UX Audits
UX Audits
What it is: A UX Audit is a structured evaluation of your site’s usability, accessibility, and effectiveness from the perspective of the end user. It uncovers pain points, friction zones, and opportunities to improve design and conversion flow.
Why it matters for ecommerce merchants: If your site doesn’t work for your users, it won’t work for your business. UX issues cause nearly 70% of online shoppers to abandon their carts, according to the Baymard Institute. A UX audit surfaces the blockers so you can smooth the path to purchase.
Common Steps
1. Heuristic Evaluation Review the site using usability principles like Nielsen’s 10 heuristics:
- Is the navigation intuitive?
- Are CTAs clearly labeled and positioned?
- Is error handling visible and user-friendly?
- Are users guided through the funnel with minimal confusion?
This helps quickly surface low-hanging friction points.
2. Analytics & Behavior Review Dig into quantitative data to understand where users are getting stuck or dropping off:
- Bounce rates, exit pages, and time-on-site
- Funnel analysis (especially from PLP → PDP → Cart → Checkout)
- Scroll depth and click heatmaps
- High-traffic pages with low engagement
Tools: Google Analytics, GA4, Hotjar, FullStory
3. User Flow Mapping Visually map key customer journeys (browse, search, buy) to evaluate:
- How many steps it takes to complete a task
- Whether paths are logical and uninterrupted
- Drop-off points and repeated backtracking
This helps prioritize which flows need restructuring or simplification.
4. Mobile and Accessibility Testing Review the experience across devices and user needs:
- Mobile responsiveness and tap target sizing
- Page load times and mobile-specific design friction
- Keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility
- ADA compliance checkpoints (contrast, alt tags, labels)
5. Actionable Recommendations Summarize findings with prioritized fixes:
- Quick wins (low effort, high impact)
- Major usability barriers
- Suggested changes to improve conversion or flow
- Supporting data for stakeholder alignment
Challenges:
- Evaluating UX across multiple screen sizes and devices
- Prioritizing which friction points to fix first
- Aligning designers, developers, and marketers on findings
- Balancing best practices with brand-specific experiences
