Product pages, menu, and cart — this will satisfy the needs… of a customer from 2000. Today, your webshop has to be more than that, addressing your product’s identity. However, it is the content and interface that have to be unique. Navigation must be predictable so that users didn’t waste time figuring out how it all works.
These are basic rules that every website needs to follow:
Follow Von Restorff effect. If there are two similar objects, the human brain will notice the third that looks different. Use colors and shapes to focus the attention on what you need, e.g. sales, recommended items, 1-3 left items.
Follow Hick’s law. The more things there are on the product page, the harder it will be for the user to make an ultimate decision. Divide everything into categories and provide a detailed filter system.
Make it intuitive. Customers want your website to work like others they’ve used. Menu to the left or upwards, LEAVE button — in red color, descriptions, including size, color, and fabric, zoom for the photo.
Avoid redundancy. Try to declutter the texts, photos, and everything that can unnecessarily draw users’ attention from buying. These distractions can be your logo on each photo, search box with lengthy default sentence, confusing images, bumping messages, too many SALES, 60% OFF, and other promotions. Include only the features customers really use. They are presented below.
Let the user know what happens. Add the accurate semantic keywords to the products and display the exact number of items in the cart. Show the actual price, not “starting from blah-blah dollars”. Make sure all your promotions are up-to-date and users don’t see New Year discounts in spring.
Stress the relevant info. Highlight special offers, benefits, and perks customers will have from buying, subscribing, or registering.
Analyze and maximize website performance. You need it to understand the weak aspects of your design and what solutions work. There are many analytics tools — Google Analytics and Piwik are great for E-Commerce and FREE! For Crazy Egg you will have to pay, however, it shows heat maps — the places of the website users click on most.