The usability of electronic stores based on the organization of information and features

This paper describes an investigation on how the perceived usability of electronic stores is affected by the organization of information and features. An experiment was developed to measure the perceived usability of a sample of electronic stores. This allowed for systematic comparison of information items and features between "high usability" and "low usability" stores. Within the sample of electronic stores tested, there were evidences that the perceived usability of an electronic store is affected by its organization of information and features. This suggests that it is timely to eliminate inconsistent store design as a factor contributing to the consumers' negative perception of electronic retailing. This usability testing approach can provide the basis for developing usable electronic store systems.