IKEA Website
Strengths
IKEA's website is one that has some path designed for it that directs the customers during their shopping experience. More like what a physical store looks like with pathways that lead you from the time you check-in to the time you decide on the product you want. While browsing for products the links are designed in a convenient and logical manners where you are compelled to search for items in a predetermined manner. The flow of information and how the website is arranged is consistent with how the physical store so a customer who has been to the store will totally have no problem navigating the well-designed menus and links.
Ease of Use
As indicated above, the website is designed in such a manner that the links, menus and other information are easy to navigate, and one can quickly locate the products they are looking for without requiring any assistance (Timm 87). The navigation menus are organized in a way that a customer will occasionally come across compelling and accurate stop points where they might be needed to take action- order or purchase an item.
Attractiveness
The logical arrangement of the products boasts a memorable aesthetic feeling. However, the designers surely did not focus in showmanship, but rather focused on providing accurate and up to date information. Thus, the company ensured that it keeps away all the flashy images and pop-ups that might distract the user and shift their focus from shopping to other unintended activities. The catalogue page is well executed with attractive graphic images. For sure it is hard for one just to skim through the pages without taking a moment to look through an attractive product.
Design
The layout of the website is impressive with an attractive theme. The site is responsive hence, cannot be considered as an online brochure. This provides tremendous opportunities for the company to boost sales by conforming to the individual requirements of the device they are using. The prevalent use of mall devices such as tabs and smartphones makes it necessary that the designers trim the fat and avoid all unnecessary bloat on their mobile sites (Timm 85). The information architecture of the mobile site has optimized the visual and written content for efficient use. The checkout process has also been streamlined for easy purchase and payment of goods.
General impressions
The F.A.Q.s section of the website provides a convenient tool for customers to obtain the much-needed information about a product's quality and features without having to go physically to the store. It is quite easy to find information in this section about the frequently asked questions (Timm 79). The website also uses cookies to ensure the best experience for their visitors. There are also customer service contact links where a new customer can immediately get information about their products and how they can purchase them online.
Weaknesses
The ‘New' page needs to be redesigned to ensure that the images of the new products posted are large enough to attract the attention of a user at first glimpse. If not, the designers could display a link or message on the home page about the availability of new products. Infographics are also not very efficient for this kind of website. Therefore, the management needs to consider using other types of graphical displays such as vector signs.
Work Cited
Timm, Paul. Customer Service: Career Success through Customer Loyalty. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
