10 Common Website Design Mistakes to Avoid for E-commerce Websites

As an e-commerce business owner, you want your website to convert visitors into customers. However, if your website is poorly designed, you could be losing potential sales. In this article, we'll discuss ten common website design mistakes to avoid to help improve your website's conversion rates.

Mistake #1: Poor Navigation

Good website navigation is essential for helping visitors find what they're looking for quickly and easily. If your website's navigation is confusing or difficult to use, visitors may become frustrated and leave your website without making a purchase.

Some common mistakes that lead to poor navigation include:

• Too many options: If your navigation menu has too many options, it can overwhelm visitors and make it difficult to find what they're looking for.
• Non-intuitive labels: Navigation labels should be easy to understand and reflect the content on the page they link to.
• Hidden menus: Menus that are hidden or difficult to find can make it difficult for visitors to navigate your website.

Example of Good Navigation Design

Take a look at our ecommerce website designs for an example of good navigation design. The menu is easy to find and understand, and the labels are intuitive and reflect the content of the pages they link to.

Example of Bad Navigation Design

Here's an example of poor navigation design: imagine a website that has a horizontal menu bar with dozens of options, some with labels that don't make sense. This would be overwhelming and confusing for visitors, making it difficult for them to find what they're looking for.

Tips for Creating Good Navigation

Here are a few tips for creating good navigation on your e-commerce website:

• Keep it simple: Limit the number of options in your navigation menu to make it easy to understand.
• Use intuitive labels: Make sure your navigation labels accurately reflect the content of the pages they link to.
• Make it visible: Ensure that your navigation menu is easy to find and visible on all pages of your website.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

Poor navigation can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 94% of website users cite poor website design as a reason they mistrust or reject a website, and 50% of potential sales are lost because visitors can't find what they're looking for.

By avoiding poor navigation design, you can help ensure that your visitors can easily find what they're looking for, improving the chances that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #2: Cluttered Layout

A cluttered website layout can make it difficult for visitors to find what they're looking for, leading to a negative user experience and a decrease in conversion rates. Some common mistakes that lead to a cluttered layout include:

• Too many elements: Including too many elements on a page can overwhelm visitors and make it difficult to focus on any one element.
• No visual hierarchy: A lack of visual hierarchy can make it difficult for visitors to understand which elements are most important.
• Poor use of white space: Failing to use white space effectively can make a website feel cramped and cluttered.

Example of Good Layout Design

The design uses white space effectively, and there is a clear visual hierarchy, making it easy for visitors to understand which elements are most important.

Example of Bad Layout Design

Here's an example of a cluttered layout: imagine a website that has multiple flashing banner ads, popups, and a large amount of text crammed onto each page. This would be overwhelming for visitors and make it difficult for them to focus on any one element.

Tips for Creating a Clean Layout

Here are a few tips for creating a clean and effective layout on your e-commerce website:

• Use white space effectively: Use white space to give your website elements room to breathe and create a sense of balance.
• Keep it simple: Limit the number of elements on each page to keep visitors focused on what's most important.
• Use visual hierarchy: Make sure that the most important elements on each page are the most prominent.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

A cluttered website layout can negatively impact your website's conversion rates. In fact, 38% of visitors will stop engaging with a website if the content/layout is unattractive, and 88% of visitors are less likely to return to a site after a bad user experience.

By avoiding cluttered website layouts, you can help ensure that your visitors have a positive user experience, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #3: Poor Mobile Responsiveness

In today's mobile-first world, having a website that is optimised for mobile devices is critical. If your website is not mobile-responsive, visitors will have difficulty navigating and using your website on their mobile devices.

Some common mistakes that lead to poor mobile responsiveness include:

• Tiny text: Text that is too small to read on mobile devices.
• Too much content: Including too much content on mobile pages can make it difficult to navigate.
• Slow loading times: Slow loading times can frustrate mobile users and lead to a negative user experience.

Example of Good Mobile Design

The design is easy to navigate on mobile, and the text is large enough to read without zooming in.

Example of Bad Mobile Design

Here's an example of poor mobile design: imagine a website where the text is tiny and difficult to read on a mobile device, and there is no option to zoom in. This would be frustrating for visitors and make it difficult for them to use your website.

Tips for Creating Mobile-Friendly Websites

Here are a few tips for creating a mobile-friendly website:

• Use a responsive design: A responsive design will automatically adjust your website's layout and content to fit any screen size.
• Keep it simple: Limit the amount of content on each mobile page to make it easy to navigate.
• Use large text: Make sure that the text on your mobile pages is large enough to read without zooming in.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

Poor mobile responsiveness can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 57% of mobile users will abandon your website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load, and 30% of mobile shoppers will abandon a transaction if the shopping cart isn't optimized for mobile devices.

By ensuring that your website is mobile-responsive, you can help improve the user experience for mobile users, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #4: Lack of Trust Signals

Trust signals are an essential part of any e-commerce website. They help build trust and credibility with visitors, making them more likely to make a purchase. Some common mistakes that lead to a lack of trust signals include:

• No customer reviews: Customer reviews are one of the most important trust signals for e-commerce websites. Without them, visitors may be skeptical of your products and services.
• No security badges: Security badges such as SSL and PCI compliance badges can help build trust with visitors by ensuring that their personal and financial information is secure.
• No social proof: Social proof such as testimonials and case studies can help build credibility and trust with visitors.

Example of Good Trust Signals

The website includes customer reviews, security badges, and case studies, helping to build trust and credibility with visitors.

Example of Bad Trust Signals

Here's an example of poor trust signals: imagine a website that doesn't include any customer reviews, security badges, or social proof. This would make visitors skeptical of the website's products and services, leading to a decrease in conversion rates.

Tips for Including Trust Signals

Here are a few tips for including trust signals on your e-commerce website:

• Include customer reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your website, and display them prominently on product pages.
• Display security badges: Display security badges such as SSL and PCI compliance badges to reassure visitors that their personal and financial information is secure.
• Include social proof: Include social proof such as testimonials and case studies to build credibility and trust with visitors.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

A lack of trust signals can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 61% of visitors will abandon a purchase if they don't trust the website, and 89% of customers have stopped doing business with a company because of a bad experience.

By including trust signals on your e-commerce website, you can help build trust and credibility with visitors, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #5: Poor Quality Imagery and/or Graphics

High-quality imagery and graphics are essential for e-commerce websites. They help showcase products and services and can influence purchasing decisions. Some common mistakes that lead to poor quality imagery and graphics include:

• Low-quality images: Using low-quality images can make products appear unappealing and low-quality.
• Stock photos: Overusing stock photos can make your website feel generic and impersonal.
• Too much animation: Too much animation can be distracting and lead to a negative user experience.

Example of Good Imagery and Graphics

The website includes high-quality product photos and custom graphics, helping to showcase products and services in a visually appealing way.

Example of Bad Imagery and Graphics

Here's an example of poor imagery and graphics: imagine a website that uses low-quality product photos and generic stock photos. This would make products appear unappealing and low-quality, leading to a decrease in conversion rates.

Tips for Including High-Quality Imagery and Graphics

Here are a few tips for including high-quality imagery and graphics on your e-commerce website:

• Use high-quality product photos: Use high-quality product photos that accurately represent your products and services.
• Use custom graphics: Use custom graphics that help showcase your brand and products in a visually appealing way.
• Use animation sparingly: Use animation sparingly to avoid distracting visitors from your products and services.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

Poor quality imagery and graphics can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 67% of online shoppers say that high-quality images are "very important" when making a purchase, and 40% of visitors will leave a website if the images take too long to load.

By including high-quality imagery and graphics on your e-commerce website, you can help showcase your products and services in a visually appealing way, making it more likely that visitors will make a purchase.

Mistake #6: Too Many Popups

Popups can be a useful tool for capturing leads and encouraging visitors to take specific actions. However, if you use too many popups on your website, visitors may become annoyed and leave your website.

Some common mistakes that lead to too many popups include:

• Popups on every page: Using popups on every page can be overwhelming for visitors and lead to a negative user experience.
• Too many popups: Using too many popups can be annoying for visitors and lead to a decrease in conversion rates.
• Popups that are difficult to close: Popups that are difficult to close can frustrate visitors and lead to a negative user experience.

Example of Good Use of Popups

The website uses a single popup to capture leads, and it's easy to close if visitors are not interested.

Example of Bad Use of Popups

Here's an example of poor use of popups: imagine a website that uses popups on every page, and the popups are difficult to close. This would be overwhelming for visitors and lead to a negative user experience.

Tips for Using Popups Effectively

Here are a few tips for using popups effectively on your e-commerce website:

• Use popups sparingly: Use popups only when necessary to avoid overwhelming visitors.
• Use clear calls-to-action: Make sure that your popups have clear calls-to-action that encourage visitors to take specific actions.
• Make it easy to close: Make sure that your popups are easy to close if visitors are not interested.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

Using too many popups can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 70% of visitors find popups annoying, and 51% of visitors say that they would leave a website if it had too many popups.

By using popups sparingly and effectively, you can help capture leads and encourage visitors to take specific actions, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #7: Inconsistent Branding

Consistent branding is essential for e-commerce websites. It helps build brand recognition and reinforces your brand's messaging. Some common mistakes that lead to inconsistent branding include:

• Using different colours and fonts: Using different colours and fonts throughout your website can lead to a lack of consistency and make your brand appear unprofessional.

• Inconsistent messaging: Inconsistent messaging can confuse visitors and make it difficult for them to understand your brand and products.
• Inconsistent imagery: Inconsistent imagery can make your website appear disjointed and unprofessional.

Example of Good Branding

The website uses consistent colours, fonts, and imagery throughout the website, reinforcing the brand's messaging and making the website appear professional.

Example of Bad Branding

Here's an example of poor branding: imagine a website that uses different colours and fonts on each page, and the messaging is inconsistent. This would confuse visitors and make it difficult for them to understand the brand and products.

Tips for Consistent Branding

Here are a few tips for creating consistent branding on your e-commerce website:

• Use a style guide: Use a style guide to ensure that your colours, fonts, and imagery are consistent throughout your website.
• Develop consistent messaging: Develop consistent messaging that reinforces your brand's values and messaging.
• Use consistent imagery: Use consistent imagery that reinforces your brand's messaging and values.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

Inconsistent branding can have a negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 77% of marketers say that consistent branding is critical to good marketing, and 59% of shoppers prefer to buy products from brands they know.

By creating consistent branding on your e-commerce website, you can help build brand recognition and trust with visitors, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #8: Lack of Product Information

Product information is critical for e-commerce websites. It helps visitors understand your products and make informed purchasing decisions. Some common mistakes that lead to a lack of product information include:

• Incomplete product descriptions: Incomplete product descriptions can leave visitors with unanswered questions about your products.
• Lack of product images: A lack of product images can make it difficult for visitors to understand your products and make informed purchasing decisions.
• No product reviews: Product reviews provide valuable insights from other customers and can help visitors make informed purchasing decisions.

Example of Good Product Information

The website includes detailed product descriptions, multiple product images, and customer reviews.

Example of Bad Product Information

Here's an example of poor product information: imagine a website that includes incomplete product descriptions, no product images, and no customer reviews. This would make it difficult for visitors to understand your products and make informed purchasing decisions.

Tips for Including Product Information

Here are a few tips for including product information on your e-commerce website:

• Include detailed product descriptions: Include detailed product descriptions that answer all potential questions about your products.
• Include multiple product images: Include multiple product images from different angles to help visitors understand your products.
• Encourage customer reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your website to provide valuable insights to other visitors.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

A lack of product information can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 88% of online shoppers say that detailed product content is extremely important when making a purchasing decision, and 38% of visitors will leave a website if they find it unattractive.

By including detailed product information on your e-commerce website, you can help visitors understand your products and make informed purchasing decisions, making it more likely that they'll make a purchase.

Mistake #9: Complex Checkout Process

The checkout process is a critical part of any e-commerce website. A complex checkout process can lead to frustration and cart abandonment, resulting in lost sales. Some common mistakes that lead to a complex checkout process include:

• Too many steps: Too many checkout steps can lead to frustration and cart abandonment.
• Requiring account creation: Requiring visitors to create an account can be time-consuming and lead to cart abandonment.
• Poor checkout design: Poor checkout design can make it difficult for visitors to navigate the checkout process.

Example of Good Checkout Process

Check out Hello Different's website design for an example of a good checkout process. The website uses a simple, two-step checkout process that is easy to navigate.

Example of Bad Checkout Process

Here's an example of a poor checkout process: imagine a website that requires visitors to create an account and has a complex, multi-step checkout process. This would frustrate visitors and lead to cart abandonment.

Tips for Simplifying the Checkout Process

Here are a few tips for simplifying the checkout process on your e-commerce website:

• Use a simple checkout process: Use a simple, two-step checkout process to reduce frustration and cart abandonment.
• Allow guest checkout: Allow visitors to checkout as a guest to avoid requiring them to create an account.
• Optimise checkout design: Optimise checkout design to make it easy for visitors to navigate the checkout process.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

A complex checkout process can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 21% of cart abandonments are due to a long and complicated checkout process, and 35% of visitors will abandon their cart if they're required to create an account.

By simplifying the checkout process on your e-commerce website, you can reduce frustration and cart abandonment, making it more likely that visitors will complete a purchase.

Mistake #10: Lack of Mobile Optimisation

Mobile optimisation is essential for e-commerce websites. With mobile devices accounting for a significant portion of online shopping, it's critical that your website is optimised for mobile users. Some common mistakes that lead to a lack of mobile optimisation include:

• Slow mobile load times: Slow mobile load times can lead to frustration and cart abandonment.
• Poor mobile design: Poor mobile design can make it difficult for visitors to navigate your website on their mobile devices.
• Not using responsive design: Not using responsive design can lead to a poor user experience for mobile visitors.

Example of Good Mobile Optimisation

The website uses responsive design and loads quickly on mobile devices.

Example of Bad Mobile Optimisation

Here's an example of poor mobile optimisation: imagine a website that takes too long to load on mobile devices, has poor mobile design, and doesn't use responsive design. This would frustrate mobile visitors and lead to a negative user experience.

Tips for Mobile Optimisation

Here are a few tips for optimising your e-commerce website for mobile users:

• Use responsive design: Use responsive design to ensure that your website is optimised for all screen sizes.
• Optimise mobile load times: Optimise mobile load times to reduce frustration and cart abandonment.
• Simplify mobile design: Simplify mobile design to make it easy for visitors to navigate your website on their mobile devices.

Negative Impact on Conversion Rates

A lack of mobile optimisation can have a significant negative impact on your website's conversion rates. In fact, 57% of mobile users will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load, and 40% of mobile users will choose a different search result if the first one is not mobile-friendly.

By optimising your e-commerce website for mobile users, you can provide a positive user experience and make it more likely that visitors will complete a purchase.

In Summary

In conclusion, avoiding common website design mistakes can significantly improve the conversion rates of your e-commerce website. By creating a simple, visually appealing, and easy-to-use website, you can provide a positive user experience and increase the likelihood of visitors making a purchase.

Remember to avoid the 10 common website design mistakes discussed in this article, including:

1. Poor navigation
2. Lack of clear calls-to-action
3. Slow page load times
4. Poor site structure
5. Lack of search functionality
6. Too many popups
7. Inconsistent branding
8. Lack of product information
9. Complex checkout process
10. Lack of mobile optimisation

By addressing these mistakes, you can create a website that is optimised for conversions and drives more sales for your e-commerce business. Remember to always keep your target audience in mind and to continuously test and improve your website design to ensure optimal performance.

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If you're interested in learning more about website design and optimisation, check out the following internal links:

• Our website design services
• Our ecommerce SEO services
• Learn about the importance of ecommerce SEO

By working with Hello Different, you can ensure that your e-commerce website is designed and optimised for maximum conversions and sales.