Key Takeaways
- Baymard has new research on Accounts & Self-Service UX
- The research uncovered UX issues and identified UX solutions specific to the Accounts area of ecommerce sites
- Much has changed in account security and sign in, order management and tracking, and order returns since our last large-scale research in 2018
Key Stats
- 4,000+ new hours of Accounts & Self-Service research
- 1,400+ usability issues observed in testing
- 1,000+ US adults surveyed as part of our complementary quantitative research
Today at Baymard, we’re announcing the launch of our new updated and expanded Accounts & Self-Service UX research.
We first investigated UX issues in Accounts & Self-Service in 2018.
In this update, we’ve retested all the UX issues observed in 2018, verified all our UX solutions, wrote new guidelines based on newly observed Accounts & Self-Service UX issues, and rewritten the bulk of our verified guidelines for improved usefulness and clarity.
This work has resulted in 57 new and updated Accounts & Self-Service guidelines based on 1,400+ usability issues observed during testing.
The 57 guidelines are a key foundation for ensuring a high-performing Accounts and Self-Service UX.
Additionally, we’ve included mobile test observations for the first time.
As a result, this study represents our most comprehensive findings on Accounts & Self Service ecommerce UX.
In this article, we’ll highlight 3 high-level insights from our new Accounts & Self-Service UX research findings.
New Insights for Accounts & Self-Service UX
Compared to 2018, the landscape of Accounts & Self-Service has changed dramatically, particularly in 3 areas.
1) Account Security and Sign In
At J.Crew, participants updating their passwords were provided no guidance regarding the site’s password requirements, and they were unable to view their input, further increasing the likelihood of errors (first image). It is only after a password that doesn’t meet the requirements is submitted that the site discloses the requirements (second image).
The standard username and password combination required to create and sign in to an account is quickly being replaced by passkeys (e.g., fingerprint, Face ID, or device PIN) and one-time passcodes (OTPs), which are considered by many users to be more convenient — and more secure.
Indeed, account security is also top of mind for users — especially when personal information and saved payment methods are involved.
“I use two-factor authentication — it seems just to be standard now to get a code sent to either my phone number or email address. It seems like a lot of websites are doing that now for safety reasons”, remarked a participant viewing the sign in preferences at Walmart. Participants generally appreciated having the option to enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
“Two-factor authentication — not all the time, I’m going to be really honest. It’s kind of site-dependent, but do I use it — especially if it’s a large account or a large website — something I’m doing a lot on. It’s almost always on, but not always”, explained a participant at Home Depot, noting the two-factor authentication (2FA) banner at the top of the “Security & Password” page.
“I feel good that whoever may or may not have the password will not be able to log in anymore, but to ensure that doesn’t happen again, I would set up 2-factor authentication”, remarked a participant at Target. After updating her password she took the extra step to enable two-factor authentication (2FA). “It is enabled. I’m assuming the next time I sign in, I would need to receive a text message or an email code to be able to log in.” Offering optional account security features is a low-friction way for sites to allow security-conscious users to opt in without burdening other users who are less risk-averse.
During recent testing, 81% of participants reported saving credit card details in their account at sites they shop at frequently, and 60% appreciated when two-factor authentication (2FA), which requires confirmation from a user’s verified account email or phone number before being able to sign in, was available to activate.
It’s therefore key that ecommerce sites move beyond traditional username and password combinations to support users signing in to their accounts.
Indeed, as observed during testing, strong visible and optional security features such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and device management build confidence and trust with users.
However, these features must be implemented carefully to avoid becoming a roadblock to users checking out or managing their account details.
“Oh, okay. Maybe I typed it wrong. Um, it doesn’t like me”, laughed a participant (iOS) attempting to sign in at American Eagle (first image). She proceeded to reset the password, but was unable to verify the new password because it was also only displayed as masked (second image). “That was a little bit of a pain”, she remarked negatively after resetting the password.
Next, account sign in is viewed by many users as simply a hurdle to overcome to proceed with more productive tasks, such as checking out, tracking orders, managing account details, or initiating returns.
However, when account sign in is problematic, users’ frustration will mount, as they haven’t even reached the account feature they’re interested in yet.
2) Order Management and Tracking
Order management and tracking continue to be top priorities for users.
Indeed, order tracking ranked as the most important self-service feature in Baymard’s most recent quantitative study (#GC051).
Whether making a one-time purchase or subscribing to recurring shipments (e.g., every 3 weeks, every 4 months), recent testing reveals that users’ expectations regarding self-service order management and tracking features and information have only intensified since 2018.
“I often go to my previously ordered items to buy them again, rather than searching the site to try to find them. If I want to make sure I get that same thing again”, explained a participant at Bloomingdale’s as she scrolled the “Order List” page looking for a previous order containing a whisk. However, she couldn’t easily locate the desired order because only the order number and order date were visible by default (first image). Consequently, she opened 4 orders before stumbling across the whisk order (second image). Hiding basic item and order details in collapsed sections performed as poorly in testing as not providing these details at all (see guidelines #3218 and #925). Indeed, this design places the burden on users to interact with the interface simply to discover the contents of each order.
The “Order List” and “Order Details” pages serve as critical starting points for users when they are looking for specific order-related information, and when they want to modify or cancel an order, start a return, review a purchased item, or revisit a purchased item to buy it again.
Across multiple large-scale studies, we’ve observed that users need easy access to certain basic information and actions to effectively identify and manage their orders.
For example, without a clear understanding of order contents and status, and adequate features to identify desired orders on the “Order List” page, users will be needlessly delayed in beginning their order-related tasks, which can result in unwanted additional orders and place more strain on customer service.
Likewise, when key details for items on the “Subscriptions List” page are missing or unclear, users will be unable to easily identify and manage recurring orders.
“Right now it’s in Opa Locka, which is here in Miami. So, it’s arrived there, but it doesn’t give me an estimated delivery date. So that’s a little disappointing. I would hope that that information would be there”, complained a participant at Bloomingdale’s when he discovered the “Order Tracking” overlay lacked an estimated delivery date (first image). “Okay, so here it’s saying, the expected delivery date is today, the 23rd, by 9:00 PM.” He searched the tracking number at the carrier site and confirmed the expected delivery date and time (second image). “Yeah, see, it would be helpful if the information from USPS about the expected delivery date would also be included. I’m just not seeing it anywhere. I’m not seeing it anywhere on the website”, he lamented after he returned to his tracking information at Bloomingdale’s.
When it comes to order tracking, for most users the key details needed to track an order are the estimated delivery date, the carrier name, and the subevents or stages of the order delivery process.
Some tracking details will be contained in the order shipment notification email, but users who need more detail on order tracking than is in the shipping notification email will visit the “Order Tracking” page on the ecommerce site.
Ideally, the destination page on the ecommerce site will contain all the tracking information users need, including photo proof of the delivery.
3) Order Returns
“Let’s see, ‘View Details’. That’s not very clear. I’m looking for where I can start my return. I don’t see it here — the return part. So let me see, I’ll click ‘Return Policy’.” This participant at Wayfair searched for information about returning an item in the order listing (first image) and in the “Order Details” overlay (second image). She then resorted to opening the return policy link in the footer (third image). Simply removing the “Start Return” button when the return window has closed, as was the case at Wayfair, created needless uncertainty for participants, and often resulted in wasted time and effort.
“Um, this is the tricky part — this is where Amazon gets you — so sneaky! They generally don’t give you the option to put it back on your credit card, unless you’re very — there’s not a bubble here, right? If you’re being very quick about it, you’re going to click ‘Amazon account’, blah, blah, and you’re going to click ‘Return’. They still have your money! I actually want my money back. I don’t want to add this to my gift card amount or whatever. So I think this is a bit sneaky on Amazon’s part.” This participant at Amazon, having been duped by the “Refund Method” interface in the past, carefully located and clicked the “Refund to Visa” link (first image), which revealed the radio button for her preferred refund option (second image).
While for many sites returns are an undesirable aspect of ecommerce, how sites perform during returns is critical for end users.
A high-performing returns experience can, perhaps counterintuitively, become the basis of a loyal customer relationship.
On the other hand, a returns experience fraught with confusion, friction, and unnecessary obstacles will cause some users to avoid shopping at a site in the future.
Yet during large-scale testing, participants frequently struggled to determine an order’s eligibility for returns and to confidently navigate the return flow.
Moreover, returns has perhaps undergone the largest transformation since 2018.
Indeed, in 2018 returning an item typically required finding a box, printing a paper return shipping label, repackaging the item, dropping it off with a carrier, and waiting several weeks for a refund.
“Okay, it’s giving me all the options. I’m going to do the ‘schedule for pickup’ option. ‘It’s free, choose a time and place, and we’ll pick it up.’ I’ve got to pack the item, that’s fine.” This participant (Android) returning an item at Walmart opted for the free FedEx pickup method.
On the contrary, during recent testing, participants benefited from label-free — and sometimes box-free — return shipping methods, as well as “Return Pickup”.
Additionally, for some participants, refunds were initiated as soon as the returned item was scanned during drop-off or pickup.
Overall, users expect a much more responsive returns experience with clear, easy-to-locate return details, multiple return options (including at least one free one), and straightforward refund options and confirmation.
Support Key Customers with High-Performing Accounts UX
“It looks like it’s only giving me an option to delete it, not actually update it. Okay. Let me go back — maybe I missed something.” A participant (iOS) at Wayfair wanted to update the expiration date on a saved credit card (first image). “Nope. Looks like that might be the only way. Let me see if maybe there’s a different option on this. Nope. Well, it looks like I will have to delete the debit card and then reenter it.” When she tapped to select the card, she discovered she could only delete it (second image). She spent over 2 minutes searching the “My Account” section for a method to edit the expiration date; she ultimately resorted to deleting the card and re-adding it with the updated expiration date.
Accounts & Self-Service is a unique aspect of the ecommerce user experience.
Unlike the other ecommerce themes we’ve researched, Accounts & Self-Service is often not part of the “direct purchase funnel” — but rather comes post-purchase.
However, this isn’t to indicate that Accounts & Self-Service is less important than the other ecommerce themes.
Returning users — those most likely to use self-service features most often — are critically important to a successful ecommerce business.
This means the Accounts & Self-Service UX performance can be just as important as the UX performance of the Product Page, Homepage, Category Taxonomy & Main Navigation, or any other ecommerce areas when it comes to a site’s overall long-term sales.
It’s therefore key that users’ experience in the Accounts area of a site is as smooth as possible to support an ongoing site-user relationship.
This article presents the research findings from just a few of the 700+ UX guidelines in Baymard – get full access to learn how to create a “State of the Art” ecommerce user experience.
If you already have access through your account, go explore the updated Accounts & Self-Service UX research.
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