*This installment of The Usability Consultant includes a screencast of the checkout process. You can view the movie or read more about it under #4.

In our second to last installment of The Usability Consultant we look at Apple, the company that can do no wrong. Except for upselling that is. Either way, the OCD-type perfectionism of their ecommerce store matches up with the industry’s best.

User Satisfaction Rating – 8
Overall Usability Score – 8.8/10

1. Design: 10/10 Obviously Apple’s strong point, the design of the site is impeccable. The color scheme and layout makes you want to give them your credit card number. Steve Jobs knows that pretty=profit.

2. Upselling: 6/10 This is Apple’s weak point. Apple suggest 9 items for every product that you add to the cart. Add an iPod and you get relevant suggestions including armbands, iTunes gift cards and a protection plan. But add a black Bose Soundock and you are recommended the same product in white. The customer was just at the product page; if they wanted white they would have selected it there.

3. Error Recognition: 9/10 Errors are dealt with incredibly well. If you enter the wrong zip code the system recognizes the error and the customer is asked to correct the problem.

4. Process Efficiency: 10/10 The process flies by, with simple requirements that are clear to the customer. You can have a shiny new macbook pro instead of a boring PC in no time. View a video of the checkout process.

5. Shipping Options: 9/10 Apple offers free shipping for most of its big ticket items, including computers and iPods. Accounting for shipping costs in the original price greatly simplifies the process.

Done Right
Powerhouses like Apple don’t mess up often. Site looks beautiful, and the ordering process is a breeze, even without an account. A clean progress bar on top of page identifies what point of process you are at.

Done Wrong
The only reason Apple falls below the top sites, however negligibly, is because of its upselling. While it is predominantly relevant, iTunes cards and cases for the iPod, some are glaringly out of place. The design of the site makes sure the color options are clear, so why recommend the same product in a different color?