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eCommerce Websites: Customers are Number One

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How can you design an ecommerce website that's friendly to your customers?

eCommerce Websites: Customers are Number One

The latest and greatest in technology is useless if your ecommerce website isn't designed with the customer first. What makes a customer friendly website?

  • Ease of navigation is a top priority. The placement of the navigation bar and the links within it should be the same for each page and appear consistently in the same place. The left hand side is traditionally where the navigation bar is located and that's where most visitors will look for it.
  • A second navigation bar can be placed under the introductory graphic. That's a good place for the home, contact us, about us and frequently asked questions links.
  • If you use a button graphic for the links, include a text link as well. Visually impaired visitors can use a reader to read the content on the site, including text links, out loud for them. The text readers can't see a graphic. Links that only use graphics will be invisible.
  • Don't depend on the visitor using their back button to return to the home page. Provide a link for them.
  • "Contact" and "about us" links should be prominently displayed on the home page. If possible those links should appear on each page as well.
  • No page should be more than two links from the home page. When designing the site map out the different categories you'll need and establish a main page for each of those major categories. Then determine the subcategories from each main category.
An ecommerce website designed with the customer in mind will keep your customers coming back.

   

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