Web design is always an important subject but in e-commerce websites it can make a major impact on your profitability. New initiatives and changes to your website need to be assessed for how they will contribute to the bottom line, short, medium or long term. Here are 5 ways on improving your e-commerce web design to help your buyers through their journey from inspiration to education to purchase:
1. Simplify navigation
Put simply, the site navigation should help people get to where they want to go faster. Sometimes a simple search box with auto-complete is enough, but if the products warrant it, e.g. for clothing, enhance the search using filters, menus, nav links, submenus, or linked design elements on the homepage. All this helps to take visitors through to these destinations can help reduce friction and increase conversions.
Make sure you can justify any changes using your web traffic path data in Google Analytics.
2. Highlight best-sellers and new products on your homepage
Sometimes, playing favourites is a good thing. Items that have sold well in the past are likely to continue selling well, and it makes sense to highlight these best-sellers on the homepage to help viewers get to these items more quickly. Also your new products need their time in the spotlight so reserve an area on your homepage where you can draw visitors’ attention to anything new.
3. Make your web design responsive
Your website must work with all devices as consumers increasingly might use mobile, tablets or desktops to view and buy from your website. Google and Bing will boost mobile friendly websites in search results for those using mobiles from so it is important that your website adapts. see earlier posts on how you can test and review your website for how mobile friendliness – Responsive web design Part 2, Responsive web design Part 1.
4. Create unique, timely content and share on social media
Editorial content is important so make sure you have a blog or news section so you can expand on new products, ideas and give advice. Any retail business should engage with its existing or potential customers and this provides excellent opportunities for keeping your business in people’s mind without necessarily giving a hard sell on your products. The engagement should carry into appropriate social media sites such as Facebook pages, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest and Linked In etc.
5. Detailed product views
Bad product pages can have high bounce rates, causing you to lose site traffic and business. It’s important to design your product views to be beautiful, informative and providing your visitors with all the information they need to make a purchase. It is worth investing in good quality photography and other information that may seal the deal. Your website is your sales person.
Please get in touch if you need to discuss any aspect of e-commerce web design on 07941 686113 or use our contact page: Contact us
