Dec 10 2018
Ecommerce web design isn’t as simple as throwing up a few product photos, setting up PayPal, and waiting for the sales to flow in – it’s about creating a fantastic shopping experience for your users. So, what are the features that all great eCommerce websites have in common?
Keep reading to discover the ten must-have features to make your eCommerce website a success.
1. Brand identity
When a user lands on your eCommerce homepage, it should be immediately apparent who you are and what you have to offer. Aside from your web copy and products, you can establish your brand identity through your logo design and colour scheme.
Logo
Your logo should look good and be easily recognisable, but it should also reflect your company identity and values.
Colour scheme
Select a palette that reflects your company and appeals to your target audience – different colours have different connotations. A standard web design best practice is to choose a limited palette of three colours that complement each other, with one colour that contrasts to highlight important elements on your page – CTA buttons, pricing information.
2. Promotions, sales and free shipping
Take a look at the news every Black Friday, and you can see the power of sales and discounts. Consumers will buy anything if they think a sales discount means they’re getting a good deal.
Whether its free shipping or price deductions, everyone is attracted by a discount or promotion. Compelling offers and deals attract attention, so place eye-catching banners in a prominent position on your eCommerce home page.
Free shipping is also a great technique to increase your average order value and encourage users to convert and purchase your products – almost 80% of US consumers state that free shipping makes them more likely to purchase.
3. Shopping cart and search functions
Shopping cart features are so ingrained into what we expect from an eCommerce store, it’s almost impossible to imagine a site without it. A simple trolley or basket are the most well-known icons, so stick with the best practices and incorporate something similar on your website.
Although you should offer guest checkout too, enabling customers to log in to your site and review their previous orders and current purchases is a primary function of an eCommerce website.
If your eCommerce store offers a wide range of different products, a search box is an essential feature. You want to make it as easy as possible for users to locate specific product pages and information.
4. Payment processing
To operate a fully functional eCommerce website, you need to be able to accept payments from your customers. The whole purpose of your business and your website is to make money.
Online shoppers have their individual payment preferences, and you want to appeal to as many of your potential customers as possible. You should cover the primary payment methods and consider additional methods. The implementation costs for each payment option vary, but the revenue from your sales will cover these costs.
5. Social media links
Your loyal customers can be influential ambassadors for your brand. According to a recent survey published by Marketing Week, 31% of online consumers use social media to discover new products to purchase.
Including social share buttons on your eCommerce website enables your customers to promote your brand and your products on social media platforms. Ensure the links to your social profiles are in a position prominent enough so users can easily connect with your company, but not too distracting from your CTA buttons.
6. Trustmarks
Trustmarks are the logos of independent parties that guarantee that a website is safe to purchase from. These logos reassure customers that the site is secure and safe to share their personal information.
- McAfee Secure
- PayPal Verified
- Verisign Secured
- Norton Secured
Trust plays a crucial role in a user’s decision to commit to making a purchase. If they don’t trust your eCommerce website, they won’t buy your products.
7. Contact information
While the majority of your eCommerce sales will go smoothly, customers want to know they can talk to someone if there’s a problem. Placing your contact information in a visible position is crucial – over 40% of users will leave a company website if they can’t find contact information.
Easily accessible customer service options are crucial for customer satisfaction, and your conversion rate. If you haven’t got the resources to answer questions 24/7, create a detailed FAQ page to reassure customers and consider implementing automated chatbots to help users with their purchases and questions.
8. Mobile-friendly web design
By 2021, 53.9% of all online sales are predicted to take place on a mobile device. Ensuring that your eCommerce website is mobile friendly is essential. The increasing amount of mobile transactions is set to accelerate with the rollout of the 5G network over the coming years.
- Ensure your checkout process is fast and easy to use for mobile
- Make sure that mobile users can easily navigate your
- Optimize spacing to ensure mobile users can easily tap CTA buttons and links.
9. Professional web design
Magicdust, an experienced ecommerce website designer, advocates that if your eCommerce store has poor site structure, you’ll suffer in search rankings and damage your conversion rate. The goal of your eCommerce web design is to make it as easy as possible for users to learn about your products and make a purchase.
Your web designer will be able to help you categorizing your products and setting up intuitive navigation so users can find what they are looking for. After your products are categorised, conduct user testing to optimize the usability of your website based on real user feedback.
10.  Clear returns information
A clear returns policy is a necessity for eCommerce websites. It should be written in clear and concise terms, so users know exactly what to expect from you. The major drawback of buying online is that the consumer can’t see or try on the product before they commit to a purchase.
Offering free returns is a great way to reassure customers and build trust. If you’re willing to stand by your products with a money-back guarantee or firm returns policy, potential customers are more likely to trust your brand and the quality of your products.
Conclusion
The above features are the best practices of excellent eCommerce web design. If you haven’t already, incorporate these functions into your website to ensure you’re doing everything possible to encourage users to explore and purchase your products
Ecommerce is a growing industry, and brands have an excellent opportunity to boost their conversion rate and brand reputation by incorporating the tried and tested best practices. You should always be improving your eCommerce website – aiming to provide a great shopping experience that encourages customers to keep coming back for more.
