Although brick-and-mortar retail businesses continue to struggle, e-commerce continues to reach new heights. According to data reported by Shopify, worldwide e-commerce sales exceeded $3.5 trillion in 2019, representing an 18% increase from the year before. By 2023, e-commerce sales are predicted to double to an astounding $6.5 billion — and considering the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on how people shop for just about everything, it’s likely that online commerce will continue to thrive.

If you currently run an online business or are looking to launch your e-commerce venture in the near future, the opportunity to succeed undoubtedly exists. But if your e-commerce website doesn’t measure up, prospective customers are likely to abandon their efforts to buy your products or services. And since they’ll have no trouble finding a competitor who can provide what they need without the hassle, you’ll be losing out on a lot of earning potential.

So how can you make sure your e-commerce website meets (or even exceeds) customer expectations? You’ll want to keep these dos and don’ts in mind when working with web design services to provide custom web design for your online business.

Do…

• Focus on Shopping Cart Design: Your website’s shopping cart feature is arguably one of the most important components of your design. If the shopping cart doesn’t function as it should, customers won’t take the risk when it comes time to check out. It’s best to have a cart that allows the customer to add different products and quantities and make revisions or deletions with ease. You’ll need to provide transparency into pricing, especially when discount codes or gift vouchers are applied, and allow customers to get a clear idea of the shipping charges they might incur before they take the next step in the process. If a product in a customer’s shopping cart sells out before they can purchase, it’s a good idea to build in special notifications to let them know. When working a professional in custom websites, make sure their design can provide as much transparency as possible and make the check-out process both simple and easy to understand.
• Ensure Your Website is Responsive: Roughly 39% of global e-commerce traffic results from a web search — and with more people utilizing their mobile devices than ever, it’s likely you’ll have a good amount of prospective customers who will try to visit your site from their smartphones. If you’re wondering why you need a mobile friendly website, one good reason is that a non-responsive website will serve as an instant deterrent to anyone who finds your site on their phone or tablet. When you work with a firm to create a custom web design for your e-commerce business, make sure that their work is responsive (meaning that it provides a consistent viewing experience, regardless of the device being used to visit a site). Otherwise, you’ll end up alienating mobile customers who might otherwise be very eager to place an order.

Don’t…

• Make Customers Do the Work: With any type of custom web design, you’ll want to make the customer’s journey clear. That’s especially important with e-commerce websites, as any confusion or frustration can make a consumer abandon their cart. Make sure your site is easy to navigate, your design is on the simple side, and that there are no inherent complications that might make anyone think twice about whether they feel comfortable placing an order. Your custom web design should be such that only a few clicks are needed to achieve any specific result. As a general rule, you shouldn’t waste the customer’s time.
• Forget Calls to Action: Including a call-to-action is key, particularly when you’re encouraging customers to make an immediate purchase. While you shouldn’t overload your custom web design with too many buttons, links, or pop-up promotions, you also shouldn’t dismiss an opportunity to create incentive. Weigh your options carefully and make sure all calls to action serve a direct purpose and can show they have real pay-off.

Whether you need us to design an e-commerce site from scratch or you want to make improvements to your existing web design, our team is here to help your business thrive. For more information, contact Studio98 today.