It used to be that websites were an add-on to your already existing business, but as online shopping continues to grow in popularity, eCommerce sites for your business now function as their own entity. In order to keep up with the rapidly evolving nature of online shopping, companies need to design the storefront of their eCommerce store to align with the expectations of their customers. Give your customers an online experience that will make them want to come back by using the effective trends listed below:
1. Make Your Design Responsive
You know how unappealing it is to be in a store that’s totally a mess? Well, it may not be a physical store, but the same holds true for your website. In order to be responsively designed, your website should be clearly organized, easily navigated and accessible from a variety of different devices.
Since more and more people are shopping from smartphones – Usage of smartphones on average, increased by 81% in 2012 – and other mobile devices, it’s important that your eCommerce site is designed with a mobile audience in mind. CJ Pony Parts, a Mustang parts dealer, serves as an excellent example of responsive design, with an eCommerce site that stretches to fit perfectly on any size screen.
2. Post Product Videos
Videos are playing an increasingly significant role on the web today, with recent studies predicting that by the year 2017, video will represent 2/3 of all mobile data traffic in the world. Considering how popular videos are becoming and how efficiently they allow customers to learn about your company and your products, you should definitely include them in your eCommerce site.
The humane animal trap company Havahart posts several videos showing customers how to set up and operate their products, such as their feral cat trap.
3. Include Large Images
With larger images on your eCommerce site, you can attract more customers and give them a more accurate way to visualize the products you sell. Large images also give you the opportunity to highlight certain products, and because customers are enticed to buy instantly upon entering your eCommerce shop, you will likely experience a boost in sales.
Ceramcor has beautiful, clear product photography that when magnified pops open to nearly 1000 pixels wide.
4. Go with a Minimalistic Approach
As a result of how responsive design has become more important, good eCommerce sites are gravitating towards a more minimalistic approach. This means we’re seeing a rise in things like crisply cut edges, spacious white space and bolder colors as opposed to complex, intricate textures and designs.
Marketing agency WebpageFX designed their eCommerce website to convey a cutting edge, modern feel by using bold, flat colors and symbols.
5. Incorporate Infinite, Continuous Scrolling
With this design element, as the user is scrolling down towards the bottom of a page, new content is continuously being uploaded. This allows the customer to interact with your site in a way that feels more natural. With infinite scrolling, pagination, which used to be an aggravating navigation obstacle, is no longer an issue.
PEX Supply has a great example of infinite scrolling on their site – you probably never realized just how many types of tubing existed until you discovered this infinite scroll.
6. Make Sure Call to Action Buttons Are Optimally Designed
In the process of developing your company’s eCommerce website, remember conversion rates matter. Your call to action buttons should be designed in such a way that your customers can’t help but want to click on them and make a purchase. As you work on your call to action and implement it to your site, consider the following: is your call to action appealing? Is it placed in a location that’s intuitive, or is it indistinguishable from your shop’s design? Is it in a color that will help it stand out?
Renewal by Andersen’s call to action buttons mesh well with their design, but their bold font face stands out, as in this example, showing their huge number of customers on a map.
7. Let Your Customers “Try On” Your Products
A surefire way to stand out in the eCommerce world is to do something truly innovative. Many sites allow you to custom design a watch or a shoe before you buy, but what if your customers could actually virtually try those products on? New applications are coming to market that allow your visitors to actually connect to their camera and drag and drop products over their own image, as exemplified by Boutique Accessories’ “Virtual Mirror,” the first of its kind.
8. Customize the Buying Experience
With customized icons and art, you can call attention to the uniqueness of your brand. If your products offer a number of options, make the buying experience interactive by incorporating swatches and drop downs that customize the image before the buyer’s very eyes.
For example, Custom Car Covers does a great job with this – just take a look at any cover to see all the options, and rollover to change the product image.
If you’re looking for ideas to revamp your eCommerce site, the above suggestions are a great place to start. Try using them on your company’s site for an elevated eCommerce experience your customers are sure to love!
