Web Design Essentials: 8 Elements That E-commerce Websites Should Have

Nowadays, a website is essential for business success. Most businesses even go the extra mile in making an e-commerce website to make their products and services more accessible than ever. However, setting up and designing your e-commerce website requires a specific set of skills and expertise to be effective. A poorly designed website could discourage visitors from buying more items, which can affect your business’ bottom-line.

To help you pick out the essential factors, we’ve listed eight e-commerce website design tips that your website shouldn’t miss.

Create a section for your best and popular products

Much like shopping in a mall, most people tend to come across items they don’t need but end up buying them anyway. Just by showcasing your most popular and best-selling products on your homepage, you can already capture the interest of your visitors and encourage them to add it in their cart. Just make sure that you update the products and change them from time to time so that it won’t appear outdated.

Provide detailed yet concise product descriptions

Online shopping takes the sensory experience away from your shoppers. If your website visitors are not familiar with the product you’re selling, there is no way for them to have an idea of how your products can be of value to them. The only way for your shoppers to see value in what you’re selling is through what they see on your website, so coming up with concise and detailed product descriptions is very important.

However, you don’t want to bombard your visitors with paragraphs upon paragraphs of product descriptions. Make sure that the crucial details that quickly describe your products are at the top and presented concisely. Using bullet points is an effective way to do this.

Have an effective and efficient search feature

One of the advantages of shopping online is that it gives customers the liberty to knit-pick what they need off the shelves without having to browse an entire aisle of products. By incorporating a powerful and effective search feature on your e-commerce website, you’re giving your shoppers the freedom to find what they need quickly and with ease.

A search bar that automatically brings out product suggestions based on customers’ search query will not only make shopping easy for your customers. It will also help your business to sell more items. Make sure that your search bar is visible and is working well at all times.

Give multiple payment options

When designing an e-commerce website, you should also take a good look at your customer’s purchase journey for your business to become successful online. Because not everyone has a credit card – especially in non-Western countries, providing multiple payment options will allow more people to shop on your e-commerce website.

The payment gateways your e-commerce website uses can also be a significant, deciding factor that will encourage your customers to get through a purchase down to the very end. When dealing with money, your payment gateway should be a credible name in the industry that is familiar to your customers.

Make your website easy to navigate

Your website’s design must be easily navigable to encourage your visitors to browse around your site, which will eventually drive them to make a purchase. Also, navigation buttons such as categories and menus should be prominent by placing them usually at the top portion of the page. Each item on your website should also be labeled appropriately both for your visitors as well as for search optimization. Overall, each web page must allow your visitors to get back to the homepage and hop through different categories so they won’t feel lost or confused.

Allow customers to take a closer look at your product photos

Adding photos of your products on product pages is very important in e-commerce website design. Make sure the images you use are high-resolution and that customers won’t have a hard time zooming in the photos. Sometimes, potential buyers can be very meticulous, so make sure to represent every product detail visually with product photos and even videos.

Provide outstanding customer service

To establish your e-commerce business apart from every online seller available today, your customers will want to have efficient customer support. Set-up customer service platforms that will alleviate the ease of shopping for your customers.

Nowadays, there are a couple of cost-effective means to keep your customers engaged. Social media platforms have proven to be efficient customer service tools. There are automation functions in social media platforms that ensure each customer query is answered right off the bat. Make sure that your automated responses are in line with your customers’ concerns.

Let consumers share their opinions about your products

Word-of-mouth and social media validation are huge factors that can affect your success in e-commerce. See to it that your customers remain engaged with your business. Encouraged enough to share positive testimonies about your business.

You can place these reviews on product description pages to quickly provide real customer insights to your new visitors

Adding functionality that asks customers to leave a short review of their purchase experience is also helpful. You can place these reviews on product description pages to quickly provide real customer insights to your new visitors.

Succeed in e-commerce

Through careful planning, precise execution, and constant innovation, your business is sure to succeed in e-commerce. Put the customer at the center of every decision you make, then everything should fall right into place.