Customers can buy and receive products entirely online through eCommerce, and this process is typically done through a company website, which includes items that customers can purchase. Most eCommerce stores feature pictures and product or service descriptions, pricing charts, a shopping cart function, payment processing technology, and contact information for the convenience of customers.
While the backend of your eCommerce site is essential for users and your business, the frontend—what customers see when they first visit your page—is vital.
What is the storefront in eCommerce?
The most significant aspect of your online business is the eCommerce storefront. The user interface is the face of your brand, and first impressions are crucial in whether or not a potential customer decides to do business with you.
Your online store’s user interface, or frontend UI, is its storefront. To meet the demands of today’s buyer who wants a personalized experience and ultimate ease of use, you need a responsive frontend UI.
The eCommerce storefront is the company’s virtual equivalent of a physical shop, and it is the business’s public face and the first point of contact for customers with the firm. The storefront should be as simple and easy to use as possible, with obvious purchase actions guiding the buyer through the buying process.
The key features of an effective eCommerce storefront
There are several key features that an effective eCommerce storefront should have:
- Product descriptions and photos
- Pricing information
- A shopping cart function
- Payment processing technology
- Customer service contact form or information
In addition, you should design your storefront in a visually appealing way and easy to navigate. Customers should be able to find what they are looking for quickly and without difficulty.
An effective eCommerce storefront will result in more sales and satisfied customers. It is vital to invest time and resources into developing a well-designed storefront that meets the needs of your target market.
The benefits of having a storefront on your eCommerce website
Aesthetically pleasing – A well-designed storefront can make a good first impression on potential customers and convey the professionalism of your brand.
- User-friendly: A user-friendly storefront is easy to navigate and use, which will help keep customers on your site longer.
- Increases sales: An effective storefront can increase sales by providing customers with the information to purchase.
- Generates leads: A storefront can also generate leads for your business by collecting contact information from interested customers.
Potential drawbacks of the eCommerce storefront?
There are a few potential drawbacks to building a storefront on your eCommerce website:
- It can be time-consuming to set up and maintain.
- It may require additional investment in terms of design and development costs.
- It could potentially discourage customers if it is not well-designed or user-friendly.
The decision to use a storefront on your eCommerce website should be based on your specific business needs. It is worth considering if you feel that it would benefit your business.
When done correctly, a storefront can be a powerful tool for driving sales and generating leads. Considering the benefits and drawbacks is important before deciding if it is right for your business.
How to overcome any potential drawbacks when building your eCommerce storefront
Buidling a frontend, aka storefront, for your eCommerce store takes loads of development time and cost. It is calculated to take up to 8 months or more to create a unique and performant storefront.
But, what is the alternative to this challenge? With modern technologies and FEaaS solutions you can buy an out-of-the-box solution that has already created the base code your developers can expand on. These solutions, like Vue Storefront’s eCommerce storefront as an example, are highly customizable and performant. Your dev team can use their ready base code and simply expand on it, while focusing on customizing and personalizing user experiences.
Tapping into these high-code frontend solutions ensures that your eCommerce storefront is leveraging the latest and best technologies that are aimed at delivering superior CX. The financial advantages are noteworthy, with some store owners indicating that they saved up to USD500K by using an out-of-the-box solution.
Another factor to consider is that by using such a solution will cut down on your TTM (time to market), which gets your store live sooner and you can start earning revenue much faster than with a custom built frontend.
These are just some of the ways using an OOTB frontend solution can help your business overcome any potential challenges when building your eCommerce storefront.
What are some best practices when designing an eCommerce storefront?
Your eCommerce storefront or UI is the bread and butter of your online business, and it’s where all marketing campaigns ultimately lead, and first impressions matter–you have to make sure it’s on point.
Some best practices when designing an eCommerce storefront include:
- Ensure it is responsive – A responsive design is essential for providing a good user experience on all devices.
- Include high-quality product photos – Customers want to see what they are buying, so make sure to include clear and appealing photos of your products.
- Excellent user experience is a must – The goal is to make the experience as smooth and easy as possible for the customer.
- Web performance optimized for SEO – Make sure your site loads quickly and is optimized for search engine ranking.
- Include customer testimonials – Customer reviews can help build trust and confidence in your products.
- Ensure omnichannel possibilities – Customers should be able to purchase your products in-store, online, or through a mobile app.
- High-quality mobile UX – Mobile commerce is growing rapidly, so it’s essential to have a well-designed mobile experience.
- Engaging content – Â Your content should be well-written and engaging to keep customers interested.
Conclusion
The storefront is an integral part of any eCommerce website, and it is the face of your business and can make a big impact on sales and leads. There are a few things to consider before adding a storefront to your site, such as the investment required and the potential drawbacks. However, a storefront can be a powerful tool for your business if done correctly. Following best practices will help you create an effective and appealing storefront.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.