By Zoe Warne*

I love online retail; it’s both my line of business and as a busy professional, my preferred means of shopping. It’s safe to say it’s a personal passion, and I’ve visited more than my fair share of online retail stores in Australia and internationally.

While the overall aesthetic quality of most big brand online retail sites in Australia is generally excellent, I can’t help but feel that some of our big online retail sites are big on style, but sometimes lacking in the substance department. And when style considerations (otherwise known as bells and whistles) get in the way of clinching the online sale, something is seriously wrong.

With the rise of e-commerce and the rush to create online shopfronts that are more compelling and visually appealing than the next, there is increasing pressure to use creative elements to ‘wow’ and attract online customers.

The inclusion of animation using creative tools (e.g. Flash) are becoming more prevalent in the development of online stores. These creative elements can be highly effective in attracting the attention of online visitors and can create a memorable and interactive brand experience. But they are not without their limitations and can present barriers to sales conversion when used in excess, or without consideration as to how they might effect the usability of the site.

Quite simply, when design and aesthetics become the overriding objective in an online retail and e-commerce development, the project and its ROI (which should be a primary focus for a sales channel such as an online store) are ultimately doomed. If an online visitor spends too long trying to navigate your site and encounters too many barriers, they will ultimately leave your site to buy elsewhere and most likely never return.

A great online store requires a multidisciplinary team of professionals that spans technical development, interactive design and usability. Each specialist makes a valuable contribution to the creation of engaging, usable and, most importantly, profitable online stores.

Ongoing collaboration is key. An integrated approach that gets all parties involved in the web development process in the early phases sets you up for success. Rather than having marketers, designers, developers and creatives working in isolated silos there should be communication and ongoing dialogue between these groups throughout the project.

Why usability matters

Web usability should be seen as a crucial step in the development of any online store. The term refers to the elegance and clarity with which the interaction with a website is designed and able to be executed by the user.

Usability will help a visitor easily navigate your website and complete tasks with ease and little stress. Can I easily access information on your shipping costs and policy? Is it easy for me to make the purchase? Those with usability as a key focus in their methodology will adhere to these principles and produce a more effective e-commerce presence.

Remember, usability and compelling creative are not mutually exclusive; they can (and do) co-exist to create online stores that are as easy on the eye, as they are to make the sale.

‘Sale-clinching’ conversion tips

- The easier your site is to use and navigate the higher your conversion rate will be (and the likelihood of repeat sales)

- Do not launch your online store without reasonable testing. If your budget won’t allow for a full scale usability study, use a test or prototype site and ensure you and other staff personally step through the online buying process to identify and remedy potential problems.

- Remove any barriers to converting a sale, such as additional clicks or marketing information gathering questions (‘Where did you hear about us?’ and other questions get in the way of entering payment details).

- Easily accessible customer support - so users can access human assistance to help complete the sale online. Do not use answering services and ensure support staff are trained to specifically manage and support online and website usage enquiries.

- Ask customers for feedback post-purchase, on how the sales process could have been simplified – and then act on it!

Zoë Warne is co-founder of digital agency August. For more information on August and its work, visit www.august.com.au or contact at zoe.warne@august.com.au