This article aims to show how to improve the design of an online shop to boost sales. 

Every year, the percentage of online shoppers increases. According to the 2023 E-commerce in Poland Report, as many as 79% of Internet users make purchases through an online store. 75% of them prefer Polish shops, the other 30% choose to buy from foreign shops. We also know that online shoppers are more likely to be residents of large cities. They highly appreciate online shopping and consider it the most convenient way. 

The rising trend in online shopping is created by the increasing number of shoppers and the sales platforms catering to them. This means that the competition in this area is becoming extremely fierce.

The days when simply running an online store are long gone. Today, retailers must meet far more, increasingly demanding consumer requirements to operate successfully.  So what is worth your attention when designing an online store? What can you do to increase sales?

First impression – the role of aesthetics

As the saying goes: first impressions are the most important. In the largely image-driven world of e-commerce, standing out from the competition is key. People prefer to see pretty and aesthetically pleasing content, so designing an attractive interface is paramount.

Current trends in online shop design, responding to customer expectations, mainly focus on simplicity and minimalism. The shop website should be neutral and not overshadow the products or services. The era of flashy colors is happily forgotten. Searching for products used to resemble a chaotic trip through a large shopping mall.

The product tab

A well-presented product is half of success. But what makes a good presentation? First and foremost, photographs that accurately show all elements of the product. The potential customer should be able to zoom in on the details. In addition, the text describing the product should be precise. Information about materials, and functionality – this is what consumers are interested in.

Adding product reviews is a good practice. Most internet users want to find out more before making a purchase.  They seek out the opinions of people who have bought the product. It’s a good idea to enable them by collecting customer’s opinions and presenting them in a visible place on the website. 

What about a product that is not available? The user should be able to sign up for notifications. An example would be sending information by e-mail when a product is on offer again. This applies to the product itself, but also to its variants (size or colour).

Another good idea is to include modules at the bottom of the product card that will recommend other products – recommended or alternative models, from the same manufacturer.

It’s motivating to potential buyers to add information about low stock levels of a product (e.g. ‘last units’). This type of communication (supported by so-called social proof, i.e. the previously mentioned opinions or reviews) is often presented today in the form of real-time communication (i.e. ‘20 people are looking at this product, ‘someone just bought this product’, ‘there are 19 pieces of this product left’).

Online store – Making the purchasing process convenient

Customers shouldn’t just shop and leave! You should make them happy to return to your online store. A key issue in the UX area is to ensure a simple and user-friendly shopping process:

  • Flexible and extensive online payment and delivery options
  • Stage messages: display messages informing the customer of the current stage of the purchasing process. For example: ‘Your order has been placed’, “Your order is being packed”, “Your order has been shipped”.
  • Quick purchase: Ensure the shop has a quick purchase option without registration.
  • Many potential customers prefer a quick purchase, but when they encounter the registration form they get discouraged.
  • Place steps: Providing the customer with information on the current status of actions at each step is key.
  • Order history: Provide customers with easy access to their order history. This allows them to quickly see what products they have ordered in the past and how the fulfilment of those orders went.
  • Shopping cart: This should be clear and intuitive. It would be a good idea to add information about possible free shipping (e.g.: ‘You’re £20.00 short of free shipping’), as well as information about returns, guarantees and payment security.

Small things – big impact

In addition to the key sub-pages to increase sales, we can also list the small-big things that must not be forgotten. What does this consist of? First and foremost:

As the name suggests, the breadcrumb navigation helps the customer to know their location in the online store. When browsing a product, the user can easily return to the parent category or subcategory in which he or she is located. The structure of the ‘breadcrumbs’ should be designed according to the principle of ‘general to specific’. It should lead the customer from the most general sub-pages to detailed information on a particular topic.

The customer should be able to find the product easily. Especially if the online store has a wide range of products and services. Filtering will solve the problem of finding the right size, colour, material, variants, etc. Selecting the right filters for each product category in the shop is often a challenge. Giving this the right amount of attention always results in happy customers, who keep returning. 

In the case of some online stores, a good idea is to introduce a product comparison website. The user can easily and quickly compare the most important aspects that interest them.

When placing an order, the user should be informed that the purchase has been successful. What is important here is the information contained in the so-called „Thank you page”. The subpage should include information such as acceptance of the order and payment, thank you message, order number and information that the order confirmation has also been sent by e-mail.

Let’s not forget … microinteractions!

Microinteractions play a key role in the design of online stores, influencing the overall user experience (UX) and customer experience. Why are they so important?

They can enhance the customer’s interaction with the website by providing intuitive cues and quick responses to user actions. For example animated buttons can facilitate navigation.

Unique and refined interactions can help to create a positive brand image and differentiate yourself from the competition.

They can also influence the customer’s overall experience when browsing an online store, making it more user-friendly and intuitive. Small details, such as animated progress indicators when placing an order or interactive elements when browsing products, can make the user feel more engaged.

Responsiveness is the key to a successful online store

The most popular device used in the online shopping process is by far the smartphone. If you want to increase sales, you need to take this into account and ensure that your solution is accessible on mobile devices. By paying proper attention to the implementation of a responsive website, you will rest easy knowing that the user can browse the offer and make purchases regardless of the device used.

Good design decisions

The things described in this article are just the tip of the iceberg. Adapting an online shop in terms of design to increase sales requires consideration of several key factors. A good start would be to carry out an analysis of the competition and an audit of the online store. By doing so, we can isolate elements that are worth improving. Through good design decisions, an online store can effectively increase its sales and succeed in today’s competitive e-commerce world.

An iceberg that shows design decisions and business decisions when designing an online store