5 Website Usability Tips for Reaching Chinese Consumers Online

As eCommerce sales grow, organizations must tailor their websites to a diverse market. Focusing on user experience is essential for conversion rates and customer loyalty. With over 220 million people using the Internet, China is a key market. What should be considered when designing a Chinese version of the site? These usability tips are from User Centric's subsidiary company in Beijing - User Experience:

1. The homepage should include more products or services. Rather than feature one or two products on the homepage, Chinese retailers tend to include many products with brief descriptions and links.

2. Menu sub-headings should be presented in expanded format. Rather than drilling down into categories or searching to find information, Chinese consumers prefer to see more information in one location.

3. Include eye-grabbing content like animation and minimize empty spaces. Our colleagues at User Experience have found in past studies that Chinese consumers commonly think that 'something is missing' if a homepage lacks animation. They also dislike empty spaces on web pages.

4. Determine what content and features could instill trust in the Chinese market. Chinese consumers don't expect to provide credit card information during eCommerce and instead pay cash on delivery. There is a lack of trust in eCommerce privacy. Consider this carefully and determine what content or features could instill trust in Chinese customers.

5. Color is important: The color red has a strong positive connotation in Chinese culture. However, red in Western cultures is often associated with negative information. Therefore, visual design may not be easily transferable.