What Makes a Great eCommerce Web Design: Key Features to Drive Conversions

There’s a common trap a lot of businesses fall into when building a great eCommerce web design—they get caught up in looks. Fancy sliders. Slick animations. Maybe even a few too many bells and whistles.

Basically, they obsess over aesthetics without asking: How will users experience this site? Will they know what to do? Will they feel confident enough to buy?

If the experience is clunky, unclear, or too slow? That customer’s gone.

Great eCommerce design is functional first. Design should support the sale, not distract from it.

Let’s break down what actually works.

1) Make Your CTAs Loud, Clear, and Unmissable

Every eCommerce site needs a strong CTA. Not just one, either—there should be a few, placed strategically.

• Buttons should say what they do: “Add to Cart,” “Get My Free Sample,” “Buy Now”
• Colour contrast matters—don’t let CTAs blend into the background
• Repeat them across key parts of the page (above the fold, mid-scroll, bottom)

HubSpot reports that personalized CTAs convert 202% better than basic ones. That’s not a small bump. It’s a difference-maker.

The biggest mistake? CTAs that say nothing. “Click Here” doesn’t inspire action. Tell users exactly what’s next.

2) Design for Mobile First—Because That’s Where the Buyers Are

Let’s not sugarcoat this. If your online store isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing money.

A study found that mobile commerce accounts for nearly 75% of all eCommerce sales.

That’s nearly 3 out of 4 people shopping on their phones or tablets. So…

• Buttons need to be thumb-friendly
• Fonts should be readable on small screens
• Forms should be minimal and easy to complete
• Navigation should collapse smartly (but not too deep)

This isn’t about responsive design anymore, it’s about being mobile-native, scroll-friendly, and tap-ready.

3) Speed is the Silent Killer (or Hero)

No one has time to wait.

A visually stunning website means nothing if it takes forever to load. Every second a page lags, the risk of bounce skyrockets.

In fact, Google found that 53% of mobile users abandon a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load.

Three seconds. That’s the benchmark. Thus, every eCommerce site should:

• Compress images without losing clarity
• Avoid bloated scripts and plugins
• Use a fast, reliable hosting solution

Shave milliseconds where you can. It all adds up.

4) Navigation: Clean, Obvious, and User-Led

Site structure should feel effortless. No second-guessing. No “Where the heck is the product page?” moments.

• Keep menus simple. No more than 6-7 main items.
• Use filters (especially if your catalogue is big).
• Highlight search, and make sure it actually works.

Forrester says that a well-designed user interface can boost conversions by 200%, and better UX overall can increase it up to 400%. Navigation isn’t just convenience. It’s revenue.

5) Build Trust—Visually and Visibly

People don’t just click ‘Buy’ because the product looks good. They click because they believe they’re safe, supported, and making a smart choice.

Trust signals to bake into your design:

• Real customer reviews (and don’t hide the less-than-perfect ones)
• Secure checkout badges
• Transparent shipping and return info
• Payment options they recognise

The Baymard Institute reports that 18% of users abandon carts because they don’t trust the site with their credit card info.

A little design work here goes a long way. Credibility should be seen, not just assumed.

6) Product Pages That Sell Without the Hard Sell

Your product page is your closer. It’s where the decision happens.

The essentials?

• Clear, benefit-led product descriptions
• High-quality images—ideally from multiple angles
• Price upfront. No hiding.
• Customer ratings and reviews
• Short demo videos or feature highlights if relevant

Give users what they need to feel confident. The more informed they are, the less friction you’ll face.

Why Partnering with Experts Saves Time, Money—and Headaches

Designing a high-converting eCommerce site isn’t guesswork. It’s not just dragging blocks in a page builder. It’s a blend of strategy, behaviour design, testing, and good ol’ fashioned experience.

That’s exactly what we bring at Chromatix.

With over a decade of building websites for Australian businesses—from Shopify setups to WooCommerce builds—we focus on conversion-first design. Our job is to create online stores that look great, run fast, and get people buying.

Look—we’ve seen what works, and what doesn’t. That’s why we do things differently.

If you’re building an online store, or rethinking your current one, don’t just chase pretty. Focus on performance. And if you need help? You know where to find us.

Ready to turn browsers into buyers? Let’s build something that actually converts