Online Retailers Websites Leave Much to be Desired

[mandy]

From Channel Advisor's blog. Some common ecommerce website problems found in 2 recent UK surveys:

    * Not providing separate links to both the basket and the checkout

    No matter where they are on a website, shoppers should be able to instantly view their basket and proceed to checkout. If visitors can’t find these links then they can’t buy any products.

    * Not providing orientation cues

    These are essential for shoppers to know where they are in a website. If they become lost or confused, starting again on another website is only a click away.

    * No highly visible ‘add to basket’ button

    This buttons is an essential item on the product display page and it must be clearly labelled. If visitors can’t add goods to their basket, they can’t buy them!

    * No highly visible ‘proceed to checkout’ button

    This is the most important item when users are reviewing their shopping basket, so should be placed at both the top and bottom of the screen.

    * Users are not shown where they are and where they’re going in the checkout process

    Users must be told where they are and how much further they need to go before they complete their purchase. If they get bored or irritated with a lengthy process they may simply abandon the website.

full article: http://blog.channeladvisor.com/?p=128

[BellisimaJ.]

    These are essential for shoppers to know where they are in a website. If they become lost or confused, starting again on another website is only a click away.

This happens (to me, anyway) far more frequently than you would think at this point in time. It is due to poor web design and is a huge turn-off to buyers.

Pet peeve is a "dead-end" page--------no links going anywhere. It's as though you are trapped, your only options to hit the back button or proceed to a different site.

I always choose the different site out of pure annoyance. :blinkie: