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Ecommerce dominates the marketplace. As a matter of fact, ecommerce accounted for nearly $43 billion in sales in July 2018 alone, an 8.7% increase year over year. But of course, not all ecommerce sites are created equal. What’s more, some features really make a page stand out. If you want to put your company’s ecommerce site on the cutting edge, these three ecommerce design elements are a must.
1. Keep It Colorful
No one wants to jump into a Lisa Frank-style color trip when they click on a sales link. However, having a great palette is vital to site engagement. Just look at the cosmetic brand Bliss. The Bliss site, named Best Overall Design finalist by Big Commerce, uses a strong pastel color scheme in a gradient pattern. This prevents the site from looking too busy, yet it’s appealing to young and trendy customers.
Color use tells customers important information about your brand’s personality. It helps draw the eye to key parts of your site. Moreover, it’s a more subtle version of billboards and neon lights. Ultimately, it’s a much more effective way to close a sale.
2. Put Your Best Photos Forward
Quality photographs can make or break a sale. Customers don’t want to buy a product that they can’t see clearly. It could be a knock-off, the wrong color, or simply not what they want. What’s more, a high-resolution product image lets customers connect with the goods. It allows them to assess the benefits, and it helps tell the product’s story.
On the Sylvie Collection site, visual storytelling is front and center. Their stunning engagement ring photos dominate the page. The photos allow potential buyers to see every facet of the jewels. Customers can easily imagine wearing these unique pieces or presenting such a ring to someone they love. And the resolution is so distinct that you can even see the tiny letters of the “Sylvie” stamp inside each band. Why would customers buy from a site with blurry or unclear images, when they could buy from a venue that lets them see the smallest details?
3. Add an App
Ecommerce design today goes beyond the website. It requires companies to tack on mobile options via an app. However, having an app goes beyond convenience. An app is an opportunity to connect with buyers. Through your app, you can offer exclusive deals to customers and keep them up to date regarding stock changes and sales. Since most people are permanently attached to their phones, having an app is the easiest way to make sure potential purchases don’t linger in abandoned carts.
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If you don’t believe having an app makes a difference, just look at shoe sales leader Zappos. The Zappos app already accepts cryptocurrency. Plus, it upgrades sales to one-day shipping and lets buyers use their VIP status. Not only do these added features encourage loyal buyers to opt for mobile purchases, but they’re a lure to new customers who have never shopped Zappos before.
What Does Your Ecommerce Design Say About Your Business?
Ecommerce sales are growing much more quickly than their in-store counterparts. So don’t let your business get left behind. Make sure your website can keep up with the quality of your products by offering the ambiance and item-level insights buyers would get when shopping in-store. After all, when you don’t have the opportunity to upsell in person, your digital offerings need to carry the load.