Essentials of Ecommerce Web Design
First impressions last, and sometimes, it is the key to success or the reason for your failure. In any advertising medium, websites included, you have only a very limited opportunity to make a good first impression and therefore, you should make it count. Its importance is never greater than when your website receives payments online, and you have to earn a customer’s trust. On your way to your first meeting with your web designer, take note of some of these tips to ensure that your ecommerce website is immediately effective.
What Makes Your Website Unique?
Suppose you sell towels. What makes your towels unique and different from all the others? Is it your selling price? Do you sell them cheaper than your competitors? Is it the quality? Do you think yours are superior to others? Also, consider, what are you truly selling? Are you selling towels, or are you selling convenience? The convenience of selling online as an alternative to driving to a store, walking around, lining up, paying, then driving back home. Figuring out what you are truly selling and what makes what you are truly selling helps you in refining your message, both verbally and visually.
Who Are You Selling To?
Knowing your target market and understanding who they are is the true essence of marketing and the key to your sales efforts and the design of your website. Understanding who you’re selling to will of course dictate your pricing and the manner in which your products are delivered. Back to the towel example, there will be significant differences if you are selling to individual buyers who are probably at home or at their own offices or if you are selling wholesale to hotels and beach resorts.
Selling wholesale, you’ll probably be selling by weight and volume, quoting your rates in terms of kilos. If you are selling individual pieces, you’ll probably be selling them at a higher retail price, and you can even offer special services such as personalized embroidery. Lastly, your visual and verbal messages and the way your website’s navigation is designed should be done with your target consumer in mind.
Is Your Website Easy to Use?
When developing your website’s navigation and the steps required from browsing, selecting and paying for an item, have as many of your friends try it and let them give you their opinion on ease and usability. However, don’t stop there. Even when your website is live, you should also take into account how your design has effected your customers (or potential customers) decisions. Google Analytics provides you with tools that help track your website’s process. Learn from it to determine whether your website is working or needs improvements.
Is Your Website Honest and Trustworthy?
There is a difference between “attractive” advertising and downright lying. Don’t trick your customers into buying using misleading graphics and messages. Be honest, especially when doing special promotions with certain specific conditions. Also ensure that your terms & conditions are easy to find, easy to read and easy to understand.
