1. Simple Main Navigation is a Must
Do you think the process of creating a user-friendly and intuitive website is simple? Well, sorry to disappoint you, but it’s not.
Slapping a search bar somewhere and a few clickable tabs or other CTA (Call to Action) buttons on the homepage is a waste of time. If you have defined/precise product groups, you may not even need a search field. It’s all about creating organized tabs and categories leading to solid product pages. So what can you do?
Make the most of prior knowledge. This is the basic information about your site visitors or certain habits when they enter your online store. You can obtain such data by tracking your competitors or even from real-world experiences. In addition, maintain consistency in navigation across all pages – including tabs, buttons, commands, and menus.
A few years ago, in 2016, Amazon used to offer numerous navigation options, including a category list on the left side of the page.
Today, the top navigation bar has been reduced and simplified. See here!
2. Make the Checkout and Payment Process Faster
Have you thought about how to let customers pay in the easiest and simplest way? Such a step leads to increased conversions and sales. Here are some tips to ease the payment process for your customers and boost sales.
- Offer many payment options (e.g.: debit or credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal). According to reports, 56% of respondents expect a variety of payment options at checkout.
- Don’t force people to register; it seriously hurts conversion rates.
- Ensure a seamless look and feel at the checkout page.
- Offer a guest checkout option.
- The fewer fields to fill, the better (seriously, less is more!).
- Stop sending them to other websites for payment.
- Provide assurance about security and privacy.
- Add a clear call to action.
3. Use Eye-Catching Elements
Nowadays, no one wants to dig into hamburger menus (or slide-ins), especially on mobile. Using such menus hides key elements and complicates the user experience.
Spotify ditched the hamburger menu last year, and so did Next when redesigning its site. So it seems the trend is reversing.
Instead, focus on adding eye-catching elements to your site. Product images or other content like videos, social content, or user-generated content (UGC) can achieve this in many creative ways. Explore your customer base to understand what attracts them and leverage that.
4. Minimalism
Minimalism and maximalism are two opposing design trends – like yin and yang. Regardless of how different they are, they appear everywhere from literature, art, and scientific research.
Digital media is no exception. Minimalist design constantly shines the spotlight on the product or text the business wants visitors to read. More importantly, the homepage is more about the feeling, experience, or tone of the brand rather than displaying information.
5. Think of Ways to Bring People Back to Your Site
You worked hard to build an awesome company website, so what’s next?
- How do you attract more visitors?
- How do you convert site visitors into customers?
- Once they’re on your e-commerce site, how do you get them to return?
Here are some tips to help retain your customers and turn each one into a long-term brand ambassador.
- Personalize your website – including personalized landing pages, featured areas, voice search, or a pop-up for newsletter signup
- Highlight what’s new and popular with rich product details
- Don’t forget to reward your brand ambassadors
- Give public recognition via social media
- Regularly engage users
6. Show Them, Don’t Just Tell Them
If you show customers how amazing you are, they’ll fall in love with your business. Unfortunately, companies tend to focus more on marketing than on the customer.
Let your customer speak for you! According to the Customer Experience Maturity Monitor report, 81% of companies delivering great customer experiences and satisfaction perform significantly better than their competitors.
It’s all about showing real customer results. Ask them how their lives or situations improved after using your product or services. Highlight positive customer testimonials and reviews so new customers can believe you since real evidence matters most today. By combining elements like problems, solutions, and outcomes, you can clearly communicate the value your product brings. Here’s an example of how 99designs uses their testimonials page to display customer reviews:
7. Customer Service Still Matters, Even Online
What do you think is the most important thing for a business?
Yes, it’s how they provide exceptional customer service.
Of course, offering better customer service means it’s harder to reduce customer acquisition costs, but trust me – it will boost sales.
Still not convinced? Here are a few reasons why customer service matters more than anything else in your business.
- Provides value
- Builds trust
- Sometimes service matters more – even than price
- Creates brand awareness
- Reduces customer churn
- Increases your Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and Return on Investment (ROI)
Websites with the Best UX
User experience (UX) means delivering the best digital experience possible so your customers keep buying from your e-commerce business. Below are some of the best-designed e-commerce websites worth noting. User experience, brand consistency, mobile responsiveness, and fast checkout are just some of the ways they excel. Take a look!
New Chapter
P&G’s brand strives to mimic the digital functionality of an almost entirely online brand, especially regarding innovation and customer engagement. New Chapter features everything from quizzes to adventure packages tailored for end customers.
Thanks to its exceptional website design, conversion optimization increased from about 0.4% at launch to nearly 2%.
Bliss
One of the most fun, young, and energetic online spa product channels I’ve seen. With bold colors, fun graphics, and even GIFs, the site encourages you to explore, engage, and shop instantly.
The Mountain
After early success on Amazon, the site quickly realized it should nurture and communicate directly with end users. The site offers easy navigation and a sense of urgency created by adding key coupons for certain customer segments. Customers click ‘Add to Cart’ quickly.
In Conclusion
No matter what industry you’re in, you must serve your customers through a user-friendly, clean, and appealing website.
You need to invest in and create a comprehensive, strategic approach aimed at improving your end-user experience. Every product and audience is different, so it’s important to research and monitor changes to find what works for you.
Also, be sure to keep an eye on new trends and opportunities since most will be easy to implement.
For details about our user research and UX design services, contact us