10 Guidelines To Remember While Designing An eCommerce Site

Randomly browse the Internet and you will see the number of eCommerce sites floating out there. There is possibly every kind of eCommerce site one can find on the Internet. From online books stores to grocery stores and apparel and accessories store everything can be found on the web.

This just gives a brief glimpse on how competitive the eCommerce market must be. It is not just about how efficiently you sell your goods through an eCommerce site but also how good your site looks. Web designers for eCommerce sites should give special attention to the look of the site and make it attractive, dynamic, robust and user-friendly.

10 Guidelines To Remember While Designing An eCommerce Site

1. Keep it Simple

KIS your eCommerce site with simplicity and efficiency. KIS of course means Keep It Simple. Initially web designing emphasized on overloading the home page with lots of content that included almost everything related to the site. But today this technique is considered obsolete. Any website, especially an eCommerce website, should be kept simple with lots of apparent white space all around.

2. Enhanced User Experience

Remember that the ultimate aim of an eCommerce site is to sell goods and services. To make that happen, your eCommerce store needs to be user-friendly. Instead of it being loaded with information, your website should be loaded with goodies and freebies. If the user can locate what he is looking for within seconds, that you have got rid of half of your worries.

3. Simple Navigation

While you ensure that the website boasts of enhanced user experience, you should also take care that users can easily navigate through the pages. Do not forget to use tricks such as breadcrumb navigation so that users can trace back their path easily.

4. Efficient Search Engine

An eCommerce site should not go without a search engine. It is one of the most basic needs of an online store that enables users to look for products and services easily. An efficient search engine should be able to give appropriate results with lesser keywords too.

5. Visibility of Shopping Cart

The shopping cart should be visible on all the pages on the eCommerce store. It is extremely important to make users feel comfortable on the site. With a shopping cart readily visible (that has the option of dropping items as and when they feel) works wonders for users.

6. Brand Your Site

Branding is important if you want users to keep coming back to your site. You can brand your site by designing an innovative logo, using colors that are uncommon, inserting a banner on every page of the site etc. Your aim should be that everyone using the Internet should be able to identify with your website easily.

7. Illustrate Who You Are

Nowadays users are very cautious of eCommerce sites. The reason is simple – there have been umpteen cases of fraud and forgery on site which claim to sell items. Thus in order to reinstate that you are a serious business enterprise illustrate who you are clearly. Do not just stop after creating an ‘About Us’ page. On every page of the site, put industry accreditation that you have received.

8. Lay Stress on Content

Good content is an integral part of an eCommerce site. If your website fails to give valuable information about the products and services, the users will think twice before making a purchase from your store. No matter how many tricks help make your website popular, nothing can beat the fact that content is the king.

9. Use Good Quality Images

While we stress on the importance of quality content in a website, it is important to reiterate the importance of good quality images in an eCommerce website. Preferably upload original pictures of the products on the site. Use multiple images of the same product (showing the product from various angles) so that users can judge the product from every angle.

10. Comply with W3C Standards

While you design your eCommerce site do not get swayed by all the glitz and glamor of the industry. It is very important that you remember to submit your website to W3C and get their approval. This stamp will prove that your website is bug-free and meets all the standards deemed suitable by an international body.

2012 just showed us a glimpse of the power of eCommerce sites. In the early months of 2013, we have already seen a lot of development in the eCommerce platforms. While the online stores have become more secured, they have excelled in designs too. To become a part of the league, you have to thus emphasize on your site’s design too. If you are not a pro at web designing, consult a professional and get your work done.