Usability Analysis of E-Commerce Mobile Applications

Abstract

E-commerce has completely transformed the way people purchase; it is therefore expedient to prioritize methods for enhancing the user-friendliness of e-commerce applications. Despite the development of e-commerce mobile applications, there exists a substantial vacuum in comprehensive usability evaluations, impeding the improvement of user experiences. Users confront different hurdles, ranging from navigation issues and inadequate search functionality to arduous checkout procedures, which might potentially dissuade them from completing transactions. Due to lack of extensive work on e-commerce apps used by Nigerians, there is lack of understanding regarding how to effectively tackle the usability difficulties observed in e-commerce mobile apps in Nigeria. This research aims to address these gaps by measuring three key usability metrics: Efficiency, Effectiveness, and User Satisfaction on three commonly used e-commerce apps in Nigeria which are Konga, Jumia, and AliExpress. The research approach employed in this study involves a combination of survey and direct observation. The findings indicated that the Jumia e-commerce app is rated better than the AliExpress and Konga app in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction due to its user-friendly interface, effective data handling and smooth navigation. AliExpress also demonstrated exceptional performance while the Konga app received the lowest ratings across the three usability metrics. In summary, the study underscores the need for user-centric design and ongoing improvement in e-commerce mobile applications in Nigeria. It stresses the value of investing in usability advancements to retain and ensure consumer satisfaction.