How should the web sites be designed to encourage shopping?

The web design, including e-shops, is not solely limited to just the design or neat appearance. Is a much more complex process whose reach exceeds the boundaries of the site as success.

First impression

Is a one-off thing. If a web sites evokes negative emotions at the very beginning, we can be sure that many users will not even bother to scroll it down and quit. A positive impression is about web design. Although it refers to much more than just a graphical layer, it is an element which is accountable for architecture, navigation or interactivity planning and smart and elegant location of the text and pictures on the site.

UX + functionality

Usability and functionality are also elements which are part of web design. They are more closely linked however with technical aspects of the web site. Visiting a site as well as any online shop should be a positive experience for a user. It is made up of a number of factors including those referred to above but also one other factor, i.e. functionality. It should be neither too Modest, nor too extensive, which may be confusing. The functions which are consistent elements of the functionality need to be well designed and enhance navigation around the shop. If there is not browser prompting the result, possible forms of payment, advanced filters, etc., users will quickly find out this deficiency and build an image of a site which is not modern in their minds.

Confidence factors

Without confidence building, it may be difficult to achieve a competitive advantage. The job of the confidence factors is not only to build confidence but also to ascertain that the side or the shop are trustworthy and reinforce users’ belief that choosing a particular product or services offered by this, not any other site, is the best choice possible.

What are the confidence factors:

• opinions – each opinion on the site is aimed at a positive effect. An online shop should enable leaving an opinion on each product. Each site should be provided with an opinion tab,
• banners with the number of opinions – the number of recommendations will have a direct effect on user’s imagination,
• icons:
• • social media
  • mode of delivery
  • promotions
  • returns and complaints
  • logistic minimum
  • product description – exhaustive descriptions will have effect on confidence factor and building a strong and well received brand.

If a shop then a simple ordering process

The ordering process is often a key stage of ordering. It should be as simple as possible and have not more than 3-5 steps. During the ordering, user should be able to navigate to consecutive ordering stages in an easy way. If anything looks suspicious to an e-customer, we can readily assume that he/she will abandon the basket. Suspicious elements:

• unclear delivery terms and deadlines,
• lack of basket summary – total product and transport cost,
• chaotic presentation of information, sloppy design of fields to be filled in,
• too long ordering period,
• absence of some payment forms.

And much more … The list of „deterrents” may be endless. It will be difficult to avoid them. What is important though is to analyse e-consumer behaviours and see where they usually abandon the basket, draw conclusions and modify the purchasing path.

E-shop or a web site is not limited to a domain

Both the web site, as well as the shop are not solely limited to the domain. Today, brand create a peculiar universe, which reach far beyond the web address. Providing links to social media, availability of subscription, possibility of receiving a newsletter, or links to portal where a particular brand is available are a standard procedure today. Their absence may be harmful to the confidence factor. Users keenly observe the presence of a particular brand in different sources.

Product feed as a background actor

Users decide to buy a particular brand when they are certain that it is trustworthy. As we all know, trust is built on multiple levels. One of the elements affecting brand perception is its presence in the paid ads – usually Google adds (AdWords and Google Shopping), or Facebook Ads. Customers often verify whether a particular brand is present on such locations as it is a guarantee that the company has a well thought-over strategy, actually operates and will not disappoint us. To facilitate presence on such media, companies may use a product feed tools which enhance export of all products or services to every add publisher.