Tumblr Checkout UX pattern causing security confusion
Tumblr.com’s new Premium Theme checkout process is clever. A traditional checkout process would feel a bit clunky in their environment. They should be applauded for taking steps to break that mold. However, I have one major problem with it’s implementation.
Ecommerce is plagued by one UX hurdle that most other sites do not deal with in nearly as much detail: security. Since Tumblr’s checkout takes place completely inline, you’ll never see “https” in your browser. The browser never shows the standard lock icon, indicating that the site was confirmed secure. Rather, they do everything through asyncronous calls which mask the security from the user.
Security is an asset and shouldn’t be masked from people willing to enter their credit card information.
While Tumblr’s process is secure from a technical standpoint, they don’t instill buying confidence. My grandparents know not to enter a credit card into a site that doesn’t have the lock icon, and I wouldn’t use it without digging deeper.
What do you think about their checkout pattern? Does the security bother you like it bothers me? Leave a comment below.
About Josh Walsh
Josh Walsh is a Managing Partner at Designing Interactive. He's also an award winning designer, author and speaker on the topics of User Experience Design, User Interface Design and Usability Research. You can follow him on twitter at: @joshwalsh
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Nate Klaiber
I would say I share the same concerns. They try an mitigate this by having a ‘secure’ icon in the modal, but that’s not the standard place people look for that standard secure icon.
The problem is people who may try and emulate this process without thinking about details like these. Sites that aren’t already trusted could have a harder time gaining trust without proving their security.
Hadn’t thought about this before – this is a good find.
April 2, 2010
Josh Walsh
They are handling their own lock-icon in the design, which is well intentioned. The problem is that many not so well intentioned people have used that same tactic to exploit people.
I really love Tumblr’s service. They do pay a lot of attention to detail around the user experience, but sometimes it’s easy to go a bit too far. That’s exactly what I think happened here.
Keep the checkout process, but put it on https and I’m happy.
April 2, 2010