Why A Modern Website Design Is Vital for Ecommerce Growth

In a world that is increasingly shifting into the digital space, an ecommerce site serves as a virtual showroom where businesses can present their products. The way shoppers perceive this virtual showroom can have similar effects on sales as brick-and-mortar shops do—present them in a neat and nice-looking environment, and customers feel more compelled to buy; present them in an old and dingy-looking environment, and shoppers are more compelled to leave and browse elsewhere. Many ecommerce business owners who have had online stores for years—or even decades—feel that if their current designs look and work fine already, there is no need to make a change. However, as the ecommerce industry grows and shoppers become more picky, this will likely result in a drop in sales (if it hasn’t already). Here are a few reasons why online store owners should invest in keeping the design of their ecommerce sites in line with the times. Modern designs are inherently conversion-focused. Ecommerce sites designed even as recently as a few years ago were built to cater to the web—and its shoppers—as they were at the time. Shopping on mobile phones and tablets is steadily increasing in popularity (mobile traffic alone accounted for 54.4% of all internet traffic in Q4 of 2021), advancing the need for responsive site designs that adapt to each device. Additionally, SEO best practices change constantly to stay in line with new rules from search engines—and older site designs were not built with the most recent rules in mind. A well-planned modern site design caters to today’s SEO standards , meaning that ecommerce sites that embrace them tend to rank higher in search. As responsive design is now the industry standard, modern site designs also inherently perform well across devices, leading to fewer abandoned carts as shoppers become frustrated with the experience on their chosen device. Modern designs create a positive first impression. In many cases, your business’s website is the first time shoppers become aware of your brand—so creating a good first impression is crucial. Shoppers who land on a site that looks like it was designed well tend to have more trust in the credibility of the site—after all, if a business is willing to spend money on making their site look great, they are likely a legitimate business and worthy of purchase. Newer ecommerce site designs are also created with a more perfected user experience , making it easier for shoppers to navigate and make a purchase. One study found that 42% of people will leave a website because of poor functionality. Shoppers will remember having a negative user experience and will likely not return to a site that provides one, so in this case, it’s better to provide a user experience that is so effortless that they don’t even notice. Modern designs hold customers’ attention longer. It’s a known fact that, in general, people like to look at other people and things that appear attractive to them. This is a valuable aspect of psychology to incorporate into your site—if it appears more attractive by adopting a more contemporary design, shoppers will stay on your site longer because they are admiring it. Many marketing firms include updating website design in their suggested steps to reduce bounce rates , allowing more time for emotions to enter the buying process. Modern designs frame your products attractively. If your products are the artwork, your ecommerce site is the frame. Even the best painting by Van Gogh can have its beauty diminished by an old, cheap-looking frame barely held together by aging glue. In the same vein, if your products look great by themselves but are showcased on a site that looks outdated and unattractive, they will seem less appealing overall—even if they are in mint condition. Maintaining a site that looks new and attractive makes the products therein appear so as well—and gives shoppers a more positive perception of your brand. In fact, 50% of consumers believe that website design is crucial to a business’s overall brand. Modern designs help you beat out the competition. If nothing else has convinced you, consider this—your competition is always going out of its way to be shoppers’ number one choice. If they haven't already, they will soon discover that an ecommerce site that looks and feels like it was designed recently is a more attractive option , even if the prices are a bit higher. Customers are more likely to purchase from a site that looks more professional in general, so make sure that your site looks more fresh in comparison to your competition to elevate your brand above theirs. Final Thoughts Consistently freshening up the overall look of your ecommerce site design is an important key to ecommerce success. By keeping your site’s appearance in-line with current visual trends, you ensure that shoppers feel a stronger sense of trust and positivity toward your brand, leading to growth and expansion opportunities.Looking for expert assistance creating a modern-looking site that converts? Contact Studio ’s team of professional web designers for site design services at a variety of levels.