In recent years, we have noticed an increasing number of websites using infinite scrolling to present content. When users reach the bottom of the page, traditional 'next page' data automatically loads and appears on the current page.

For some products, this experience provides a seamless and easy-to-use mode. However, it is not without its drawbacks.

Advantages of Infinite Scrolling

• For mobile devices, the interaction is more intuitive, and the required actions are much easier compared to clicking a pagination.

• It allows users to focus more on the content rather than the operation, providing a more immersive experience.

• Minimal interruptions lead to reduced bounce rates. When your product has a relatively flat structure and the primary value is "content," infinite scrolling keeps users engaged by providing endless content, resulting in the tremendous success of platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media platforms.

Concerns with Infinite Scrolling

• Ethical design: Many large companies' business models rely on user addiction rather than providing values. Their innovation lies not in creating better services but in making people addicted. Additionally, it is not friendly for individuals with disabilities who rely on features like voice recognition or screen readers.

• Infinite scrolling causes content movement that interferes with users accessing other page features.

Have you recently tried reaching the footer of Nike's website? The footer is located below the product list, but due to the infinite scrolling of products, the data updates as you reach the bottom, pushing the footer out of view. The footer exists to provide content that users may need at times, but on Nike's website, users cannot access it. Discovering links to other sections becomes difficult, as infinite scrolling makes it challenging to access important information, thus hindering the user experience.

• Exhaustion: Do users truly desire an endless stream of data? Analysis suggests that when users perform a Google search, only 6% of them go beyond the first page. This means that 94% of users find what they need within the first ten results, highlighting the importance of ranking in Google's search results. Infinite scrolling can be exhausting for users. It's like playing a game where you can never win — no matter how fast you scroll, there's no end in sight. The combination of temptation and optimism is a significant factor that leads to user exhaustion.

• Loss of Control - Users cannot return to a recognizable position.

When browsing through an infinite scrolling product list, if you click on a specific product to view its description and then go back to the previous page, you find yourself back at the top, needing to scroll down again to the original position to continue browsing. This can be a time-consuming experience and leads to a loss of control.

Tips:

• Show more results button: Place a "Show More" or "Load More" button below the content, clearly indicating whether the user wants to see more results. Unlike infinite scrolling, this approach doesn't assume user behavior and provides a natural stopping point, giving users more control and the ability to access footer content or load more results.

• Return to a recognizable position after viewing item details: Psychologically, this marker eliminates reader uncertainty by separating read and unread content. Such markers provide users with a sense of control, better perception of content depth, and the ability to quickly immerse themselves in the content.

• Users expect to see the footer: If the footer information is functional, it should appear at the bottom of the page. A fixed footer is often used in conjunction with infinite scrolling.

• Immediate access to specific data: Users don't want to navigate through all the web data themselves. When using infinite scrolling, differentiate your website's exclusive content and prioritize it, filtering out irrelevant information.

• Pagination: Pagination is a clear method for organizing web content. It involves dividing the content structure into different pages, each with a limited number of items. Pagination provides obvious search results and delivers what users expect without any surprises.

Remember to consider the specific context, user preferences, and the nature of the content when implementing infinite scrolling or alternative design approaches.