OprahStore.com scores a 7 on e-commerce website usability
Have you ever taken a look at some e-commerce websites to see what you could learn about good and bad website usability features?
I recently reviewed the OprahStore.com website -- which scores high usability marks for its clean design and easy-to-use menu and sub-menu system, but totally fails with its search function.
If you take a look at OprahStore.com, you'll notice a clean layout and menu system that makes for easy navigation and usability. But the search function is its major downfall. I would have also liked to see more features incorporated into the product pages, such as sizing help, customer reviews, etc.
Pros:
- Search box is visible and easily located where visitor will look for it -- in upper right
- Video tour and log-in at top are easily visible
- Simple left menu with no drop-downs is easy to use
- Simple utility menu at bottom where visitor will look for it
- You can "save" selections with "Add to Wish List"
- You can change the color of item on a model with just a mouse-over
- Small arrows in left menu show both the section and sub-page that you're in
- For each sub-category in which you click, all products in the sub-category appear on one page (so there's no clicking through multiple pages to view all products in the sub-category)
- All photos and graphics are clickable
- You can view item in larger size
- Shopping Bag with number of items is always visible at top right
Cons:
- Items are out of stock, but still listed on the site
- Mousing over a photo says "Quick Look", but you're sent to same page if you click on product name. Creates confusion-- is there more info if I click on product name?
- Customer Service sub-menu disappears after you select any item
- No "help" function when choosing size. You have to know to select "Customer Service" to find sizing chart
- Search function useless, seems to be working only when there is an exact match between search item and product name. Items haven't been coded for similar words or plurals of the item name -- a search for "womens tops" doesn't show any products with the term "Top", a search for "pants" doesn't show all products with "Pant" in the product name, a search for "tank top" doesn't show products with the word "tank" in the name
OprahStore.com USABILITY SCORE (scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is Fabulous, 1 is Horrendous)
Easy-to-use Main Menu 10
Know-where-you-are Sub-Menus 10
Utility menu 8
Search function 1
Help functions 3
Views of different versions of item 10
Navigation within product area 10
Completeness of product information provided 8
In-stock/out-of-stock situation 2
Clickable graphicsphotos 8
Ability to enlarge product shots 10
Options for sorting products 3
Online catalog navigation N/A
Running shopping cart total on screen 7
Total Score: 90/130 = 7
What do you think about OprahStore.com? Did you notice anything that we missed?
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