Microsoft’s E-Commerce UX
This is a case study of Microsoft’s e-commerce user experience (UX) performance. It’s based on an exhaustive performance review of 601 design elements. 122 other sites have also been benchmarked for a complete picture of the e-commerce UX landscape.
Microsoft’s overall e-commerce UX performance is poor. Some of Microsoft’s biggest UX issues are caused by poor Mobile Web and Desktop Web performances.
First benchmarked in April 2012, and reviewed 25 times since then, most recently December 2023.
Overall UX Performance
601 Guidelines · Performance:
Desktop Web
299 Guidelines · Performance:
Homepage & Category Navigation
24 Guidelines · Performance:
Homepage
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Category Taxonomy & Main Navigation
11 Guidelines · Performance:
Intermediary Category Pages
6 Guidelines · Performance:
On-Site Search
27 Guidelines · Performance:
Search Query Types
6 Guidelines · Performance:
Search Form & Autocomplete
9 Guidelines · Performance:
Search Design & Logic
12 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Lists & Filtering
53 Guidelines · Performance:
List Layout
10 Guidelines · Performance:
List Item Thumbnails & Info
14 Guidelines · Performance:
List Item Features
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Filtering & Sorting
22 Guidelines · Performance:
Filtering: Available Filters, Scope & Layout
17 Guidelines · Performance:
Sorting
5 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Page
75 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Page Layout, Cross-Sells & Cross-Navigation
15 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Page Layout
8 Guidelines · Performance:
Cross-Sells & Cross-Navigation
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Images & Gallery UI
13 Guidelines · Performance:
The 'Buy' Section and Purchase Information
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Product Information
14 Guidelines · Performance:
User Reviews
20 Guidelines · Performance:
Cart & Checkout
87 Guidelines · Performance:
Added to Cart Behavior & Confirmation
5 Guidelines · Performance:
Shopping Cart & Cross-Sells
11 Guidelines · Performance:
Account Selection & Creation
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Customer Address & Information
8 Guidelines · Performance:
Shipping & Fulfillment
10 Guidelines · Performance:
Payment Flow & Methods
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Validation Errors & Data Persistence
9 Guidelines · Performance:
Field Design, Labels & Input Optimization
15 Guidelines · Performance:
Order Review & Confirmation
9 Guidelines · Performance:
Customer Accounts
21 Guidelines · Performance:
Account Drop-Down & Sign-In
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Account Dashboard, Info & Navigation
14 Guidelines · Performance:
Site-Wide Elements
12 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Web
302 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Homepage & Category Navigation
25 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Homepage
8 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Category Taxonomy & Main Navigation
12 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Intermediary Category Pages
5 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile On-Site Search
28 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Search Query Types
6 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Search Form & Autocomplete
6 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Search Design & Logic
16 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Lists & Filtering
52 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile List Layout
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile List Item Thumbnails & Info
15 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile List Item Features
5 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Filtering & Sorting
19 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Page
73 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Page Layout, Cross-Sells & Cross-Navigation
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Page Layout
6 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Cross-Sells & Cross-Navigation
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Images & Gallery UI
13 Guidelines · Performance:
The Mobile 'Buy' Section and Purchase Information
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Product Information
14 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile User Reviews
20 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Cart & Checkout
87 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Added to Cart Behavior & Confirmation
4 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Shopping Cart & Cross-Sells
11 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Account Selections & Creation
7 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Customer & Address Information
8 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Shipping & Fulfillment
10 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Payment Flow & Methods
13 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Validation Errors & Data Persistence
9 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Field Design, Labels & Input Optimization
17 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Order Review & Confirmation
8 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Customer Accounts
16 Guidelines · Performance:
Mobile Site-Wide Features & Navigation
21 Guidelines · Performance:
To learn how we calculate our performance scores and read up on our evaluation criteria and scoring algorithm head over to our Methodology page.
The scatterplot you see above is the free version we make public to all our users. If you wish to dive deeper and learn about each guideline and even review your own site you’ll need to get premium access.
Microsoft’s Desktop Web E-Commerce Design
30 pages of Microsoft’s e-commerce site, marked up with 239 best practice examples:
Microsoft’s Mobile Web E-Commerce Design
25 pages of Microsoft’s e-commerce site, marked up with 222 best practice examples:
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Explore Other Research Content
Every 2nd week, we publish a new article on how to build “state of the art” e-commerce experiences — here’s 5 popular ones:
See all 413 articles in the full public archive.
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