Just
before the festive break kicked in some of us took part in Conchango’s Luxury
Retail Ecommerce Survey 2007. We were each allocated a luxury retailer
and asked to critique their web site against defined criteria. We were
given a budget and then let loose on our allocated retailer. I was assigned
Tommy Hilfiger.
Setting the Scene
In
summary their UK
site supports user’s goals such as shopping online (phew!), finding out store
information and checking their account details. The information
architecture was reasonable and I could easily take the first steps towards
most common tasks from home page. Less frequent used functions were
placed below the fold or a few clicks away. So it was easy enough getting
around the site.
There
was no compelling content and the site failed to engage or inspire me.
The pages are clean and simple with minimal distractions, although the pages
were crying out for something to distract me from the lifeless page
designs. Although the site fails to inspire and provide compelling
content they do get most of the basics right so one of those usability
checklists would probably give this site a reasonable rating.
The
search functionality disappointed. A search for 'belt' returned a hoody
with the description 'Long sleeve V-neck tunic. Belt ties around the hips.
Rib-knit cuffs and hem ' in the results listings before an actual belt.
But
the point of this ramble is that despite the noddy search functionality and
absence of engaging content I had no problem finding and viewing their limited
product range. This is where the main problem really began...
The
Challenge
A
challenge facing retailers is how to give their customers enough confidence to
purchase a product online without the customer touching or trying on the
merchandise? For luxury brands (if that is what Tommy Hilfiger is!)
I need that confidence before I shell out £95 on a jumper described only as
‘Long sleeve V-neck cardigan. Front button closure. Rib-knit edges, cuffs and
hem. Slit pockets.’. The product description should to be indulgent,
persuasive and expressive. The site provided the usual alternate product
views, pan, zoom, swatch-swaps etc but this still wasn’t enough to give me the
confidence to make the purchase,
A
customer is more likely to purchase a product if there is a match between
constructed preferences and the consideration list. Confidence to make
the purchase relies on a diverse mix of functionality and content to achieve
this - size guides, contextual imagery, image manipulation tools, user
generated comments and videos, returns policy, 3D models, avatars, live chat,
online assistant, virtual mannequins, dressing rooms etc
Online
shopping for clothing might not replace traditional High Street shopping but
there is plenty more that online retailers should be doing to increase online
conversion rates. To sell those products which customers touch,
feel, smell or taste, online retailers need to enhance how they help the
customer to create a vivid mental image of the products benefits
Trend
for 2008 and a Saucy Example
So
2008 should see online retailers address the issue that customers can’t touch
or try on the clothes by enhancing their content and looking at new and
innovative ways for customers to overcome this hurdle.
One
interesting example is a site that uses video footage of
models wearing the lingerie - Knicker Picker http://www.knickerpicker.com/ .Users
can get one of three models to try on lingerie so they can see how it looks on
a real person. The engaging and effective part is the use of video to
show the model wearing the lingerie. You can drag-and-drop lingerie on
the model, and they walk on wearing the new outfit. OK – so this isn’t
ground breaking but it’s a good example of enhancing product visualization.
Warning:
This site may send pulses racing so go easy on the ‘come closer’ function.
Examples
and Ideas please...
I
plan to run a lunch time session (maybe Community Day) to brainstorm ways that
retailers can improve product visualisation. In the meantime please
forward any good examples or even better, ideas and concepts. Thanks.
P.S.
Conchango are recruiting! If any of my ramblings interest you and you
are passionate about User Experience the we'd like to hear from you.
Why not contact me and let's have a chat?
Cheers
Rich