In this article you’ll learn how the design of your shop has a role to play in sales success. The success of your shop depends on many factors. In addition to attractive products, effective marketing and good customer service, the design of your shop is equally crucial. Here’s just a few of the ways to impress your visitors:
A good first impression
As in real life, first impressions often count in e-commerce. If you were to step inside a disorganised and poorly lit shop, you would probably walk straight back out again. The same applies to customers who come across an online shop with a chaotic structure and poor product photos. So before you immediately lose potential customers to the competition, your make sure your shop makes a good first impression with the help of professional design.
Create trust
Some Internet users are still wary of online shopping. While the giants of the sector like Amazon, Play and Tesco already enjoy unlimited user confidence, smaller online sellers often have to work hard at persuading visitors to become customers. This is where professional web design is important. According to a study by Stanford University, 75 per cent of Internet users assess the reliability of a company based on its website design.
A pleasant buying experience
Customers who feel comfortable in your online shop are also more likely to buy. A study by Webster University in Vienna recently proved that the design of an online shop can have a “significant influence on the customer’s shopping pleasure.” Only in this way can “readiness for online impulse buying be created and awakened.” A happy visitor usually becomes a happy customer which makes you a happy retailer!
User friendliness
In recent years, user friendliness, also known as “usability”, has increasingly become a focal point for web designers and developers. The author, Steve Krug, summed it up with the words “Don’t make me think.” If a customer is forced to think about how to use or navigate around your online shop, you may already have lost them. Your shop should be intuitively usable and have a clear layout. Think from a customer’s perspective and think about their user experience when they visit your shop.
Setting the scene for products and brand
Your design should match your products and brand. If you’re selling jewellery, choose a suitable filigree design. If, on the other hand, it’s mountain bikes that you’re offering, the design should convey a sense of dynamism. So begin by asking yourself these questions: What impression and atmosphere do you want the design to have on the customer? What are the brand promises that you want to convey with your shop?
Recognition value
As an online retailer, you probably want to stand out from the crowd and make your shop unmistakeable. You could, of course, choose a neutral design. But better still if you use distinctive elements or colourful accents to create a unique shop, your customers will then remember you again later.
Modern design
The design of online shops is relatively short-lived. What was modern three years ago is now perhaps outdated. Your design therefore needs to move with the times – otherwise it could appear tired and distinctly unmodern which could make customers think that your retailer style is equally out-dated. This doesn’t mean that you have to run with every design trend. Instead, keep an eye on your most successful competitors and always undertake any design adjustments carefully.
How your shop software helps with design
Your online shop software has a wide range of modern design templates for you to create your own shop design, even if you don’t have any design experience. You can make adjustments with a few clicks. On-going updates ensure that your shop can always be in tune with modern design trends, so make sure you are on top of the latest updates and what they offer.
