'21 Best Practices for E-Commerce Configurators'

By Marcelle Saulnier

Introduction

As I want to design the best configurator possible, I needed to find out what the best guidelines are. A article on medium by Marcelle Saulnier describes 21 best practices about configurators. Marcelle conducted a trend analysis on different configurators to see what they have in common or differentiates them from the others. I choose a selection to help my with configurator research, and elaborated them shortly per number.

The practices

1. ‘Ease users into the configurator’

Marcelle describes that configurators can be overwhelming experiences because they sometimes can be complex with a lot steps and options. Marcelle recommends to ease users into the configurator with simple first steps/questions, such as the option for a model or a colour. If users get difficult questions at first hand, they are more likely to step out the process.

2. ‘Provide Users Autonomy to Skip Steps in the in Process’

Marcelle continues here story, with the fact that nowadays users do not want to be ‘hand-held’, but prefer autonomy. User’s want the possibility to skip steps through the process to reach their goal. This “can help provide the feeling of a more customised experience”.

3.’ Always provide a clear next step’

A clear guidance is essential for users. As the configurator takes them into a journey, users should be able to complete this journey without knowledge. By providing clear next steps, users are always being guided in the right direction.

4. ‘Allow Users to Edit Directly From the Summary Page’

Within the configuration process many choices are saved. Whenever users change their mind, they directly want to be able to change that particular decision. The configurator should allow users to edit or update their choices at any time.

5. ‘Provide a Reset Option’

Marcelle makes a bold statement by stating that users have more than one escaping route. Normally, exiting the page is the easiest way, but this means users have to end the whole process. To prevent this situation, Marcelle suggests to provide a reset button during the configurator process.

6. ‘Keep User Within the Configurator’

Another important aspect of a configurator, Marcelle describes, is that “a configurator is a shopping, learning and fun tool.” Everything a users need, should be at hand without effort. Marcelle suggests, for example, to provide a comparing option within the configurator. This could contribute to a better experience.

7. ‘Easy and Transparent Running Price’

The one thing users want to see at all time, is the price they have to pay. Users do not want to surprised at the end of the process with unexpected costs. Providing a price tag for every additional feature takes a way uncertainties and contributes to better and save experience.

8. ‘Provide Non-disruptive Learning’

As said earlier, a configurator is a learning process. As some produces may be complex to understand at once, within the configurator, users should have to possibility to learn about the product. If users need to step out to inform themselves, the configurator can make the user feel unconfident about product. Marcelle suggests to make use of videos and photos to explain information.

9. ‘Allow Users to Pick Up Where They Left Off’

In the end, the configurator’s job is to create sales. By providing users to come back and continue where they left off, will likely to increase conversions. “The majority of users will need to look at a product 3 times before purchasing, Marcelle says. The possibility to save their earlier configuration users can come back at any time to continue and make their purchase.

Conclusion

The insights from this article directly contributed to my research.I took these nine insights into account by turning them in user requirements for the my requirement list.