Usability testing on Lazada Malaysia website: effect of atmospheric cues on emotions / Sauza Aksah

Effective design of atmospheric cues and the effect of these atmospheric cues on consumer's emotions are crucial for the success of online businesses. Having many associated usability issues with regards atmospheric cues while browsing on e-commerce website, it is important for companies embarking on online businesses to understand issues related to usability problems of an e-commerce website and the techniques to identify these issues. Therefore, using Lazada Malaysia website as a case study, this project aims to identify the common atmospheric cues used while browsing e-commerce website and eventually identifying usability issues with regards these atmospheric cues and its effects on emotions. Recommendations to improve criteria and best practices of atmospheric cues that effect on emotions to Lazada Malaysia website will be suggested. Based on preliminary study conducted, there were some feedbacks received from consumers on atmospheric cues such as graphics and links that affect consumer's interaction to the website. Furthermore, usability testing for Lazada Malaysia website never been conducted as far as this project is conducted. To fulfil this purpose, usability testing was conducted on five (5) participants from different background using qualitative method by performing a combination of usability testing techniques, namely interview, observation with the task-scenarios and think aloud. The results showed that some improvements needed on atmospheric cues such as graphic, colours and links, and interestingly, positive emotions of pleasure and arousal were induced. As overall, the outcome of this project would help Lazada Malaysia to reduce usability gap of online shopping journey. For future project, other key variables of atmospheric cues and emotions, different evaluation method and techniques could be used to generate more effective usability issues. From broad e-commerce prospective, the project could be extended to social media platform.