Trends in search, navigation & website testing Mike Baxter www.saleslogiq.com

Online Retail User Experience Benchmarks Home page screen real estate Navigation journey mapping Faceted navigation Search performance benchmarking Search results page design Category page content Product-specific landing pages Sort filter and compare functionality Promotions management Basket design Checkout content and workflow

Sales Logiq Consultancy Retail strategy development Customer research Rich interface design Content management Product catalogue cleaning Metadata development Search technology deployment Rules-based promotions management Web analytics

So much choice … … and so little time!

… and so little time!

Singularities The Big Bang The Printing Press (Bi Sheng, Gutenberg) Creation of technology with greater than human intelligence (Vernor Vinge, Ray Kurzweil) Big Bang Image from wikipedia.org

Singularities The Big Bang The Printing Press (Bi Sheng, Gutenberg) Creation of technology with greater than human intelligence Singularities Events that fundamentally change the course of history

No going back! E-commerce innovations to ignore at your peril Mike Baxter www.saleslogiq.com

#1 Faceted navigation What is it? How does it work? Why’s it so important?

What is it?

How does it work?

Why’s it so important?

Faceted navigation – what is it?

Faceted navigation – what is it? Facets = features or benefits of the product range

Faceted navigation – who’s using it?

How does it work? Faceted-navigation engine Algorithms for finding sorting, filtering and presenting facets Faceted metadata Attributes of products (features or benefits) Standardised, normalised

Faceted-navigation engine

Algorithms for

finding

sorting,

filtering and

presenting facets

Faceted metadata

Attributes of products (features or benefits)

Standardised, normalised

Bad metadata

Bad metadata Barnes & Noble Children’s> Skating

Barnes & Noble Children’s> Skating

Bad metadata Barnes & Noble Children’s> Skating

Barnes & Noble Children’s> Skating

Bad metadata Curry’s Fridge depth Tesco’s Washing machine colour

Feature validity

Feature validity

Feature validity

Feature validity

Navigation pathways

Why is it so important? Intuitive argument Consumer psychology argument

Intuitive argument

Consumer psychology argument

Why is it so important? Intuitive argument #1 Traditional catalogue navigation guides customers in ways the retailer chooses One / few paths to each product Faceted navigation lets the customer choose their navigation path Dozens / hundreds of paths to the product

Intuitive argument #1

Traditional catalogue navigation guides customers in ways the retailer chooses

One / few paths to each product

Faceted navigation lets the customer choose their navigation path

Dozens / hundreds of paths to the product

Why is it so important? Intuitive argument #2 Faceted navigation shows customers the options available Faceted navigation lets customers trade-off alternative options

Intuitive argument #2

Faceted navigation shows customers the options available

Faceted navigation lets customers trade-off alternative options

Why is it so important? Consumer psychology argument

Consumer psychology argument

Facetted navigation and the purchase model

Faceted navigation & the purchase model Facilitates construction of purchase preferences management of purchase consideration sets

Catalogue Vs Faceted Navigation Catalogue Faceted Purchase decision path Dictated by vendor Chosen by customer Options and considerations Hidden Exposed Preference construction Missing Facilitated Consideration set management Hindered Inherent

Catalogue Vs Faceted Navigation Catalogue Faceted Purchase decision path Dictated by vendor Chosen by customer Options and considerations Hidden Exposed Preference construction Missing Facilitated Consideration set management Hindered Inherent Customer experience Constrained Intuitive

#2 Online Split Testing

#2 Online Split Testing Web visitors shown different versions of page From www.offermatica.com

What can you Split Test? Content – copy, images, promotions Layout – images/text, navigation, calls to action, form design Format – background, colours, font, lists Marketing – pricing, customisation

Content – copy, images, promotions

Layout – images/text, navigation, calls to action, form design

Format – background, colours, font, lists

Marketing – pricing, customisation

4 levels of split-testing A/B split testing Multivariate split-testing Dynamic split-testing Autonomous improvement

A/B split testing

Multivariate split-testing

Dynamic split-testing

Autonomous improvement

A / B Split Testing Web visitors shown different versions of page From www.offermatica.com

Multi-variate split-testing Large Small 10% offer 15% offer

Dynamic split-testing Different alternatives given to different customer segments E.g. new or returning customers

Different alternatives given to different customer segments

E.g. new or returning customers

Autonomous improvement Set ‘success’ thresholds for split tests and migrate split ratio to maximise returns E.g. offer a 50:50 split until one is showing a statistically significant benefit of at least 15% then change to 90:10 split

Set ‘success’ thresholds for split tests and migrate split ratio to maximise returns

E.g. offer a 50:50 split until one is showing a statistically significant benefit of at least 15% then change to 90:10 split

Why is it so important? Continuous improvement The ultimate usability testing

Continuous improvement

The ultimate usability testing

No going back! E-commerce innovations to ignore at your peril Thanks! Mike Baxter [email_address] 07740 664696 Coming soon: Online Retail 2007: Special Report – Checkout From www.e-consultancy.com Contact [email_address]

Thanks!

Mike Baxter

[email_address]

07740 664696

Coming soon:

Online Retail 2007: Special Report – Checkout

From www.e-consultancy.com

Contact [email_address]