There are certain definite qualities that separate high performance eCommerce website ( in terms of sales figures) from those that are aren’t doing so well. This article offers a look into some of these qualities.
There are some eCommerce sites that fail, while there are others whose cash registers keep jingling day in and day out. So, what makes some sites so successful, while others are at their wits end to find buyers for their products and services.
The answer to this, lies in the way these sites are designed and developed. Yes, more than the products and services sold on these sites, it’s the design of the sites that matters. It is ‘design’ that lures, and impresses website visitors so much so that they spend time on the site. It is ‘design’ that makes a particular eCommerce website look credible, convincing potential shoppers to convert into actual paying customers. Let’s take a look at some of the qualities of profitable eCommerce sites that differentiate it from its counterparts who are finding it difficult to stay afloat.
Visuals that Generate Interest
The use of design in eCommerce website acts as a catalyst for generating interest in the products and service up for sale on the site. How many times have you come across ordinary products on a particular website, but have been tempted to buy them? This is thanks to the design of the site, which makes even ordinary products look worthy of attention. The trick lies in using persuasive visuals that make website visitors want to buy the product or service. Moreover, the clever use of call-to-action buttons, astute use of catch phrases etc., can very well come together to create an environment that generates interest, big time.
Easy-to-Use
This is a phrase that most experts underscore as ‘The’ quality, a website’s design must possess in order to be successful. But if you dig a little deeper, this phrase is not as “simplistic” as it seems. When we say that a website design should be easy to use, it actually means that the design should be such that it ensures that the website’s features can be used easily. The design must not interfere with the functionality of the site in any way or form.
What this does is that when a prospective shopper comes to a site, and this said shopper has reservations about online shopping, the ‘easy-to-use’ nature of the website, comforts them and the fact that they are able to use the website easily gives them the confidence to buy from the site.
Shopping cycle is not intimidating
Let’s face it, whether it’s a first time user, who has never ever shopped from an eCommerce site, or an experienced campaigner who more often than not, shops only from such sites, nobody likes a shopping cycle that is intimidating, meaning confusing. Imagine coming across a shopping cycle that is way over your head, and which you need to figure out, before actually going through the various stages of the shopping cycle. Wouldn’t that put you off! Of course it will and this is why the shopping cycle should be designed in a straightforward manner, which doesn’t make a shopper think.
All the buttons, tabs, and information should be placed in a manner that encourages optimal usage.
Seamless Coming Together of Information and Sales
Agreed! An eCommerce site sells products and services and therefore it must be “salesy” in its approach, but this does not mean, it shouldn’t be informative. A successful online shopping site integrates pertinent information with a sales driven approach. So, the design must cry out from the rooftops “Buy our products”, but at the same time, information should also be given that helps shoppers make an informed decision regarding the products on the site. They mustn’t think that they are being forced or cajoled into buying the products, on the contrary they should feel that they are making a decision having kept all the pros and cons of the product in mind. At the end of the day, the website design must make them feel that the decision to buy a particular product was theirs and their’s alone.
The Complete User Experience
What an eCommerce website must offer is a memorable user experience. Now, when you think ‘memorable’, you don’t have to take the route of offering highly creative and unique designs that have striking visuals. But, you must think along the lines of offering a user experience that is fun, engaging, intuitive and which consumes as little time as possible. Online shoppers are notorious for their impatience and never like a site that takes up a lot of their time. They are not looking for a site that looks good, what they are actually looking for a site that exudes credibility, has the products they are looking for, makes shopping simple, and which allows them to make the right buying decision. That’s it! Nothing more and nothing less! If all this is on offer, you can guarantee a highly satisfying user experience for the visitors on your site.
In Conclusion
This is not the end of it, but I have to end somewhere. These are not the only designing aspects that ensure a site helps earn major profits. As a designer what you need to do is keep learning, re-learning, innovating and keep pace with the latest market trends. Knowing what works and what doesn’t when it comes to designing an eCommerce website is half the battle won, this helps create a website that works and wins overs customers.
Author Bio: Albert Vang works at Los Angeles based Ecommerce Website Development Firm – PLAVEB, a company known for its innovative web application development and profit driven web design solutions. He loves what he does and also has a fascination with all things related to website design. He loves blogging about the same on various sites.
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Regards,
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