The Effect of User Interface, User Experience and Design on Mobile E-commerce Applications in the Fashion Industry

This study aims to explore elements of the user experience, and how those with the user interface and design of mobile apps in the e-commerce and fashion industries affect the user experience and customer behavior with online shopping. In this area, other work has been done in evaluating the user experience, and its effects on components of the user interface and design, however, this study offers a more specific look into these features in a niche industry, namely in the frame of e-commerce and the fashion industry. This fits into the context of the field of the user experience as the end-user is central to optimizing the online experience, so gauging it will help optimize features in an application or platform. This also fits into the context of information systems as all applications and businesses, many of which are in the e-commerce and fashion spaces, utilize the technologies and concepts of information systems. To approach this challenge, a survey was conducted using Qualtrics, since conducting a survey is a common method used to answer questions concerning the user experience. Subjects were asked preliminary questions, and questions addressing the five variables of user intention in buying products, usability, ease of use, findability, and desirability. Survey data was collected, and two multiple regression analyses were performed. The statistical significance of the results is determined, and then the relevance is evaluated. It was found that if an application in the mobile e-commerce fashion space is useful to the user, then it is desirable to the user. It was also found that if an app is desirable to the user, users in turn have the intention to buy products using these apps. From this research, next steps include obtaining a larger sample size to get more statistically significant data. Future research includes testing other factors of the user experience, modifying the survey to further test existing variables, and exploring different niche industries in mobile e-commerce applications to explore the user experience in other areas of e-commerce.