Why UX Testing Is Important before Launching an E-commerce Website

Any business in the process of launching an e-commerce website understands that the only way that site
will be a success is to understand and answer a customer need, which in turn generates sales. That’s the
purpose of an e-commerce site, and consumers are the ones you should be catering to. Therefore, it only
stands to reason that the user experience, UX, is of vital importance.

Having said that, the team at Weaveability go one step further in saying that it is vital to work in agile
teams who enter into constant feedback loops including UX Researchers, Business Analysts, UX
Designers, UI Designers and UX Developers to build and test successful prototypes before launch so that
you can be sure the UX will be a positive experience. Will that website convert or will it just be another
pretty face in the crowd?

Cross Platform Browser Compatibility

While at this point in time it should be possible to build a website that is compatible across a variety of
browsers, it isn’t always the case. Sometimes all it needs is a few minor tweaks in the code but other
times there are elements of your web design that just don’t work well with all browsers. Cross-browser
testing is extremely important because there is nothing more frustrating to a user than being unable to
view and navigate a site. Remember, UX is paramount.

To Ensure the Operability of Your E-commerce Platform

Since you are operating an e-commerce site, the platform is of vital importance. Can visitors easily find
the merchandise or information they need and is your shopping cart user-friendly? If your visitors can’t
navigate your site well and add things to their shopping basket easily, then it’s back to the drawing
board. One of the major problems here is the compatibility of applications you might be using. If, for
example, you are an organisation running SAP, you could use an all-in-one SAP e-commerce solution like
those offered by Weaveability? In this way, you know that you have an e-commerce solution that is
user-friendly. Only pre-launch tests will show where your current solution is lacking before you
disappoint visitors.

Cross Test between Registered User Checkout and Guest Checkout

One other area that you may want to look at is your process for letting consumers check out. Some sites
make it easier for registered users to check out, which is only natural because all the information is saved
in a database. However, some marketing experts believe that by giving registered users a chance to use a
‘guest checkout’ you will be increasing your chances to make a sale. Some people don’t like to register
because they are wary of their private info being stored in a database (vulnerability to hacks) and
sometimes they simply want a one-off transaction. If they are pleased they’ll come back anyway, so why
not offer them that option?

It is always important to do UX testing before your official launch because you are in business to make
sales and a great user experience will earn you positive reviews and repeat business. With the right
platform, you can test and launch effortlessly because all components are designed to work together
towards a common end – user experience. If you think of your staff as in-house users, their ease-of-use
matters as well. Test and launch is the magic formula to follow if you want a successful site that converts.