Our Conversion Optimisation expert, Benjamin Ligier, has analysed the NET-A-PORTER website conversion funnel and details here the positive aspects as well as areas that would benefit from improvement.

1. Online Persuasions Insiders 2016
How does NET-A-PORTER
optimise its conversions ?
Benjamin Ligier
CRO Project Manager

2. An analysis of NET-A-PORTER’S
conversion funnel
I reveal what’s working, what’s not working quite so well, and
propose some changes to help increase the site’s revenue…
9 neuroscience ✔
principles applied 18 mistakes ✘
to correct 5 proposals
for improvement

3. The summer sales have started and my girlfriend
casually mentioned a black swimming costume she
liked that was on sale on Net-à-Porter so I decided to
take a look and maybe treat her to it.
As a Conversion Optimisation Consultant I can’t help
but take note of the site’s good points - but also the
areas that could use some improvement.
Join me on my user journey and discover some of the
most relevant neuroscience principles I found that
apply to their site.
The context

4. My journey in 8 steps
2 31
Home Category Product
6 7 85
Sign-in ShippingShipping address Payment
4
Basket

5. Home
Home Category Product
Sign-in ShippingShipping address Payment
Basket

6. Home
The ‘Sale’ tab is clearly
distinguished from the
rest of the page by its red
colour.
Von Restorff Effect ✔

7. Home
However, when I click on
‘Sale’, I arrive on this
difficult-to-navigate and
not very appealing page.
Picture Superiority Effect ✘

8. Home
Picture Superiority ✔
Proposal
for improvement
It would be clearer and more
appealing if the categories within
the Sale were displayed using
thumbnails, and the full list could
still be shown to the left as well.

9. Home
The drop menus are also quite
busy and not very clear. The
hierarchy isn’t very obvious: if
the sub-categories are displaying
to the left then what is the central
column for?
Cognitive Ease ✘
Home

10. Home
Further down on the Homepage this
insert seems to be referring to a
magazine article rather than to specific
products. The whole left-hand column
seems to correspond to extracts from
their magazine but it isn’t that clear.
Ambiguity Effect ✘
Home

11. Home
What’s more, on the page itself, the
link towards related products is far
too discreet! They should have a real
Call to Action.
Von Restorff Effect ✘

12. Home
Von Restorff ✔
Proposal
for improvement
The link is changed to a more
obvious Call to Action with the
text much clearer. It could also
be a good idea to suggest
specific related products
straight away on the same
page.
SHOP PANTS

13. Home
Displaying their number of online
visitors and the products that are
being added to baskets across the
globe provides a very strong
reassurance element for potential
customers.
Social Default Bias ✔
Home

14. Home
Home
I finally end up heading to the
‘swimwear’ category at the top
of the page like I originally came
to do.

15. Category
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

16. Category
There is a lack of hierarchy
with the options. It’s easy
to get a little lost when
searching.
Processing Fluency ✘

17. Category
Why display these as two separate
pieces if it is indeed impossible to
buy them separately?
Ambiguity Effect ✘

18. Category
When you hover over the product with
your mouse, a photo of the swimsuit in
context (on a model) is shown.Visual Depiction Effect ✔

19. Product
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

20. Product
There are multiple photos as
well as a video shown on the
product page.
Picture Superiority Effect ✔

21. Product
Certain sizes are shown as
being low in stock. This will
encourage visitors to order
quickly.
Scarcity Effect ✔

22. Product
The national sizing guide
system is used but there
is also an international
guide available if
required.
Curse of Knowledge ✔

23. Product
When you add the product to
your basket, a window opens to
show what’s in there and to give
an option to go directly to
checkout - but it disappears far
too quickly (3 secs)!
Processing Fluency ✘

24. Basket
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

25. Basket
I would like to know more - a pop-
up box option would be helpful
here.
Also, rather than an arbitrary £5
delivery amount displayed, it would
be better to display nothing for
now.
Need for Certainty ✘

26. Basket
CLIENTS WHO BOUGHT THIS ALSO BOUGHT
Bandwagon Effect ✔
Proposal
for improvement ‘Clients who bought this also
bought’ is a more persuasive
statement than ‘you may also
like’, which is currently written
here. The behaviour of others
acts as a sort of reassurance,
which is a lot more effective.

27. Basket
I decided to also get the
sunglasses to take advantage of
the free delivery (which I see from
this banner at the top will be
offered for purchases over £350).
However, I’m still seeing that same
£5 delivery charge displayed. It’s
confusing and disconcerting.
Ambiguity Aversion ✘

28. Sign In
Home Category Product
Sign In Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

29. Sign In
The menu is no longer
visible and there are no
more ads etc: the user is
free from any distraction.
Attention Ratio ✔

30. Sign In
There is the option
to checkout as a
guest.
Autonomy Bias ✔

31. Shipping Address
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

32. Shipping Address
a3
_/)))s
I chose the “guest
checkout” option and so
must enter my info. But
there is no interactive
verification - even though
I’m writing nonsense!
Self-Efficacy ✘

33. Shipping Address
I ticked the box to enter a
separate billing address but
nothing comes up to allow me
to do this!
Ambiguity Aversion ✘

34. Shipping Address
Ambiguity Aversion ✔
The form has been separated into
two sections, so as to make it
clearer and less daunting for the
user.
When you click on the option to
add a different billing address, a
new form immediately comes up.
Proposal
for improvement

35. Shipping
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

36. Shipping
As promised, the shipping is free.
By still showing the original price
though, in grey and crossed out, it
is anchoring this original charge
in the user’s mind, which will
draw their attention to the saving
and reduce the pain of paying.
Anchoring Effect ✔

37. Payment
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

38. Payment
It’s only at this later stage
when I thought I was done
with entering those kinds
of details that I now have
to enter the billing
address.
Processing Fluency ✘

39. Payment
I can’t go back in the
process by clicking
on the progress bar.
Autonomy Bias ✘
Payment

40. Payment
When I clicked on ‘Change
shipping address’ I arrived
instead at this overall
“review” page and have to
click on yet another button
to actually get to the page
where I can change the
address.
Ambiguity Effect ✘
Payment

41. Payment
Cognitive Ease ✔
This page lacked structure. To
improve its readability whilst
still keeping a sleek design,
boxes and separating lines
have been added. The
modification options have been
made more discreet.
Proposal
>> Change billing address >> Change shipping address
>> Change shipping method >> Change packaging

42. Payment
Payment
All the major
payment methods
are clearly available!
Autonomy Bias ✔

43. Basket Abandonment Email
Basket
Abandonment
Email
Home Category Product
Sign-in Payment
Basket
ShippingShipping address

44. Basket Abandonment Email
I didn’t confirm my order in
the end. The next day I
receive an email asking me if I
want to continue with this
order but when I click on
“Shop Now”, I arrive at an
empty basket!
Self Efficacy ✘

45. Benjamin Ligier
CRO Project Manager
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