Best Practices For E-Commerce UI Web Design
When you picture buyers moving through the e-commerce sites you develop, you basically expect them to follow this journey:
• Step 1: Enter on the homepage or a classification page.
• Step 2: Use the navigational components to orient themselves to the store and absolutely no in on the particular things they're trying to find.
• Step 3: Review the descriptions and other important purchase information for the items that stimulate 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 discrepancies they might bring the method (like checking out related products, browsing different classifications, and conserving items to a wishlist for a rainy day). However, for the many part, this is the leading path you build out and it's the one that will be most greatly taken a trip.
That being the case, it's especially important for designers to absolutely no in on the interface components that buyers experience along this journey. If there's any friction within the UI, you won't simply see a boost in unexpected discrepancies from the path, however more bounces from the website, too.
That's what the following post is going to focus on: How to guarantee that the UI along the buyer's journey is attractive, instinctive, interesting, and friction-free.
Let's analyze three parts of the UI that buyers will encounter from the point of entry to checkout. I'll be utilizing e-commerce websites built with Shopify to do this:
1. Create A Multifaceted Navigation That Follows Shoppers Around #
There when was a time when e-commerce websites had mega menus that shoppers needed to arrange through to find their desired product categories, sub-categories and sub-sub-categories. While you may still run into them nowadays, the better choice is a navigation that adapts to the consumer's journey.
THE MAIN MENU #
The first thing to do is to streamline the main menu so that it has just one level underneath the main classification headers. For example, this is how United By Blue does it:
The product categories under "Shop" are all nicely organized 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 exact same reason why "Gifts" is in a lighter blue font style and "Sale" remains in a red font style in the main menu. These are super prompt and appropriate categories for United By Blue's shoppers, so they deserve to be highlighted (without being too distracting).
Going back to the website, let's look at how the designer had the ability to keep the mobile site arranged:
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 adjusted to the mobile screen.
It needs a couple of more clicks than the desktop website, however shoppers shouldn't have an issue with that because the menu doesn't go too deep (again, this is why we can't utilize mega menus any longer).
ON THE PRODUCT RESULTS PAGE #
If you're building an e-commerce site for a client with a complicated inventory (i.e. lots of items and layers of categories), the item results page is going to require its own navigation system.
To assist consumers limit how many items they see at a time, you can include these two components in the design of this page:
1. Filters to limit the results by product spec.
2. Sorting to order the products based on shoppers' top priorities.
I've highlighted them on this item results page on the Horne website:
While you might keep your filters in a left sidebar, the horizontally-aligned style above the results is a better choice.
This space-saving design enables you to reveal more products at the same time and is likewise a more mobile-friendly option:
Consistency in UI design is essential to buyers, especially as more of them take an omnichannel method to shopping. By presenting the filters/sorting options consistently from gadget to gadget, you'll develop a more predictable and comfy experience for them while doing so.
BREADCRUMBS & SEARCH #
As buyers move deeper into an e-commerce site, they still may need navigational support. There are two UI navigation elements that will help them out.
The very first is a breadcrumb path in the top-left corner of the item pages, similar to how tentree does:
This is best utilized on sites with classifications that have sub-categories upon sub-categories. The more and additional shoppers move far from the item results page and the convenience of the filters and arranging, the more crucial breadcrumbs will be.
The search bar, on the other hand, is a navigation aspect that ought to constantly be available, no matter which point in the journey consumers are at. This chooses shops of all sizes, too.
Now, a search bar will certainly assist shoppers who are short on time, can't find what they require or merely want a shortcut to a product they already know exists. An AI-powered search bar that can actively predict what the shopper is looking for is a smarter choice.
Here's how that works on the Horne site:
Even if the consumer hasn't finished inputting their search expression, this search bar starts dishing out tips. Left wing are matching keywords and on the right are top matching items. The supreme objective is to speed up consumers' search and minimize any tension, pressure or disappointment they might otherwise be feeling.
2. Program The Most Pertinent Details At Once On Product Pages #
Vitaly Friedman just recently shared this idea on LinkedIn:
He's best. The more time visitors have to invest digging around for important information about a product, the greater the possibility they'll simply give up and try another shop.
Delivering alone is a substantial sticking point for many consumers and, unfortunately, too many e-commerce websites wait until checkout to let them understand about shipping expenses and hold-ups.
Due to the fact that of this, 63% of digital buyers end up abandoning their online carts since of shipping costs and 36% do so due to the fact that of the length of time it requires to get their orders.
Those aren't the only information digital shoppers need to know about ahead of time. They likewise want to know about:
• The returns and refund policy,
• The regards to usage and personal privacy policy,
• The payment alternatives readily available,
• Omnichannel purchase-and-pickup options readily available,
• And so on.
But how are you anticipated to fit this all in within the very first screenful?
PRESENT THE 30-SECOND PITCH ABOVE THE FOLD #
This is what Vitaly was talking about. You don't have to squeeze each and every single detail about an item above the fold. The store should be able to offer the product with only what's in that area.
Bluebella, for example, has a space-saving style that doesn't jeopardize on readability:
With the image gallery relegated to the left side of the page, the rest can be dedicated to the product summary. Due to the fact that of the varying size of the header font styles as well as the hierarchical structure of the page, it's easy to follow.
Based on how this is developed, you can inform that the most essential details are:
• Product name;
• Product rate;
• Product size selector;
• Add-to-bag and wishlist buttons;
• Delivery and returns information (which nicely appears on one line).
The remainder of the product details have the ability to fit above the fold thanks to the accordions used to collapse and broaden them.
If there are other important information consumers might need to comprise their minds-- like product evaluations or a sizing guide-- build links into the above-the-fold that move them to the pertinent sections lower on the page.
Quick Note: This design won't be possible on mobile for obvious factors. The product images will get top billing while the 30-second pitch appears just listed below the fold.
MAKE EXTRA UI ELEMENTS SMALL #
Even if you're able to concisely provide the item's description, extra sales and marketing elements like pop-ups, chat widgets and more can end up being simply as annoying as lengthy product pages.
Make sure you have them stored out of the method as Partake does:
The red sign you see in the bottom left makes it possible for consumers to control the availability features of the site. The "Rewards" button in the bottom-right is in fact a pop-up that's styled like a chat widget. When opened, it invites consumers to sign up with the loyalty program.
Both of these widgets open just when clicked.
Allbirds is another one that consists of additional aspects, however keeps them out of the method:
In this case, it consists of a self-service chat widget in the bottom-right that needs to be clicked in order to open. It also puts details about its existing returns policy in a sticky bar at the top, maximizing the item pages to strictly focus on item information.
3. Make Product Variants As Easy To Select As Possible #
For some products, there is no choice that shoppers need to make other than: "Do I want to add this product to my cart or not?"
For other products, buyers need to define product variants prior to 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 couple of things you can do to guarantee this happens.
Let's state the store you create sells women's undergarments. In that case, you 'd need to offer variations like color and size.
You wouldn't want to just create a drop-down selector for each. Envision how laborious that would get if you asked buyers to click on "Color" and they needed to arrange through a dozen or so alternatives. If it's a basic drop-down selector, color examples might not appear in the list. Rather, the buyer would have to choose a color name and wait for the item image to upgrade in order to see what it appears like.
This is why your versions need to dictate how you create each.
Let's use this product page from Thinx as an example:
There are two variants readily available on this page:
• The color variation reveals a row of color examples. When clicked, the name of the color appears and the product picture changes appropriately.
• The size alternative lists sizes from extra-extra-small to extra-extra-extra-large.
Notice how Size features a link to "size chart". That's because, unlike something like color which is pretty specific, sizing can change from store to store in addition to area to region. This chart supplies clear guidance on how to pick a size.
Now, Thinx uses a square button for each click this link here now of its versions. You can change it up, however, if you 'd like to create a distinction in between the choices buyers have to make (and it's probably the much better design choice, to be truthful).
Kirrin Finch, for instance, places its sizes inside empty boxes and its color swatches inside filled circles:
It's a small difference, however it should be enough to help shoppers shift efficiently from decision to decision and not miss any of the needed fields.
Now, let's say that the store you're building doesn't offer clothing. Instead, it sells something like beds, which certainly won't consist of choices like color or size. At least, not in the very same method as with clothing.
Unless you have popular abbreviations, symbols or numbers you can utilize to represent each variant, you must use another type of selector.
This is an item page on the Leesa website. I've opened the "Pick your size" selector so you can see how these choices are shown:
Why is this a drop-down list rather than boxes?
For beginners, the size names aren't the same length. Box selectors would either be inconsistently sized or some of them would have a lot of white area in them. It actually would not look good.
Leesa carefully utilizes this little area to offer more information about each mattress size (i.e. the typical vs. sale rate). Not only is this the best style for this specific alternative selector, but it's also an excellent way to be efficient with how you present a lot of information on the item page.
A NOTE ABOUT OUT-OF-STOCK VARIANTS #
If you wish to eliminate 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 closer take a look at the Kirrin Finch example once again:
There's no mistaking which choices are readily available and which are not).
Some consumers might be irritated when they understand the t-shirt color they like is just offered in a few sizes, picture how upset they 'd be if they didn't discover this till after they picked all their variations?
If the product choice is the last action they take before clicking "contribute to cart", don't conceal this info from them. All you'll do is get their hopes up for an item they made the effort to check out, look at, and fall for ... only to find it's not offered in a size "16" until it's too late.
Wrapping Up #
What is it they say? Excellent style is unnoticeable?
That's what we require to keep in mind when developing these essential interface for e-commerce sites. Of course, your customer's shop requires to be attractive and memorable ... But the UI aspects that move buyers through the website must not give them pause. Simpleness and ease of usage need to be your top priority when designing the main journey for your client's shoppers.
If you're interested in putting these UI design approaches to work for brand-new clients, consider joining the Shopify Partner Program as a store developer. There you'll have the ability to make recurring income by developing brand-new Shopify stores for customers or moving stores from other commerce platforms to Shopify.