Was doing a random spin around some of the eCommerce giants when I noticed the unique layout of Zappos.com’s homepage. Zappos has broken new ground before with there “all the time” free shipping and free returns, but now they were attempting new approaches with eCommerce web usability that I found very interesting.
The most obvious was a two boxed approach to on-site search in a unique location within their homepage. Typically, on-site search has always been at the top of a homepage or eCommerce template due to the fact that humans read vertically down as that is what we are trained to do.
Zappos takes a different approach with their new design. Zappos has embedded TWO on site search boxes near the bottom of the fold. Breaking all rules of eye tracking studies and delivering the user to the search box as quickly as possible, Zappos seems to want the user to read the promos before looking for the shoe they desire.
Its an interesting approach and Id love to see the data relating to goal progressions with the search tool.