Yesterday, for the first time ever, I experienced a pleasurable shopping experience on a website. True, there were only four products to choose from, and the pleasure was derived more from an absence of frustration than any clever features or prettiness. But that’s evidence of good design and word choices resulting in good online experiences.

After completing the purchase I actually got up from my desk and told a work colleague how pleasurable the shopping experience had been. It was that good.

Good, they said.

Step forward Typekit:

That’s all I had to complete; no address, name or passwords–that–were–set–two–years–ago. No getting up from the desk to ask someone for information, no rifling through paperwork, no phone call home.

It didn’t feel risky or insecure: the micro–copy was clear, reassuring and trustworthy, and there was no small print or legalese. Instead, a plain statement that told me cancelling would result in an automatic refund. More good.

I wonder if some payment forms are made difficult in order to reassure users that they’re somehow more secure. Or that more fields = more serious.