eCommerce Website Design: 5 Big Mistakes You Should Avoid

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year already saw a significant increase in the whole eCommerce economy. In Singapore alone, experts say that Singaporeans spent an average of US$83 every day during the first half of 2020 since people are forced to stay indoors and buy online. The country is even expected to reach US$10-billion in online sales, not surprising considering it’s the fastest growing eCommerce market in Southeast Asia. This makes eCommerce website design one of the most sought-after products in the market.

As the government rolls out grants for eCommerce vendors and potential online business owners, now more than ever, we will see more growth in the production of eCommerce websites. But, with the rapid popularity of eCommerce comes many mistakes that will hound plenty of business owners in the years to come.

Let’s break down the five mistakes you should avoid when it comes to your eCommerce website.

1. Poor to Mediocre Site Security

Security should always be the top priority on eCommerce sites. This is because people will be sharing personal information such as credit card details and more. Imagine arriving at an eCommerce website then getting a warning that the website is not secure. 

That’s failure right then and there. If you can’t guarantee exceptional site security from the get-go, then you might have to think twice in creating an eCommerce website this time.

SSL Certificates, PDPA Compliance and a reliable hosting provider are just some of the necessary things that you need to know about site security. These ensure your site’s commitment to protecting users’ privacy and data, since people also look for them when shopping online.

Always remember that anyone is prone to online attacks in the digital world. So, even if your company is a small business, it’s always a good idea to take extra precautions against malware and hackers.

2. Poor Navigation

We’ve said it before: eCommerce websites must instantly help users to get to the product that they want. People in your website already have a specific item in mind, so it would only make sense that their experience will be hassle-free since online shopping is primarily designed for convenience. 

A good eCommerce website navigation means that there will be no unnecessary distractions like pop-ups or links that could cause them frustration. Your eCommerce website design must also feature accessible buttons, organised layout, proper categorisation and a functional search experience. These things ensure that the buyer’s journey will be worthwhile which could ultimately make them come back for more.  

3. Lack of Social Proof

Put yourself on your customers’ shoes. Would you buy a product online if it doesn’t have any credible reviews? With the rampant popularity of eCommerce, it’s become second nature for anyone to check on product reviews to avoid potential scams. 

That means that you should take the extra steps to gather testimonials for your products. You can do so by setting up a business account on Google for Google Reviews or by putting up a dedicated review section for each product on your site.

These elevate the credibility of your brand as users are able to exude a level of trust in your business. If your eCommerce website is new, you may consider sending over some products to your friends and ask them to give a review as a starting point.

4. Limited contact information

It’s always a good idea for eCommerce websites to have an instant response rate to customers. Think about the top eCommerce brands in Southeast Asia: Lazada and Shopee. 

They have a ‘chat’ feature which allows the consumer to communicate with the seller to guarantee a level of responsiveness and credibility in the transaction they’re about to make. 

Live chats are especially effective for stores that tailor their products to a customer’s specific requirements. When a consumer gets in touch, you must take advantage of their short-lived interest in your product because that may not last for long. 

If your site can’t have someone to attend a live chat, then having an automated chat response is also a good option. Set up a general set of questions and you’ll be good to go.

Apart from the items mentioned above, never forget that you should still display your business’ contact details. Some people will still want to contact you the old-fashioned way, in case live chats don’t work for them.

5. Long or slow checkout process

People buy online because of the convenience that comes along with it. If your website drags on the user’s purchasing journey, it becomes counterintuitive to the user’s purpose of going to your eCommerce site.

That said, make sure to have a seamless checkout process by providing one-tap options, the option to save billing information, and so on. These features especially help your loyal customers. If they liked your website without these, they’ll like it even more knowing they can buy your products faster.

Also, try to avoid pop-up recommendations of other products on the checkout page. Apart from slowing down pages, pop-ups also frustrate users since it’s like you’re shoving your products on their faces. Put up a dedicated recommendation section at the bottom of a page instead if you want to recommend a product.