Similar results are found in terms of web users typical sources of frustration . A benchmark study of site usability suggests that improvements have been slow in coming , as sites seek to add more features. To be certain, brilliant design can do little to mask a lack of content. But if you have something to sell, site design can make all the difference. Cyber space must be built with the same attention to detail and architectural sophistication as the physical space in which people shop.
Web designers use familiar concepts to help guide visitors through a site.
Market baskets and shopping carts evoke the physical analogy of placing products in a container as we shop. Icons are used as navigational devices to give visitors a sense of movement through a site. The web storefront also needs to visually convey a company's image and its products in a manner that is synonymous with its business objects. The web is a young medium. Our understanding of design effectiveness is far from complete.