Describe the Principles for designing the information architecture of the shopping cart and checkout processes.

- Aimed at providing a foundation for rich functionality of e-commerce systems. Include:
Shopping cart process
1. Make the shopping cart easy to find
2. Provide clear ordering options
3. Provide for rich functionality of the shopping cart
4. Make related items available for the shopping cart
5. Provide for the items in the shopping cart to be saved for future purchase
Checkout process
6. Give advance notice of what the checkout process involved
7. Keep order forms simple
8. Ensure secure transactions.

1) Making it easy to find
- Users should be able to begin ordering process once they have located the items they want
- There should be multiple entry points to the cart from the site.
- For each item in the shopping cart users should see at a glance
o Description of item.
o Option to remove or add item
o Option to add item to shopping list for future purchase
o Items current availability
2) Provide clear ordering options
- Provide clear distinction between different options
- New ordering options help users process orders quickly, but may confuse or slow down users.
3) Provide rich functionality
- These include:
- Options to add items
- Remove items
- Find out more information
- Users should be able to add items during the shopping process or to easily return to shopping in the site after adding an item to the cart.
- Provide appropriate navigational links.
- Should include options to easily modify quantity of each item or remove items.
- Provide links from each item back to the detailed description for that item.
4) Make related items available
- Gather users information about past purchases to identify trends
- Associate items with related items
- Can help increase sales
5) Save items for future purchase
- Enables comparison-shopping as well as people purchasing when there is money.
- Most sites implement this as wish or shopping lists.
6) Provide advanced notice
- Let users know in advance what they can expect in the checkout process e.g. shipping costs
- Provide users with clues as to where they are in the ordering process e.g. show steps completed and those left
- Also provide users upfront with the information they need to make their decisions to complete the purchase (e.g. costs of shipping options available)
7) Keep order forms simple
- Should be as simple as possible to help users complete them quickly and without confusion but should have the necessary functionality to meet a users needs.
- Indicate required fields as well as optional ones (these can be eliminated).
- Order process should give the user the opportunity to confirm that all the information is correct before submitting their order
- Should keep in mind an international audience.
8) Ensure secure transactions
- To address users concerns about security; have an established brand, provide secure web servers and processes and provide a satisfaction warranty
- Provide information about security and safety of purchases.
- Enforce trust as a user goes through the checkout process e.g. enable user to call with credit card number or mail a personal check instead of filling details in a form
- Also provide order confirmations and e-mail customers to further establish user’s trust. You could also send an e-mail message at the time the user’s order is shipped.
- Provide FAQs, email address for questions and phone number for customer representative, to help address problems encountered by users.

---

Kavungya answered the question on May 9, 2019 at 12:35