Usability Testing Guide for eCommerce Websites

There are many reasons why users might abandon your eCommerce site. Maybe the checkout is too long, or the page takes forever to load.

This is why usability testing is vital. It helps identify these pain points.

For example, a usability test might reveal that users struggle to find products or don't see enough reviews to feel confident buying. Without identifying these issues, you can't fix them.

That means lost sales and frustrated customers.

In this guide, we'll explore how usability testing works and why it's essential for optimizing your eCommerce store.

What is usability?

Usability refers to how easy and pleasant it is for users to interact with your online store. It's all about creating a seamless shopping experience that guides customers from browsing to buying.

Often linked with UX (User Experience), usability focuses on how efficient and effective a website is. UX is a more general term that encompasses usability and refers to every aspect of a user's interaction with the website.

These terms are important because they determine how visitors interact with your website and how they perceive your brand. This can have a huge impact on your bottom line.

How exactly does usability affect your sales figures? According to a report by the Nielsen Norman Group, a sampling of 42 websites redesigned for usability showed a net gain across multiple metrics. Most notable among these? Conversion rates:

The average improvement in conversion rates was 100 percent. The selected websites effectively doubled their conversions by adhering to basic usability guidelines.

Usability is a factor in every level of your sales funnel.

For example, improving usability can also decrease bounce rates. There is a direct correlation between an awesome UX and a lower bounce rate. An unusable site that can't be quickly or easily navigated will often alienate users before they are ready to click anything.

As a result, they usually end up clicking the "back" button.

So, you need to optimize your site's usability. But how can you be sure it offers the kind of UX your visitors need?

What is usability testing?

Usability testing is the process of surveying a relevant sampling of your target market to discover where your eCommerce site is lacking and how it might be improved.

What are the benefits of usability testing?

By understanding how real users interact with your site, you can make informed decisions to enhance the overall user experience. Here are some key benefits of usability testing:

• Find out whether participants can properly use your site's key functions.
• Discover the length of time required for each function.
• Learn the degree of satisfaction users have with your eCommerce site.
• Understand what changes need to be made to improve usability.

Simply put, usability testing is essential for creating an effective website. Need proof?

SEOmoz interviewed free-trial users before and after a usability testing session. Once they had the testing data, they made changes according to their suggestions. This resulted in a $1 million per year increase in revenue:

Still not convinced? Try this factoid on for size: a usability test issued by Expedia.com resulted in an increase in profits to the tune of $12 million!

The real kicker? All it took to boost profits was deleting a single field in an opt-in form.

Can you spot the difference? It's not much, but that teensy field in the middle of Variant A was losing Expedia a whole slew of conversions. But why was that exactly?

The company name field was ambiguous, confusing, and unnecessary. Users would mistakenly enter the addresses of their banking institutions, causing the transaction to fail. 

Subsequently, the users would grow tired of the hassle and abandon the opt-in page entirely.

The cringe-inducing truth is that the field was optional in the first place, and this made it damn near irrelevant. It's not too much of a stretch to say that its sole purpose was to derail conversions.

What are the goals of usability testing in eCommerce?

Usability testing goes beyond just having a nice-looking website. It's about ensuring your customers can navigate it smoothly and efficiently. Here’s what you should focus on:

Identifying common user problems

Usability testing helps you find out what issues your users are facing. Here’s what to check:

• Can visitors find the information they need?
• Can visitors easily find your products?
• Can visitors make an informed purchase decision?
• Is the user interface smooth, and the process fast and easy?
• Which errors occur for the users?

Understanding user behavior and expectations

Usability testing is super handy for getting a grip on how people use your site and what they expect.

Track navigation patterns

Check out how users move through your site. Where do they go first? Which paths do they take to find products?

Identify pain points

Look for spots where users struggle, like confusing menus or hard-to-find links. These pain points show you where your site needs improvement.

Gauge user reactions

Pay attention to what users say about their experience. Are they frustrated or confused at any point?

Measure task completion

See if users can complete key tasks, like finding a product or making a purchase. If they’re having trouble, it’s a sign something needs to be fixed.

Testing specific functionalities

Usability testing helps you make sure key functions work smoothly for users.

Search functionality

Make sure your search function is easy to use. Are the search results relevant? Does the search bar handle common typos?

Navigation

Test your menus and links to see if they are clear and logically organized. Ensure all links work and lead to the right pages.

This is super important. A recent study found that 37% of people have left a web page due to poor navigation:

Checkout process

The checkout process should be simple and straightforward. Users should be able to add items to their cart and complete their purchases without any confusion.

Additional features

Don’t forget to test other features like product filters, customer reviews, and account creation. These elements also impact user experience.

What are the types of usability tests for eCommerce websites?

Usability testing isn't one-size-fits-all. Different tests suit different needs and stages of your site's development. Let’s break them down:

Moderated vs. unmoderated testing

Moderated testing

Moderated testing involves a facilitator who guides participants through the testing process. The facilitator can ask questions, provide instructions, and help with any issues that arise during the test.

When to use moderated testing

Moderated testing is particularly useful during the early stages of design when you need to explore user needs and preferences. The facilitator can probe deeper into participants' thoughts and reactions.

Unmoderated testing

Unmoderated testing lets participants complete tasks on their own without a facilitator present.

When to use unmoderated testing

Unmoderated testing is suitable for seeing how users naturally interact with your site. It’s ideal for validating design changes and understanding general user behavior. These tests can also be set up and analyzed faster than moderated sessions.

Remote vs. in-person testing

You can also choose to use remote or in-person testing. According to a recent survey, the vast majority of companies use a mix of in-person and remote testing:

Remote testing

Remote testing lets participants complete tasks from anywhere. It’s flexible and shows how users interact with your site in real-world settings.

Advantages

• Convenient: Participants can join when and where it suits them, leading to higher participation.
• Diverse users: Reach a wide range of users from different locations.
• Cost-effective: Cuts down on travel, facility, and equipment costs.

Challenges

• Less control: You can't control the testing environment, which might affect results.
• Limited observation: Harder to catch non-verbal cues and immediate reactions.

In-person testing

In-person testing involves bringing participants to a specific location. You observe as they complete tasks.

Advantages

• Direct observation: See participants’ behavior and reactions up close.
• Immediate interaction: Ask follow-up questions and clarify on the spot.
• Controlled environment: Ensure consistency and reduce external variables.

Challenges

• Logistics: Arranging in-person sessions can be time-consuming and costly.
• Limited reach: Only access participants who are nearby.
• Resource intensive: Requires more facilitators, equipment, and space.

Explorative, assessment, and comparative tests

There are also different testing formats. Let’s break down the different types of tests and why you might use each one:

Explorative tests

Explorative tests are all about discovery. They help you understand what your users need, prefer, and find frustrating. You might ask users open-ended questions or have users perform tasks that show their natural behaviors. This feedback can guide your design decisions.

When to use explorative tests

• Early stages: Conduct these tests during the planning or conceptual phase.
• Idea generation: Perfect for brainstorming features or design elements.
• Understanding user needs: Gather insights into what users want and expect from your site.

Assessment tests

Assessment tests evaluate the usability of your current site. They focus on finding specific problems and areas that need improvement. Users might complete specific tasks, like finding a product or going through the checkout process.

When to use assessment tests

• Pre-launch: Conduct these tests before launching a new site or feature to catch any major issues.
• Improving current site: Identify and fix usability problems on your existing site.
• Iterative improvements: Use these tests for ongoing enhancements based on user feedback.

Comparative tests

Comparative tests are about figuring out which version of your site or feature performs better. This could involve comparing different design layouts, navigation structures, or even your site against competitors.

When to use comparative tests

• Decision-making: When you’re choosing between multiple design options or features.
• Benchmarking: To see how your site stacks up against competitors.
• A/B testing: For fine-tuning specific elements of your site based on user preferences.

How to conduct your own usability evaluations

Now that we've explained the importance of an eCommerce site's usability, it's time to figure out how to conduct your own tests.

There are three steps to administering usability tests:

1. Recruiting
2. Conducting
3. Evaluating

First, you must choose participants for your study. Next, you conduct the actual study. Then, finally, you evaluate your results and implement changes according to your findings.

Recruiting

Start by referring to your target market research. Who are the people you're trying to convert? These are the same folks you'll want to include in your study.

Draw from return customers and offer a small reward in return for participation - exclusive discounts or something similar. Other sources of participants could include friends or family (as long as they fit the profile of your target market.

Once you've recruited your participants, ask them questions about their UX with your eCommerce site. These are preliminary questions about the specific functions you want to test and their expectations for interacting with your site.

Conducting

Determine whether you want the testing to be remote or in-person. Remote testing is much easier to manage and requires less effort, but the choice is yours.

Make your participants perform tasks corresponding to the functions you want to test. For example, go through the process of adding to the shopping cart and proceeding to the checkout menu. You could also test product selections, general site navigation, product browsing, or whatever else you think might need work.

Evaluating

After the test, it's time to rigorously examine the data you've accrued. You do this by measuring the time it takes to perform each task and by asking the testing participants direct questions such as:

• Was function X intuitive?
• Was it difficult/easy?
• What about it was difficult/easy?
• What did you like/dislike about function X?

Asking as many detailed and straightforward questions as possible will give you great insight into how your target market interacts with your eCommerce site and where you'll need to implement changes.

What are the website elements you can examine for usability testing?

While each eCommerce site's usability needs are unique, some key features should be universally applied.

Navigation

Make your site easily navigable. Interlink with relevant content in a silo structure. Not only will this link all of your content, making your site easy to navigate, but it will also improve your eCommerce site's SEO.

Clear content

Clarity of content is an important facet of usability. If your site is cluttered, confusing, or hard to read, it will be far less usable.

Brand recognition

An eCommerce site should always have consistent branding to avoid confusing users with vastly different color schemes or layouts.

Clear CTAs

Calls to Action (CTAs) direct user attention as well as the flow of your site's traffic. You want to have a clear course of directed action at the end of every web page to move your customer further along your sales funnel.

Simple and easy shopping cart

Shopping carts are often major sources of site abandonment. When your visitors are at this point, you've almost closed the sale, so you need to make sure the checkout process is as painless as possible. Ask the user to do the absolute minimum to complete the sale.

The following graph illustrates the top 100 highest-grossing eCommerce sites and the number of steps their checkout processes have.

The most common number of steps among the big players is 5. However, the number of steps is second in importance to the simplicity of the actions required in each step.

Headlines

Your headlines need to grab attention and clearly communicate the value of your content or products. Make them compelling and relevant to keep users engaged.

Forms

Keep forms simple and not overwhelming. Only ask for the necessary information to make the process quick and easy for users.

Pricing

Always display pricing information clearly. Being transparent builds trust and helps users make informed purchasing decisions without confusion.

Product descriptions

Provide detailed and accurate product descriptions. Use high-quality images, clear specifications, and user reviews to help users feel confident in their purchases.

Store membership

Requiring a membership to make a purchase doesn't necessarily mean more profits. Many users will find it objectionable. Guest registrations may be a better option.

As the above comparison illustrates, no matter how much your eCommerce site is grossing in profit, guest registrations are far more common and a lot less hassle to your customers.

What metrics should you use to measure usability?

When it comes to usability testing, gathering data is key. Here are the main metrics to focus on:

Task success rate

This measures how many users can complete a specific task on your site, like adding an item to their cart or finishing a purchase. A high success rate means your site is user-friendly, while a low rate means there are issues to fix.

Time on task

This tracks how long it takes users to complete a task. If it takes too long, your site might be hard to navigate, or the process might be too complicated. Tasks should be quick and easy to keep users happy.

User error rate

This measures how often users make mistakes, like clicking the wrong link or getting lost. A high error rate suggests your site is confusing and needs adjustments.

User satisfaction and ease of use

After tasks, ask users how satisfied they are and how easy they found your site. This direct feedback is crucial for understanding their experience and finding areas to improve.

Analyzing and reporting results

So, you’ve conducted your usability tests. Great! Now it’s time to dig into the results and see what’s working and what needs fixing.

How to analyze usability test data

Start by looking for trends in the data. Are multiple users struggling with the same task? Are there specific areas of your site where users often run into issues? Spotting these patterns helps you understand where the biggest problems are.

Next, check the numbers to pinpoint issues. High error rates or long times on task usually mean there’s a problem that needs attention. This numerical data gives you a clear picture of what’s not working.

Finally, read through user comments and feedback. Look for recurring themes or suggestions. Users often point out things that numbers alone can’t show, giving you deeper insights into their experiences.

Presenting findings to stakeholders

Once you’ve analyzed the data, it’s time to share your findings with stakeholders. Here’s how to make your report clear and actionable:

Start with visuals

Use charts, graphs, and heatmaps to illustrate your findings. Visuals make it easier for stakeholders to quickly grasp the issues.

Summarize key points

Begin with a summary of the most important findings. Highlight the major issues and their impact on user experience. Keep it concise and to the point.

Provide detailed insights

Dive into detailed explanations of the issues, supported by data and user quotes. This gives stakeholders a deeper understanding of the problems.

Suggest practical solutions

For each identified issue, recommend practical solutions. Explain how these changes will improve the user experience and why they are necessary.

Outline an action plan

Offer a clear action plan, focusing on the most critical issues first. This helps stakeholders know where to focus their efforts for the biggest impact.

Making informed decisions based on user feedback

Using real data to guide your decisions makes your eCommerce site more user-friendly and effective. Let’s say you find out that users are having trouble with the checkout process, leading to lots of abandoned carts. First, simplify the checkout steps. Cut down the number of fields and make the process straightforward.

Once you’ve made these changes, run some more usability tests. Ask users to try out the new checkout process and see if they hit any snags. This will help you confirm that the improvements are making a difference.

Keep an eye on key metrics like task success rates, error rates, and user satisfaction scores. If you notice more completed purchases and better feedback about the checkout, it’s a sign that your changes are working.

How to integrate regular usability testing into ongoing website maintenance

Building a great eCommerce site is an ongoing process. It's not something you do once and forget about. You need to keep testing and improving to meet user needs and expectations.

Integrating usability testing into your regular website maintenance doesn’t have to be complicated.

Schedule regular tests

Set a routine for testing, whether it’s monthly, quarterly, or at key development stages. Regular testing ensures you consistently gather user feedback.

You don’t need dozens of participants. A recent study found that testing with 5 people reveals just as many usability problems as you’d find with more participants.

Set clear goals

Before each test, know what you’re looking to learn. Are you testing a new feature? Checking for bugs? Clear goals keep your testing focused and effective.

Document everything

Keep track of what you tested, the feedback you received, and the changes you made. This documentation helps you see your progress and plan future tests.

Usability testing tools and resources

You need the right tools and resources to make your usability testing smooth and effective. The following tools can help you gather valuable insights and make smart decisions for your eCommerce site.

UserTesting

UserTesting gives you a clear view of how real users interact with your site. You can source test participants and access the tools you need. The video recordings and real-time feedback are great for identifying pain points and areas for improvement.

Features

• Live remote testing: Conduct live tests with real users, interact with them in real-time, ask questions, and guide them through tasks.
• Video recordings: Get recordings of user sessions, capturing their screen activity, audio feedback, and facial expressions.
• Real-time feedback: Gather immediate feedback from users as they navigate your site, providing insights into their thoughts and reactions.

Hotjar

Hotjar gives you a clear view of user behavior at a glance. Heatmaps and session recordings show how users interact with your site. You can also create surveys to provide direct feedback on their experience. It’s excellent for spotting usability issues and understanding user preferences.

Features

• Heatmaps: Visual representations of where users click, move, and scroll on your site, highlighting the most engaging areas.
• Session recordings: Watch recordings of individual user sessions to see how they navigate your site.
• User surveys: Collect feedback directly from users with on-site surveys and polls.

Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg helps you understand user interactions and optimize your site’s layout and content. The A/B testing feature is especially useful for making informed design changes. It’s great for boosting conversion rates and user engagement. 

Features

• Heatmaps: Similar to Hotjar, Crazy Egg’s heatmaps show where users click and how they scroll through your site.
• Scroll maps: These maps show how far down the page users scroll, helping you understand what content is being seen.
• A/B testing: Test different versions of your pages to see which one performs better.

Tips for selecting the right tools based on your specific needs

Choosing the right usability testing tools can make a huge difference. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect fit: 

Identify your goals

What do you want to achieve with your usability testing? Are you looking to improve navigation, understand user behavior, or test new features? Clear goals will guide you to the right tools.

Consider your budget

Some tools are free with limited features, while others offer comprehensive plans that can be pricey. Figure out your budget and find a tool that gives you the best value.

Ease of use

Go for tools that are user-friendly and easy to set up. You want to spend your time analyzing data and improving your site, not struggling with complicated software.

Features and capabilities

Look for tools that offer the features you need. Want to see how users navigate your site? Heatmaps and session recordings are a must. Need detailed feedback? User surveys and live interviews are the way to go.

Integration with other tools

Check if the usability testing tools integrate well with other tools you use, like analytics platforms and A/B testing tools. Seamless integration can streamline your workflow and provide more comprehensive insights.

Maximize sales with better website usability

That’s a wrap for our deep dive into usability. If you’re hungry for more examples, check out this article for a more comprehensive look at top-notch UX patterns for eCommerce sites.

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If you have any questions about usability testing or any other eCommerce topics, our friendly customer support team is here to help.