The Ultimate Guide to eCommerce Website Design in Melbourne – From Homepage to Checkout
If you’re planning to take your business online you must know that the design of your eCommerce website is one of the key reasons behind its success or failure. Every element added to your website is essential to attract customers and ensure smooth transactions.
88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience, and 60% of consumers rate usability as an important design characteristic for an online shop.
Source link: https://www.wpbeginner.com/research/web-design-industry-statistics-and-latest-trends
Creating an eCommerce website design Melbourne is no rocket science but you need to add all the key components in the correct order. This guide will describe each and every component you must add from the homepage to checkout and how to market your products.
1. Home Page
Homepage is always the first thing visitors will see the moment they open your website. Think of it as an overview of your whole business, what you have to offer and what makes you worth it in one place. Now, the components you must include on your website’s homepage include the following:
Hero Section
Within the homepage, hero sections of eCommerce website designs are what create a strong first impression. When creating your hero section, make sure that it’s communicating your business’s value proposition clearly with your customers. Your website’s hero section can include a high-quality image or video, a compelling headline, a brief subtext, and a call-to-action (CTA).
Banner Image: With the help of a banner image, you can convey to your customers what separates you from other online sellers. For example, if you’re running an exquisite clothing store, your hero section might feature a vibrant photo of your best-selling product with an eye-catching headline.
(CTA) Call-to-actions: CTA buttons on your website are a prompt that encourages users to take action. For example, CTAs can have action-focused texts like “Shop Now” or “Explore Our Collection” which immediately tell visitors what you offer and encourage them to take action.
Special Offers
Add a special section to show that you’re offering something special to your customers. The answer is Limited Time Deals. Adding this section creates a sense of urgency and demonstrates value so that your visitors take action. It often includes discounts, seasonal sales, bundle deals, or exclusive promotions.
For example, you can add a banner that reads “End-of-Season Sale: Up to 40% Off! Limited Offer, Hurry!”
Product Categories
Customers surely don’t have the time and patience to explore your whole website and through each product. Adding clear and easy-to-navigate categories in your web design eCommerce website helps you organise your products well to help your customers find everything easily and it is the middle of the home page. Example: For a luxury fashion store, categories could include:
“Women’s Wear”
“Men’s Wear”
“Accessories”
“New Arrivals”
Content
Your visitors are more likely to support a brand they feel connected to. About section, brief of your story linking to your About section. With the help of content in the middle of the homepage, you can share your mission, values, and unique selling points with your visitors. Moreover, it directly links to the “About Us” section of your website for those who want to learn more about your story.
Testimonials
Have you sold any products recently? Great! Now request your buyers to send a review of your service and product quality they received. Once you get a few reviews, add a Testimonials section and feature real feedback from satisfied customers.
Social proofing is important in this day and age, if you wish to sell products online. No one wants to be the first person to try products, people are after tried and tested with risk free guarantees.
Moreover, adding testimonials can increase sales through word of mouth when your previous customers recommend you to other interested buyers.
Global Navigation Bar
Navigation bars are located on every page of your eCommerce web design you can see it is available on the home page as well. It ensures visitors can find what they’re looking for easily. It acts as a road map that allows your customers to browse and access different sections of your website. A good navigation bar answers these customer questions:
“Where can I find the products I need?”
“How do I learn more about your brand?”
“Where can I view your ongoing deals or new arrivals?”
Product Categories
Product categories are essential for customers to explore your offerings and it makes it easy for them to find products that match their needs and preferences. They should be everywhere on your website whether it’s your homepage or the navigation bar. When it comes to the navigation bar, the product categories here serve as a directory for the entire store. Think of it as a shortcut of the product category list that you’ll see in the middle of the page.
Shop by Concern
Most visitors visit your website to find answers to your problems. As we’re considering an eCommerce store here, you can take an example of a user planning their marriage and want the perfect outfit for it.
They’ll visit your website only if you’re offering the same products they need. Hence you can directly mention the concern instead of the product. For example,
Wedding Outfits
Casual Wear
Professional Wear
Phone or Contact
What if your customers need quick support? The addition of a Phone or Contact section in your navigation bar assures your customers that they’ll get proper assistance if they have questions or concerns.
Display your business phone number prominently for customers who prefer to call and add operating hours for clarity.
Example: “Call Us: 1300 xxx xxx we are available Mon-Fri, 9 AM – 5 PM AEST.”
Search Functionality
There’s a high possibility that a few customers come to your eCommerce website with the intent to buy something specific. They immediately search for that product and the search bar helps in guiding them to what they need.
You can also Display recent searches or popular keywords to inspire customers and encourage exploration. Example: “Recently Searched: Organic Cotton Hoodies.”
Mega Menus (Product Images & Categories)
With a larger dropdown menu displaying categories, subcategories and even product images, your customers can quickly explore your offerings and it’s only possible with a Mega Menu. If any customer wants to quickly locate products without navigating multiple pages, they’ll just find it on the mega menu.
Consider this example of an online Fashion Store:
Women
Dresses
Tops
Bottoms
Men
Product Pages
The moment your customer likes a product they want to know more about it before buying it. Product Pages are essential as they offer all the required information from its description to pricing. Your product pages should be structured in the following manner:
Hero Section
Just like your website’s homepage, the Hero Section of a product page shows what your customer wants to see but it’s slightly different. Define clearly what your product is and what it has to offer. Include all the benefits and selling points of your products as they should be the first thing your visitors should see.
Your eCommerce website’s hero section may contain:
Product Image
Your customers will judge a product offered through its product image. One angle is not enough, you must add pictures from various angles and highlight all the key features. Better if you could add real-life images of the product to help your customers to understand how it will look in person.
Call-to-Actions
If your customers like the product they’ll surely want to either know more about it or buy it. Call-to-actions in a hero section are strategically placed and designed to stand out so that your customers immediately take action. Some of the common CTAs to add in a product description include:
“Add to Cart” or “Buy Now.”
“Learn More” or “See Details.”
“Add to Wishlist”
Product Pricing
After showing your product and mentioning its specialty, it’s time to let your customers decide if they want to buy it or not. Pricing is the main factor and it is better to mention discounts or promotions and pricing breakdowns, such as taxes, shipping fees, or instalment options.
Your customers will show more interest in the product if they find urgency. For example, display the pricing like this:
Regular Price: $120
Now: $99 (Save 20%)
Product Descriptions
Your customers will see the product’s image and its price but the only way they’ll understand the features, benefits, and story behind your products is through accurate product descriptions.
Your website’s product description should show why the customer should buy this product. For example, “made from breathable organic cotton, keeping the shirt light enough to carry in summers.”
User Exit Intent (Discount Popups)
It goes without saying that not every visitor purchases from your eCommerce website. Many even add items in their cart and exit without buying anything. This is why exit intent popups are essential to convert unsure visitors into buyers by offering them a deal just as they’re about to leave the page,
Your website can immediately show a pop up like “Wait! Get 10% Off Your First Order – Use Code WELCOME10.”
By using exit intent, your chances of retaining that potential customer just went higher.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Adding a FAQ section to product pages helps in getting rid of confusion, common concerns and reduces barriers to purchase. You can choose to answer similar questions addressed by your competitors and add the obvious ones as well. Answer these questions in your favor and help your customers find value in everything you offer. For example:
Q. What is your return or exchange policy?
Q. What is your standard delivery time?
Q. How can I tell if my online transaction is secure?
User Transaction Pages
User Transaction Pages are the backbone of your eCommerce store as they ensure smooth and efficient purchases for your customers. These pages cover everything from shopping carts to tracking, take a look:
Shopping Cart
When your customer buys something from your eCommerce store, they add the product to their shopping cart. It functions as the same cart you see in physical shopping stores but is a virtual version. Make sure you’ve added these features to your website’s shopping cart:
- Clear Item Details: Display product names, images, sizes, colours, and quantities.
- Editable Options: Allow customers to update quantities, remove items, or save them for later.
- Pricing Transparency: Show item prices, discounts, taxes, and total cost upfront.
- Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Include useful buttons like “Continue Shopping” and “Proceed to Checkout.”
- Cross-Selling Opportunities: Give interesting suggestions with text like “You may also like…”
Checkout Page
Finalising the product and paying for it takes place at your website’s Checkout Page. You must make sure it’s designed perfectly and has every information required to avoid cart abandonment. To make your website’s checkout page more attractive, add these sections:
- Guest Checkout: Your customers can purchase any product without creating an account.
- Progress Indicators: Show a clear step-by-step process (e.g., Shipping > Payment > Review).
- Multiple Payment Options: Include all common payment options that include credit/debit cards, digital wallets (e.g., PayPal, Apple Pay), and buy-now-pay-later options.
- Address Auto-fill: Simplify form-filling by integrating address suggestions or auto-completion.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure the checkout process is smooth and optimised for mobile users.
Tracking Page
Your eCommerce website design is incomplete without a tracking page, as it is essential for post-purchase engagement which keeps your customers updated about their order status. Make sure you add the following to your website’s tracking page:
- Order Summary: Include details like order number, items purchased, and total cost.
- Real-Time Updates: Show the current status (e.g., Processing, Shipped, Out for Delivery).
- Estimated Delivery Date: Give a date until you can deliver your product.
- Tracking Link: Include a clickable link to track the shipment through the carrier’s website.
- Support Contact: Add an option to contact customer support for order-related inquiries.
Footer
Have you ever checked the bottom of the website? It must be hard to answer because the footer of your website is an important yet often overlooked section. A well-organised footer includes these options:
SEO Optimised Footer Categories
As mentioned earlier, categories are essential for your website and must be added to the top and the bottom. The structure is a bit more compact than the navigation bar but provides the same value.
This might sound like a great trick but you can include SEO keywords to your website’s footer but sorted by categories. You can smartly add anchor text linking to top ranking key pages like “Luxury Men Clothing Melbourne.” Here, “luxury men clothing Melbourne” is definitely a keyword but also takes your visitor to a specific page of your eCommerce website. Adding these keywords in the footer is beneficial as google values structure and user experience.
By making your footer SEO optimized, Google ranks these pages higher on search results, which means your traffic and sales go up.
Contact Information
Adding your Contact Information to the footer of your website is a must. It not only enhances credibility but also supports local SEO. You can add business name, address, phone number, and map link as well.
If you have a physical store or a central office, including the location in the footer is something you should not ignore. Along with the address, you can provide operating hours and a map link to your store.
Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information across your website and other online platforms (e.g., Google My Business) is crucial because Google values consistency and considers it a ranking factor for local SEO.
Payment Options
Your customers should know how they can pay before reaching the checkout page. It’s obvious you won’t add such a thing to the Home Page, so it is better to add payment options in the footer. Instead of mentioning the names, just add the icons of the payment options.
Newsletter
Your website’s Newsletter is an effective way to keep your customers engaged with your online store. Once a visitor signs up for Newsletter, you can send important updates related to:
- Exclusive Discounts and Promotions
- New Product Launches
- Seasonal Collections and Trends
- Announcements and Brand Updates
- Customer Success Stories and Reviews
FAQs
1. Can I build an eCommerce website on my own?
Yes, you can build an eCommerce website yourself using platforms like Shopify, Wix, or WooCommerce. These tools offer user-friendly templates and drag-and-drop features that you can use even if you don’t have coding knowledge.
But if you want a highly customised and professional site, hiring an expert eCommerce Website Designer might be a better option as the expert has all the design knowledge and experience to build a successful website that drives sales and is marketing ready.
2. Is eCommerce a profitable business?
Yes, eCommerce can be highly profitable if you can manage it well. With the growing trend of online shopping, a well-designed website, effective marketing and quality products can attract customers worldwide.
- Your success mainly depends on:
- How well do you understand your audience?
- What optimising operations do you carry on?
- How competitive are you with pricing and services?
3. What are the main types of eCommerce?
The four main types of e-commerce are:
- Business-to-Consumer (B2C): Businesses sell products or services directly to individual customers.
- Business-to-Business (B2B): Companies sell products or services to other businesses.
- Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C): Individuals sell to other individuals.
- Consumer-to-Business (C2B): Individuals sell products or services to businesses.
Conclusion
After reading this guide, you should have a general idea that an eCommerce website goes beyond just creating a platform to sell products. With thoughtful design and attention to detail, your eCommerce website can become a powerful tool to drive sales and customer satisfaction.
If you’ve been searching for a professional team to build an eCommerce store thats perfect for your business, you can consider PrintVideoWeb. We specialize in creating stunning, user-friendly eCommerce Website Design in Melbourne.