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2017 was a big year for eCommerce. Black Friday alone saw online sales that topped £1.39 billion, an 11.9-percent increase from 2016. eCommerce is on the rise — and your business will benefit from joining in.
But you can’t just put your products online. As at a brick-and-mortar location, your goods should be showcased in a way that makes them attractive to buyers. A beautifully designed website can increase sales and establish credibility and get more customers clicking through to check out.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 great eCommerce website designs to give you inspiration for the year ahead.
Tom Dixon
Tom Dixon, a designer of high-end homeware, lets its products sell themselves. Featuring stunning photography of each item, all individually clickable while making a seamless catalogue montage on the home page, is an instant invitation for customers to be immersed in the aesthetic of the brand. While each department page features three menus, a clean layout and simple monotone palette mean none of them detracts from the star of the show: the impeccably designed products on offer.
What we learned: Put your product front and centre.
Pencil by 53
This seamless website puts the “stylus for everyone” on full display. Pencil 53 is the stylus for any touchscreen tablet. As you scroll through the site, the parts of the stylus come apart, so you can see what’s inside. Scroll again, and the pencil reassembles.
What we learned: Show your product in action.
Lush
Lush has been at the forefront of shopping innovation since it first arrived on UK shores, and its eCommerce offering is no different. A layout that really lets the colours of its products pop, Lush’s website doesn’t pressure customers for a sale but walks them through to a wealth of gorgeously presented content, including features, videos and buyer reviews that make a sale the only logical conclusion.
What we learned: Make the user journey one they’ll love taking.
Shakeltons
A brand that offers classic, beautifully crafted chairs and displays them in a fresh and modern way, this site uses a charming overlapping template that transforms the first impression into a minute’s exploration. As the customer takes in the many facets of design in this quirky website they can also learn all about the brand – the “about us”/”why Shakeltons?” tabs are given priority here. A slideshow of images convey the brands aesthetic and, as a photo as a pleased elderly customer shows, their target audience. The website hits a perfect – and rare – balance of modern design that still appeals to a target audience that isn’t typical of the internet age, all while letting visitors know precisely what Shakletons is all about.
What we learned: Tell your story.
Paul Valentine
A specialist brand like Paul Valentine, offering only the finest in watches, can struggle to find the perfect way to show off their catalogue. Pages after pages of goods just aren’t user-friendly, and inundating customers with variants and styles can quickly detract from the feel of exclusivity – and any lack in web functionality can leave a bad impression when it comes to items as functional as a watch! Paul Valentine ops for a scrolling approach, for visitors to effortlessly view their collections before ending on an Instagram feed that reiterates the luxury of the brand. It’s the internet equivalent of entering a high-end shop, where customers can enjoy the feel of exclusivity and aren’t rushed through sales, but given space to discover it for themselves.
What we learned: Think through the experience of shopping for your products.
Thomas Pink
A website experience as exciting as clicking through Instagram, a scroll through this homepage gives just as many beautiful images to enjoy. Links and imagery are given plenty space, allowing customers plenty of opportunity to appreciate the website as a whole and not just as a backdrop to a product catalogue. Product pages are cleanly displayed with the logo label clearly displayed in listed images for a sharp, uniform look. This website is not the most innovative in terms of design, but it is its ability to take a simple layout and make it shine that has proven so effective.
What we learned: Simple is better, don’t be afraid of negative space.
Another Escape
A website that lives up to its name, a scroll through this lifestyle magazine’s site is a real escape from the norm for a moment or two. Featuring beautiful imagery that ranges from nature to craft, they all share a subdued colour palette that perfectly complements the simple, stylish monotone base layout of the website, as well as its equally simple and sleek logo. From first glance, this website resonates with the customer it is trying to attract.
What we learned: Use design to showcase the lifestyle of your target consumer.
Want more design inspiration? Square Online’s website builder has stylist, customisable website templates you can adapt for your business brand and needs.
