Imagine this: It’s mid-December, and your e-commerce site is bustling with holiday shoppers. Suddenly, something breaks—a glitch at checkout, a navigation issue, or a coupon code that won’t apply.
Instead of enjoying the peak sales season, you’re scrambling to fix problems that could have been avoided with early user testing.
Here’s how user testing impacts the success of your eCommerce site.
Catch Problems Early
Waiting until November to test your site is like buying a snow shovel after the first storm hits.?️
By then, it’s too late…
“Testing with one user early in the project is better than testing with 50 near the end.”
— Steve Krug
Early user testing allows you to identify potential issues—like a broken product filter on mobile or a hard-to-find ‘add to cart’ button—before they become major obstacles during the holiday rush.
The Impact of User Testing on eCommerce sites
Studies show that normal websites can increase desired metrics by 135% on average following a usability redesign.
A well-known example from Jared M. Spool involved an eCommerce site where user testing revealed a critical issue during the checkout process.
By replacing the “Register” button with a “Continue” option and removing the mandatory account creation step, the site saw an increase in sales by 45%, resulting in an additional $15 million in the first month, and ultimately $300 million in revenue over time.
You can easily calculate the return of investment for your own usability activities if you keep track of about just a couple of your business metrics.
But if you skip early testing and encounter a major bug in December, fixing it quickly will be nearly impossible…
Your developers will be stretched thin, and the downtime could cost you thousands (or even millions)in lost sales.
Even worse, frustrated customers may turn to your competitors, making it difficult to win them back…
When Should You Start?
The best time to start testing was six months ago—the next best time is today.
Early testing allows you to catch and fix issues before they escalate, ensuring your site is ready to handle the holiday rush with ease.
There might be a few reasons holding you back, but don’t worry—there’s a solutions to address those concerns:
Unsure What You Should Test?
To prepare your site for the holiday rush, focus on the “conversion critical” areas—those red routes that directly impact your sales.
This includes:
- The checkout process
- Finding products and
- redeeming coupons, especially for seasonal promotions.
These are the areas where any friction can lead to lost sales, so they should be at the top of your testing list.
How to Set Up a User Test for Your Ecommerce Site
Getting started is easier than you think. With Auto create your tasks the only thing you have to do is to describe your product and seconds later, you’ll automatically get unbiased, and effective tasks for your user test.
Of course, you’re always in control and can adapt these tasks if needed…
To get some more inspiration, you can always check out our template library for examples of effective tasks and questions that you can use or adapt for your own user tests.
These templates are designed to help you gather meaningful insights without the guesswork…
Yes, 5 Users Is Enough
Testing with five users will uncover the majority of usability issues within a test scenario.
This approach is cost-effective and provides enough feedback to make informed decisions.
Here’s why five testers is all you need:
- Spot Most Issues Fast: 5 users can catch 85% of the major problems in a user test.
- Quick and Budget-Friendly: Small tests let you move faster and save money.
- Get the Core Insights You Need: 5 users give you the essential feedback to improve.
What Budget Do I Need?
Running a user test doesn’t have to break the bank. With Userbrain, you can easily calculate your budget and get actionable insights without overspending.
Testing with five users is a cost-effective way to catch issues early, saving you from expensive fixes during peak sales periods.
Choose what works for you: test with a single user for just $45, or think long-term with our Plans.
For only $99, you’ll get 36 testers annually (available all at once), ensuring your product stays user-friendly year-round—not just at Christmas.
Cut Down on Time to Insight
Worried that analyzing user testing results will be too time-consuming?
With AI Insights, those concerns are a thing of the past. Our AI automatically identifies usability issues, spots recurring patterns, and highlights key themes from your user tests.
It even provides time-stamped annotations and sentiment analysis, offering you a clear, actionable overview without the heavy lifting:
Get the critical insights effortlessly, and focus on what matters most.
Plus, all usability problems are neatly organized by the number of testers affected, making it easy to prioritize your improvements.
Starting user testing early
Investing in user testing now isn’t just about surviving the holiday season—it’s about setting your business up for sustained success.
By continuously improving the user experience based on real-world feedback, you create a website that not only handles peak traffic with ease but also continues to deliver value throughout the year.
Early testing allows for thoughtful, data-driven decisions that align with both short-term goals and long-term growth.
Conclusion
The time to start user testing for the Christmas season was six months ago, but now is better than never!
By doing so, you ensure that your e-commerce site is ready to deliver a flawless shopping experience during the holiday season, positioning your brand for success when it counts the most.
So, don’t wait until the last minute.
Start your user testing today and ensure your e-commerce site is ready to handle the holiday rush with ease.
Trust us, your future self—and your holiday sales—will thank you. ?
