Cluttered design
Today’s eCommerce websites are clean and simple, with visuals and photos at the forefront. If your website is too cluttered with images, different fonts or a jumble of colours, visitors will have trouble deciding where to go first. Use different-sized elements judiciously on the home page to direct viewers’ eyes where you most want them to go.
Not mobile friendly
More and more, consumers are browsing and shopping on their mobile devices, both tablets and smartphones. If your eCommerce website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re going to lose sales. Designing a website to be “mobile-first” is a smart idea, because the elements that work on mobile devices generally translate well to desktops, while the opposite is not true.
Not enough information about products
Customers can’t get enough when it comes to details about products. Don’t just use the manufacturer’s generic description — many are very basic. Elaborate where you can to build an emotional connection with the product if it’s warranted (such as for clothing or toys). Don’t forget details such as dimensions, shipping size/weight, fabric content, materials and any information that can help potential buyers make a decision. How can you reconcile the need for detail with the need to avoid clutter? For good web design, keep the initial information minimal, but use drop downs that customers can expand to get the full details if desired.
Poor product photos
Product photos are a key part of an eCommerce website design, and one grainy photo just won’t cut it these days. Good website design includes multiple, high-quality photos of products from various angles, and provide the ability to zoom in to see detail. If relevant to the product, consider including videos.
Contact/customer service information is hard to find
Don’t make eCommerce customers search your website for help. Your business’s phone number should be clearly visible on every page, especially on the homepage, along with chat tools and email addresses for customer service. Most customers also like to get an idea of shipping costs and return policies before placing an order, so links to that information should be prominently placed.
Poor search feature
Make sure your search bar is easy to find and that your search feature works smoothly. There’s nothing more frustrating for customers than searching for a product they know exists on your site and not being able to find it. Beyond basic search, giving customers the ability to filter and sort products by factors such as price, size, ratings and colour will improve your sales.
No security certificates
Customers will be less likely to place an order if they don’t feel confident that your eCommerce website is keeping their data secure. Have your security certification symbols, such as your SSL Certificate, visible on the homepage and any page related to checkout.