Let's face it: most eCommerce UX design is focused on one thing – getting users to buy more. Current practices often prioritize sales over sustainability, leading to excessive consumption. The question is: should you use it for good or contribute to a cycle of mindless consumption?
To answer this question, we will analyze the problems with current eCommerce UX design, explore the concept of sustainable UX, and figure out how you can implement circular eCommerce design yourself. And, of course, we will get to the bottom of it – after all, business is supposed to make money. This article was inspired by a UX researcher Anna Rátkai and her insightful work for the SmashingMagazine.
So, is there a way to balance sustainability and profit? Let's find out.
What's wrong with eCommerce UX design (spoiler alert – a lot!)
Designers are often pushed to increase metrics like average order value and conversion rates, often at the cost of promoting thoughtful buying. This approach can lead to serious problems for shoppers and the environment. How does it happen?
Research shows how easily online shopping can become addictive. Nir Eyal's "Hook Model" explains how websites create habits through a cycle of trigger, action, reward, and investment. Fogg's work on Persuasive Technology shows how websites use motivation, ability, and triggers to shape user behavior. In eCommerce, these ideas are often used to get people to buy more stuff they don't need.
The numbers paint a worrying picture. In the EU, 90% of materials are thrown away after one use, and Europeans create about 189 kg of packaging waste each year. While these tricks might boost short-term profits, they're bad news for the planet. We're consuming the planet's resources 1.7 times faster than they renew. You might ask – how overconsumption is promoted by design, considering that people do have free will. Well, there are some tricks.
How eCommerce UX strategy pushes consumerism
A customer browses an online store, bombarded by flashing sale banners, countdown timers, and "Only 2 left in stock!" warnings. Before they know it, their cart is full of things they didn't even know they needed. How? One-click buying, personalized ads, and flash sales all push people to buy without thinking. And this is no accident.
Many eCommerce sites use persuasive design techniques to encourage impulsive purchases and excessive consumption. For example, fast fashion retailers like Shein employ eCommerce UI/IX design strategies to push the customer buying impulse to a maximum:
Overwhelming visual displays with constant motion, pop-ups with coupons, and distracting discounts lead customers away from their initial purchase goal to additional products.
Confusing discount structures ("30% + 40% + 50% off") for certain categories, first-order discounts eliminate the initial sale or delivery discounts for higher average order values.
Creating a sense of urgency with countdown timers, making the customers quickly browse for things they don’t really need but want just because they can be cheaper right now.
Leveraging the dopamine effect of bargain-hunting with promo codes and sales promotions for higher cart values with bright, accented blocks and misleading eCommerce navigation UX.
These websites’ designers explore how customers’ brains work and use these tactics against them. They prime users to think everything's a steal, confuse with numbers, and overwhelm them to buy on impulse.
The confusion tactics often use unfair, misleading discounting. For example, Boohoo might show "25% off almost everything else" in big letters right where you're looking. But the fine print about what's really on sale? That's tiny and easy to miss. They're not trying to be clear — they want shoppers to be confused and ready to buy.
These practices aren't just manipulative — they contribute to a cycle of overconsumption with serious environmental consequences. By designing for impulsivity rather than mindfulness, these sites prioritize short-term sales over long-term sustainability and user well-being. Now that we figured out how these strategies work, let’s explore their impact.
How eCommerce website UX impacts purchase decisions
UX design plays a leading role in influencing purchase decisions. A survey revealing that 80% of customers value customer experience above all other aspects proves this importance. When consumers interact with a website or app, their experience directly impacts their likelihood of making a purchase. Efficient UX design guides users through the buying process, reducing friction and increasing the chances of conversion. A smooth running mechanism like this directly impacts a company’s bottom line.
The return on investment shows the power of UX design in shaping purchase decisions. On average, every $1 invested in UX returns $100. That's a 9,900% ROI! How is this achieved?
Specifically designed interfaces make products more appealing and simplify the eCommerce checkout UX. Mapping a customer journey with the right places to focus attention on sales and discounts promotes it even further.
UX design uses principles of eCommerce psychology to influence user behavior. This includes using visually appealing layouts, strategically placed call-to-action buttons, and navigation paths designed for upselling and increasing an average order value. The overall result is a more persuasive online shopping environment that leads to more sales and promotes consumerism.
As opposed to persuasive design, we can also notice the rise of one of the powerful eCommerce UX trends — sustainable UX. It’s a new phenomenon, and to understand how you can use it and if you should even try it, we’ll dig into more detail.
What is sustainable UX?
Sustainable UX focuses on creating digital experiences that promote mindful consumption and reduce environmental impact. It involves designing interfaces that encourage thoughtful purchases, provide transparent information, and support circular economy principles.
In short, sustainable UX defies the script of traditional eCommerce design. Instead of manipulating users into buying more, it empowers them to make mindful choices aligned with their values. It urges users to see the path to purchase, not a quick hop to an impulse buy. Here's what it looks like in practice:
Transparent product information (materials, sourcing, environmental impact)
Intuitive category organization and filtering
Community features to foster connection and knowledge-sharing
Emphasis on quality over quantity
At this point, you might stop and ask: wait, are you persuading me to follow a strategy that makes shoppers buy less? And this is natural — a route off the quick ROI can be dangerous. But surprisingly, sustainable UX has a lot to offer.
Benefits of sustainable eCommerce experiences
We didn’t just mention this new way of eCommerce UX as a way to future-proof your brand. In the highly competitive landscape of fast fashion, fast buying, and one-click shopping, it’s easier to get lost with little to no unique value proposition. Sustainable eCommerce can become your way out of this loop as it provides unique perks:
Brand loyalty:78% of consumers believe retailers should do more to help them make environmentally-friendly decisions.
Alignment with consumer values: 39% of shoppers prioritize budget-friendly options, while 26% are cautious about impulse buying.
Respect to a mindful lifestyle: 22% postpone purchases on purpose, to take time for some good thinking whether a product will be useful in the long run.
All of these benefits aggregate into one conclusion: sustainable shopping is what conscious buyers want these days. With the rising trends for eco-friendly eCommerce, adopting green practices can be your chance to differentiate yourself. But the big question is: is it worth it, money-wise?
Will your business make less with sustainable UX?
The benefits go beyond feel-good vibes. While there are concerns about reduced sales, sustainable UX can strengthen customer relationships and increase lifetime value. By focusing on authenticity and transparency, brands build trust and loyalty, leading to more stable, long-term revenue. These are not fast, but lasting competitive advantages that build up through years.
As we explored in our article about customer loyalty, increasing customer retention by 5% can boost returns by at least 25%. With the cost of acquiring new customers rising by 50% over the last 5 years, building a strong and loyal customer base seems the most natural solution to this growing issue.
To avoid webdesign UX eCommerce errors when switching to a more sustainable strategy, you might need some professional help. But why is it so challenging in the first place?
The challenge and solution of sustainable UX in eCommerce
Transitioning to a sustainable UX design for eCommerce can be complex since you need to balance eco-friendly practices with business goals. It requires a deep understanding of sustainable design principles, ecommerce best practices, and user behavior.
By leveraging our expertise in eCommerce UI UX design, our eCommerce UX agency
helps create sustainable online stores that not only meet environmental goals but deliver exceptional user experiences. Our approach combines the best UX websites practices with sustainable design principles, resulting in eCommerce platforms that are both eco-friendly and high-converting.
We help businesses develop an eco-friendly eCommerce UX strategy that aligns with brand values and meets customer expectations. This involves conducting eCommerce UX research to understand user needs and market trends in sustainable shopping. These services can help businesses transition to more ethical and sustainable design practices.
Our eCommerce UX audit services thoroughly analyze your existing platform, identifying areas for improvement in terms of sustainability and user experience. We provide actionable recommendations to enhance your eCommerce navigation UX and overall site performance. We focus on best eCommerce UX practices, ensuring intuitive search functionality, and implementing checkout processes that support delayed, mindful decision-making.
Circular UX design for eCommerce
Moving away from the traditional, linear eCommerce strategy, we see another direction that is getting popular. Zero-waste businesses could keep 90% of waste out of landfills, showing there's a better way to do things. How to achieve it? Circular economy principles are your friends here, and UX eCommerce design goes in line with this transformation.
Let's explore the core principles and best practices that form the foundation of circular eCommerce design.
4 principles of a circular eCommerce design
The following principles serve as the cornerstone for creating a sustainable and responsible eCommerce platform:
Design for longevity and reuse. Extending product life cycles is at the heart of circular design. This principle focuses on creating and promoting products that are built to last, can be easily repaired, and have multiple use cases throughout their lifetime.
Minimize waste in the user experience. Circular eCommerce design aims to reduce waste not just in products but in the entire shopping experience. This includes digital user flows, packaging, and delivery methods.
Provide transparent information about the product lifecycle. Transparency is key in circular design. Customers should have easy access to information about a product's origin, manufacturing process, use phase, and end-of-life options.
Encourage responsible consumption. The ultimate goal of circular eCommerce is to shift consumer behavior towards more sustainable choices. This principle involves educating customers and providing options that promote responsible purchasing decisions.
To truly move the needle on sustainability, we need to think beyond individual products and consider entire lifecycles. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is leading the charge here, offering comprehensive guides for businesses looking to embrace circularity.
eCommerce UX best practices: 8 steps to sustainable UX
Embracing these principles demands a thorough shift in the ways you think, strategize, and create business models. Sounds complicated, but don’t worry – these tips will make circular economy ideas work in real life.
1. Showcase product durability
The circular economy is all about using things wisely and for a long time, fixing them when they break, and reusing or recycling them at the end. This way, we waste less and help our planet. Highlight the longevity and repairability of products to encourage longer use:
Create dedicated sections on product pages that detail durability features, expected lifespan, and repair options.
Include a "Built to Last" badge on product thumbnails or add a "Durability Score" metric for each item.
Offer easy access to repair and maintenance services for your products right on your website. This can be easier than you think if you produce materials or partner with local businesses.
Design a dedicated section on your website that looks like a repair workshop.
Include easy-to-use repair guides, a repair service booking system, and a community forum where customers can share repair tips.
Use visuals of tools and mended items to reinforce the repair concept.
3. Implement a "Slow Shopping" interface
This is a reverse method to all the flashing discount pop-ups, “Check this item too” elements, and upsell strategies. How can it be applied to your eCommerce website UX?
Redesign your landing page and product pages with a focus on simplicity.
Use plenty of white space, limit color palettes, and reduce the number of items shown at once. This can help reduce impulse buying and encourage more mindful shopping.
Remove quick-buy buttons and design a checkout process that encourages thoughtful purchasing.
Add reflection points with questions like "Do you really need this item?" or "How often will you use this?"
Use calming colors and minimize flashy sale graphics.
4. Visualize product lifecycles
Use infographics and interactive elements to illustrate each product's circular journey. Show how each product is made, used, and recycled. To achieve this, create visual "Product Journey" infographics for each item.
Show each stage, from raw material to final product, using a timeline or map design. Such educational content helps customers make informed purchasing decisions and strengthens your brand reputation, earning you loyal, conscious customers.
5. Give rewards for eco-friendly choices
Develop a loyalty program that rewards environment-friendly actions. Award points for opting for minimal packaging, choosing slower (but more eco-friendly) shipping methods, or returning items for recycling.
These points could be redeemed for discounts or used to support environmental causes. It’s a good practice to integrate this feature into your eCommerce checkout UX with accented and appealing UI that underlines the benefits of these methods.
6. Add "Product Impact Calculator"
Design an interactive tool that lets customers see the environmental impact of their potential purchase. Use simple graphics to show water usage, CO2 emissions, and material consumption. Allow users to compare the impacts of different products side by side.
There are ready-made solutions that can be integrated – OEKO-TEX® Impact Calculator and The 2030 Calculator by Doconomy. These tools provide established methodologies and databases for calculating product carbon and water footprints in the textile and apparel industry.
You can also implement a "Wear Count" feature: a section on product pages that visually shows the estimated number of wears a customer can expect from the item. Use icons or a meter to represent durability and longevity, helping customers visualize the long-term value of their purchase.
7. Guide your customers toward sustainable practices
There are many creative ways to use sustainable UX design to educate customers. For example, create an engaging visual guide to the materials used in your products. Design it like a periodic table or interactive map, allowing customers to click on materials to learn about their properties, sustainability factors, and care instructions.
You can also create a "Mix and Match" sustainability guide, an interactive wardrobe planner that shows customers how to create multiple outfits with fewer, more versatile pieces. Use drag-and-drop functionality to let users experiment with different combinations.
8. Showcase your efforts
Your customers want to see the results of your work on transitioning to green practices. A "Second Life" showcase can be a good option. Design a special section of your website dedicated to showcasing how customers have repurposed, upcycled, or extended the life of your products. Use a gallery-style layout with user-submitted photos and stories.
A "Sustainability Progress" dashboard is an even more powerful and integral way to show your efforts. Create an interactive, real-time display of your company's sustainability efforts. Use graphs, charts, and counters to show metrics like water saved, emissions reduced, and materials recycled. Make it visually appealing and easy to understand at a glance.
By integrating these principles and best practices, you can create an eCommerce experience that not only meets customer needs but also promotes sustainability and responsible consumption.
eCommerce UX case studies to take examples from
Some companies and brands are pretty successful in underlining their sustainability efforts. They create UX designs that reflect their commitment to ecological practices and sustainable eCommerce.
Patagonia has long been at the forefront of sustainable business practices. Their landing page boldly states, "Everything we make has an impact on the planet." This honest approach sets the tone for their entire brand story. They provide comprehensive sections on their environmental programs, materials used, and social responsibility initiatives. This level of transparency helps customers make informed decisions.
Even fast-fashion giants like H&M are moving towards sustainable practices. They launched a garment collection program that encourages customers to bring in old clothes for recycling, promoting circular economy principles. They also feature sustainable product lines, making it easier for customers to choose eco-friendly options. Besides, their sustainability-related eCommerce web and mobile UX is designed with clear, spacious layouts, free of flashy elements and sales-y CTAs.
Nu-In, a sustainable Swedish fashion label, demonstrates how design can reflect its green commitments. In 2020, Nu-In launched the "Cancel Black Friday" campaign. Instead of offering discounts, they pledged to donate 30% of their profits to environmental causes. They effectively use their landing page to share their business mission and major sustainability milestones.
Eco-friendly eCommerce UX strategy
The shift towards sustainable UX in eCommerce is not just an ethical choice but a strategic move. By adopting circular economy principles and implementing thoughtful design practices, businesses can create online shopping experiences that promote mindful consumption without sacrificing profitability.
Sustainable UX design offers numerous benefits, including improved brand loyalty, increased authenticity, and alignment with growing consumer values. By embracing transparent product information, encouraging repair and reuse, and designing interfaces that promote thoughtful purchases, businesses can future-proof their stores and contribute to a more sustainable digital economy.
What is sustainable UX in eCommerce?
Sustainable UX in eCommerce focuses on creating digital experiences that promote mindful consumption and reduce environmental impact. It involves designing interfaces that encourage thoughtful purchases, provide transparent information, and support circular economy principles.
How does sustainable UX differ from traditional eCommerce design?
While traditional eCommerce design often prioritizes quick sales and impulse purchases, sustainable UX emphasizes transparency, product longevity, and mindful consumption. It aims to empower users to make informed choices aligned with their values.
What are some key principles of circular eCommerce design?
Key principles include designing for longevity and reuse, minimizing waste in the user experience, providing transparent information about product lifecycles, and encouraging responsible consumption.
Is sustainable UX only relevant for eco-friendly brands?
No, sustainable UX principles can be applied to any eCommerce business. As consumers become more environmentally conscious, adopting these practices can benefit brands across various industries.
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