Do I really need a fancy eCommerce website?

[Nick42]

Do I really need a fancy eCommerce website? 

After visiting many major company websites that are in the women's clothing category I keep seeing the same thing. They don't have fancy websites (no parallax scrolling or other bells and whistles).

What they do have are nice images, complementing colors, easy to read font and are usually well laid out.

It seems to me the more fancy things a website has going on the more chances are of something eventually not working right.

Maybe I answered my own question, I don't know. Anyone else have any thoughts???

[kenkinneen]

I believe a simple, user-friendly website is harder to achieve than one that has lot's of features just piled together. 

[Jason]

I've seen nothing that suggests parallax scrolling is something that increases conversion. I also doubt - from experience - that customers even care about such things. For some devices parallax scrolling can even impact on the responsiveness (speed) of scrolling the pages. Certainly for older phones and devices. When done right it can be a lovely visual experience but when starting out it's not going to be the thing to focus on.

Put your effort into content instead. Fancy visual features can come later if you deem your demographic demands it.

[Nick42]

Thanks for your reply Jason. That's what I thought. It amazes me how many people still sink time and money into top notch, snazzy retail websites, only to end up asking the same question 'why am I not making sales?'. I am guessing you are a designer...is it possible to see some of your work? 🙂

[Jason · Accepted solution]

I totally get it. Starting out gives you a million things to do - one being the design of the site.

For some shops having the "perfect" looking site is going to be key as it ties into marketing efforts, or it's just what those customers expect. For others shops the design won't be as important. If you understand your market and customer base, you should at least be able to make some guesses at what to focus on until you have enough data to know for sure.

That said, you don't want the shop looking unattractive or confusing so there's a balance. If you're building a "brand" then it must at least be a solid consideration. Starting with a decent theme from the Theme Store will give you a good head start. 

I've seen stores that I thought were super poorly designed but they still did many millions a year. They knew what their customers cared about and a pretty shop certainly wasn't part of it.

And yeah - I have a design background so have seen a few things. You're welcome to look at my site if you are curious, but it is outdated and I'm not looking for work.

[RachelStinson]

I will second your opinion. I have the same thought, content what matters a lot. Informative rich contents that allow its users to answer their queries and guide them well. I don't think then reader will regard the fancy out look of website. 
Need to keep few things in mind while writing contents.
1. Use good vocabulary, easily comprehend by the readers.
2. Keep your content interesting. You can crack a joke. 
3. Use narrative writing style. People by nature love to hear and read stories. 
4. Don't only boost your product or services in your content.
5. Your goal should be while writing contents that your reader is fully satisfied and have the enough information to switch for other websites.  

[RachelStinson]

I will second your opinion. I have the same thought, content what matters a lot. Informative rich contents that allow its users to answer their queries and guide them well. I don't think then reader will regard the fancy out look of website.Need to keep few things in mind while writing contents.
1. Use good vocabulary, easily comprehend by the readers.2. Keep your content interesting. You can crack a joke.3. Use narrative writing style. People by nature love to hear and read stories.4. Don't only boost your product or services in your content.
5. Your goal should be while writing contents that your reader is fully satisfied and have the enough information to switch for other websites.

[TechviaITS]

E-Commerce Development

With a decade of experience in eCommerce development, we specialize in crafting robust e-commerce websites with superb UI & UX, payment gateway integration, and management. Techavia specializes in custom eCommerce software development. We ensure that your customers receive a pleasant shopping experience. techaviait.com