To make e-commerce a success, there are many things you must get right. While it is true that the rise of eCommerce as a business trend has made it possible for anyone to get started in business with much less start-up capital than was needed in previous eras, this should not fool anybody into thinking that it has in any way made business “easy”. The age-old wisdom about business success still applies. To succeed, you need a great product (or products), a winning marketing strategy, a market niche, and a prudent approach to finances. Ecommerce or not, the majority of new businesses still fail within the first couple of years.
So, if you are thinking about going into eCommerce, it should come as no surprise that you need a great website and a great website design. Your eCommerce website should at once be super effective and noticeable among millions of websites aiming at precisely the same thing.
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Turning to the Professionals
Of course, with so many eCommerce ventures out there, it is no surprise that there have been almost as many services springing up offering to handle many of the things that might be beyond the expertise of those setting up these sites. There are professional services that handle eCommerce fulfillment, social media marketing, and, of course, website design.
Turning to such services can certainly be a good idea, especially if you really don’t feel like you can handle it yourself. For example, any eCommerce venture above a certain size will almost certainly require the help of companies like Shipping and Handling of Texas, as fulfilling lots of orders nearly always requires dedicated warehousing services. Website design is no different. However, be aware that website design services are potentially being used by many other competing businesses – and you need to stand out.
Perhaps, the best move then is to learn a bit for yourself about what makes a great website. That way, you can properly appraise the work you receive.
What Makes a Great Ecommerce Website?
Here follows then some of the essentials of great website design. It always pays to educate yourself in these matters:
Keep it Simple
“Keep it simple” is, of course, a bit of a meaningless cliché when it comes to website design. So, what does it actually mean? Remember that a website’s main job, more than anything else, is to close a sale. Accordingly, you should go easy on the colors, banners, and pop-ups. Give space to the presentation of your products.
Use High Quality Images
And high quality doesn’t just mean high resolution. Try to commission images yourself rather than relying on bland stock photography. It might be time to reach out to the creatives with a camera.
Make the Content Scannable
Ideally, you will be selling a diversity of products on your site. Try to make the information short and to the point. And try to make sure the images convey as much product info as possible. A visitor should be able to scan the site quickly and get all the important info.
Make it Look Secure and Professional
In practice, this can mean many different things and be done in different ways. However, keep this in mind – you are asking customers to turn over their credit card details to you. You don’t want to give any sense that anything is slipping below the board.
In the end, much will depend on what type of eCommerce site you are creating. However, by knowing what is important, you can work closely with those who have the technical know-how, ensuring that the final product will see results.
