Amazon.com pioneered tabs in the online retailing world but has been slowly moving to left-aligned category navigation, running out of space on top with now over 40 departments. Really, the few tabs remaining looked quite awkward.

Well, do not despair, the announced redesign is finally going live. Amazon is now acknowledging its illegitimate category navigation child by consolidating and placing them solidly on the left side of the interface and removing all evidence of “top tabs” (is that even a word?) from the site.

You may not be able to see it quite yet as Amazon continues to test the new user interface but once you do I hope you will agree that it’s definitely a step up. It looks cleaner, sports bigger buttons for the shopping cart and my beloved lists and, I know this is minor, but the login reminder is now at the very top of the page. Compare it to the Amazon UK and Amazon Germany home pages for a time-traveling experience.

Not a huge change but the improved navigation should drive incremental revenue for online retailers in those categories.

It never ceases to amaze me though that major traffic destinations continue to violate the first rule of online shopping: “NO changes during the all-critical holiday season”. Your site may not be perfect but you don’t want buyers relearning how to find and purchase products when all they care about is getting that Webkinz toy in time to cheer little hearts. And, yes, that’s also the second through fifth rule of online shopping.

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