Do you want to sell more? Discover what your customers are really doing in the store with UX testing.

Most online store owners know how easily a customer can be lost before they click “Buy Now”. Sometimes all it takes is a form that’s too long, an unclear message, or a button that no one notices. That is why UX testing becomes one of the most effective tools for increasing sales without spending a fortune on advertising. They allow you to see how real users navigate your store, where they stop, and what frustrates them. This knowledge allows you to eliminate barriers in the purchasing process, increase conversion, and make customers want to return on their own. In the world of e-commerce, this is an advantage that should not be underestimated.

UX Testing Unveiled – Discover What Your Customers Really Do in Your Store

In e-commerce, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because a website’s design seems clear, customers will use it exactly as you planned. The reality is different – what is obvious to you may be completely incomprehensible to the user. UX testing allows you to move from assumptions to facts. By observing how users actually navigate your store, you’ll see where they get lost, what blocks them, and why they decide to abandon the purchase at some point.

During usability testing, the user is given specific tasks – for example, finding a product at a certain price and completing the transaction. You observe the entire process, noting moments of hesitation, comments, and errors. Sometimes the cause of problems lies in details: a button looks inactive, filters work illogically, or a form asks for too much data. Each such point of friction is lost sales.

The greatest strength of user experience tests is that they allow you to catch these barriers before they grow to the scale where they cost you tens of thousands in lost revenue. In studies, optimizing the purchase process after UX testing has been shown to increase conversion by 20-50%. It’s not about having a “prettier” store – it’s evidence that data-driven decisions provide a real return on investment.

Frustration, Abandoned Carts, and Low Conversion? UX Can Change That

Every online store owner knows how frustrating abandoned carts are. However, until you see for yourself at which point customers give up, you’re working in the dark. UX usability tests show these moments in black and white – whether the problem is a lengthy form, hidden shipping costs, or perhaps a lack of clear guidance in the purchase process.

Reducing frustration translates into tangible results. Simply shortening the delivery form to the necessary fields and adding inline hints can reduce checkout abandonment by up to 25%. Removing hidden costs and adding a shipping calculator already on the product page is another step that studies have shown increased CR by 15% and raised the average cart value by 12%. Such changes not only encourage purchases but also build trust – the customer sees you’re not trying to surprise them with additional charges at the last step.

As a result, you gain not only better metrics but also a more loyal customer base. Those who can smoothly go through the purchase process are more likely to return and recommend the store to others. This means that the time invested in UX testing pays off not only in immediate results but also in long-term relationships with audiences.

From “First 5 Seconds” to Eye-Tracking – Choose the Test Method That Truly Gives You Answers

Not every UX test looks the same. The choice of method depends on what you want to check. If you’re interested in the first impression, the 5-second test is effective, showing if the user immediately notices the key offer or CTA button. It’s a quick diagnosis, but it can reveal that the most important information is lost in content clutter.

For more complex issues, moderated tests work better – either in-person or remote. An observer can ask questions during tasks, allowing deeper insights. For navigation optimization, card sorting, where users group product categories based on their logic, is excellent. If you want to know what customers look at, eye-tracking is useful – it will show you whether they notice promotions, images, or completely different elements.

The right method shortens the path to finding a solution. Instead of guessing why customers drop off at a certain stage, you get a clear answer – and can immediately implement a change that will have a measurable impact on sales.

Plan a Successful UX Test – Step-by-Step from Goal to Implementing Changes

Without a plan, it’s easy to get lost, and the results may be of little use. You start by defining goals – you need to know which elements of the purchase process you want to examine. Is the problem with searching, filtering, adding to the cart, or perhaps the checkout itself?

Next, you select participants who reflect your customers. The test group’s profile matters – behavior will differ between those who shop online daily and those who purchase once a month. The next step is test scenarios. They should be precise but not suggest solutions – e.g., “Find and buy a watch in the price range of 200-300 PLN” instead of “Click the watch tab and choose model X”.

After conducting sessions, you collect qualitative and quantitative data. Analyze them, identify recurring problems and prioritize changes according to their potential impact on conversion. Only then do you proceed to implementation. The final point is retesting – because only then will you know if the corrections actually had the desired effect.

Proof in Black and White – How UX Testing Translated Into Increased Sales

Theory is important, but numbers are most convincing. Reducing fields in the delivery form and adding inline hints decreased the number of abandoned checkouts by 25%. Meanwhile, implementing a shipping cost calculator on the product page resulted in a 15% increase in conversion and an increase in average order value by 12%.

Another example – a complicated category navigation blocked clients early in the shopping phase. After redesigning the main menu using card sorting, category views increased by 30%. In practice, this means that users were more eager to explore the offer, increasing the chance of additional purchases.

Such results are evidence that UX testing is not just a “trendy” e-commerce practice. It’s a real optimization tool that translates into hard business metrics – from conversion to average cart value.

You’re Not Testing in the Dark – Get to Know the Tools That Reveal the Truth About Your Store

A UX specialist’s arsenal contains many tools that help collect data in various ways. Hotjar and Microsoft Clarity allow heatmap creation, recording user sessions, and traffic analysis on the site. With them, you see which elements indeed attract attention and which are ignored.

If you need remote tests with voice and screen recording, it’s worth using Lookback, UserTesting, or Useberry. Optimal Workshop works well for navigation and category structure optimization, while Tobii Pro provides professional eye-tracking research. By combining different tools, you gain both hard data and context in the form of participant opinions – this allows more accurate decisions.

It’s important to choose tools based on research objectives, not the other way around. You don’t always need full eye-tracking – sometimes a simple session recording is enough to find the main problem.

Test Like a Pro – Best Practices That Shorten the Path from Problem to Profit

The best results come from tests conducted early and regularly. Don’t wait until the site is “perfectly ready” – even a low-fi prototype can provide valuable insights. This way, you catch errors before they reach customers, saving time and money.

Scenarios should reflect actual customer behaviors. If most of your users filter products by price and color, include that in the test tasks. Combine quantitative data (e.g., task completion time, CR) with qualitative (participant comments) – this provides a more complete picture.

Finally – document conclusions and share them with the team. Quick communication accelerates the implementation of improvements, and each department (from Marketing to IT) gains a clear picture of what truly works and what needs improvement.