Enhancing Brand Experience Through UI Elements Aligned With Brand Values : An Investigation of the Interconnected Fields of User Experience and Brand Experience Within the Context of IKEA’s E-commerce Website

Abstract: In today’s competitive landscape, shaping positive digital experiences with the brand is crucial for the company’s market success. The study aimed to investigate the interconnected relationship between User Experience (UX) and Brand Experience (BX) by exploring the potential for enhancing BX through the implementation of User Interface (UI) elements aligned with brand values within an e-commerce website. In this study, a two-phase quantitative experiment was employed, and four high-fidelity e-commerce web page prototypes were developed based on the Swedish multinational furniture retailer IKEA’s e-commerce website. In conclusion, this study establishes that the implementation of UI elements in line with brand values has the potential to enhance BX within the context of an e-commerce website. Through one of the prototypes, all dimensions of BX could be positively influenced. By emphasizing the interconnectedness between UX and BX, these findings contribute to our understanding of the critical role of UX design in shaping positive brand experiences online.