A Dnn Developer’s Guide To Ecommerce Web Design

By Author: Sanjeev Chaudhary
Total Articles: 27
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While using the DotNetNuke eCommerce modules, a significant number of DNN developers tend to get a lot more artsy with their designs than necessary. Elements such as flash animations can truly slow down the shopping experience and the use of wrong color schemes can often send out wrong messages to your visitors.

Furthermore, it is not uncommon even for the most experienced web designers to overlook functionality related issues while focusing on creative elements that are deemed to make the eCommerce website look more attractive.

Here is a list of common “do’s and Don’ts” that you must consider while pursuing an eCommerce DNN development-

• Make sure you have a clearly visible shopping cart

If a visitor is adding an item to the cart, he or she simultaneously also wants to make sure that the item has been registered. It is thus important that somewhere on the page, your store offers a section that lists the number of items in the cart and other important checkout information at all times. By providing this information, it is possible for visitors to make an easy transition from ...
... the shopping in the checkout process. No matter what page on your website it is that your visitor chooses to finish his or her shopping, he or she should be able to access the quick link back to the checkout page.

• Making sure your “Add to Cart” buttons are Optimized

Different visitors react differently to calls to action buttons depending on how they are worded. For example, if your “add-to-cart” button says “learn more” or “click here for more details”, it has been found that customers tend not to react to well with these indirect calls to action.

Contrastingly, placing a “Buy Now” button is more direct and specific, facilitating a more positive response from the visitors. In addition to this, the colors also play a critical role as a design element here. Depending on the nature of your business, different colors tend to trigger different behaviors from online shoppers.

• Do not Forget to Provide a Search Auto-Complete Function

The search box of an eCommerce website is a critical feature that enables the visitors to access products that meet their needs. Over 20% of online shoppers rely on the search feature as against following the category paths for navigating through product catalogues. Furthermore, in many cases, searches can provide more results than expected or provide incorrect results in case the visitors do not use the correct keywords. With the existence of an auto complete feature, it is possible for websites provide visitors with a list of close matches as and when the customers begin to type the keyword. This results in higher rates of accuracy with regards to search results.

Finally, DNN developers must also clarify their navigation paths. Having too many product categories can prove to be quite a challenge. Using “fly-out” menus are an effective way to make sure that the eCommerce pages do not look very cluttered and yet, you are able to provide to your visitors the opportunity to access all the categories of products your website offers.

It is best not to get too artistic in this regard and focus on more functional navigation elements. With an easy to browse and access eCommerce website, your visitors are bound to thank you by ensuring higher conversion rates.

About Author: Sanjeev Chaudhary is an expert writer who shares his experience about web and internet technology through their published articles and other resource. He always shares the new information about DNN developers. His article about DNN development and DotNetNuke Upgradation are highly praised by the readers.