Is it really a surprise that ecommerce has taken over the retail industry? It’s fast, convenient and oftentimes saves us money.

And it’s likely the very reason 96% of consumers shop online. This allows folks to shop for products and services from anywhere – bed, the bathroom, on the road and while at work. Ten percent of consumers even shop while under the influence (not recommended).

If you’re dipping into this billion-dollar pie, then you have to think long and hard about ecommerce development. More and more people are using mobile devices to shop online, which changes the game for website design and user experience.

In this guide, we’ll cover some of the principles to keep in mind when undergoing ecommerce development.

First, let’s take a look at why design plays such an important role in revenue and growth.

The Role Design Plays in Ecommerce

What creates a great customer experience that’s worthy of positive online reviews? The success of ecommerce relies heavily on social proof, so if you can get raving reviews and high ratings from customers, it’ll help draw in more prospects.

However, to get here, you need to offer great products and quality content. Then, of course, the design of your website and online store have to be superb.

And you need to appease users on any device they’re using — mobile or not.

It’s not hard to see how design plays a role in the user experience in ecommerce development. Overall, you want to make navigation simple, the checkout process seamless and product selection intuitive.

The more you empower users to make decisions and purchases, they’ll do just that. Here’s an overview of the components of a solid ecommerce design:

• Strong branding
• Ease of use
• Secured data exchanges
• Effectively using visuals
• Navigation, menus, and catalogs easy to find
• Ability to leave reviews on products and services
• Easy-to-find contact info
• Supportive design for your offer (not a distractive design)

Having a secure website is critical to staying out of legal trouble. However, if you find yourself facing a lawsuit, you can always reach out to an ecommerce lawyer.

Now, let’s review the factors you should consider during ecommerce development.

1. Keep It Simple Stupid

You always want a design that’s KISS-able. Keeping it simple is the key to reducing frustration and maximizing satisfaction.

Look how Google and Amazon are making the lives of users easier. They offer products and features that allow users to search, shop and purchase without the use of a screen. The handy dandy digital assistants they offer make this possible.

Both companies came a long way from being garage and basement entities. They’re billion-dollar corporations that are very in tune with what their users desire. And they capitalize on it very well.

One way of doing this is to make everything as easy and seamless as possible.

For example, place your shopping cart in the upper right-hand corner where users are used to it being. Or better yet, make a drop down box of the cart, so users can review and edit their cart on the whim. And make the menus and sub-menus easy to find and navigate.

2. Make the Checkout Process Linear

Any business that tries to get creative with the checkout process is bound to fail. Consumers are accustomed to a typical process that takes them from point A to point Z.

When your customers click checkout, there should be no more than three steps to take from there. And this consists of inserting billing information, typing in your address and reviewing the order before submission.

There should be an opportunity before the checkout for users to create an account. Make sure afterward, they’re taken to the last step of the checkout, where they can review their payment and address details before submitting payment.

Customers should feel as though signing up for an account speeds up the checkout process.

3. Make Checkout Errors Clear and Concise

Something goes wrong during the checkout and an error pops up. Does the error explicitly state what the problem is? Or is there any other indicator showing the issue?

For example, a pop-up window saying the credit card information is inaccurate would suffice. Or a red asterisk next to a field left blank indicates it requires filling.

If the errors in your checkout aren’t clear and concise, then users won’t know what to do to complete their purchase. And you can expect your abandoned cart rate to skyrocket from here.

4. Ensure Fast Page Load Speeds

Internet shoppers are multitaskers, so they expect websites to open up quickly, so they can get to what they need to quickly.

If users enter your site and it takes more than four seconds to load, then you’re going to lose 25% of prospects.

Now, your mobile audience may be a little more patient because they’re used to these devices reacting more slowly. So you have about 10 seconds to load before you lose them.

5. Include Automated Search Functions

You can’t expect everyone who visits your site to know exactly what they’re looking for. There will be a handful who do and a boatload of others who don’t.

To help them out, you should include an automated search function in your search bar. This is much like Google’s feature, which autocompletes phrases as the user types. With this, users can quickly find what they’re looking for.

6. Use a Minimalistic Design

The color, font, and layout you use in your ecommerce development should be minimal. You want it to portray your brand, but in a way that’s not overwhelming.

Too many flashing colors and graphics will only distract users from their purpose – to purchase a specific product or service.

7. Include Compelling Calls to Action

It’s important to tell users what to do once they reach your site. Likely, you have multiple calls to action you want for different users. For instance, you may have calls to action for your email list, specific products, and limited-time offers.

Make sure your visitors can see these calls to action. They should be compelling and feel urgent, so they’ll act quickly.

Learn More About Ecommerce Development

The internet is useful for more than just shopping. You can also use it to learn almost anything. At PSD Learning, you can find a variety of articles that can help improve your ecommerce development.

You can find topics like design & interface, special effects, and photo effects courses. Stop by today to see what you can learn to improve your online store!