Frictionless purchasing experiences in commerce offer insights for UX optimization. Let's explore their potential through case studies.

The pandemic has significantly altered consumer behavior, driving the proliferation of contactless payments and the boom in e-commerce shopping. Simultaneously, the nature of the "friction" (annoyances in the purchasing experience) customers perceive has also changed. In particular, "speed" has become a key factor many customers now demand from shopping. Whether they can purchase a product quickly has become a crucial element influencing the decision to "buy or not to buy."

The importance of frictionless purchasing experiences extends beyond e-commerce, rippling into various business domains. This time, we explain the current landscape surrounding frictionless experiences for those asking, "What are the hints for increasing customer satisfaction?" and "What are the starting points for enhancing the value of our own services?"Under the theme "Can designing frictionless purchasing experiences contribute to enhancing service value in industries beyond e-commerce?", we explore hints for optimizing UX (user experience) through frictionless design.

What exactly is the "frictionless" purchasing experience people seek today?

Restrictions on going out and changes in hygiene awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted customer purchasing behavior, leading to the expansion of cashless payments and increased use of e-commerce sites. Amidst this situation, one keyword gaining attention recently is "frictionless."

In marketing, frictionless refers to a state where customers experience no "friction" when purchasing products. We've also covered methods supporting frictionless experiences, such as "contactless payments," in this article.

So, what exactly is "friction" in shopping? It can be described as the various "stress points" customers encounter during the purchasing process, such as "not knowing the product dimensions" or "finding the return/exchange procedures unclear." To achieve a frictionless experience, it's crucial to proactively eliminate potential questions that arise during purchase, much like removing obstacles.

This is because once a question arises, resolving it requires "time" and "effort." With the widespread adoption of e-commerce shopping, customers can now purchase products instantly at their convenience using just a smartphone. As temporal and geographical constraints on shopping have diminished, aversion to "waiting" and "time-consuming processes" has actually increased.

According to a 2019 joint survey on online shopping habits conducted by Vertical Web Media's Digital Commerce 360 and market research firm Bizrate Insights, users desire not only shorter delivery lead times but also "efficient checkout processes" and "improved search results." This clearly shows customers demand "speed" in every aspect of e-commerce shopping.

Refined payment design is the first step toward frictionless shopping

Consciously prioritizing "speed" in shopping and creating frictionless purchasing experiences is crucial for expanding commerce businesses, including e-commerce shopping.

For example, when purchasing items on an e-commerce site, many people are concerned about information regarding returns and cancellations. While this information is often clearly stated on the FAQ page, not all users navigate there to read the return/cancellation policy. If various questions remain unanswered—such as "What are the conditions for returns?" "Who pays the shipping cost for returns?" or "What is the return acceptance period?"—customers may abandon the purchase altogether.

Furthermore, when actually returning an item, if the purchase was made using a credit card or electronic money, the refund method may be limited. Many electronic money services, in particular, do not support refund processing, meaning refunds might be issued in cash or the return itself might become impossible.

This applies not only to e-commerce sites but also to shopping at physical stores. If the item is expensive, the probability of abandoning the purchase increases significantly if customers cannot confirm their questions with a salesperson. To prevent such abandonment and ensure the purchase goes through, the key lies in how effectively you can eliminate friction right before purchase. This involves providing smooth access to necessary information, presenting information that is neither excessive nor insufficient, and simplifying the purchase procedures.

Indeed, various measures aimed at reducing such friction are increasingly being implemented. Let's look at a few examples.

Example 1: Self-checkout using RFID tags
Self-checkout using RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tags helps eliminate the friction of "checkout line congestion." RFID is a system that enables contactless data exchange using electromagnetic waves. Unlike barcodes, it eliminates the need to scan each item individually, allowing multiple tags to be read simultaneously. This technology is effective not only for self-checkout but also for reducing scanning time at staffed registers.

Case 2: Smart Lock Implementation in Accommodations
A common hassle during hotel stays is the time-consuming check-in process and managing room keys. Recently, the adoption of smart locks has been advancing, allowing guests to complete check-in procedures via a smartphone app and use that same app as their room key.

Case 3: Tablet Utilization / Mobile Ordering
Tablet-based ordering systems in restaurants help eliminate friction for customers who feel uncomfortable calling a server to place an order. Additionally, mobile ordering—where customers use smartphones to order and pay before arriving at the restaurant—reduces meal wait times and overall time spent at the establishment. For more on "pre-order services" like mobile ordering, see this article.

These examples clearly show that digitalization and IT technology are essential for achieving frictionless experiences. Particularly noteworthy is the "payment" stage, the final step in the purchasing flow. Cashless payments, which eliminate the hassle of taking cash from a wallet, counting bills and coins, and receiving change, represent a quintessential frictionless experience.When implementing cashless payments, expanding payment methods—such as " BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) " which allows easy deferred or installment payments—and developing systems that process transactions contactlessly and quickly are also crucial considerations.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, designing systems that consider the post-payment process—specifically "returns"—can significantly lower purchase barriers. For instance, common issues when buying clothing online include "size doesn't fit" or "color differs from expectations." One major e-commerce site offers a service where customers can receive items free of charge, try them on, and then decide whether to purchase. This exemplifies a successful approach to eliminating friction in the returns process.

Major customer experience transformation starts with eliminating minor friction points

Next, let's explore how the frictionless concept can be applied to revitalize future business.

When improving customer experience, the perspective of "how to increase positive experiences" is certainly important. However, it's also true that a single negative experience can undo many accumulated positive ones. Therefore, the perspective of "how to reduce negative experiences" must never be neglected. Frictionless is precisely an approach focused on the latter. It serves as a foundation for creating a comfortable purchasing experience by removing negative elements that act as barriers to user buying behavior.

The effectiveness of these frictionless initiatives extends beyond purchasing and payment processes in retail, holding potential to demonstrate its power in other businesses and front-line operations as well.

The "remote medical consultations" and "online insurance enrollment" that gained traction during the pandemic are prime examples. Remote consultations eliminate the friction of "hospital visit hurdles"—such as traveling to a hospital while feeling unwell or waiting long hours for an appointment—by moving the consultation online. This approach not only saves time and eliminates the hassle of travel but is also effective in cases requiring privacy considerations, like gynecological visits.

Another example of frictionless innovation is the "online driver's license renewal training" piloted in Hokkaido, Chiba Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, and Yamaguchi Prefecture.This system allows individuals to complete the required renewal training online beforehand, reducing the time spent at the license center. In rural areas especially, many people must travel to license centers located in the suburbs via multiple public transportation transfers, often struggling to find the time. Achieving this type of frictionless experience unique to rural areas could remove one barrier to living in the countryside and potentially become a key step in regional revitalization.

Whether for your own e-commerce business or services in other industries, hearing "frictionless" might conjure images of large-scale system overhauls requiring significant time and cost. However, this isn't always the case. Small innovations that eliminate waiting times or congestion can sometimes lead to major UX improvements.

The key is understanding your customers and steadily considering incremental improvements. The first step might be to discard fixed notions like "this requires waiting" or "this necessitates a trip" when providing or delivering products/services. Beyond e-commerce, eliminating friction that has become routine across diverse industries presents an opportunity for UX enhancement. The examples introduced here may hold hints for elevating service value in business.

To meet customers' demand for "speed" in shopping, thoughtful design that proactively addresses and removes negative factors—such as questions or concerns about product purchases—is crucial. The key lies in how well you can identify the small stresses customers experience daily.This frictionless approach isn't limited to e-commerce or brick-and-mortar retailers. It can actually be applied across all fields—from businesses providing intangible services like education and welfare, to B2B enterprises supporting society through infrastructure and technology, even without direct consumer contact. Instead of merely adding value, why not adopt the frictionless mindset of preventing value loss as a starting point for enhancing your own business's UX?