Ecommerce Website Design: What Makes an Online Shop Sell
Good ecommerce design makes it easy to find a product, trust the shop and pay. Here are the design principles that matter most for small online shops, page by page.
Ecommerce website design is not mainly about looking beautiful. It is about removing reasons not to buy: products that are hard to find, photos that do not show enough, doubts about delivery or trust, and checkouts that ask too much. This guide goes through the parts of an online shop that matter most.
Navigation and search
- Organise categories the way customers think, not the way stock is stored.
- Keep the main menu short; use filters for size, colour, price and other attributes.
- Add a visible search box if you have more than a few dozen products.
- Show best sellers and new arrivals on the home page.
Product pages
The product page does the selling, so give it the most care:
| Element | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Several clear photos, including in use and at scale | Customers cannot touch the product |
| Price, including VAT, and delivery cost or threshold | Surprise costs cause abandoned baskets |
| Size, materials, dimensions, care | Answers questions before they are asked |
| Stock level and dispatch time | Sets expectations |
| Reviews | Reassurance from other buyers |
| A large, obvious add-to-basket button | Easy to act, especially on phones |
Write your own product descriptions rather than copying the manufacturer's, so your pages offer something different from every other shop selling the same item.
Trust signals
- Clear business name, address and contact details
- Delivery, returns and refund information that is easy to find
- Secure checkout with familiar payment options
- Real reviews and photos of your team or workshop
UK distance selling rules require you to give customers certain information, such as your business details, total prices and their cancellation rights, before they buy. GOV.UK's guidance for online and distance selling sets out what is needed.
Checkout
- Allow guest checkout; do not force account creation.
- Ask only for information you need.
- Show the total including delivery before the final step. Adding mandatory charges late in the process is not only off-putting but prohibited under UK consumer law.
- Offer the payment methods your customers use, such as cards and popular digital wallets.
Design for phones first
Many shoppers browse and buy on phones. Test the whole journey on a small screen: menu, filters, product photos, basket and payment. Big tap targets, short forms and fast-loading images make the biggest difference.
After the sale
Order confirmation, dispatch and delivery emails are part of the design too. Make them clear and on brand, and use a post-purchase email to ask for a review. See ecommerce email marketing.
Choosing a platform
Most small shops build on an ecommerce platform rather than from scratch; see how to choose an ecommerce website builder.
Questions
What makes a good ecommerce website?
Easy navigation, detailed product pages with good photos, clear prices and delivery costs, visible trust signals, a short checkout and a smooth mobile experience.
What information must a UK online shop show?
Distance selling rules require information such as your business details, total prices including taxes and delivery, and customers' cancellation rights. See GOV.UK's guidance.
Should my shop allow guest checkout?
Usually yes. Forcing account creation is a common reason shoppers abandon their basket.
Sources
Read next
Website Maintenance: What It Involves and a Checklist
A website is not finished at launch. Here is what website maintenance involves, how often each task needs doing and a simple checklist for …
How Much Does a Website Cost in the UK? A Breakdown for Small Businesses
Website prices range from a monthly builder subscription to a large agency project. Here is what you are actually paying for, the running c…