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✦ Hey, I'm Izzy ✦
Weekly Essentials for Creative Minds
I share actionable insights on digital design and human vitality—so you can create, think, and perform at your best.
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Profile portrait of Izzy. Olive-skinned Mediterranean man. Dark wavy hair. Blue sweater.
Ismail B.
December 23, 2022

Can you pass this test?

Key points

  • Every e-commerce web page must communicate 3 things
  • 1) What the page is about
  • 2) Why the user should care
  • 3) Where they should go next
  • 70% of ecommerce giants fail this test
  • Avoid gut feel. Get feedback on you web design

Even the world's largest corporations appear to struggle with putting themselves in the shoes of the user to understand what has to be immediately communicated. Let's talk about it.

The visual hierarchy of a website refers to the way that elements on the page are arranged in a way that guides the viewer's attention. A strong visual hierarchy can help to effectively communicate the most important information and guide the user's experience on the site.

EyeQuant is a company that uses artificial intelligence to analyze the design of websites and provide feedback on how to improve user experience.

According to a study by EyeQuant 70% of ecommerce websites fail the following visual hierarchy test.

The 3 Ws Test

Every web page must communicate:

  1. What the page is about
  2. Why the user should care
  3. Where they should go next

In 3 seconds or less.

The 3 Ws Test is a useful tool for evaluating the effectiveness of a web page in communicating its purpose and guiding the user's experience.

EyeQuant ran this test on 43 of the most popular ecommerce websites in the world

Target failed

Via EyeQuant

OfficeDepot failed

The visual strength of the logo, ad banner, and headline take away from the offer.

Via EyeQuant

Other notable failures:

  • Walmart
  • GAP

Some of the few passes:

  • H&M
  • Best Buy
Via EyeQuant

Effective communication is crucial for any website, but it is especially important for ecommerce sites, where the primary goal is to sell products or services to users. If a web page does not clearly communicate its purpose and provide a clear next step for the user, it can lead to confusion and frustration, and ultimately result in lost sales.

Do this to fix your e-commerce web page design:

  1. Start using the 3 W’s test on all of your layouts.
  2. Do not let design decisions be purely based on gut-feel. Get feedback.

it is important to ensure that the page has a clear and concise message that is immediately apparent to the viewer. This can be achieved through the use of strong headings, well-written copy, and visually appealing design elements. It is also important to consider the user's needs and motivations, and to make sure that the page provides a clear call to action or next steps for the user to follow.

Overall, the 3 Ws Test is a helpful way to ensure that a web page is effectively communicating its purpose and guiding the user's experience in a way that is easy to understand and follow.