Effective website design can make all the difference between a successful online store and a lackluster one. Have you ever abandoned the checkout page out of frustration due to the length of the process or because you had to create a user account before purchasing a product? That has happened to me!
In this post, I will uncover seven common design mistakes to avoid that I have noticed while working with e-commerce businesses
Poor mobile optimization
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Neglecting mobile optimization is a grave mistake. 65% of e-commerce traffic is mobile trafic. Poorly optimized mobile experience can drive potential customers away. Ensure your website is fully responsive, loads quickly, and provides a seamless shopping experience across various mobile devices.
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Complex and Lengthy Checkout Process
One of the biggest mistakes an e-commerce website can make is implementing a complicated and lengthy checkout process. Customers value convenience and efficiency, so a streamlined and user-friendly checkout experience is crucial. Checkout process shouldn’t have more than 3, or 4 steps.
- Ineffective Search and Navigation
A poorly designed search and navigation system can leave customers feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. Ensure your e-commerce website has a robust search function that delivers accurate results, supports autocomplete suggestions, and provides helpful filters to help customers find what they’re looking for quickly. Implement clear and intuitive navigation menus, organized product categories, and breadcrumbs to guide users throughout their shopping journey.
- Inadequate Product Recommendations and Cross-Selling Opportunities
Not offering enough product recommendations and cross-selling opportunities can hurt your e-commerce business. By providing personalized recommendations and suggesting related products, you can increase the average order value and make customers happier. If your website doesn’t have personalized recommendations or doesn’t suggest related products, you’re missing out on chances to offer more to your customers. To fix this, use algorithms or machine learning to suggest products based on what customers have browsed or bought before. Also, strategically place suggestions for additional products on product pages or during the checkout process to encourage customers to buy more.
- A terrible CTA
4 rules to follow when designing a CTA for your brand:
- Ensure the CTA clearly communicates the intended action,
- Make it visually appealing and easily noticeable,
- Use persuasive, simple language and action verbs to motivate immediate engagement,
- Continuously test and refine the CTA to improve its effectiveness.