It’s common knowledge that a website is the front door to your business. If customers can’t find what they’re looking for or don’t feel like they’re in control of the shopping experience, they’ll likely go elsewhere. E-commerce websites are one of the most common ways to reach out to potential customers, so it’s important that yours be well designed and optimized for conversions. Consider this post a checklist of sorts of items your website must have to ensure that it rises above the competition.
A solid, logical layout
A solid, logical layout is essential to making your e-commerce website an easy and enjoyable experience. As with any site, navigation should be simple and clear so that visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. The overall flow of information is also important: if it’s not easy to browse, users will get frustrated and leave.
A well-designed e-commerce site makes excellent use of whitespace to keep everything clean and uncluttered, which helps visitors focus on what matters most. This means that you should avoid overloading the page with content or graphics—it’s better to use fewer items that are large enough for readers’ eyes to scan easily than lots of smaller pieces that don’t stand out as much in the crowd (and therefore blend into each other).
Color plays an important role in e-commerce design as well; bright colors draw attention while muted hues create a calming effect on viewers’ moods—and both effects can help increase conversions by conveying key emotions during purchases such as excitement (“buy now!”) or relaxation (“refresh”). Consistency is also key: fonts should be clear and readable at all sizes while layout elements like buttons look similar throughout all pages so users know where they lead when clicked on them (or tapped on mobile devices).
Clean and simple navigation
Navigation is the way a user gets from page to page on your site. A well-designed navigation system makes it easy for users to find what they’re looking for. Keep in mind that navigation won’t be intuitive if it isn’t consistent throughout the site, so make sure that all of your pages have at least one common element such as a logo or menu bar.
Responsive design is important because it allows users on mobile devices and tablets to view content in an appropriate format—and that means making sure that your navigation works seamlessly across all platforms!
Search bar
In an e-commerce website, the search bar is an important aspect that should be easy to find and use. By making sure your search bar meets these criteria, you’ll ensure that customers are happy with their shopping experience on your site.
- It should be easy to find: A good place for the search bar is near the top of the page. This makes it easily accessible for visitors and gives them confidence that they can quickly find what they’re looking for without having to scroll or scroll through pages of product listings. The color scheme used by your company should also match that of other elements on your website so that it doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb (unless this is intentional).
- It should be able to search across all products: Your customers may have specific needs when searching for something—they might have something in mind but not know exactly which product will work best for them and their situation. If a customer searches “laptop backpack” but finds only backpacks labeled as laptop bags, they may get frustrated because they didn’t necessarily want a bag; instead, they needed something with more room inside than what most backpacks offer while still being small enough to fit comfortably under airline seats (or even behind bike seats). In order to avoid this issue altogether, make sure customers can type ‘laptop’ into their search bars and see all results related solely based off those criteria rather than just seeing results containing either ‘backpack’ or ‘bag’ anywhere within them.* It should have clear labels showing where shoppers go once they’ve completed inputting information into text boxes such as price range options.* And finally: Make sure shoppers aren’t stuck waiting around forever while pages load slowly due poor internet connection speeds at home!
Product photos from multiple angles
Product photos are one of the most important elements of an e-commerce website. They help to sell your products and make them look as appealing as possible. The more information you can give a potential customer about the product, the easier it will be for them to decide whether or not they want to buy it.
For example, if you’re selling a pair of shoes, include multiple angles of the shoe from different angels: straight on (what it looks like from in front), side view (what it looks like from the side) and back view (what it looks like from behind). If there’s anything special about the shoe that makes it stand out (like an interesting detail or design), include an image that shows this off well too!
Include images of your products in use so customers can see how they would look when worn by different people–but don’t forget to include some images without anyone wearing them too! This will help create an accurate mental picture for potential buyers so they know exactly what they’re getting themselves into when making their purchase decision–and seeing what these items actually look like while being worn helps give people confidence in buying those specific items because they know exactly what kind of quality material was used during production process.”
Product descriptions that provide useful details
Product descriptions are a vital part of every e-commerce website. When done right, they can increase conversion rates and help you make more sales.
Here are some things to keep in mind when writing product descriptions:
- Provide detailed information about the item. A good product description will include the product’s size, color, material, and other details that matter to your customers. These details will help them decide whether or not this item is right for them — which means more purchases for you! In addition to providing these details about each product on your store page, it’s also important that each one is worded differently so as not only entice shoppers but also differentiate between similar items (e.g., if two different shirts were both red then something needs said about why one might be better than another).
Customer reviews and testimonials
Customer reviews and testimonials are a great way to establish credibility and trust. As a customer, you want to know that the products on your favorite e-commerce site are good quality before making a purchase, so having honest, detailed reviews from previous shoppers can be extremely helpful in making that decision.
The best way for customers to leave their feedback is through a review system with an open invitation for customers to share their experience—if they had an issue with something or loved it! You should also encourage your customers by providing incentives such as discounts or free shipping when they leave a review (or even better: both!). In order to keep up with all of this great information coming in from your loyal customers, make sure you have someone dedicated monitoring those comments regularly so you can respond in a timely manner—and don’t forget about social media too!
User-friendly product filters (e.g. top sellers, highest-rated, most popular)
It’s easy to get lost in the sea of e-commerce websites and products, so it’s important to make it as easy as possible for customers to find what they’re looking for. Product filters are a great way to do this. They allow users to filter products based on various criteria, such as price, brand, color or size. These filters also make it easy for customers who know exactly what they want (e.g., black t-shirt) and those who are unsure of what they want (e.g., “I need something I can wear in public”).
One great feature that websites like Amazon have is a “Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought” section at the bottom of each product page that shows other popular items related with the one you’re currently viewing (see screenshot below). This feature not only gives you additional visual cues about other similar items but also helps you narrow down your search based on what other buyers were interested in purchasing when they bought an item similar to yours!
1-click sign-in for returning customers
- Make it easy for customers to return. When a customer has already created an account, they should not be forced to create another one when they return to your website. This will take more time and make them less likely to shop with you again.
- Don’t force them to remember passwords or their email address. If the customer forgets their password, they may not want you sending them another link via email or text message that could go into spam or be otherwise lost in cyberspace forever (which is a real danger). Instead of having this happen, I recommend putting in 1-click sign-in so that returning customers don’t have these issues at all!
Wish lists for customers to bookmark products for later
Wish lists are one of the most popular features on e-commerce websites, and for good reason. Customers can save items they like for later, share their wish lists with friends, and bookmark products they want to buy in the future. They’re also great ways to promote your products and help you retain customers.
Here are some other ways wish lists can be used:
- To track customer preferences so you can better serve them over time
- As a marketing tool—if someone adds an item to their wish list, send them an email promoting related products (or even just offer a coupon)
To Summarize It:
- Make sure your site’s layout is simple and easy to navigate
- Provide useful information about the products you’re selling
- Provide customer reviews and testimonials on each item you sell
- Make it easy for visitors to sign in and make purchases
Conclusion
These are just some of the features that can make or break your e-commerce site. If you’re looking for more guidance on how to make the most of your website, you’ll find plenty of helpful tips on our post about creating a profitable website.