The primary goal of any ecommerce website is to attract visitors to the website, and then turn those visitors into customers. The best way to achieve this is to have a website that provides a great end user experience.

Here is a list complied by our Web Design Wigan team of tips to consider when designing an ecommerce website.

Research the target market

The target market is the customers that will be buying from the website. Look into their buying behaviours and learn what it is they want to see that would encourage them to make a purchase from your website. Knowing your audience is vital to having a successful website, as they are the ones that make the decisions to purchase from you based upon the information and aesthetics of the website, therefore you must display the information that they want to see.

Uncomplicated Navigation

Potential customers need to be able to effectively navigate your website with as little effort as possible. A good rule of thumb is that the customer should be able to find what they need in three clicks or less. A complicated navigation could be hard to use, potentially discouraging visitors from buying anything out of frustration.

High Quality Images for Products

Shoppers want to know exactly what they’re going to be buying, therefore it is important to display as much visual detail of a product as possible. Ensure that product images are high resolution, and also ideally multiple zoomable images from different angles.

Interesting and Informative Product Information

Not many people will buy a product without knowing exactly what it is. As much detail as possible should be given about a product in its description, however it’s also vital that the information is presented in an interesting and easy-to-read way, increasing the chances of viewers reading the product information and making them more likely to convert into a customer.

Call to Action

Call to action buttons are fairly standard on most websites to help point people where you want them to go. With ecommerce websites this should be taken one step further through the use of large call to action images – further helping to persuade product purchases.

Videos

Shopping online has a major disadvantage versus retail stores when trying to sell a product – you can’t touch, feel or look at the product in person. On a website you can have the next best thing – videos. Product videos can assist with the product marketing by show off the product while explaining the benefits and applications of that product.

Clear and visible shopping cart

Customers have a tendency to check over items in their cart at frequent intervals. Because of this, ensure that the shopping cart is always visible and easy accessible with a drop down menu displaying items in their cart.

Offer free delivery where possible

Postage costs can significantly harm conversion rates, so where possible free delivery should be offered. Granted that it may not make economic sense to offer free delivery on low value items, but it is recommended that you at least set an order value amount, with orders above this amount having free delivery.

No Distractions

When a customer is going through the checkout process, there should be nothing else on the page that will grab their attention such as adverts, or links to elsewhere. They should be entirely focused on the checkout and nothing else; otherwise a potential order could be forgotten!

Include Featured Products

Many browsers will be doing just that – browsing – with nothing clear in mind of what specifically they want to buy. Including featured products clearly on the home page can help push them to decide on what they do want to purchase.

Prominently Show Discounts and Special Offers

The idea of having promotions and special offers is to improve your conversion rate and increase sales, thus you need to make them clearly known to people viewing your website through the use of large images and call to actions, immediately drawing peoples’ attention.

Display your Contact Information

With many illegitimate websites out there with the sole purpose of scamming people, trust is a very relevant factor. Openly providing your contact information will show that you are a real business operating from a real location, and can provide that needed trust and security that convinces people to buy from your website.

Several Payment Options

Not all customers will be happy to share their card details with your website, and thus will not buy from you. It is an excellent idea to offer multiple alternative payment methods, such as PayPal, allowing those users to purchase from your website.

Good Search Functionality

Including an advanced search bar is vital for an ecommerce store – especially ones with large catalogues. Enabling potential customers to find what they’re looking for as quickly and easily as they can will improve conversions.

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Bespoke Website Design

Established in 2010, Nexus Websites are a creative digital agency based in Wigan working with clients all over the UK. With a vast range of experience and a proven track record we have everything you need to take your business to the next level.