The e-commerce user experience (UX) is more important than ever for retailers. Consumers are looking for convenient, personalized shopping experiences, from online to in-store and everything in between.
While there has been significant progress in improving e-commerce UX in recent years, advancements focused on efficiency have had the most impact. As we begin 2023, three UX trends have emerged that will help retailers provide the personalized, convenient and seamless shopping experience customers expect.
Enhanced Search Capabilities
As consumers continue to rely more heavily on search as the first step in the shopping journey, they’re looking for next-generation search experiences. Search quality can be the quickest way to gain or lose a customer.
While natural language search has become the table stakes of online search, many brands and retailers still need to catch up. No matter the site, consumers expect a Google-quality experience when looking for products.
Looking ahead, more advanced search features are being introduced and will continue to do so in 2023 and beyond. Visual search, in particular, is growing in popularity. This technology allows consumers to search for products by uploading a picture or using their camera to scan an item, making it easier for shoppers to find what they’re looking for based on a physical ad or Instagram post they come across.
Leaning further into the visual side of search, brands and retailers have begun to integrate product previews and images within the search bar. For example, top product results will appear before the consumer has completed their query to help them know if they’re on the right track or if suitable options are available. While still new for many brands, this is a feature we’ll see much more of in the future.
Embracing the Trends
With the rise of TikTok, trends have come and gone faster than ever. A pair of pants may only be the “it” item for a week before a new bag goes viral and steals the conversation.
Traditional design processes typically require manual intervention to associate products with trends, creating a “lag” window between when a product becomes trendy and when an e-commerce team can have a trend-related landing page up and ready for consumers to browse. This lag, of course, results in missed sales opportunities.
Powerful product discovery and search tools, however, automatically understand the relationship between products and trends, and can tag and group products for easy curation. From there, UX designers can more speedily develop trend pages that adapt as needed and are not a loss when turned over for the next “it” item.
Content Integration
Social media apps like Instagram and TikTok have driven us to become more visual consumers. As a result, customers are looking for an e-commerce experience that provides context and clarity around the products they’re searching for, including smart product recommendations that complement their original query.
For instance, if a customer is looking for a new desk for their home office, the product page might also include several shoppable images that contain the desk they’re browsing in a staged, designed setting. By providing sample rooms for inspiration, a retailer can help the customer find a complementary desk chair, bookshelf or rug that completes the space without additional heavy lifting and research on the customer’s part.
The next level opportunity here is expanding from 2D inspiration to 3D. Based on the photo, customers can bring a visual sample of the product into their home using augmented reality, allowing them to see how that same desk might fit within the available space before purchasing.
Ultimately, consumers want a smart, personalized shopping experience. By staying on top of ever-changing e-commerce UX design trends, online retailers can provide their customers with an engaging and satisfying shopping experience. In the end, one poor experience is all it takes to lose a customer long term, while a good one can keep them coming back time and time again.
Roland Gossage is the CEO of GroupBy, a product discovery platform powered by Google Cloud Retail AI.
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