The Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Web Design
Caity Lavelle | April 11, 2022
Creating an eCommerce website is all about designing a pleasant online shopping experience for the customer. Global eCommerce sales continue to grow, meaning that every business needs a functional and beautiful website to attract new leads and maintain existing customers. So, what makes an eCommerce website successful?
You must consider several factors, including product quality, brand recognition, and user experience. Also, it is essential to work with a reputable eCommerce web design firm to help you create a website that shoppers feel they can trust. An eCommerce website must assure online shoppers that their data is protected. Online customers will buy from your competitors if your website does not feel trustworthy. In this ultimate guide, we will look at the best practices followed by eCommerce web design companies, which focus on how to develop the perfect website that will help you sell your products or services.
Ways to Build a Website that Customers Trust
As you may know, people form an impression of your website within the first three seconds of visiting it. This is a short time to gain someone’s trust, and you cannot ask for their credit card details just yet. You must take them through a process that will let them know you are a professional and genuine seller. Here are the methods for building a website that customers trust.
Ensure your website looks professional
You have probably seen websites that look outdated or just plain awful. Most shoppers believe that if a company cares for their website, then the company will also take care of them. If you cannot create a professional website, it always helps to hire an eCommerce web design digital agency to elevate your brand’s online presence.
Prove to your customers that you are real
Most online shoppers want to see a legitimate business and believe that there are real people behind the website they visit. Adding some details about you and your business is the best way to prove that you are real. You can add photos of yourself and your team, or your location. Let the “About Us” page tell a story of you as the business owner.
Show your big clients
People want to know that you are an established business working with known brands. This creates a sense of security since they know that you will not take their money and run.
The Ultimate Guide to Creating an Excellent eCommerce Website
Now that you know how to create trust with your customers, let us dive deep into creating an excellent eCommerce website.
Consider UI Design
Your website’s look and feel determine the first impression someone has when they visit your website. Here are some user interface design tips to help you;
Follow brand identity
Always use colours that reflect your brand and set a style that clarifies what you sell. Create a consistent brand experience across all channels, whether online, on mobile devices or in-store, to create a strong relationship with your customers.
Use a visual hierarchy
Always display your important content above the fold. You can use less white space to bring items closer instead of pushing important content below the fold.
Stick to known symbols
Use icons and symbols that people know. Unfamiliar icons will confuse your shoppers.
Avoid pop-up windows
Nothing is more distracting than a pop-up window. Shoppers will most likely dismiss pop-up windows even if they contain valuable information.
Frictionless Navigation
Frictionless navigation allows your customers to move around your website, find what they are looking for, and take action. Your eCommerce site should provide a friction-free shopping experience to prevent shoppers from dropping off halfway through the process. Some tips to ensure you have easy navigation include;
Well-defined product categories
Include a product search function
Have a filtering product function
Include a product quick view modal window
Make exclusive offers visible
Product Page Design
A product page makes people feel like they are shopping in a physical store. Let your customers know about the product by providing images, detailed descriptions, and other relevant information. Use high-quality images that will attract the shopper’s attention. Ensure you use a white background to avoid any distractions and allow the product to stand out. Give the right amount of information to avoid tiring the customer with too many details. Show the availability, options for different sizes or colours, dimensions, a size chart, materials used, total cost, and warranties.
Use Persuasive Design
People value scarce objects and lower the value of those that are abundant. So, creating a sense of urgency in the sales process will improve your sales. Display the number of products left, grey out products that are out of stock, and show sale deadlines. These actions show scarcity, and potential buyers will purchase in fear of being left out.
Show Related Products
Always show related or recommended products that your customers may be interested in or work well with the current product. You can place these products on a detailed page or in the shopping cart. This will guide shoppers on other products that meet their needs, potentially encouraging them to continue shopping.
Shopping Cart Design
Your shopping cart is where your customers review their selected products and proceed to checkout. Here are tips for building a user-friendly shopping cart;
Use a clear call-to-action
Provide enough feedback
Use a mini cart widget
Display product details
Make an easily editable cart
Avoid shipping costs and taxes surprises
7. Checkout Design
The number of successful purchases measures the scale and success of your eCommerce website. So, you must ensure that you have an excellently designed checkout page. Here are tips to help you create a checkout page that will lead to more conversions.
Offer multiple payment options
Keep it simple
Make registration optional
Use clear error indications
Offer support
Include a progress bar that shows the steps left to complete the purchase.
Fulfilment Best Practices
After guiding your customers through the shopping experience, you must ensure that your eCommerce website can handle the orders. So, your inventory and fulfilment software must be adequate for your business. Ensure that you practice accuracy since there is nothing more frustrating than waiting for an order to arrive only for you to get the wrong item. This can damage your brand reputation, customer trust, and profit margin.
Customers understand that mistakes happen. However, how you handle these mistakes can make or break your reputation. If you have delayed the delivery, the best thing to do is communicate with the customer to resolve the issue. Commit to being open and honest, and customers will think highly of your brand.