I’ve been doing more online shopping lately – what with all this snow that keeps piling up and the fact that most of what I want is actually overseas these days. I’ve always done some online shopping – I’m a big fan of it as opposed to real life shopping which I loathe.
But there’s a trend that’s really getting on my last nerve these days – these requests to participate in surveys or invitations to “chat with a customer assistance.” I don’t mind being asked to participate or invited to chat but I do mind having the invitation SHOVED in front of me with no warning as I am trying to shop.
It’s aggravating. It’s rude. Worst of all, it is bad usability.
By all mean, encourage feedback and interaction with your customers but do it by creating something eye-catching on the side or in along the bottom with an option to minimize or close it. And once it’s closed, don’t come back during that session unless the customer opens it. But these pop ups – basically you are getting right in my face and shouting. Interrupting me as I am trying to make a purchase decision. Getting in my virtual personal space. You know what I’d do if someone did that in real life? Well, online it’s even easier – I just click away.
So think about that before you pop-up in my face and block my view of your products. Repeatedly.
