A user does not take long to decide whether or not to stay on a website. In less than 7 seconds, they will form an impression about you and your business. A study by the Missouri University of Science and Technology even suggests that it can take up to two-tenths of a second to make a first impression when viewing a website, this is why you need to hire great web designers.
So, how do you sell to your users the first time they visit your e-commerce store? While good content and customer service may help you engage a customer, there is another factor that is often overlooked by the sellers.
It is said that “looks are everything,” and it is certainly true when it comes to e-commerce web design. According to Blue Corona, nearly half (48 percent) of website visitors consider web design as the leading factor in determining a brand’s credibility.
So, if your store sells quality products but it doesn’t have an attractive website to hold the customers, then you’re not going to make a lot of sales. But, it changes today. Below, we share a few must-have web design features that can help you attract prospects and increase your conversion rate:
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1. Take a minimalist approach:
Minimalist designs are considered more visually appealing compared to websites that use intricate designs. If you aim to generate more leads and increase your sales, consider simplifying your website. Remove any unnecessary links, images, or banners that can distract a user’s attention from the primary goal – buying.
You should avoid showing any forms or sign-ups when a customer is scrolling your products category. It can distract a user and sometimes even annoy them to the extent that they may leave your website without making a purchase. Minimalist design gives a professional look and only shows the content that a user is most interested in.
2. Offer live chat support:
Most customers prefer to talk to a sales representative before they make a purchase. You need to be able to answer their questions and address their concerns without adding any complications to the buying process.
Having an email address or contact number to answer queries is good. But, they do not give answers in real-time. Sometime, a customer might want to ask about the specs of a product before buying it. For that, they will need a prompt answer. Therefore, your website must have a live chat feature.
Live chat provides immediate answers in the most convenient way possible. FurstPerson reports that 77 percent of customers won’t buy from an ecommerce store if it does not offer live chat support.
Due to the growing popularity of online chat, many websites have started using this feature. You can always hire web developers to install a chat bot feature in your website.
However, if your budget does not permit a live chat feature, you can count on a chatbot or FAQ page to enhance the user experience.
3. Optimize for mobile:
The way users access the internet has significantly changed over the years. Today, more and more people are using mobile devices to visit their favorite websites and pages. According to Statista, more than half of the global web traffic (3.9 billion users) now comes from mobile devices.
Given these statistics, it has become a necessity for e-commerce stores to optimize their sites for mobile devices. They must be designed in a way to adjust to new screen sizes without compromising on the customer’s shopping experience. Otherwise, you will be losing a considerable chunk of business.
4. Improve your page loading speed:
Page loading speed has become one of the most vital determinants of an e-commerce store’s success. But, many store owners are still unaware of its importance in sales. Google itself says that 53 percent of mobile users expect a website to load in less than 3 seconds.
Based on the study by MachMetrics, most sites take 8-11 seconds to load. This is an area of growing concern for businesses because the bounce rate rises exponentially as the loading time increases. The impact of loading time on your sales can be further observed by the infographic created by Neil Patel:
Fortunately, there are many tools and methods that you can use to reduce your website’s loading time. Here are a few of them to start with:
- Compress the files on your website
- Remove unnecessary images and files
- Optimize your images
- Utilize browser caching
- Improve server response time
The Google PageSpeed Insights is an excellent resource to further improve your page loading speed.
5. Improve your visual content:
High-quality images and videos of your products is a must to sell your products. You can no longer rely on a single product photo with a price tag and expect it to sell. If you want shoppers to purchase your product, you need to provide high-quality images from different angles. Shoppers want to be able to zoom in a product so that they get a feel for it.
Technical aspects of photos also need to be taken into consideration when uploading product photos. According to Adobe, images that take too long to load witness a 39 percent drop-off rate. So, e-commerce sites should upload multiple product images and optimize them for page load.
Most e-commerce stores tend to overlook the importance of branding elements. It shouldn’t be this way! A professional logo design, color combinations, and a good theme help you to attract more customers. Make sure you put effort into graphic design so that the visuals clearly communicate your brand’s message.
6. Reviews and Ratings:
Reviews and ratings are important ways to increase your sales and improve brand awareness. A study suggests that 90 percent of consumers read online reviews before they visit an e-commerce store. Consumers also tend to spend more on a brand with excellent reviews.
Genuine reviews that include useful product information can convince customers to buy the product. Positive reviews also offer other business benefits that other marketing methods cannot. They help to foster trust and build a positive brand image in the eyes of the customers.
Final Thoughts
The above web design features will help you improve the looks of your e-commerce store and attract more customers. Depending on your products, services, and your target audience, apply the appropriate features to your website to generate more leads and maximize your sales.
