A recent online experience got me thinking more about how e-commerce sites really should focus in on what a usable site consists of.

A quick story.

Our middle son is having a birthday in a couple of weeks and my wife went online to order a gift he wanted (The Mystery Rock – an archeologist’s excavation kit). She knew what he wanted since he marked the item in the catalog. She had a couple of questions about whether he really wants, and if he’ll enjoy it, etc. so called me to get my opinion.

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I proceed to go to the website and try to find the gift in question. Here is where it falls apart.

Upon arriving at the homepage I begin my hunt for a link that will take me to where I think I need to go. But in looking at the options I pause and begin to wonder where to go.

I’m presented with “Gifts by Age,” pretty straightforward but I skipped right over these, I had an idea what I was looking for. Instead, I went to “Toys by Category.”

Now, my mind begins running through the scenarios listed below:

• Science Activities – archeology is science, but maybe this toy requires some more cognitive thought
• Cognitive Play – hmm, pounding a rock, OK probably not here
• Creative Activities – it definitely is a creative idea, but how much creativity is involved finding bones?
• Outdoor Activities – I guess it could be messy, kids + dirt = mess

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Meanwhile, as I try to figure out what to click, my wife, who has already read me the entire description from the catalog is wondering what the heck I’m doing and wants an answer.

I decided to just search for the product number, which got me there quickly and I was able to answer my wife’s question (I believe she had already made the decision while I was having navigation woes).

Needless to say the navigation failed me. Had we not had the catalog the site may have failed me, in turn the site would have lost a sale.

As I’ve mentioned in another post e-commerce sites need to focus on usability.