Ecommerce Website Design
Overview
Effective ecommerce website design has never been more important. With more people purchasing via the internet than ever before, online retailers are experiencing a revolution in the way they reach target consumers.
Whether you are new to ecommerce or have an existing store that needs an overhaul, our team of industry experts can provide you with everything you need to start making money online. We have experience building powerful online stores for a wide variety of industries, and work with the most popular content management platforms on the market.
Our Ecommerce Philosophy
Great ecommerce websites feature user-friendly interfaces that enable shoppers to find what they want quickly with no headaches. We build online stores with clean navigation, intuitive user experience and industry standard checkout processes that drive sales. Our solutions include custom Content Management Systems and off-the-shelf platforms like Magento, Shopify, PrestaShop and WordPress.
Additionally, we know that in order to convert visitors into customers, your site must be trustworthy and secure. We help clients integrate with the most popular 3rd party payment processors, merchant accounts and SSL providers, to ensure your visitors feel confident when providing their personal information and credit card details.
Our Ecommerce Development Process
Online stores vary in size and functionality. We start by analyzing your business needs to determine what solution is appropriate for you. A site with 10 products requires a different approach than one with 1,000 products, for example. Once we understand your needs and objectives, we recommend a Content Management System and begin planning your website.
For robust online stores, an upfront planning phase is required. Our information architects will create “blueprints” for your website, including a sitemap, annotated wireframes and a technical specification that describes all necessary 3rd party integrations, such as ERP systems, Extensions or Plugins.
Planning Phase
– Business Analysis
– Business Analysis
– Competitive Analysis
– Information Architecture
Design & Development Phase
– Website Design Mockups
– Front-end Development
– Back-end / CMS Development
– Quality Assurance Testing
– Beta Launch
– Live Launch
What Makes a Great Ecommerce Site?
1. In-depth Product Information:
The best online stores mimic shopping in a brick and mortar store as closely as possible. They provide descriptive product write-ups, high res photos from multiple angles, product videos, technical specifications, shipping and return information and reviews. It’s important to eliminate doubt or hesitancy and give shoppers everything they need to make informed decisions.
2. Customer Support:
Other major factors in building trust are access to customer support and security. Just like a physical store, shoppers should be able to quickly contact a sales representative should they need assistance. This can be provided by simply displaying a phone number in a highly visible location, or by offering advanced features like online chat support or a customer service center with FAQs and contact information for all departments.
3. Site Security:
For new online shops, it’s important to let visitors know you have their best interest in mind by protecting their personal information and providing a reliable services. The two main areas where this becomes a factor are your Payment Gateway and your SSL Certificate.
By using trusted companies like Authorize.net (Credit Card processor) and Symantec (SSL Certificate provider) has been known to increase conversion rates. These providers offer trust badges that can be placed in the footer or on product pages, to let shoppers know their personal and credit card information is safe and sound.
4. Add Video:
It’s no secret that video is immensely popular on the internet. Shoot some candid “behind the scenes” interviews with management or staff, to showcase your industry expertise, or create a “how it works” video to illustrate your core service offering.
Is Your Ecommerce Webite Optimized For Mobile?
Did you know that more consumers now use smartphones and tablets to shop online than desktop computers? Mobile commerce is exploding, and retailers who aren’t properly optimized for the most popular device types are missing out on huge sales opportunities.
Advances in technology such as Responsive Website Design and dedicated Mobile Websites give retailers the ability to deliver sites that are optimized for the screen sizes of the devices they are being served on.
