page? Will the back button let them correct their error? Are links offered so they can backtrack? If a page isn't found do you offer a search box to help customers find what they are looking for? Concisely and directly instruct customers on how to get back on track.

Make sure the browser's "Back" button works - Many sites employ code that breaks the back button. This disarming tactic traps visitors and practically begs them to close the browser window in frustration.

Create customized "Page Not Found" error pages - Explain that the requested URL could not be found and offer tips to help customers find the right page. Display a search box to help customers get where they're going.

Offer fewer, accurate search results - Customers won't search through thousands of results so only offer the most relevant ones, or offer tips on how customers can narrow their search. Also, make sure not to return an avalanche of irrelevant results (e.g. a search for "food processor" shouldn't return a list of garden supplies).

Provide contact information - Provide links to either email, telephone or other support options. It's important to make this information easy to find. When a potential customer is attempting to get help he shouldn't be hunting around your site for contact information.

Solicit feedback - Give customers a way to get in touch and report errors or other problems. Allowing an alternate path of resolution such as email support can both help retain a visitor who would otherwise abandon the site and provide you with valuable information on how to improve your site.

Answer emails right away - Your customers took the time to write. Let them know you received their email and make sure you get an answer back to them ASAP (preferably within 24 hours). The speed at which you respond will affect their decision to do business with you in the future.

  1. "The Hovering Salesclerk Is Replaced by a Computer." Washington Post, 16 June 2002.
  2. Nielsen, Jakob and Marie Tahir. "Homepage Usability: 50 Websites Deconstructed." New Riders Publishing, 2002.
  3. "Winning the Online Consumer: The Challenge of Raised Expectations," Boston Consulting Group, June 2001.