CF.Digital from New York on the differences between internet users in the USA and Ukraine

Ten months ago, I arrived in the U.S. tech hub — Silicon Valley.

The capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose, along with its neighboring cities that form the valley, turned out to be not quite what I had imagined. Silicon Valley is essentially a working area made up of what are more accurately described as working towns — it's hard to call them full-fledged cities in the usual sense. Here, IT professionals commute from home to work and back. You won’t see robots driving along the roads or drones flying over the city. The only high-tech feature is the presence of offices belonging to all the major global players.

The rhythm of life in the valley — and in California overall — is slow. No one is in a hurry, and the only place you are likely to see people walking is near a marketplace (a kind of mini-district with shops and boutiques) or around a community center. It took a fair amount of time to understand the values of such a consumer, determine what is important to them, find out what they really need, learn whether there is a difference between consumers in different states (and what it is), identify our competitive advantage, understand how to communicate it, and — most importantly — begin the process of opening an office in New York. And now, I am ready to share some impressions and tell you who the American consumer really is.

The culture of online shopping in the U.S. emerged and evolved much earlier than in Ukraine. The internet itself and its earliest versions originated in the U.S. While Ukrainian users are just beginning to get used to services and apps that allow them to book a doctor’s appointment online, the American user is fully accustomed to services that let them calculate the cost of a session, compare prices for equivalent medications, and check which services are covered under a particular health insurance plan — which can be quite complicated, given the many nuances of the U.S. system.

What features are essential for a website? What is considered standard for American users? How do their expectations differ? I spent a long time talking with my new American business partners and friends to identify three key characteristics that influence purchasing decisions.

1. Registration

USA: A must-have. On any e-commerce website, regardless of what you're buying, there is a registration form — and you can't bypass it. It is essentially mandatory. Want the product? Register. Usually, the registration form isn’t just three fields; it consists of several sections, each with multiple fields. And if you think you’re done after filling out a few fields, rest assured — a second and third step will follow.

When it comes to service providers — utility companies, healthcare providers, banks, mobile operators, educational institutions — all have personal accounts with detailed user information and payment history.

Why is registration a must-have? Trust. Time. Convenience. First, it signals credibility: if there’s no personal account, something must be off about the company. Second, convenience: package tracking (standard for any online store, with delivery times tracked down to the minute — if this function is missing, it’s odd), wishlist functionality, stored personal data (especially payment info). When you proceed to checkout, everything is already filled in — you just need to click “Buy.” The large number of steps at the registration stage significantly reduces the number of steps needed in future transactions, especially repeat purchases. And for Americans, time is just as crucial as trust.

Ukraine: Not a must-have. Companies give users a choice: register or not. In 80% of cases, users choose not to register. Why? As statistics show, if users are forced to register or face a lengthy checkout process, they may simply abandon the purchase. Ukrainian users want to receive information or services with minimal effort. If they reach their goal in 3 clicks, your interface is well designed, and they’ll appreciate it.

2. Payment and Delivery

USA: Online payment only — via credit/debit card or other integrated payment services. “Cash on delivery” is virtually unheard of. Once a purchase is made, the customer disengages from the process. The item is handed over to a delivery service like UPS (equivalent to Ukraine’s Nova Poshta) or USPS (the U.S. postal service) and delivered to the user’s address. Two delivery options exist: to the doorstep, or to a leasing office where it can be picked up at the user's convenience. If the package ends up at a leasing office, the user also receives an email notification about the delivery. It’s incredibly convenient and time-saving. And if something goes wrong, the buyer can easily request a refund from the bank. All further communication with the store is then handled by the bank, which usually reimburses the customer within 24 hours — assuming the amount isn’t a million dollars, of course.

Ukraine: All possible payment and delivery options are typically available. Users can choose the most convenient method for themselves. The ability to exclude online payment can help retain segments of the audience who don’t have credit cards or digital wallets, and minimize risks when dealing with unknown or unverified online stores.

3. Design and Usability — The Core of the Experience

USA: In the past, there was a clear pattern: if a company wasn’t a large corporation, it was likely using a poorly designed website — either outdated or built on a generic, buggy template. These websites were often difficult to use, but American users didn’t seem to mind. They would happily (or reluctantly) schedule appointments with their hairdressers on awkward, unattractive platforms.

What’s exciting now is that this trend is shifting. Our American partners now emphasize “attractive design” and high usability in their briefs. And from a digital perspective, the trend toward automating business processes is also growing rapidly.

Ukraine: If your website doesn’t impress the user within the first 3 seconds — visually, functionally, and with clear pricing — and does so without annoying pop-ups, they’ll leave and never return. Ukrainian users are demanding when it comes to design. They won’t tolerate visuals that don’t match their expectations. If the first impression is good but the product filter doesn’t work properly, or a crucial usability element fails (for example, missing size options in clothing), it’s a deal-breaker.

The “training” and attention to detail — and even the perfectionism — of Ukrainian users have taught us to develop high-quality, usable, technologically advanced products designed down to the smallest detail. Perhaps we didn’t just respond to their demands, but instilled this standard in them ourselves. The combination of experience from two different cultural mindsets raises the bar in digital development and builds trust with any audience. We’re sure of it.

Yuliana Kobylynska, Head of New York Office, CF.Digital
Material published on Sostav.ua