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On The Table Read, “the best creativity magazine in the UK“, Kate Parish shares the best ecommerce website design elements you need to include when creating your online shop.
E-commerce website design is as crucial for the decision to purchase as the product itself. Unclear navigation, lack of information, and poor demonstration of the products will not be tolerated by customers. On the contrary, a good user experience will make the visitors think highly of the product and surely bring them back for the next purchase.
As most traffic to eCommerce websites comes from mobile devices, applying a mobile-first approach in design development is crucial. The simplest designs will only include the most critical elements. Therefore by creating a mobile version, you have already created the core of your UX.
This article will guide you through the proper introduction of vital design elements to an eCommerce website.
Homepage
In most scenarios, the homepage will be the first thing visitors see on your website. This is the right place to describe brand values and notify about special offers, discounts, and best items.
Do you provide free returns or a trial period? Are your items special in any way? The homepage is the best place to highlight what makes your business unique. Typically, this is done using appealing photos and clear CTAs that encourage people to visit product pages. A well-structured homepage with a straightforward design contributes to the excellent image of the brand.
Among other things, the homepage can (or even must) display the following:
- product selections;
- search box;
- special offers;
- popular items;
- new arrivals;
- seasonal items;
- personalized recommendations;
- contact information.
Header
While considering what to put in the website’s header, think about what information should be easily accessible. The most common elements of a header are:
- menu;
- CTA;
- logo;
- tagline;
- personal account link;
- shopping cart link;
- wishlist link;
- contact information;
- social media links;
- language tab.
Naturally, the navigation on desktop and mobile is different. For the desktop, the most popular option is the mega menu that appears after hovering over a tab in the header.
The mobile app’s navigation is mainly managed through the so-called hamburger menu. In this case, you tap a 3-line icon to open it. Yet today, more and more mobile applications switch to a bottom menu.
Footer
Footer usually contains more information than the header, so you have more freedom here. The links in the header and footer can repeat. This way, it’ll be easier for the user to find them. The most common things to put into the footer:
- navigation links;
- shipping, delivery, returns, and payment methods;
- newsletter link;
- social media links;
- legal information;
- company info;
- terms of condition;
- copyright;
- sitemap;
- contact info.
Proper Categorization
Pay close attention to the item classification as you launch an online store. The best course of action is to strive for the clear division of items into narrow categories. Essentially, this will assist in streamlining the search, managing the stock, and maintaining the website.
Take care of filtering and sorting. Giving visitors the option to filter their search will help them get better search results more quickly.
Product Page
Ecommerce product page design is one of the key factors when deciding on a purchase. Several core elements should be added to any product page.
The Price
The price should be clear and visible at once; hence, placing it correctly on the page is vital.
- Consider replicating the price on a CTA used as a sticky bar. It stays visible while a client scrolls back and forth.
- If the price is particularly appealing, emphasize this with larger text and/or a different color.
- If there is a discount, indicate the previous price, the new price, and the % off.
CTAs
On the product page, customers may see different CTAs: “Add to cart,” “Buy now,” “Notify me,” “Add to quote,” “Try on,” or “Configure.”
To notify the user that the CTA button worked, add a pop-up with either a success message or the main details, like the product name, price, and quantity. Another option is a change of the button color. For example, the green button may turn gray when the item is added to the cart.
Photos and Videos
Unsurprisingly, every shop has to enhance its product pages with high-quality images or videos. Try to include close-ups and demonstrate the product in use.
Certain retailers use traditional galleries, showing one picture at a time. Others choose to present all the images at once.
Details and Product Description
The biggest area of the product page has to contain all of the qualities and benefits of the item, persuade customers to buy, offer instructions, and provide advice on how to use, care for, and store it.
Large amounts of content are rarely posted within one text. There may be a brief description available, but the remaining information is hidden or functions as a menu. This way, users can examine all the titles and select the one they want to study first.
Checkout
The essential component of an eСommerce website is the checkout procedure. None of the features mentioned above will matter if this one is poorly executed.
A checkout experience depends on various elements, such as speed, simple form completion, and a clear cart summary. Conversions will increase if you provide free delivery or other benefits that minimize customers’ barriers to purchase.
Today’s eCommerce websites mostly have a one-page checkout. It means that it has all of the forms on one page. Some of them may remain hidden in the menu.
Such a checkout can also be introduced as a pop-up. This way, forms will open over the page, and the following ones will appear automatically, eliminating the need for scrolling.
Final Word
A website consists of multiple parts; therefore, its design development requires meticulous and continuous work. Every design element on an eCommerce site should be carefully picked, tested, and modified or changed to increase conversions. While creating a design, keep in mind the main objectives and make sure every part of it is easily accessible.
Since every store is unique, you should conduct A/B or multivariate tests of the eCommerce design elements and iterate using all these factors. You never know when you’ll discover a new best practice. Testing is a practical and affordable technique that determines the motivation behind a purchase.
Your store will constantly evolve, and its design should move along to stay convenient and always provide a positive user experience.
About Kate Parish
Kate Parish, chief marketing officer at Onilab with 8+ years of experience in Digital Marketing and website promotion. Kate always strives to stay in pace with the ever-advancing online world. Her expertise includes in-depth knowledge of SEO, branding, PPC, SMM, and the field of online sales in general.
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