Thinking about how I use Amazon
Sometime around when I rented my first apartment in New York City, my Amazon usage increased dramatically.
But despite all my searches for cheap furniture and cleaning supplies, the Amazon link that auto-filled in my browser’s search bar was a link to a product page for these BORN women’s sandals.
I don’t own these sandals, I don’t think they ever made it to my cart. But alas, I see these currently unavailable sandals at least once a day because I refuse to bookmark Amazon due to a presumption that doing so might increase orders.
So, that’s my Amazon homepage. I don’t think I really ever visit the homepage of Amazon…I’m probably missing out on a lot of deals… 🤔
So, what does my average Amazon session typically look like?
A little bit like that.
Seeing my personal user flow makes me wonder if it’s actually not bookmarking Amazon that would increase my orders, but actually clearing my cache. If I ever were to clear my cache and those BORN sandals disappeared from my go-to Amazon link, I’d be forced to start from the Amazon homepage, or whatever new Amazon product page made it to the top of my browser bar’s autofill.
This is a good reminder that user experience doesn’t start on Amazon’s site, let alone any other site. It can start with a Google search, an Instagram ad, and even a browser search.
How Amazon makes it easier on us
In looking at the site from a designer’s point of view, it’s clear to see a few different patterns that the site’s designers use to promote a seamless purchase experience.
Autocomplete search
Even with just a few characters, Amazon auto-completes whatever you may be searching from. This autocomplete functionality doesn’t feel like your standard auto-complete, it feels smarter. Amazon is likely using some sort of algorithm based on top searched items combined with items that you’ve searched before to give you the most relevant results, thus leading you to your destination (AKA product) as quick as possible.
Suggested items
A lot of ecommerce websites will utilize a section of the page to showcase related products in hopes that you might add a few extras to your cart. This section is typically at the bottom of the page, or at least below the product.
Amazon flips this pattern on its head by adding a module above the product section that features related items that are actually cheaper than the product you’re looking at.
This actually feels like a pretty positive user experience because it kind of feels like Amazon is looking out for you (and your wallet!) by showcasing cheaper options. In turn, it’s also a business move, because if a consumer plans on spending $50 on a product, and sees a similar item for $30, they might just spend that extra $30 of their budget on something else they have in their cart already.
Amazon, but news?
Now that I’m actually looking at the Amazon homepage (sorry, BORN sandals), it reminds me quite a bit of a news site.
Amazon showcases the latest, most relevant information such as your recent orders, recent views, as well as relevant items to you. This columned approach feels vastly different to any other ecommerce site, such as Zara, which features more of an editorial homepage.
Amazon’s usage of the news-style homepage lends itself to suggesting to the user that Amazon is your go-to place. The retailer has everything you could ever need, and it wants you to know that.
Amazon’s design patterns are never ending
Despite the site’s 90’s feel, it works. Plus, they seem like they’re always testing something. We’re adding things to our carts more often than ever (especially now) and are comforted by the fact that there’s one place to go for our toilet paper, vitamins, and fashion needs.
