Best Practices For E-Commerce UI Web Design
When you visualize consumers moving through the e-commerce websites you build, you more or less expect them to follow this journey:
• Step 1: Enter on the homepage or a category page.
• Step 2: Use the navigational elements to orient themselves to the store and zero in on the specific things they're looking for.
• Step 3: Review the descriptions and other important purchase details for the products that ignite their interest.
• Step 4: Customize the product specs (if possible), and after that add the products they want to their cart.
• Step 5: Check out.
There are variances they may bring the method (like checking out associated products, browsing different classifications, and saving items to a wishlist for a rainy day). However, for the a lot of part, this is the leading pathway you construct out and it's the one that will be most greatly traveled.
That holding true, it's especially essential for designers to zero in on the user interface components that buyers encounter along this journey. If there's any friction within the UI, you will not simply see a boost in unanticipated variances from the course, but more bounces from the website, too.
That's what the following post is going to focus on: How to ensure that the UI along the purchaser's journey is attractive, intuitive, engaging, and friction-free.
Let's examine three parts of the UI that buyers will come across from the point of entry to checkout. I'll be using e-commerce sites constructed with Shopify to do this:
1. Create A Multifaceted Navigation That Follows Shoppers Around #
There once was a time when e-commerce websites had mega menus that shoppers needed to arrange through to discover their wanted product classifications, sub-categories and sub-sub-categories. While you might still face them nowadays, the better option is a navigation that adjusts to the buyer's journey.
THE MAIN MENU #
The very first thing to do is to streamline the primary menu so that it has just one level beneath the main classification headers. This is how United By Blue does it:
The item classifications under "Shop" are all nicely arranged underneath headers like "Womens" and "Mens".
The only exceptions are the classifications for "New Arrivals" and "Masks & Face Coverings" that are accompanied by images. It's the very same reason why "Gifts" is in a lighter blue typeface and "Sale" is in a red font style in the main menu. These are very timely and pertinent classifications for United By Blue's buyers, so they deserve to be highlighted (without being too distracting).
Returning to the website, let's take a look at how the designer had the ability to keep the mobile website organized:
Rather than diminish down the desktop menu to one that buyers would need to pinch-and-zoom in on here, we see a menu that's adapted to the mobile screen.
It requires a few more clicks than the desktop website, however buyers should not have a problem with that because the menu does not go too deep (once again, this is why we can't use mega menus any longer).
ON THE PRODUCT RESULTS PAGE #
If you're building an e-commerce site for a customer with a complex stock (i.e. great deals of items and layers of categories), the product results page is going to need its own navigation system.
To help buyers narrow down how many products they see at a time, you can consist of these 2 elements in the design of this page:
1. Filters to limit the outcomes by product specification.
2. Sorting to purchase the items based on shoppers' concerns.
I've highlighted them on this product results page on the Horne website:
While you might store your filters in a left sidebar, the horizontally-aligned style above the outcomes is a better choice.
This space-saving style allows you to show more items simultaneously and is also a more mobile-friendly choice:
Keep in mind that consistency in UI style is very important to consumers, especially as more of them take an omnichannel method to shopping. By presenting the filters/sorting options regularly from device to device, you'll produce a more foreseeable and comfortable experience for them in the process.
BREADCRUMBS & SEARCH #
As buyers move deeper into an e-commerce website, they still might require navigational help. There are two UI navigation elements that will assist them out.
The very first is a breadcrumb path in the top-left corner of the product pages, comparable to how tentree does:
This is best utilized on websites with classifications that have sub-categories upon sub-categories. The further and more shoppers move away from the product results page and the convenience of the filters and sorting, the more crucial breadcrumbs will be.
The search bar, on the other hand, is a navigation component that must always be available, regardless of which point in the journey shoppers are at. This goes for stores of all sizes, too.
Now, a search bar will certainly assist shoppers who are short on time, can't find what they require or simply want a faster way to an item they already know exists. Nevertheless, an AI-powered search bar that can actively predict what the shopper is looking for is a smarter choice.
Here's how that deals with the Horne website:
Even if the shopper hasn't completed inputting their search phrase, this search bar starts providing recommendations. On the left are matching keywords and on the right are top matching items. The supreme objective is to accelerate shoppers' search and minimize any tension, pressure or aggravation they may otherwise be feeling.
2. Program The Most Pertinent Details At Once On Product Pages #
Vitaly Friedman just recently shared this tip on LinkedIn:
He's. The more time visitors need to invest digging around for significant information about a product, the greater the chance they'll just quit and attempt another store.
Delivering alone is a huge sticking point for lots of shoppers and, sadly, too many e-commerce websites wait till checkout to let them understand about shipping costs and hold-ups.
Because of this, 63% of digital shoppers wind up abandoning their online carts since of shipping expenses and 36% do so since of the length of time it takes to get their orders.
Those aren't the only details digital shoppers would like to know about ahead of time. They also wish to know about:
• The returns and refund policy,
• The terms of use and personal privacy policy,
• The payment alternatives readily available,
• Omnichannel purchase-and-pickup options readily available,
• And so on.
However how are you expected to fit this all in within the very first screenful?
PRESENT THE 30-SECOND PITCH ABOVE THE FOLD #
This is what Vitaly was discussing. You do not have to squeeze each and every single information about a product above the fold. But the shop needs to have the ability to offer the product with just what's in that area.
Bluebella, for instance, has a space-saving style that does not jeopardize on readability:
With the image gallery relegated to the left side of the page, the rest can be dedicated to the product summary. Since of the varying size of the header font styles in addition to the hierarchical structure of the page, it's simple to follow.
Based on how this is designed, you can tell that the most essential details are:
• Product name;
• Product rate;
• Product size selector;
• Add-to-bag and wishlist buttons;
• Delivery and returns details (which neatly appears on one line).
The rest of the product details are able to fit above the fold thanks to the accordions used to collapse and expand them.
If there are other important details shoppers may require to comprise their minds-- like item reviews or a sizing guide-- build links into the above-the-fold that move them to the appropriate sections lower on the page.
Quick Note: This design will not be possible on mobile for obvious factors. So, the item images will get top billing while the 30-second pitch appears just below the fold.
MAKE EXTRA UI ELEMENTS SMALL #
Even if you're able to concisely deliver the item's description, additional sales and marketing components like pop-ups, chat widgets and more can end up being simply as bothersome as prolonged item pages.
So, ensure you have them stored out of the method as Partake does:
The red sign you see in the bottom left enables buyers to control the ease of access features of the website. The "Rewards" button in the bottom-right is in fact a pop-up that's styled like a chat widget. When opened, it welcomes consumers to join the loyalty program.
Both of these widgets open only when clicked.
Allbirds is another one that consists of additional aspects, but keeps them out of the method:
In this case, it includes a self-service chat widget in the bottom-right that needs to be clicked in order to open. It likewise positions details about its existing returns policy in a sticky bar at the top, freeing up the product pages to strictly focus on product details.
3. Make Product Variants As Easy To Select As Possible #
For some products, there is no choice that buyers need to make other than: "Do I wish to include this item to my cart or not?"
For other products, shoppers need to specify product variations before they can add a product to their cart. When that's the case, you want to make this procedure as pain-free as possible. There are a few things you can do to ensure this takes place.
Let's say the shop you create sells females's underwears. In that case, you 'd need to provide variations like color and size.
You wouldn't want to just produce a drop-down selector for each. Imagine how laborious that would get if you asked consumers to click "Color" and they needed to arrange through a lots or so choices. If it's a standard drop-down selector, color swatches may not appear in the list. Instead, the buyer would need to pick a color name and wait for the product image to upgrade in order to see what it appears like.
This is why your versions should determine how you design each.
Let's use this product page from Thinx as an example:
There are two variants readily available on this page:
• The color version reveals a row of color swatches. When clicked, the name of the color click this appears and the item image adjusts accordingly.
• The size alternative lists sizes from extra-extra-small to extra-extra-extra-large.
Notification how Size features a link to "size chart". That's because, unlike something like color which is pretty well-defined, sizing can alter from store to shop in addition to region to region. This chart offers clear assistance on how to choose a size.
Now, Thinx utilizes a square button for each of its variations. You can change it up, though, if you 'd like to develop a difference between the choices consumers have to make (and it's probably the much better style choice, to be sincere).
Kirrin Finch, for instance, places its sizes inside empty boxes and its color swatches inside filled circles:
It's a little distinction, however it must be enough to assist shoppers transition efficiently from decision to choice and not miss any of the required fields.
Now, let's state that the shop you're constructing doesn't sell clothes. Rather, it sells something like beds, which undoubtedly will not include choices like color or size. At least, not in the exact same method as with clothing.
Unless you have well-known abbreviations, symbols or numbers you can use to represent each variant, you need to use another type of selector.
This is an item page on the Leesa site. I've opened the "Pick your size" selector so you can see how these options are shown:
Why is this a drop-down list instead of boxes?
For starters, the size names aren't the exact same length. So, box selectors would either be inconsistently sized or a few of them would have a lots of white area in them. It really wouldn't look great.
Leesa wisely uses this little space to provide more information about each mattress size (i.e. the regular vs. sale price). So, not just is this the best style for this particular alternative selector, but it's also a great method to be effective with how you provide a great deal of details on the item page.
A NOTE ABOUT OUT-OF-STOCK VARIANTS #
If you wish to remove all friction from this part of the online shopping procedure, make sure you create a distinct style for out-of-stock variants.
Here's a more detailed take a look at the Kirrin Finch example again:
There's no mistaking which alternatives are offered and which are not).
Some shoppers might be frustrated when they understand the t-shirt color they like is only offered in a couple of sizes, envision how irritated they 'd be if they didn't learn this until after they chose all their variants?
If the item choice is the last action they take in the past clicking "add to cart", don't conceal this info from them. All you'll do is get their hopes up for an item they put in the time to check out, look at, and fall in love with ... just to discover it's not readily available in a size "16" until it's too late.
Concluding #
What is it they say? Excellent design is invisible?
That's what we need to bear in mind when creating these crucial user interfaces for e-commerce websites. Obviously, your customer's store requires to be attractive and unforgettable ... But the UI components that move consumers through the site need to not give them pause. So, simpleness and ease of use require to be your leading priority when developing the primary journey for your client's consumers.
If you're interested in putting these UI style viewpoints to work for new clients, think about joining the Shopify Partner Program as a shop designer. There you'll be able to earn recurring revenue by building new Shopify shops for clients or migrating stores from other commerce platforms to Shopify.