Why usability is a path to failure is a topic I've mentioned in previous posts. Unfortunately, this article is more linkbait than informative. (The comments are better than the article)
Usability is a hygenic factor. You can hurt a site by making it hard to use, but get no "bonus points" in the user's mind. It's obvious, really. Physical store users expect to find the products the store has to sell. Physical store users expect to be able to get into and navigate the store.
You gain no advantage for making it hard for users to shop. ....That is, unless all your competitors are truly horrible at usability. Which is why usability is so big on the web.
Usability barely gets you to zero in the user's mind for another reason -- usability is only half the equation. Usability folk are concerned with demotivators, or frictions in task completion. Users must be motivated for usability to work. That's why usability must be complemented with
desirability design.
Even Jacob Nielsen explains usability is not enough.
User Empowerment and the Fun Factor says as much, urging readers to move beyond ease of use. Which is why usability without desirability can be a path to failure.