How to Improve the User Experience (UX) of Your Indian E-Commerce Site
25th Oct 2024
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."— Steve Jobs
User experience in the Indian e-commerce space is a very important differentiator and helps you stay ahead of the competition. By focusing on key elements like site speed, navigation, search functionality, and easy checkouts, you can create an enjoyable experience that meets the expectations of Indian shoppers.
The projected size of the Indian e-commerce market in 2030 holds potential growth up to USD 300 billion and thus stands to be one of the largest consumer markets with high levels of factors such as increasing disposable incomes and wider access to the internet.
Here’s how an e-commerce design company can help you revamp your website.
A Gist of Indian E-Commerce Landscape
E-commerce in India is vibrant and diverse, and active shoppers have embraced every facet of online shopping. As an e-commerce design company, we know how important it is for your website to align with the unique preferences of Indian buyers. Now, let's take a look at some best practices that can significantly enhance the UX of your e-commerce site.
1. Lightning-Fast Site Speed
Did you know that a delay of just 1 second in page load time can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions, making site speed a critical factor for user retention and satisfaction. (UX Best Practices for Ecommerce Success)
In a country where the internet can be pretty erratic, the speed optimization of the website is an important parameter. A slow loading page tests the patience of any user, leading to abandoned carts. Shoot for a page load time under 3 seconds. Following are a few ways to do this:
- Image and Video Optimization : Compress files without losing quality to improve load times.
- Minify Code : Clean up your code by removing unnecessary characters and whitespace.
- Browser Caching: It allows the storage of general resources in a user's device to reduce loading time for the second time onwards.
A good e-commerce design company will make sure that your site loads quickly and efficiently for seamless browsing.
2. Easy to Navigate: Seamless Browsing
Clear navigation is like a roadmap through which the customer will go to a website. Here is how one can make improvements on it:
- Concise Menu : This includes simple menus with very few sub-levels, so that it won't overwhelm users.
- Breadcrumbs : It allows users to understand their position on the site and go backward painlessly.
- Search Box : A highly accessible search box makes sure that the user will find his desired products quickly.
It also aids in building a navigation structure with the help of which an e-commerce design company can enhance user experiences. Smarter navigation decreases the bounce rate while increasing engagement, hence converting more users.
3. Advanced Search Capabilities: Easy Product Discovery
Strong search functionality plays a major role in guiding users to desired products without wasting time. The following features should be considered:
Auto-complete and Suggestions : Immediately offer suggestions to what is being typed in by users for fast forwarding the search process.
Filtering and Sorting : Allow filtering of search results based on user preference on brand, price, color, etc.
Faceted Search : A way of constraining the searches will be given to the users based on multiple attributes.
An e-commerce design company can help you get your search functionality up to the mark to meet the expectations of shoppers in India. As per Baymard Institute's research, 70% of users do site search, and they have a conversion rate almost twice that of those not using it.
4. Frictionless Transaction: Ease of Checkout Process
Approximately 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned, often due to complicated checkout processes. Simplifying this process can significantly improve conversion rates.
Easy checkout is paramount to reducing cart abandonment. Here are some best practices.
- Guest Checkout : Guest checkout option would reduce friction and let the users make quicker purchases.
- More Payment Options : Provide multiple payment options- at least the most popular ones in India, such as UPI, Paytm, and Google Pay.
- Order Summary: Display a clear order summary before the user can complete the purchase to build trust and reduce misunderstanding.
- Indication of Step Progression: Indicators should be available to keep the user informed about the particular step in the process of checkout.
An ecommerce design company will help create a seamless checkout experience right through till purchase.You must simplify and optimize your checkout so those users do not get lost, hence you end up with more conversions.
5. Mobile-first Approach: Serving the Indian Market
Mobile commerce is expected to account for 73% of the global e-commerce market share by 2024, emphasizing the need for mobile-optimized user experiences.
In the era where smartphones are an indispensable part of users’ lives, it has become relevant that a website be designed with mobile considerations. Here's how to optimize for mobile:
- Responsive Design : Make sure it automatically changes sizes to fit any screen
- Touch-Friendly Interactions : Make sure your clickable elements are large enough to tap with the thumb.
- Mobile-specific features: Consider features such as click-to-call buttons and location-based services.
This is where a professional e-commerce design company can help you design a mobile experience that wows your users. With a mobile-first approach, the majority of your users will get the best experience out of your site.
6. UX Research and Testing: Know Your Audience
30% of users will abandon a site if they cannot find what they are looking for within a few clicks, underscoring the need for effective search functionality and navigation.
UX research and testing are a must for understanding the needs and preferences of your audience. The following are some effective ways to do so:
- User Surveys and Interviews : Feedback from users regarding pain points and expectations.
- Usability Testing : Observe users using your site to find what needs improvement.
- A/B Testing : Run variants of design elements to find which works best in user engagement and conversion.
This is the point where an e-commerce design company can utilize these research strategies to great effect. You will know directly from targeted users what you should do in the site design and features to make the user experience more effective and engaging.
Ready to Amplify Your E-Commerce UX?
The secret to success in India's highly competitive e-commerce lies in enhancing the UX (user experience). Ensure that your website speed is great, the navigations are intuitive, the search functionalities are good, and the flow at checkout is smooth. Do this, and you will have an e-store that your customers will just love.
Moreover, collaboration with e-commerce design companies will attract the necessary expertise to implement these best practices. Great UX is about the center of your design process setting the user at the core. If you understand their needs, preferences, and behaviours, you will have no problem building an engaging and efficient online shopping experience.
Are you ready to change the game of UX on your e-commerce website? Contact us for a more in-depth information.