Safeway?s In-store Guide to Usability ? For the Web

The other day I went grocery shopping at my local Safeway, and realized ? they get usability. Everything is exactly where it needs to be for me to get in and out as quick as possible, to spend the most money possible, and for me to leave feeling satisfied. And then I realized ? the web works (or should work) basically the same way. Let?s examine just a few of the similarities:

Store Layout = Site Structure

When you get your basket and start wandering the store, simply by traversing the outside perimeter takes you to all the major food groups and then to the register. First produce, then dairy, meat, the bakery, and then the checkout? all the staples to an everyday diet are easily accessible.

The same concept applies to a website. No matter what your website is about, the basics need to be covered simply and efficiently, with no room for confusion. This includes who are you, what you do/sell, why someone should care, and what action needs to be taken. (Look, you?re in the deli isle ? you see sandwich meat, its healthy and delicious, and you should buy it? no room for error.)

Looking for organic low fat peanut butter? For products that aren?t nearly as popular as the everyday staples, you?ll need to try wandering down isles of the center of the store. Mustard, Sponges, Canned Beans, Tartar sauce? its all there: you just have to look for it a bit harder. Same with a website ? keep your most popular and most accessed information easy to get, but still have that extra bit of information available for the visitor who really needs it, whether in a secondary menu item or a link on a related page.

Blowout Prices on Grapes = The Hook

When I first walked in to Safeway, there was a big stand promoting seedless grapes, for just $1.99/pound ? a great price. Instantly, a I think ? great price, I want some grapes, and they go into my basket. The psychologically shopping mentality has just kicked in, and as I start traversing the store, the cost of products start going up (from inexpensive vegetables to expensive meats and cheeses)

On the web, starting with a low price or key piece of information switches the mindset from browsing, to ?what if?. What if I could get this product for just $9.99, is it worth it? (or, maybe this topic is so interesting, I want to learn more.) As the visitor continues to navigate the website, higher value products and information is sought. Moving up to $14.99 isn?t unreasonable? neither is $19.99? and I getting an exclusive bonus if I move up to the $29.99 price range ? slowly maximizing the amount of money (or time) spent by the website visitor.

Potatoes Peelers = Cross Promotion/Linking

Thinking about having potatoes for dinner? You?ll need some potatoes (duh). After you?ve selected your ideal potatoes, a shiny object catches your eyes ? a potato peeler. The people at Safeway know that you?re not really going to go LOOK for a potato peeler, but if it?s located right next to the potatoes, you?re far more likely to be sold.

This is a form of cross promotion. The same function works for the web ? If you?re selling Widgets, wouldn?t it be great to have the widget expansion pack/ insurance/ carrying case/complementing information/etc, easily assessable? Simply by adding a banner or link related products or information will help your visitors navigate your website, and grow their order or visit yet another page of the website.

Corn on the Cob: 8 for $2.00 = The Classic Up-Sell

Safeway?s done considerable database mining to figure out what exactly their customers want, and how to grow their purchase. While a Corn on the Cob is typically just $0.25 each, they already know that if you promote 8 for $2.00 ? people are more likely to buy 8. It?s as simple as that, as it SOUNDS like a better deal and it sounds completely reasonable.

On the web, try packaging your widgets or services for the same price. Chances are, the customer isn?t going to read the fine print and realize it?s the exact same cost ? and you?ve just put them all together, in a simple and understandable pricing range.

After spending a good half hour in Safeway and $70 later, I realized ? it works. I was in there just to buy some Yogurt, Cheese, a few veggies, bread and some chicken, and came out with a lot more. Why? Because of Safeway?s store layout, product placement, and their cross- and up-selling tactics not only made it easy to convince me to stay longer, buy more, but also made me leave thinking I got the best value for my dollar. If only all stores and websites could do the same.

Get the whole story here: Safeway?s In-store Guide to Usability ? For the Web.

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