e-Commerce has ballooned into a
multi-billion dollar market, and the competition in this
market is fierce. Companies that offer the best user
experience are the ones most likely to succeed on the Web.
To help companies succeed online, IBM has developed
guidelines addressing the issues of trust, customer support,
product navigation, product information, and the purchase
transaction. In each of these areas, our goal is to make
buying goods and services comfortable, easy, and enjoyable.
Key Terms
Below are
e-commerce terms used frequently throughout these
guidelines, and their meanings as they are used on this
site. Lesser-used terms are defined in place, as they
appear.
order list - Also known
as a shopping cart, a list of products that the user has
identified as being under consideration for purchase.
order list page - A page
that contains the order list.
product list - A list of
products in the online catalog. Typically, the product list
contains each product's name, price, and a very brief
description. It is linked to more detailed information and
may also include a mechanism for adding items to the order
list.
product category navigation page
- A page that presents product offerings, grouped by
categories such as brand or intended usage.
product description page
- A page that describes a product in detail and allows the
user to add the product to the order list.
store front - A point or
entry to an online store. Sometimes this page is the same as
the company home page (www.companyname.com). Other times it
is separate (perhaps www.companyname.com/shop).
Customer Support Supporting
users before, during, and after a purchase.
Trust Establishing
trustworthiness.
Product Navigation Enabling
users to browse products easily.
Product Information Providing
the product information that users want, need, and expect.
Purchase Transaction Providing
easy means for users to purchase products.