eCommerce UX Design: The Ultimate Guide

The overall retail landscape is evolving. It has already moved from brick-and-mortar to eCommerce channel. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has helped the B2C eCommerce companies experience a sharp jump of about 20.5% in 2020 alone to their GMV (gross merchandise value). However, shoppers agree that an impressive eCommerce UX design contributes towards their selection. Naturally, the design remains an all-important aspect for businesses designing an eCommerce app or website.

In 2021, the dramatic increase in online retail sales was due to the restrictions in movement induced by the pandemic, and the global eCommerce market share jumped to $26.7 trillion. Today, eCommerce doesn’t only mean providing opportunities for e-trade both from B2C (businesses to customers) and user-to-user sales platform. Still, it includes booking and presenting a wide range of services, including e-wallets, e-banking, and all other things that customers use daily.

So, if you want to be a part of this burgeoning industry, there’s only one thing that you need to focus on – good UX (user experience). This means that right from when a customer comes in contact with your brand, they must come across relevant and valuable information and checkout feeling satisfied. But, where do you begin?

Role of design for eCommerce 

Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, has never stopped pushing his obsession with satisfying and pleasing his customers. He even says, “If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that,” and it is hard to disagree.

The success of eCommerce depends on various factors such as:

• The content quality presented to the customers
• The quality of the products and services offered
• The design quality for the electronic platform (website or app) via which sales are delivered

It is easy to see how UI UX design plays an essential role in eCommerce. Clear and straightforward micro-interactions, thoroughly thought-out transitions and logic, attention-grabbing product representation, quick feedback from the system, easy checkout process and payment flow, and other similar details directly influence the profit-earning capacity of the eCommerce business. This is where business owners and designers ought to work together to appease the target users.

When it comes to designing for eCommerce, the following things should be covered:

• Strong branding
• Effective utilization of visual elements
• Security of user information
• Operational simplicity
• The ability of users to leave behind their reviews or feedback
• Attractive design that does not overshadow the critical aspects of an eCommerce app or website, supports the overall message and helps deliver the same

Key Aspects of UX for eCommerce

The ultimate focus of UX for eCommerce platforms is to guide customers toward completing a transaction. Increased user retention is key to profit. The vital aspects of UX for eCommerce are as follows:

Usability

An essential part of eCommerce UX design is to make the customer journey clear without users having to waste time loading inconvenient menus or clicking unnecessarily. A transparent menu, speed page loading, and effective feedback are ways to enhance the usability of a design.

Utility

Utility lies in the nature of the product or services offered. It helps customers to choose and purchase things and avail of services that they need.

Desirability

The appearance and feel of the platform makes the entire browsing experience enjoyable for the users. Naturally, the design of the eCommerce platform is to make users come back time and again.

Accessibility

Accessibility is about design that can be used by users belonging to different categories of users, such as people with a low level of tech literacy or with disabilities.
There are certain aspects of UX designing for an eCommerce website. The top UI/UX design agencies have a deep understanding of these aspects and are experts at designing the best experience for your online shopping portal.

Factors to consider for eCommerce UX design

1. Informative homepage

The homepage design of your eCommerce platform ought to accomplish more than one task – invite users, point them toward where they can explore the app/website, present a collection of vital data and links, and so on. In most cases, the homepage is the first visual and emotional connection to your website/app, and through its design, you have to touch the hearts and minds of your target audience. You can even introduce them to the various categories of products or services that you are offering.

For example, look at the design of Amazon.

2. Branding should be visible instantly 

Positioning the brand is crucial because visitors form first impressions in as few as 50 milliseconds. Therefore, an eCommerce platform needs to grab attention by quickly showing where it fits in the overall market and what it sells.

In this case, branding refers to the UI designer interface, the types, shapes, and color palettes. Other design solutions like illustrations, icons, and fonts will help users recognize and connect with the brand.

For instance, a luxury, high-end retailer’s website/app design will look much different from a retailer catering to budget-conscious customers. For example, consider Primark and Vera Wang websites. If you visit their homepages, you will see that while one lets the users know of offers and discounts, the other simply introduces the high-end products available.

3. Relevant CTAs placed strategically 

When users arrive on the homepage, you need to greet them with timely content and specific CTAs (calls to action). The message can be conveyed via a large banner image that corresponds to a particular event or the current season, along with the right CTA that will help users to move onto the next step in their shopping process. When crafting CTAs, you need to avoid general phrases, such as “get started.” This doesn’t really tell the user what is coming next.

Most eCommerce websites create attention-grabbing CTAs and make changes to their landing pages to boost their holiday season sales focusing on the latest products, discounts, and popular items. This makes it easier for the visitor to take action quickly with minimal clicks.

4. Easy and clear navigation for completing primary tasks 

Complicated navigation deters users from completing a purchase. No matter how beautiful an eCommerce UX UI design is; it is a waste of money if people are unable to find what they are looking for. Intuitive and clear navigation is the driving force behind rising eCommerce sales.

5. High-quality product images and attention-grabbing presentation

This is a no-brainer. Users cannot touch and feel the products that they’re purchasing. So, you must use high-quality images and present them attractively so that users know what they are buying.

6. Landing pages to be used for specific purposes

Typically, the principles of UI design are based on handling complicated apps/websites packed with information. You can use the landing pages effectively by focusing the users’ attention on something specific and relevant. If the landing page focuses on one thing, it will make it easier for users to quickly find what they’re looking for and decrease delays. This can lead to enhancing the user experience. 

Landing page designs are important for users to quickly find what they need and complete the purchase.

Finally, you cannot ignore good UI UX design in the eCommerce sector. After all, you want to deliver an exceptional shopping experience to your customers, whenever they visit your website or use your app. And the best way to do that is by offering your target audience an eCommerce app/website that is designed exceptionally, along with powerful CTAs, simple navigation, impeccable product presentation using high-definition images and a quick checkout process.