A digital storefront (also know as web-to-print) is all but a requirement in our increasingly online world. But this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, and it can be daunting to figure out how to design your storefront to maximize its effectiveness for your customers and its ROI for you.
If you’re not sure how to design the perfect online store for your customers, we have a few tips for you.
1. Look at it From a New Customer’s Perspective
The most beautiful and modern-looking storefront in the world isn’t doing anyone any good if your customers can’t find anything on it. Think about what your customers will want to know when they land on your page, and then design with those elements in mind. Key elements to consider include:
- Clean, clear navigation. Are all of your navigation menu items labeled so that a new visitor can tell at a glance what’s on each of those pages? If you have product/service categories, are they clearly laid out and organized to minimize the number of clicks needed to get to a specific service?
- Help/FAQs/contact information. If someone has a question about ordering from you, how easy is it to find an answer or find an email address/phone number for your support staff? This information shouldn’t be hidden away in a footer – put it near the top or in a sidebar so it’s close at hand.
- A well-designed search function. How well does your on-site search work? Are your pages optimized so that common keywords bring up the expected results when a customer searches for them? Or is it more frustrating to use the search than to just hunt through category listings?
2. Simplify the Ordering Process Wherever You Can
Have you gone through the ordering process on your own site to see what a customer’s experience is like? How many clicks does it take to get to any given product/service? How long does it take to enter the information required to generate an order? How well is your payment gateway integrated – is it a smooth transition from locating a product to entering customization info to making a payment and getting to a “thank you” page?
It can be very helpful to have someone else go through the ordering process on your site for you and provide feedback (or ask your customers for their comments). It’s sometimes hard to see stumbling blocks on your site, since you’re so familiar with it. Getting feedback from other people can help you spot trouble areas you never even thought about.
3. Always Keep Security in Mind
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, we’re pretty big on data security at United Mail. That’s why we strongly urge you to keep your customers’ security in mind throughout the ordering process. You can check out our data security posts for more information.
Simplifying your digital storefront can have a huge impact on your customer experience – and that, of course, has a huge impact on your bottom line. Going beyond the “pretty factor” and considering the actual user experience will keep your customers happy and ensure they keep coming back to your site.
Request a Demo
If you’re interested in a digital storefront demo, contact us and we’ll set up a time to go over this solution.
