70% of customers have accepted that a bad user experience will make them abandon purchases.
And bad user experience is a direct result of bad design.
So for eCommerce site owners, the design of their digital shopfront is about more than just impressions and credibility. It is about actual sales that put money in their pockets and food on their plates.
So unless you are okay with abandoned carts and soon-to-be-empty pockets, here are the must-follow design principles for eCommerce websites that you absolutely cannot miss.
1. Mobile responsiveness
Data proves that mobile phones are the new malls.
In 2021, 56% of eCommerce sales happened via mobiles.
The global eCommerce traffic on mobile is 2.47 times more than that on desktops.
So the first thing you need to do is make sure your site is mobile responsive.
2. Breezy checkouts
Cumbersome checkouts are crazy conversion killers.
Long forms, signups, and account creations will drive away 23% of your customers, according to Statista.
What you need to ensure is a breezy checkout design.
- Allow guest checkouts
- Let people see order summaries before they land on the payment page.
- Use upsells on the checkout page but within limits.
- Avoid any bells and whistles.
It is not that hard to keep the checkout simple. But not doing that will definitely bring in tough times for your business.
3. Effortless navigation
Would you want to go through multiple aisles in the mall before you finally get what you want?
The visitors to your digital shop don’t want that either. Don’t make them hop between pages to find the right products. Keep the website navigation simple and intuitive.
The more people have to work to get to your products, the likelier it is that they would just leave midway.
4. Social proof
An average online buyer will read 10 reviews before fishing out their card to make a purchase.
88% of consumers trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations.
So it is worth it to include social proof in the website design. Make sure each product on your site has a reviews section.
Let your past customers become your best salespersons.
5. Quality imagery
For 93% of customers, visual content is the key decision-making factor while making online purchases.
Online buyers are anyways giving up the opportunity to touch and feel before buying. Don’t make them compromise on sight too.
Instead of no photos, a single photo, and blurry, low-quality images, get professional product photography done. With videos, especially 360-degree videos, and high-quality product images from all angles, you can build trust and entice customers to hit the Shop button.
6. Use of color psychology
Brands have always used color psychology to lure customers and drive conversions.
So don’t forget color psychology when it comes to your website design.
One key point to remember is to keep the product background white (or other neutral shades). This makes the product pop out.
7. Brand consistency
When people surf the web, they are just spending time. But on eCommerce sites, they are spending money too. And sharing confidential information like their credit/debit card details.
They don’t want to do that with faceless eCommerce brands. So building a brand is essential. And that brand should consistently reflect on your website. Whether it is the style, tone, typography, or even the imagery, all of it should be consistent to ensure brand building.
Read More: This is how you are losing money with your bad design
8. A sense of security
eCommerce sites need to look like trustworthy places and not just facades for stealing money. To make sure your eCommerce site offers users a sense of security, always have a privacy policy and return and refund policy on the site.
Though not a design element per se, an SSL and secure hosting and payment gateway also go a long way. And of course, you can inculcate trust seals in your site’s design to reassure customers that their money and information are safe with you.
9. Accessible site search
Site search is 1.8 times more effective at producing conversions than any other strategy.
Case studies of eCommerce giants like Amazon, Walmart, and more reiterate this fact.
So don’t stop at a small search bar in your footer. Have a search bar that is always accessible. Preferably something on the side panel or in the header.
10. Clear CTAs
The average eCommerce conversion rate is a mere 2%.
But industry leaders have way higher conversion rates.
How? Clear calls to action.
Here are the key design considerations for eCommerce sites when it comes to CTAs –
- Make sure you have relevant CTAs on every page.
- Don’t confuse visitors with multiple CTAs. 1 or 2 strong CTAs per page are enough.
- Experiment with CTA colors until you find what works the best for you.
- Don’t make customers scroll below the fold for CTAs.
11. The right amount of information
Offering product information is great. Required even.
But scaring your visitors with walls of text is also foolhardy. Make sure you inform but don’t overwhelm.
A safe middle ground is to present information in a visually appealing way.
Given 15 minutes to consume content 66% of people will prefer something beautifully designed to something plain.
12. Speedy site
In a bid to go over the top in terms of website design, don’t slow down your eStore. Keep things simple and optimized for speed because slow sites are known conversion killers.
Companies like Walmart, for example, have seen a 2% increase in conversion rate with a 1-second increase in site load speed.
Don’t make people wait to see your stunning site design. They won’t wait. And your design would eventually go to waste if it isn’t speedy.
Bonus Tip: Be professional
Site visitors will take you seriously only when they see that you have taken yourself seriously. Amateur designs and DIY website building is easily evident. And lack of professionalism on eCommerce sites is likely to make people bounce back and never return.
Read More: 10 Common website design mistakes and how to avoid them
Skyrocket your eCommerce conversions with the right website design today
You are losing money with bad design.
And good design is your key to higher conversion rates and bigger paychecks to take home.
Don’t lose out on all that by trying to go DIY or relying on amateurs. Hire SeekThem’s, Ecommerce website design services services. Designers with the relevant experience and expertise can help you leverage the aforementioned design principles.
Say hello to SeekThem’s website designers and great revenues today.
