E-commerce has evened up the playing field for small businesses, enabling them to compete both nationally and internationally with larger companies. For retailers with physical stores, e-commerce sites provide unparalleled opportunities for growth through omni-channel or multichannel marketing and sales strategies.

However, to fully maximize profits from your e-commerce website, you need to create an intuitively designed online store. This will not only attract visitors, but also make it effortless for them to find what they’re looking for and complete a successful purchase.

In this article, we’ll delve into savvy strategies that will take your e-commerce web design to a whole new level. These approaches will ensure your website resonates with customers, ultimately paving the way for increased conversions and sustained success.

Streamline Your Checkout Process

Let’s start with the most important part of your e-commerce website—the checkout process. According to research by Shopify, one of the most common reasons customers abandon their cart before checkout is the lack of guest checkout options. To address this, make sure you provide an option for guests to check out without needing to create an account. This seamless and smooth experience can encourage customers to finalize their purchase; if they’re satisfied, then they will eventually make repeat purchases and make an account without prompting.

Another reason for abandoned carts is the lack of payment options. In the Philippines, there are a variety of cashless payments aside from the traditional credit and debit cards. These include digital wallets, which have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. QR code payments through e-wallet and banking apps have also become more common. To accommodate all these cashless transactions, e-commerce websites can install Shopify payment gateway Philippines businesses trust. With this easy-to-install plug-in, e-commerce merchants can provide a secure and user-friendly payment gateway that will enhance customers’ shopping experience and ultimately boost sales.

Utilize Breadcrumbs to Orient Your Visitors

In an e-commerce website with tons of products and categories, it’s easy to get lost. To make things simpler to navigate, you can add breadcrumbs on the top of the page to orient visitors and guide them back to where they started. 

Here’s a basic example: Home > Products > Electronics > Smartphones > iPhone 15. With this kind of guidance, the user will immediately know that they’re viewing the page for the iPhone 15 within the Electronics section of the Products category. The breadcrumbs display the path back to the homepage, allowing users to easily go back to previous pages if they desire. Aside from enhancing user experience, using breadcrumbs as navigational aids can also improve search engine optimization (SEO). Fortunately, breadcrumbs are easy to implement across your site to help users confidently explore your digital aisles.

Categorize Your Products Efficiently

Imagine stepping into a department store where every item is scattered randomly, with no rhyme or reason for the layout. Chaos, right? The same principle applies to your e-commerce website. 

To make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, make an effort to categorize your products into logical groups and subgroups. Whether it’s by product type, brand, or occasion, intuitive and efficient categorization simplifies the browsing experience and encourages exploration.

To illustrate, a ready-to-wear retail store may have three main categories: Men’s, Women’s, and Children’s Wear. Within each category, say for Men’s, there can be several more subcategories like Shirts, Trousers, Jackets, and Accessories, while the Women’s may include Dresses, Tops, Skirts, Pants, and Accessories, and so on.

If you have an extensive product line, you can follow the lead of industry giants like eBay and Etsy who excel at organizing their vast inventory into easily navigable categories.

Simplify the Navigation

When a shopper is browsing through your store, the last thing you want to happen is for them to get frustrated with navigation. So, take the time to declutter your navigation menu and make sure you are using clear labels that are easy to read on any device.

For example, instead of having individual categories for Camping Gear, Hiking Gear, Climbing Gear, and Cycling Gear, you can instead consolidate Camping & Hiking and Climbing & Cycling categories. This makes the menu shorter and easier to view, especially if guests are using their smartphones to access your website.

Lastly, a well-organized navigation menu should guide users seamlessly from landing pages to product listings. Some elements you can use are accordion menus, drop-down lists, or tabs that expand and show subcategories without needing to go through another page.

Highlight Important Elements

These days, your audience’s attention is a scarce commodity. To capture and retain your audience’s interest, it’s essential to highlight important elements that drive conversions. Whether it’s a limited-time offer, customer testimonials, or product features, strategic emphasis can make all the difference. Moreover, employ eye-catching graphics, bold typography, and strategic placement to draw attention to key elements and guide users toward desired actions.

For example, in an e-commerce website, the add to cart button is probably one of the most important elements. As such, it’s crucial to ensure this button is immediately obvious and easily clickable to convert your visitors into paying customers.

 

In e-commerce, a well-designed website is your secret weapon for success. By implementing these strategies, you can transform your online store from confusing to captivating. With a user-friendly interface, you can entice customers to explore, engage, and ultimately, make a purchase.