Retail web design involves more than just how the online store looks. Considering how it works, what it says, how it flows are all important aspects. A successful retail web design produces sales and provides quality customer support. A well-designed retail website supports the existing customer properly, site visitors and potential shoppers, as well as the brand itself. It is a marriage of design and functionality.
To stimulate online sales in 2019, retail web design should be done correctly. It starts with the website prior to allocating marketing and advertising budgets. Brands and companies can receive website design consulting services to learn more about options, process, and requirements. A retail website is fluid. It is always evolving, changing, growing. It is important to have the right foundation as well. This would be the software application powering the website function and features.
First, a brand must understand their demographic. What is the ideal target market and type of customer? Understanding these details will make marketing campaigns and the website much more effective. Certain standards are also associated with niche industries. For example, the beauty industry dictates certain type of quality website design and features. Customers are simply accustomed to it by now.
There are some common retail web design tips which are true for any size retailer for 2019. These tips are applicable for any size company to increase online sales in the coming year.
Pay attention to the homepage design.
The home page is such an important and completely key page of any retail website. The majority of new traffic lands first on the homepage of a retail website. To convert this traffic into potential shoppers and loyal customers is the goal. The homepage either aids this goal or is a reason it is not achieved. Homepages should not overwhelm site visitors. Yet, they must offer key features, display incentives, and easy to navigate to the desired areas of the site.
Only use high quality and high-resolution photos.
Even though website photos should be optimized for search engine optimization, they also should be of high quality and resolution. Humans are visual. We process images and visual information much faster than words. It is critical to use only high-resolution photographs. This is especially true for the product photos. Multiple should be shown for each product. Clear photos that show all the required product details.
Retail web design must be mobile or responsive.
This should be a given these days. All websites must be responsive and mobile friendly. They should be properly visibly on smart phones, tablets, and computers. Mobile shopping accounts for over 30% of sales now. This is only going to increase. Business experts predict that within the next year it will grow closer to 45%. Retail websites must be designed and developed with mobile friendly technology and design styles.
Display product and customer reviews.
One of the most effective methods to increase online sales is through product reviews. Displaying properly throughout the website customer product reviews is critical to generating online sales. Customer reviews are more convincing and authentic. They are one of the key decision-making factors for online shoppers. Online shoppers relay on another buyers’ feedback.
Offer incentives and graphically show them.
Retailers must offer incentives from discounts, to specials, season offers, giveaways, enter to win games, and so on. These offers must be graphically illustrated and strategically displayed throughout the website. These offers should be often changed out, including the wording and visual displays for best results.
Provide multiple options for customer support.
Online shoppers want to know that support is available. Even though most of the time, online shopping does not involve human interaction. After a purchase is made, a consumer wants the ability to communicate with the brand effortlessly if required. Brands should provide toll free phone number on every page, email, form mailers, and chat features if possible.
Some of these tips have been true for many years. Some of them are becoming more important in 2019. Brands should make sure their retail web design is improved upon for the coming year. Especially true if an increase in online sales is expected. Contact retail web design experts to get consulted and to find a trusted partner.
