Ecommerce UX: an ultimate guide & noteworthy real-life examples

Ecommerce UX defined

Ecommerce user experience, or UX, refers to how people interact with an online store and encompasses their ability to browse product categories, locate product descriptions and other key information, and complete transactions. The goal of ecommerce UX is to help website visitors achieve their goals with as little friction as possible.

While user experience and user interface are closely linked, they serve different purposes. UI includes the visual layout and all on-screen elements users see and interact with, such as buttons, menus, images, icons, and text. UX, on the other hand, focuses on the overall structure of the site and how users navigate it, including user flows, content organization, and how well the site supports task completion. So while a well-designed user interface contributes to a store’s visual appeal, it can’t compensate for usability issues, so when visitors struggle to find the right product, feel uncertain about the next steps, or face obstacles at checkout, they drop out. That’s why UX deserves just as much or even more attention as UI during an ecommerce development project.

How to improve key elements of ecommerce UX design

By refining the structure, behavior, and usability of individual pages and features, teams can make the ecommerce website more user-friendly and make tangible improvements to customer experience.

Homepage

The homepage is the ecommerce site’s main page, but it is rarely the customers’ first point of contact with the website, as they’re typically directed to product or category pages from ads or email links. Still, its design plays a key role in setting expectations, encouraging further exploration, and establishing trust.

• Showcase a broad range of product types to show variety and relevance
• Avoid auto-rotating banners on mobile devices, where they can become distracting and difficult to interact with due to limited screen space and slower internet 
• Simplify language and currency selection with geotargeting and easy manual adjustments
• Remove visual or textual elements that can divert visitors from proceeding to other pages

The screenshots below are taken from the Vans ecommerce website. The online store has a well-structured homepage that highlights core product lines, new arrivals, and seasonal collections in a clear, scannable layout and helps visitors quickly identify relevant categories and continue exploring.

Navigation

The website’s navigation should help users effectively find products or information. Its layout and product categorization should feel intuitive, helping reduce friction and keep visitors moving through an online store.

• Limit subcategories to ~10 items per level to prevent overwhelming users
• Don’t create shallow parent categories that contain only one or two items
• Surface high-demand content like “Bestsellers” or “Gift ideas” in relevant categories
• Use sticky navigation only if it doesn’t obstruct key page content
• Keep menus consistent across desktop and mobile screens, but adapt layouts, e.g., implement mega menus on desktop and accordions on mobile
• Add breadcrumbs to help users retrace their steps and highlight the shopper’s current location in the navigation flow, e.g., by making the active category bold

The screenshot below shows Amazon’s desktop navigation. Key sections, such as “Digital Content & Devices” and “Shop by Department”, are grouped logically, and frequently accessed areas, like “Best Sellers”, are placed near the top of the menu. After clicking on a certain category, a list of subcategories is loaded in a new panel. This structure avoids overwhelming the user, but the lack of collapsibility can slow down their exploration by requiring repeated back-and-forth actions.

On-site search

The search functionality in ecommerce websites is aimed at online shoppers who know what they’re looking for. Unlike navigation, on-site search serves as a shortcut, helping users reach their desired items faster.

• Ensure the search bar stands out with contrasting colors, bold borders, or an easily recognizable icon
• Prioritize a persistent search bar for a quick search
• Place exact matches at the top of the results page when queries match product names or SKUs
• Support natural language queries, including slang, abbreviations, and symptoms, e.g., “insomnia” for sleep aids
• Enable the autocomplete function with contextual suggestions, like categories or trending queries, as users type
• Include filters and sorting functionality in search results
• Highlight applied filters and allow their easy removal
• Provide spelling suggestions or automatic corrections in case of typos
• Avoid zero-result dead ends by suggesting alternatives or popular products

The Ray-Ban desktop website features a prominent on-site search functionality, accessible via a familiar magnifying glass pictogram in the header. Upon clicking this icon, a full-screen pop-up overlay appears, which eliminates distractions and directs users’ attention to the search interface. The pop-up layout is structured into three clear sections: 

• “Popular Searches”, clickable suggestions that automatically populate the search bar
• “Popular Items”, product images with their names and prices linking directly to item pages
• “Useful Links”, including “Get Support”, “FAQ”, “Instore & Online Services”, and “The Ray-Ban Protection Plan”

As users begin typing, they can see text-based autocomplete suggestions and product images that are relevant to the request. The pop-up also allows for product filtering, shows the result count, and provides sorting options, offering more control over the search results.

Product listing

Product listing pages present the results of browsing or searching and often help users compare multiple items. A well-designed listing page makes it easier for shoppers to scan product options, apply filters, and make informed decisions without needing to visit each product page.

• Display the total item count clearly at the top and bottom of the list for users to understand the quantity of relevant items
• Replace pagination and infinite scroll with a “Load more” button
• Support essential sorting options, such as price, rating, and popularity
• Show average ratings and review counts for each product
• Implement checkboxes for filters to simplify the selection
• Use distinct formatting, such as fonts and spacing, to highlight prices, titles, and other key details
• Include a dedicated Sale/Deals filter to help users quickly identify discounted items
• Provide multiple thumbnail views (3+ images per product) to minimize unnecessary clicks
• Display applied filters with removal options

Below you can see the Pandora website’s product listing page. There, items are presented with images and prices, eliminating the need to open a product page. Each product image changes upon hover, revealing an alternate view, and a heart icon allows for quick product addition to a wish list. A string of sorting options enables shoppers to narrow broad categories. Moreover, the filtering pop-up offers filters such as “Metal”, “Price”, “On Sale”, “Collection”, “Color”, and “Theme”, along with product counts and checkboxes.

Product page

Product pages are where most purchase decisions are made, with nearly all conversions involving at least one product page visit. Here, shoppers expect clear product images, detailed product information, and prominent calls to action to get a full view of the items and make a purchase decision.

• Include 3-5 high-quality images showing key product features in favourable angles
• Add product videos for items that are complex or require demonstration
• Implement collapsible sections for specifications or FAQs to reduce clutter
• Make the “Add to Cart” button prominent and persistently visible and place it above the fold
• Display pricing clearly with all applicable charges and discounts
• Show inventory availability per variant (size or color) in real-time
• Allow customers to access return and delivery policies right from the product page without page exits
• Incorporate user-generated content, such as reviews and photos, for social proof
• Allow for easy comparison with similar or complementary products
• Enable image zoom functionality for detailed inspection
• Consider implementing AR previews or 360° views for products where spatial context matters

The Michael Kors product page effectively presents an item with multiple high-quality images from various angles. The “Add to Cart” button is prominently displayed above the fold, alongside transparent pricing. The page also features similar items, facilitating comparison with other products, and a “You May Also Like” section, increasing the average order value.

Shopping cart

The shopping cart is where potential customers finalize their purchase decisions. To avoid cart abandonment, the shopping cart page design should be developed in a way that lets users easily view their items, adjust the order, and confirm all costs before proceeding to payment.

• Show an accurate summary of products with quantities, thumbnails, and prices
• Enable quantity adjustments and item removal without leaving the page
• Display all costs upfront, including subtotals, taxes, and shipping rates
• Keep the checkout button visually prominent and persistently available
• Provide estimated shipping timeframes and access to a return policy
• Show inventory alerts for low-stock items
• Let users save their cart or email it to themselves 
• Include progress indicators for free shipping thresholds

The IKEA shopping cart page provides a clear overview of the selected item with options for delivery or in-store pickup, including associated costs and availability. The product has a clear image, name, price, and quantity selector.

A concise “Order summary” panel on the right details product prices and the total cost before tax, allows for applying a discount code, and features a prominent call to action for proceeding to the checkout. Under the button, a potential customer can see the accepted payment method. Below the main cart, there is an “Easy picks” section that displays suggested complementary products with their images, prices, and availability, encouraging shoppers to add more goods to their cart without leaving the page.

Checkout & order confirmation

The checkout is the final step in the customer journey, where shoppers provide their shipping, billing, and payment details to complete the purchase. Here, it’s essential to streamline form completion and ensure clear order verification and confirmation.

• Offer guest checkout alongside account creation and login
• Use single-page checkout or a clearly segmented multi-step checkout format layout
• Auto-fill address and payment details when possible
• Provide visual confirmation after each key action, such as address validation, payment processing, or promo code application
• Show a final order summary before submission
• Display multiple payment options, such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple/Google Pay, installment payment, and platform-specific methods like Shop Pay for Shopify
• Confirm the order with a dedicated pop-up or page with a clear success message and essential order details, such as the order number, payment status, delivery address, selected shipping method, estimated delivery date, and a summary of purchased items with images and pricing

The Victoria’s Secret checkout page uses a segmented, multi-step layout with “Shipping”, “Payment”, and “Review” tabs at the top. The “Shipping” section prominently displays the required fields for address and contact information so that all necessary details could be captured. Multiple shipping methods are available, each with an estimated delivery date and corresponding cost. A persistent “Order Summary” on the right displays subtotal, shipping, and total costs, providing transparent pricing and the ability to return to the shopping cart.