What鈥檚 the Difference Between UI and UX in Ecommerce?

Posted 11 months ago by Anastasia Prokofieva

Ecommerce has expanded heavily over the听past several years. In听fact, the听global ecommerce retail sales are expected to听hit approximately 8.1听trillion dollars by听2028. This growing market opens significant opportunities for听those currently in听the听ecommerce business 补苍诲听those looking to听enter it.

However, with more businesses now involved in听ecommerce, each business needs to听build a听competitive edge to听stand out from the听crowd. One such way to听capitalize on听the听growing market is听by听focusing on听user experience (UX) 补苍诲听user interface (UI) design.

Continue reading below to听learn more about ecommerce UX听补苍诲听UI听补苍诲听how to听use them effectively in听the听market.

What Is听UI听补苍诲听UX?

First, it鈥檚 important to听understand what UI听补苍诲听UX听mean in听the听context of听ecommerce.

UX听is听an听acronym for听User Experience. It听refers to听a听customer鈥檚 interaction with a听website or听product, focusing on听optimizing this interaction to听provide a听pleasant 补苍诲听efficient experience for听the听user.

In听ecommerce, UX听could include aspects like navigability, accessibility, easy checkout, 补苍诲听intuitive product information presentation.

On听the听other hand, UI, short for听User Interface, relates to听the听visual aspects of听a听website or听product. It听involves designing the听product鈥檚 look 补苍诲听feel, including the听color scheme, button placement, typography, 补苍诲听overall layout. When done right, UI听design makes the听site visually appealing 补苍诲听easy to听interact with.

What Is听UI听补苍诲听UX听Design?

UI听补苍诲听UX听design revolves around crafting visually captivating 补苍诲听user-friendly interfaces that elevate the听overall browsing experience for听online store visitors.

This includes elements such as听website layout, color schemes, typography, 补苍诲听other design elements that make it听easy for听users to听navigate 补苍诲听interact with the听site.

Both UI听补苍诲听UX听design are crucial in听creating a听positive impression for听potential customers.

What Is听the听Difference Between UI听补苍诲听UX?

The two terms 补苍诲听subjects are often confused for听each other 补苍诲听sometimes even used interchangeably. While they may sound similar, there are some key differences between UI听补苍诲听UX听design听鈥� they are two different subjects with unique factors 补苍诲听considerations.

UI听is听more focused on听the听visual aspects of听a听website or听app, while UX听focuses on听the听overall experience 补苍诲听functionality. In听other words, UI听is听about how things look, while UX听is听about how things work.

For example, a听visually appealing website with difficult navigation would have good UI听but poor UX. On听the听other hand, a听website with a听simple design but easy navigation 补苍诲听fast loading speed would have good UI听补苍诲听UX.

In听short, user experience focuses on听how customers interact with a听website or听product. On听the听other hand, ecommerce UI听refers to听a听product or听site鈥檚 visual elements 补苍诲听design. So, while the听two may address the听same product or听service, there will be听different focuses to听improve each.

Creative UX听补苍诲听UI听Examples in听Ecommerce

Now that we听have a听basic understanding of听UX听补苍诲听UI, let鈥檚 look at听some examples in听the听ecommerce world.

聯Slim Your Wallet聰 Slider on听the听Belroy Website

The Australian wallet brand, Bellroy, has a听cool feature called 聯Slim Your Wallet聰 on听their site. By听adjusting the听slider, you can select how many cards you want to听carry 补苍诲听see how the听wallet sizes up听against the听competition. Remarkably, the听Bellroy wallet maintains its slim profile as听you add more cards.

Once you check it听out, it鈥檚 hard not to听be听wowed by听what Bellroy offers. This is听a听great example of听how a听UI听element (in this case, a听slider) can help businesses showcase their product or听service in听a听unique 补苍诲听interactive way, ultimately improving the听user experience.

3D听Product Models in听黑料门 Stores

Business owners selling online with 黑料门 by听Lightspeed have a听unique feature that allows them to听take their product presentation to听the听next level with the听黑料门 Mobile App for听iOS.

Owners of听Apple Pro devices equipped with a听LiDAR scanner can leverage the听黑料门 Mobile App to听craft 补苍诲听display captivating 3D听models. Shoppers can virtually 聯try on聰 these models using advanced AR听technology.

Customers can view a听3D听model on听a听product details page

Providing this immersive experience gives your customers a听one-of-a-kind 补苍诲听captivating way to听engage with your products like never before.

A听3D听model of听a听product made with the听黑料门 Mobile App

This is听a听great way to听improve the听user experience for听brands selling apparel, home decor, or听any听other products that customers want to听visualize in听a听more lifelike manner before hitting that buy button.

Learn more about easily creating 3D听models of听products for听your ecommerce store:

Video on听Moreporks Home Page

The website greets visitors with a听captivating high-resolution video captured from the听deck of听a听ship, flawlessly aligning with the听brand鈥檚 adventurous outdoor essence.

Video is听an听excellent method to听captivate shoppers, making it听a听smart strategy to听draw attention to听your products.

By听the听way, if听you create an听ecommerce website with 黑料门 by听Lightspeed, you can enhance any听page with video sections. This can be听a听powerful tool for听showcasing your products 补苍诲听creating an听immersive shopping experience for听your customers.

But it鈥檚 not just about showcasing your products. Videos also help create an听emotional connection with your brand. By听using storytelling 补苍诲听creative visuals, you can convey the听message of听your brand in听a听compelling way, making it听more memorable for听your audience.

Regimen Builder on听the听Ordinary Site

One of听the听main UX听principles for听ecommerce websites is听making it听easy for听customers to听find 补苍诲听choose products they need. Usually, it鈥檚 done with the听help of听filters, searches, 补苍诲听product categories.

The Ordinary website takes this to听the听next level with its Regimen Builder tool. This interactive feature allows customers to听select their skin type 补苍诲听concerns 补苍诲听then suggests a听personalized skincare routine using The Ordinary鈥檚 products.

This not only makes it听easier for听customers to听find the听right products for听their specific needs but also adds a听personal touch to听the听shopping experience. Customers feel cared for听补苍诲听their individual needs are being addressed, which can increase trust 补苍诲听loyalty towards your brand.

Blending Ecommerce UI听补苍诲听UX

There is听a听balance between UI听补苍诲听UX.

When a听customer is听browsing an听ecommerce store, the听storefront 补苍诲听product should have visual appeal, but they should also be听easy to听use.

While creating a听storefront, the听designer should remember that visual appeal doesn鈥檛 mean it听has to听be听flashy 补苍诲听overwhelming. Too much of听anything can be听a听turn-off 蹿辞谤听肠耻蝉迟辞尘别谤蝉.

In听other words, there should be听a听compromise to听achieve a听balance, 补苍诲听users will highly determine this. The internal team may have worked hard to听design a听great-looking site, but if听data determines that it听is听causing customers to听click away, it听needs adjusting.

This doesn鈥檛 mean that the听design team didn鈥檛 do听a听great job in听creating the听site; it鈥檚 just not aligned with users鈥� needs. Ideally, they should complement each other.

Any UI听changes should ideally be听made to听support the听UX. Remember the听old adage, 聯The customer is听always right.聰 Follow the听data-driven facts about what is听working 补苍诲听what isn鈥檛 based on听users, not general design principles.

Balancing UI听补苍诲听UX听is听imperative for听success. It鈥檚 not about picking one over the听other听鈥� it鈥檚 about finding a听synergy between both. This is听addressed by听understanding your customers, their needs, 补苍诲听their behavior on听your site 补苍诲听making data-informed decisions on听UI听补苍诲听UX听adjustments.

Ecommerce UX听补苍诲听Ecommerce UI听Design are an听Ongoing Process

It听is听important for听businesses to听evaluate their UX/UI effectiveness regularly.

They should be听an听ongoing process rather than an听update every couple of听years. Continuing to听monitor these factors will allow the听store to听continue to听remain successful.

Sometimes, a听change may have an听adverse effect 补苍诲听must be听rolled back. Other times, a听simple change can lead to听an听influx of听sales. Both are possible.

However, as听the听process continues, an听ecommerce business will learn more about their customers 补苍诲听be听able to听make better changes.

Is听Your Ecommerce Site UX-Friendly?

Now that we听know the听important factors that go听into ecommerce UX听design, how should a听business go听about improving or听implementing these?

First 补苍诲听foremost, a听thorough ecommerce UX听audit should be听done. This essentially means going through the听current design of听the听site with a听tooth comb to听discover inefficiencies, inconsistencies, 补苍诲听other general issues.

You should find the听parts of听the听site that don鈥檛 flow well, are hard to听use, 补苍诲听more. Locate these issues by听asking questions such as:

Is听it听easy to听search for听products?
Does the听product detail page have everything to听make an听informed decision?
Can the听customer easily see product availability?
Is听the听site easy to听navigate from arrival to听purchase?
Is听typography consistent across the听store?
Can the听store be听easily loaded on听mobile devices?

The trick is听to听think like a听customer. Consider who your customer persona is 补苍诲听follow the听paths they would when arriving at听the听page. This can help to听discover obstacles 补苍诲听difficulties throughout the听store.

The Perfect Blend of听UX听补苍诲听UI听for听Your Online Store

Whether you are new to听the听ecommerce industry or听looking to听enhance your existing ecommerce business, focusing on听UX听补苍诲听UI听design can be听a听powerful tool for听building a听competitive edge. It听can make your brand stand out in听a听saturated market, promote customer satisfaction, 补苍诲听ultimately drive your ecommerce success.

If听you want to听start an听ecommerce store or听are already selling online, 黑料门 by听Lightspeed can help make the听process easier while ensuring the听UX听补苍诲听UI听of听your online store are top-notch.

Here are some examples of听how you can enhance your shoppers鈥� experience using 黑料门 by听Lightspeed as听your online store:

Use customizable website templates 补苍诲听user-friendly design tools to听craft an听online store effortlessly, even without coding expertise.
Allow customers to听explore your store鈥檚 mobile version or听app for听a听smooth shopping experience on听mobile devices.
Enhance your store鈥檚 shopping experience with advanced tools like 3D听product models where customers can view products from all angles for听better purchase decisions.
Utilize categories, filters, 补苍诲听search functionalities to听enhance customers鈥� product discovery experience.
Provide a听streamlined one-page checkout to听enhance the听purchasing process 蹿辞谤听肠耻蝉迟辞尘别谤蝉. For added convenience, users can complete their purchase in听just a听few clicks using Apple or听Google Pay.
Include videos on听product pages to听demonstrate product usage or听offer tutorials.
Offer product recommendations, tailor personalized deals according to听customer behavior, 补苍诲听more.

Those are just some examples of听optimizing the听ecommerce experience for听your customers by听using 黑料门 by听Lightspeed. By听implementing these features, you can attract new customers 补苍诲听retain existing ones by听providing an听easy, convenient, 补苍诲听interactive shopping experience on听any听device.

Create your to听set up听a听new store or听. Explore the听wide range of听features 补苍诲听integrations to听enhance your online business.

Need help getting started? Our team of听experts will assist you with any听. With 黑料门, you can focus on听running your business while we听handle the听technical aspects of听your online store.

Don鈥檛 miss out on听the听opportunity to听increase sales 补苍诲听improve customer satisfaction with 黑料门 by听Lightspeed. Sign up听now 补苍诲听take your ecommerce game to听the听next level!

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About The Author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 黑料门. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs鈥� daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

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