The user experience (UX) on female apparel e-commerce websites in Brazil

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Marketing clothes online can be challenging for those who buy and sell them. They are products that people still feel the need to have direct contact with. Some of their attributes are not easily communicated digitally, such as the fit and the feel of the fabric. Besides, the lack of standardization of sizes practiced by the Brazilian clothing industry raises several doubts to the user. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to present the results of an investigation concerning the user experience (UX) resulting from the interaction with female e-commerce websites. METHODS: The methods were organized into two stages: exploratory and descriptive. The former consisted of an exploratory interview (19 interviewees), an online questionnaire (205 respondents), and semi-structured interviews with 5 fashion specialists. In the latter, 60 users were divided into two groups of 30 participants to undertake a usability test on an e-commerce website (dafiti.com.br) to evaluate the UX when buying clothes. Group A used a desktop/laptop and Group B used a smartphone. The users were then debriefed and answered the AttrakDiff2™ questionnaire. RESULTS: Users lacked technical knowledge on clothing attributes and were extremely wary about the size and fit information provided (60% in Group A and 83% in Group B were not sure about fit and size information). Surprisingly, the AttrakDiff2™ showed no significant difference between the mobile or the desktop/laptop UX (Group A: M = 4.0 SD = 0.1; Group B: M = 4.1 SD = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: The most significant problem faced by the users concerned the fit and sizing information, as these attributes are usually poorly communicated digitally. In addition to being a usability problem, by inducing users to errors, its greatest impact was on the UX.

Major and minor issues affecting the user experience on e-commerce websites

“…Hellianto et al (2019) research also found that informativeness was one of the functional quality variables that affected the user experience on ecommerce websites. Furthermore, Bozzi and Mont'Alvão (2020) research showed that the lack of presenting detailed information about products was the most significant problem faced by the users which affected their user experience on the e-commerce websites. This research also showed that a "lack of providing detailed information about the products" was one of the major common problem areas identified on the three websites.…”

“…The literature showed that there is a lack of research that suggests comprehensive criteria to evaluate the user experience of e-commerce websites taking into consideration specific utilitarian and hedonic features of such sites (Sudiana et al 2021;Bascur et al, 2021;Bozzi and Mont'Alvão, 2020). The literature also showed that there is a lack of research that evaluates the user experience of ecommerce websites in general and, more specifically, in Malaysia and which provides a detailed explanation regarding specific major and minor issues, related to utilitarian and hedonic features, users face while interacting with these websites.…”

E-Commerce in Brazil: An In-Depth Analysis of Digital Growth and Strategic Approaches for Online Retail

“…The Brazilian clothing industry's lack of size standardization further complicates online shopping, potentially leading to unsatisfying experiences. When such aspects are not effectively managed on digital platforms, whether accessed via smartphone or computer, they can detrimentally affect the consumer experience [78]. In specialized categories like wedding and party dresses, it is crucial to categorize and comprehend consumer behavior, analyzing transaction trends and the seasonal dynamics of e-commerce [67].…”

Emerging Patterns of E-Commerce Apparel Attributes: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…At the beginning of e-commerce in the early 1990s, ecommerce underwent a paradigm shift. Growing market dynamics result in the introduction of current technology, which causes this change [1]. A few years ago, internet sales of fashion and apparel products, including clothing, footwear, and accessories, increased consistently [2].…”