Innovative, But Pointless? Website Features Customers Don’t Actually Want

As a devoted online luxury customer for nearly 13 years, I've seen it all — the evolution from basic, clunky features to today's flashy, 'innovative' solutions that promise to transform our journey from simply browsing to entering some grand virtual reality. But here’s the hard truth: customers don’t want that.

They don't need an entire universe at their fingertips — they need a platform that gets them to their destination, which, in its simplest form, is making that purchase.

So there is choice for e-shops: either pave the way for a smooth, effortless experience, or throw in obstacles disguised as 'innovative solutions' that do nothing but complicate the journey.

Here is the list of such obstacles:

• AR & Virtual Fitting Rooms: While they sound great in theory, in reality, they're often too time-consuming and cumbersome. Who wants to strip down, take precise pictures, or struggle with getting the right angle just to try on a virtual jacket? Not to mention the security concerns over storing personal images — customers are becoming increasingly wary of sharing sensitive data;

• Robotized Chats: We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to communicate with a chatbot that can’t quite understand our needs. The most frustrating thing is when, in the end, you can’t reach a real advisor — the chatbot may think the question is resolved (when it's not). In the luxury market, personalized, human interaction is key to maintaining brand integrity. An automated response that can't handle nuanced questions can quickly diminish the brand experience;

• Overloaded Animations and Video Content: While a bit of movement can bring a site to life, too much animation or video can slow down loading times, making the shopping experience feel sluggish — especially on mobile devices. In a world where speed is everything, luxury shouldn’t mean waiting. Every second matters in the online experience—customers visit a website one moment and leave the next if loading is too slow;

• Excessive Pop-Ups: Constant pop-ups for newsletters, surveys, or updates can disrupt the shopping experience and feel intrusive, especially for customers who expect a refined, uninterrupted journey on a luxury site;

• Augmented Reality (AR) for In-Store Navigation: Some brands have introduced AR apps to guide customers through physical stores, but this can feel more like a gimmick than a practical tool. Besides the fact that shoppers prefer a straightforward, human touch rather than navigating through their phones in-store, such features significantly slow down the loading speed.

Ultimately, simplicity and seamlessness are what matter most in luxury e-commerce. It’s about delivering an effortless, refined experience that aligns with the brand’s elegance, not overwhelming customers with flashy but unnecessary features.