Site design is one of the most critical aspects of creating an e-commerce store. Even companies with great products/services at a great price won’t make headway in the market if the site design is unattractive or difficult to use. Recent statistics show that over 46% of consumers feel a site’s design is directly related to the company’s credibility. 94% of site visitors will leave a poorly designed e-commerce site.
There are many design options to pick from when creating a new e-commerce store, and no one style of branding or layout is best across the board. Even so, every site needs to have some aspects of site design. These elements include attention-grabbing features that make visitors want to stay. Your product pages must contain unique, high-quality images that showcase products in the best possible light. The following design tips apply to e-commerce sites from all industries and can increase the odds of building a successful brand that will stand the test of time.
It All Starts with Branding
A winning brand design is an invaluable asset, and you’ll want to create one before setting up an e-commerce website.
Consider your industry, the products/services you offer, your core values and your target audience when deciding brand colours, fonts, and designs. If you need inspiration, check out some of the best logo design sites or look at your competitors’ branding and logo designs.
Brand colours and designs should convey the right emotions to those you want to reach. If, for instance, you put a premium on conservation or natural products, green and brown may be your colours of choice. Pink is a warm colour and can be ideal for a business that wants to emit a caring vibe. Red evokes passion, while blue conveys strength.
Designs and fonts also convey a message about your brand. An emblem coupled with ornate cursive writing, for instance, tells potential customers you offer high-end, luxurious products/services. An abstract logo associated with block lettering can be ideal for fitness centres, construction companies, and other e-commerce businesses that want to convey strength. A flowery logo with casual lettering can work well for boutiques and companies selling handmade products.
Create a Unique Homepage
Your homepage is your e-commerce storefront, and it should be as attractive and engaging as a brick-and-mortar storefront. People who visit your homepage should be able to see at a glance who you are and what you have to offer. The page should feature your branding colours and logo in a prominent location. A straightforward menu should make it easy for people to find their interests.
Your homepage should also give potential customers compelling reasons why they should do business with you. It’s a good idea to feature positive reviews from previous customers. These show newcomers that they can trust you with their business. If you have won any awards or have specialized credentials, feature these on your homepage. A subscription button to allow visitors to sign up for emails is a must-have, so you can stay in touch with those who have already shown an interest in your business.
Focus on a Site-Wide Design
Once you have a homepage, it’s time to design the rest of your site. In addition to the product pages covered below, you’ll also need an “About Us” page that explains who you are, what you do, and why you do it. This page helps to set you apart from the competition. It enables you to explain the core values that make your business a better option than a competitor’s. It’s also wise to have a “Contact Us” page so people can contact you directly via your site. An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page can help optimize your site for search engines while providing valuable information to potential customers.
All your site pages should match in colour and style. A prominently displayed logo on each page and the text style and font used for the homepage should span to other e-commerce pages. Your brand voice should also remain consistent. For instance, if you use a casual approach on your homepage, keep this approach for your About Us page and FAQ page.
Pages should connect both to boost your SEO and to make it easy for people to find what they’re looking for on your site. If you describe a particular product/service on your FAQ page, link to it to make it easy for people to see what you’re referencing. If you have featured products on your homepage, link them to your product page, so people know where to find the items for sale.
Think About Product Pages Design
Each product listed on your product pages needs to have high-quality, unique photos of a product taken from various angles. Furthermore, site visitors should be able to move their mouse over the image to see aspects of the image close-up. This feature, used by leading retailers (think Amazon or eBay), makes it easy for potential customers to see your products. Planning your design increases the odds of a new customer purchasing from you.
The cost of each item should be displayed clearly, along with a compelling, accurate description of the product. If other customers have reviewed the product, link to the reviews so new customers can see them at a glance. Additionally, make sure customers can tell if the item will ship for free or if they have to pay extra for shipping.
Don’t Neglect the E-Commerce Cart
The average shopping cart abandonment rate is currently well over 84%. Simply put, only a small percentage of shoppers on your site will complete a purchase. Some individuals may return later to buy goods/services from you. The main reason why people abandon their online shopping cart is that they aren’t ready to make a purchase just yet.
Even so, cart abandonment is frequently an online retailer’s fault and rectifying specific problems can dramatically boost one’s sales and profits.
Many people abandon a purchase because there are extra costs or steps involved in finalizing the deal. You can’t help adding tax (it’s the law), but you can offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount. You can also allow guests to shop on your site without creating an account, as the extra step often discourages new customers from finalizing a purchase.
Furthermore, it’s wise to offer as many payment options as possible to make shopping at your store a convenient experience for consumers of all ages and walks of life.
Failure to optimize your site for mobile devices can also lead to a high shopping cart abandonment rate. Over 80% of shoppers in the United States use a mobile device for online shopping. A site that wants to appeal to these shoppers must:
- load quickly
- have a responsive theme to scale images and text to the device’s size
- an easy-to-view, streamlined payment process
Any buttons a user must click should be large enough to quickly click on a small screen, and users should only see the information they need to see to complete the purchase process.
Final Words on a Prosperous E-Commerce Store
Designing your e-commerce store for success isn’t a one-time process. You’ll need to keep tabs on your stats and consumer interactions on your site and make improvements as required to boost traffic and sales. Even so, setting up your site with a clear vision can enable you to get your business off the ground far faster than would have otherwise been possible. Doing so allows you to reach potential clients and inspire them to tell others about who you are and what you have to offer.
The MARC Group has many e-commerce and web design options. Contact one of our specialists today!