My journey into the world of websites and eCommerce began in 2013, when I offered to help my sister design a Shopify store for her maternity clothing business, an industry I knew very little about. At that point, I was a spare-time web developer and a hobbyist UX designer. I took formal training for painting and sketching during my college, so I looked forward to get this right.
As I delved into the detailed aspects of building her store, it quickly became clear that a shift from my corporate career was inevitable 😉 – I found myself loving the process of exploring and learning the intricacies of web design.
Today, at Cloud Pursuit, after nearly 10 years and having designed many many websites, we’ve learned that good design is all about user experience. Crafting a seamless user experience is much more than just making things look visually appealing. It’s about ensuring that every part of the design works in harmony to guide users effortlessly through their journey – where your customer is truly at the heart of everything.
Whether you’re selling products, sharing content, or providing a service, a design can make or break the experience. I’m by no means an expert in this field, and I know I’ll continue to discover, learn from my mistakes, and improve. However, a few key considerations are now permanently instilled in my mind. If I may repeat, these considerations are to ensure that your customer must be at the centre of your design considerations.
In this blog, I am sharing my viewpoints on the five critical aspects of good design that will create a good user experience.
Maintain familiarity: don’t make them think twice
One of the golden rules of design in my opinion is this: never-ever break the familiarity aspect. The last thing users want is to second-guess your prompts or messages. When people visit a website, they’re expecting buttons to look like buttons, menus to function like menus, and checkout to feel like, well, checking out. Stick to the concept of affordance – make sure your design elements behave in a way that naturally suggests their function. Users will love you for it, and you won’t be the reason they give up halfway through because they’re puzzled by your quirky design choices.
Familiarity breeds comfort, not contempt!
Reassure customers along the way: talk about value
Buying online can be nerve-wracking for some customers, especially if it’s their first time interacting with your brand. The solution? Build trust every step of the way. Reassure them that their purchase won’t disappoint. Display product or service details, reviews, ratings, and provide satisfaction guarantees. People tend to make decisions faster when they feel confident about what they’re buying. It’s like convincing someone to jump into a pool, if they can see that the water’s warm and others are happily swimming, they’ll jump right in.
So, show those trust signals, and make them feel like they’re making the right choice.
Simplify the checkout process: less is more
This is where the magic happens – or doesn’t, if your checkout process is a pain. The goal here is to make your checkout process as frictionless as possible. The fewer keystrokes, the better. One-click checkouts? Absolutely! And please, for the love of all things user-friendly, only ask for the essential information required for the transaction and risk assessment. If you have optional fields that no one cares about, just get rid of them.
Trust me, optional fields are like speed bumps on a racetrack, they just slow things down unnecessarily and eventually, you will have an abandoned cart.
Master the upsell, but don’t overdo it
Upselling is great. It helps customers discover additional products they might like, and of course, it helps your bottom line. But here’s the trick: while you should absolutely use visual cues and well-placed recommendations to encourage an upsell, you have to do it without distracting the customer from their main goal, that is buying what they came for. A distracted customer isn’t going to check out, they’re going to click away. And no one wants that.
Also, consider technology that can offer discounts or helpful nudges if you sense hesitation at checkout. Keep an eye on how long items sit in the basket and respond accordingly, but avoid making the whole process feel like a maze.
Show gratitude: don’t miss a chance to be human
Finally, once the sale is made, don’t let the interaction turn cold. This is your moment to show some emotion (yes, even in the digital world). Thank your customers warmly when they place an order; none of that robotic “Thank you for your order” stuff. Be sincere, be appreciative. Then, send a follow-up email or message, not just to say thanks again, but to check if everything went smoothly. Did the delivery arrive on time? Any issues? This simple act shows you care and encourages customers to come back. And don’t forget, when you show you care, customers tend to care right back.
Finally: Harmonising design, visuals, and workflow for a seamless experience
These aspects aren’t new – and I have made mistakes while designing and configuring features – and often I have got carried away. Soon I realised that keeping things simple works better.
In the end, good design is all about harmony. Your design, visuals, and workflow must work together to create a smooth, happy shopping experience. From the moment a user lands on your site to the second they hit ‘buy,’ every touchpoint should reflect the true spirit of your brand.
Of course there can be exceptions when a designer would break-away from the league and do things differently. But beyond aesthetics and branding, the most important aspect of any design is the value it creates for the customer. As UX designers, our top priority should always be ensuring that the experience is not just visually pleasing, but also functional, intuitive, and valuable – ultimately making the customer’s journey as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.
Hope you enjoyed reading. Thank you!
