10 tips for creating a high-performing e-commerce website
10 tips for creating a high-performing e-commerce website
An effective e-commerce site is based on simple but essential fundamentals to attract, convert, and retain customers. Here are the key points to remember:
- Intuitive navigation: Clear menu, effective filters, and optimized search bar.
- Responsive design: Your site must be mobile-friendly, as 71% of visits are made on smartphones.
- Optimal loading speed: Reduce loading times to prevent abandonment (32% of users leave if a page takes more than 3 seconds).
- Precise product descriptions: Write clear texts, add quality visuals, and consider SEO.
- Various payment options: Offer multiple methods (credit card, PayPal, installment payments) to reduce cart abandonment.
- Data security: Protect transactions and comply with GDPR to build trust.
- Performance tracking: Analyze key indicators (traffic, conversion, retention) to continuously improve your site.
- Efficient customer service: Use multiple channels (chat, FAQ, email) and be responsive.
- Loyalty program: Offer exclusive benefits to encourage repeat purchases.
- Customer reviews and trust badges: Reassure visitors with authentic testimonials and certifications.
Why is this important? Every detail matters to enhance the user experience and increase your conversions. By applying these tips, you will optimize your online store to meet consumer expectations.
| Aspect | Impact |
|---|---|
| Navigation and design | Better user experience |
| Speed and security | Reduced abandonment |
| Content and payment | Increase in conversions |
| Loyalty and customer reviews | Enhanced customer trust |
Take action today to transform your site into a high-performing sales tool.
Essentials for a high-performing e-commerce website
1. Simple and clear navigation
89% of customers spend more when they quickly find what they are looking for without needing to contact customer service. In contrast, 61% of consumers leave a site after a single bad experience.
Menu structure
Organize the menu logically with about 10 main categories. For example, instead of creating separate categories for sales, offer a "Sales" filter applicable to all sections.
Key elements for effective navigation
Ensure your site includes these essential elements:
- Main menu placed at the top of the page
- Breadcrumb trail to clearly indicate the path taken
- Search filters to refine results
- Search bar with automatic suggestions
These elements should function perfectly on all devices.
Mobile navigation
According to a recent study, 45% of consumers make daily purchases on mobile. Buttons should be spaced sufficiently and easily clickable to provide smooth navigation on smartphones.
"Streamlined ecommerce navigation is essential for a profitable online shop." - Dana Nicole, Semrush
Features to integrate
To enhance the user experience, consider adding:
- Effective predictive search
- Visual thumbnails to simplify navigation
- Multi-criteria filters (size, color, price)
Analyze user behavior with Google Analytics (GA4) to identify problematic areas. Also, use audit tools to conduct regular tests and address any technical issues.
2. A design thought for all screens
After working on navigation, it is essential to make your site enjoyable to view on all devices. With 71% of visits to e-commerce sites coming from smartphones, mobile adaptation is no longer optional. A recent study even reveals that 75% of customers prefer to make purchases from their mobile devices.
Basics of responsive design
To ensure optimal display, follow these essential practices:
- Add the meta viewport tag with the parameters "width=device-width" and "initial-scale=1".
- Apply "max-width: 100%" to images to prevent overflow.
- Rely on modern CSS techniques like Flexbox and Grid Layout.
- Build your design by prioritizing mobile from the start (mobile-first).
These steps ensure a smooth and pleasant user experience, regardless of the device used.
Performance: a crucial issue
A mere one-second delay can lead to a 20% revenue drop. To maintain a fast and responsive site:
- Compress and resize your images.
- Reduce the size of CSS and JavaScript files (minification).
- Regularly test your site on different devices to detect and correct any slowdowns.
Key points for mobile experience
| Aspect | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Navigation | Integrate a fixed menu bar with direct access to the cart. |
| Images | Optimize their compression for quick loading on mobile. |
| Content | Ensure ideal readability (about 10 words per line). |
Tools to test responsiveness
To offer an optimal experience, it is advisable to frequently test the responsiveness of your site with specialized tools. Media Genesis recommends at least quarterly verification. These tests also help adapt your site to the specific habits of mobile users.
"Responsive design gives your website the flexibility to attractively display content regardless of device size." - Media Genesis
A personalized experience
Consumer expectations are evolving: 66% of them want a personalized experience. To meet this demand, consider:
- Offering product recommendations based on browsing history.
- Including mobile-adapted payment options (Apple Pay, Google Pay).
- Simplifying the purchasing process for users on smartphones.
Tools like Chrome Developer Tools can help you visualize and test the appearance of your site on different devices, while quickly identifying any issues.
3. Optimize your site speed
Page loading speed plays a key role in your conversions. Even a 0.5-second improvement can have a significant impact, while a page taking more than three seconds to load can triple its bounce rate.
Key metrics to monitor
To measure your site's performance, focus on these two essential indicators:
| Metric | Description | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| First Contentful Paint | Initial display | Less than 2 seconds |
| Time to First Byte | Server responsiveness | Less than 200 ms |
Once you have this data, you can implement technical adjustments to reduce loading times.
Technical solutions to boost performance
Image optimization
Images often represent between 50% and 75% of a page's total weight. Their optimization is essential. Maria Harutyunyan, co-founder of Loopex Digital, testifies:
"One of our clients had a very slow site. By resizing and compressing the images, we reduced their size by 60%, significantly improving page loading times."
Efficient management of code and scripts
Here are some measures to improve the technical performance of your site:
- Use a CDN to distribute content.
- Enable file compression.
- Implement lazy loading.
- Reduce the number of redirects.
- Optimize tracking with Google Tag Manager.
Impact on mobile experience
Speed is particularly important for the mobile experience, where users are often less patient. Benjamin Sehl, co-founder of Kotn, shares:
"Today, the majority of our customers discover our products on mobile. If the payment process is too complex, we lose them. Integrating Shop Pay has simplified this critical step, allowing even new customers to complete their order in one click."
Continuous monitoring of performance
Tools like GTmetrix and PageSpeed Insights help you:
- Monitor Core Web Vitals.
- Identify performance issues.
- Receive alerts in case of degradation.
- Compare your results with those of your competitors.
"Quick fixes are not enough to ensure lasting performance. Real improvement starts with optimizing your site's architecture."
Impact on conversions
Even a 0.1-second improvement in loading time can increase conversions by 8.4% and average order value by 9.2%. Investing in your site's speed is a powerful lever to maximize your e-commerce results.
4. Write effective product descriptions
The quality of your product descriptions plays a key role in your sales. According to data, 78% of consumers look for detailed product information, and 87% do not return to a site if the descriptions are inaccurate.
Ideal product sheet structure
For a compelling product sheet, follow this organization:
| Area | Elements to include |
|---|---|
| Above the fold | • Product title • Main photos • Price and availability • Variants • Call-to-action button |
| Below | • Detailed description • Shipping costs • Customer reviews • Related products |
Essential elements for a successful description
An effective product description should meet customer needs while optimizing your online visibility. Here are the key points:
Quality visuals
Images strongly influence purchasing decisions. 70% of users want to see at least three photos before making a purchase. Make sure to include:
- High-resolution photos
- Multiple product angles
- Images showing the product in context
- Close-ups of important details
Clear and structured text
Well-written text can increase your conversions by 35%. To achieve this:
- Write short and airy paragraphs
- Highlight user benefits
- Avoid overly technical terms
- Adapt the tone and content to your target audience
“An e-commerce site that converts starts with a detailed, clear, and unique presentation of its products.” – Coteries.com
Optimization for SEO
To improve your ranking in search engines, prioritize original descriptions. Copied content, even from your suppliers, can penalize your SEO.
Building visitor trust
To reassure potential customers, consider including:
- Authentic customer reviews
- Trust badges
- Return conditions
- Offered guarantees
- Product certifications
In 2017, 87% of buyers considered the product description as a central criterion in their choice. Investing in well-designed descriptions is essential to maximize the performance of your online store.
5. Offer multiple payment methods
Diversifying payment options is essential. Did you know that 58% of customers abandon their cart at the payment stage? Here is an overview of French consumer preferences and solutions to consider.
Preferred payment methods
In France, 80% of buyers prefer credit cards, while 12% opt for e-wallets. Here is a summary table of the main options:
| Payment Type | Advantages | Points to Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card | • Essential • Secure with 3D Secure • Fast processing |
• Transaction fees |
| E-wallet | • Quick payment in 1 click • Well adopted by users |
• Possible fees • Technical setup required |
| Installment payments | • Often increases the average order amount | • Check for additional fees |
Improving the payment experience
To reduce cart abandonment (17.7% of customers leave due to not finding their preferred payment method), it is crucial to perfect the user experience.
Personalization and clarity
- Adapt the payment page to your branding
- Clearly display accepted payment method logos
- Offer a personalized bank label to reassure your customers
Security and trust
Security plays a key role. The 3D Secure system, for example, enhances transaction protection and reassures buyers, offering a more reliable alternative than checks or cash.
New options to explore
To stay competitive, consider modern solutions in addition to traditional options:
- Payment by link (via SMS, email, or social networks like WhatsApp or Instagram)
- Cash payment at pickup points
- Deferred payment solutions
Technical points not to neglect
A well-executed technical integration is essential. Ensure that your payment provider meets the following criteria:
- Funds disbursed within 48 hours
- Full back-office to track transactions
- Responsive technical support
- Customizable interface
Investing in a variety of payment methods pays off: over half of online buyers now use multiple methods, with an average of two different methods per consumer.