A clear and efficient eCommerce navigation and layout have the potential of greatly improving the
user experience, in which a shopper can easily be led through the site and find her products. Let’s
discuss the details of each best practice to ensure you create an engaging online store that drives
conversions.
- Use a clear, consistent navigation bar
The most important part of purchasing online would be the navigation bar, so it needs to be direct and
easy to understand. Some of the examples of easy-to-understand labels and links are Home, Shop,
Categories, About Us, etc. For large categories, it is recommended to identify them as drop-down
menus rather than implementing subcategories, and at the same time, it should be easy for the user to
view different areas of the site.
Example:
Fixed menus are common on successful websites, including Shopify, Amazon, and other companies;
perfectly visible and located menus allow users to quickly search through millions of products. - Optimize for mobile devices.
Since mobile buying, or mobile shopping, is rapidly growing in prominence, making your content
easy for mobile is inevitable. Make sure the site is laid out responsively so that it adapts well to the
screen they’re being accessed on. For navigation, make use of hamburger menus for a clean layout on
mobile and provide buttons for easy touch on mobile. Easy navigation allows users to carry out
activities easily, and will ultimately make them endure less frustration to gain higher mobile
conversions.
Example:
Establishments such as Zara and H&M have adopted mobile-friendly pages that allow customers to
filter products and purchase them with a touch of the screen. - Implement search functionality.
The must-have element on any eCommerce store, especially for the ones that have thousands of
product variants, is a clear and unobstructed search bar. Enhance the given search results by
integrating notes like autocomplete suggestions to make the search a lot quicker. Sort criteria (by
prices where it is applicable, colors or categories, etc.) assist in narrowing down a search, making the
user perfectly satisfied, thus extending their time on your website. A useful search bar enhances the
satisfaction of customers; it is easier to persuade them to purchase your products.
Example:
Techniques like filters for product characteristics and guesswork options in the search field make
shopping considerably easier for customers on Amazon. - Organize categories logically.
It is always extremely important for products to be classified in a clear and very rational manner in the
site map. This means that instead of putting products in small categories, divide them into large
categories first, then into smaller subcategories. Logical sourcing enhances efficiency in the delivery
of content from the site and minimizes bounce rates, thereby increasing engagement.
Example:
Sephora employs obvious product sections such as Makeup, Skincare, and Fragrances, as well as
subdivisions, in order to help the users to search for specific products.
- Incorporate a Sticky Header
A sticky header helps to always keep some of the most essential components, such as navigation, cart,
or search bar, visible when the users scroll down the page. This is because navigation is kept simple,
and this helps to prevent undue strain when trying to find one’s way through the site. This allows an
HTML page or a particular website to have the least number of clicks to some of its basic
components, leading to an enhanced browsing experience and more conversion rates.
Example:
Other features also demonstrated on websites such as Wayfair and ASOS include stick headers for the
cart and navigation. For instance, the cart is always visible in case users decide to continue scrolling. - Highlight Key Actions (CTAs)
Any call-to-action button must be easily noticeable by the target consumer; they often include labels
like “Add to Cart,” “Buy Now,” or “Learn More.” To make these buttons stand out, such as against a
background or from other controls present on the page, try to use different colors or big fonts always
on the buttons.
Example:
On the website of Apple, the most important CTAs, such as ‘Buy’ or ‘Learn More,’ are clearly seen,
and they encourage the visitors to take actions regarding products. - Provide a well-designed footer.
A footer is essential because it acts like a last panel for navigation in case the visitor gets through the
entire page without finding what they are searching for. This should consist of not only basic web
links and buttons, but also “About Us,” “Contact,” “Returns,” and “Shipping Information.” Additional
convenience is the use of quick links to the most visited categories; footer links also help with SEO
since they tell search engines that the site is relevant to such keywords.
Example:
At the bottom of the site, Etsy has links to the most frequently bought categories, customer service,
and informative pages, so the users do not lose much time looking for them. - Use high-quality graphics.
Professionally taken photos of the products are very important as customers cannot touch or feel the
products. Big images and videos, as well as 360-degree views, offer more detailed information and aid
clients to make better decisions. Having a zoom, all pictures at the same size, and the great-looking
design makes users trust you and makes them understand the site is professional.
Example:
Nordstrom and Zappos are two of the many websites that have multiple angles of the product with a
zoom feature for a better view of the clothes.
- Simplify the Checkout Process
A long or a complex and cumbersome procedure to complete the purchase leads to cart abandonment.
This should include a few appropriate steps in the conversion process, a simple progress bar, and the
ability for guests to check out more quickly. Removing some fields or clicks can enhance the control
flow and increase the possibility of making final purchases.
Example:
Many of the stores featured integrate with Shopify and feature easy-to-customize checkouts that save
time by auto-populating the required information, making it an optimal path towards the payment.
- Enhance Product Filtering and Sorting
Filters are functional options that help a user to deepen the selection in accordance with the interest
and select the size, color, price, or even rating that corresponds to the desires of a consumer. Options
to sort items by relevancy, popularity, or price ensure that customers get to their desired items faster,
which segues them to buying mode.
Example:
The ASOS fashion retailer’s website is a favorable example, where users benefit from filters that
allow narrowing a search by attributes such as style, size, or price, among others. - Incorporate a mega-menu for large catalogs.
Indoor stores with numerous products are sometimes benefited by a mega menu depending on how
cluttered they are. Mega menus provide clearly visible information on categories as well as the
subcategories, and the use of visuals or icons is useful. They enable customers to search for specific
products without being confused, which is very helpful for those large online shops.
Example:
Walmart’s mega menu offers users a quick look at a vast assortment of products, and the user will not
take much time to locate a specific area of interest. - Display recently viewed items.
This functionality retargets user session information so users can easily return to products they briefly
displayed interest in outside the website. This feature is more beneficial to users who search for many
items; the users do not have to search for the same products again, so they can complete the purchase.
Example:
The featured ‘Recently Viewed’ feature keeps the customer involved and pushes them to purchase an
item they showed preliminary interest in. - Implement Visual Cues for Active Pages
Underlining the current page or category, using bold, or changing the color of the text also helps to
keep a user oriented so they can clearly see where they are in the site’s perspective. The small signs
enhance functional utility and decrease ambiguity and uncertainty so users feel reassured.
Example:
Popular eBusiness sites such as Best Buy include the color or bold on the text indicating the current
location in the map of the navigation bar. - Optimize load speed.
Minimizing the time, it takes to load a given page is always very important if users must continue
browsing the site. Get rid of unnecessary images, use lazy loading, optimize the code, and much more.
When a Web page, which requires 3 or 4 seconds, sometimes more, to be loaded, banners with
loading icons or progress indicators give users confidence that a Web site is working, so it helps to
minimize bounce rates.
Example:
Google recently added page load speed to its essential UX and SEO factors. So, it is extremely crucial
that all eCommerce site owners ensure that load time is carefully managed at all times.
- Utilize Personalization
Personalization according to one’s patterns makes shopping a more positive experience. Such as
“Customers Who May Be Interested in” about showing users that they can still be of value to the site
even if they are not buying anything and recommending the products that they have been looking at or
purchased before to them to keep them on the site longer.
Example:
AMAZON and eBay, the pioneers of e-commerce, are equipped with the use of sophisticated
algorithms that monitor and target with accurate recommendations based on the users’ previous
history.
Conclusion
Using these best practices can turn your eCommerce site into a user-friendly, easy-to-navigate,
valuable, and strong call-to-action website that provides consumers with the tools and information
they need to make a quick purchase decision. When you design for simple navigation and format,
you’re making the shopping experience more pleasant, which leads to customer loyalty and, therefore,
an increase in sales.