E-commerce websites for developing countries - a usability evaluation framework

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to develop a methodological usability evaluation framework for e-commerce websites. Design/methodology/approach: A multiple-case study (comparative design) was used, where three usability methods (user testing, heuristic evaluation and web analytics) were applied to three Jordanian e-commerce companies. The resulting framework took into account the advantages and disadvantages of the methods in identifying specific usability problems on the e-commerce websites. Findings: A four-step framework was developed to facilitate the evaluation of ecommerce sites. Research limitations: The framework was developed and tested using Jordanian users, experts and e-commerce sites. The study compared the ability of the methods to detect problems that were present, however, usability issues not present on any of the sites could not be considered when creating the framework. Practical implications: The framework helps e-commerce retailers evaluate the usability of their websites and understand which usability method(s) best matches their need. Originality/value: This research proposes a new approach for evaluating the usability of websites, specifically e-commerce sites. A particularly novel approach is the use of web analytics (Google Analytics software) as a component in the usability evaluation in conjunction with heuristics and user testing.