Websites are developed with the aim of information sharing. This information sharing can be reciprocal or non reciprocal in nature. Non reciprocal information sharing can be touted as one way information sharing where the web visitor visits the websites to gather the information relevant for the purpose. Reciprocal information sharing is termed as two way information sharing where the web visitor can actually engage themselves in information sharing and advance to next step of information sharing by making some purchases or subscribing to some news letters etc.

eCommerce websites are sort of reciprocal information sharing. eCommerce websites are designed with the sole purpose of simplifying the online purchase experience of a web visitor or to guide the visitor towards making an online purchase. The website design involves lots of intricacies but a designer working on the eCommerce web design needs to understand the online selling principles.

For a viewer the eCommerce

web design

and normal website design may seem same because both of them follow the same principles of website design that is attractiveness, systematic organisation of elements, correct color palette to boost website spirit. The differences begin to troop in once you have a close look into the some of the eCommerce web designs and other website designs.

Every eCommerce website design needs to follow some simple selling principles like:

• Simplifying online shopping experience: The users prefer to go for online shopping in order to avoid the hassles of offline shopping. So it becomes the priority of web designer to ensure that website design delivers the smooth online shopping experience to the user.
  
• Furnishing the authenticated information: The user should be given the reason why they should believe your site and how easily they can reach out to you.

Customers are more attracted towards the virtual arrangement of the things during the shopping. It becomes very difficult for the web designer to convey that virtual shopping arrangement through

website design

.  It is pretty easier for the web designer to showcase the objects without the bother of space constraints. It becomes relatively difficult for the web designer to lure the customer to make purchase through the website design.

Customers favour those eCommerce website designs which will lead them to right page with minimum number of clicks.  Web designers often use some unconventional techniques to promote eCommerce web designs. Sometimes a web designer may utilise the potential of single paged website by integrating the order form at the end. Many people perceive sales letter as good example of eCommerce web design. In reality sales letter is not the good example of eCommerce website design because they are niche specific and may sell a single product. Still sales letters are capable of large conversions because they present the product information in a smart way.

The supermarkets and shopping malls are similar to the online shops both showcase products. As in shopping malls the arrangement of things seems to be much simpler to the ones in online shop. It becomes difficult for the user to browse through the complex website to search for the things.  The eCommerce websites make it simpler for the web visitor to browse through the product section easily with the help of personalisation technology. This personalisation technology also casts spell on the eCommerce website design.

Layouts play important role in success of an eCommerce web design. Most of the eCommerce website designs are distinguished by their layouts. These eCommerce websites are always searching for a simplified design which will lure the customer to purchase the things. Average time each customer spends on a website is around 2 minutes before they leave the site. So these two minutes time should be utilised to the maximum so as to lure the customer. Lots of research has been conducted so as to find the most accessible point in a website design. It has been found that most of the customers first view the middle left area and center portion of the webpage. By balancing these regions with smart content in a web design these web designers know how to create an easy path for the visitor to browse through the online shop and make the easy purchase.

In order to make your ecommerce website a best selling online shop, make sure you pay attention towards the web design principles. Don’t fail to take help from experienced website designers who have experience of developing successful eCommerce website designs.

More useful articles are available on the Sigma Infotech website