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Over 60 million people in the UK shop online, meaning many customers are clicking “add to basket” rather than visiting a brick-and-mortar shop. Consumer appetite is huge, but so is competition. There are over 1.24 million ecommerce websites operating in the UK, making our country the home of the world’s second most developed online shopping space.
If you are considering starting an ecommerce website in 2024, you’re in the right place. Whether you already have an established business or are starting from scratch, you must ensure you get off on the right foot. It’s not just about how your website looks (although that’s certainly part of it), you also need to keep in mind how the website works and how customers will find you.
Most successful ecommerce brands have a whole team of people working on their website, because there are so many moving parts, but that’s not to say you can’t give it a go on your own. Plenty of platforms offer a full-service solution, including inventory, design and even SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), so if you’ve got an idea, then now is the perfect time to start an online shop.
Standing out from the competition is your highest priority, which can be done in several ways. In this guide, we’ll explore how to kickstart your ecommerce website, including tips for sourcing products, getting seen and turning first-time customers into your biggest fans.
Ready to become an online shopping sensation? Keep reading this guide– and remember, you can keep your accounts in order and maximise profitability with Crunch’s ecommerce accounting solutions.
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Understanding Ecommerce websites
An ecommerce website is an online store where users can order and buy products or services, and pay for them within the platform. Ecommerce isn’t restricted to companies like Amazon that sell products to individual customers. The label covers all types of online shopping websites, including:
B2C:
A business that sells to customers, e.g. ASOS
B2B:
A business that sells to other businesses, e.g. Hubspot
C2C:
A website where customers sell to other customers, e.g. Vinted and DePop.
You’ve probably bought from one of the top ecommerce websites in the UK: Amazon, eBay, ASOS, Argos and Etsy. All of these, except Argos, are based solely online, meaning the only way you can buy from them is via the ecommerce website or app.
What makes these websites so successful?
Of course, you won’t be able to compete with Amazon, but that’s not to say you can’t learn a thing or two from Jeff Bezos’ ecommerce empire. 79% of consumers head to Amazon before any other ecommerce website because it has a strong brand presence and is easy to use.
Amazon makes it easy to find the products you want and has upselling and other promotional deals built-in to the overall online experience. When it comes to your ecommerce website, these are all things you need to prioritise if you want to take a slice of the Amazon pie.
With that in mind, let’s look at what goes into a great ecommerce website.
Elements of a great Ecommerce website
Your ecommerce website needs to meet customer needs, stand out from the crowd and encourage those all-important purchases. There are several factors to consider, so here are the most important ones you need to prioritise when building and launching your online store:
Technical setup
This is the foundation of any great ecommerce website– if your site fails to load, lack an SSL certificate, or your customers are faced with an error at the checkout, they simply won’t buy from you. Appointing an experienced web developer with a background in building ecommerce websites like yours will prove very useful when it comes to making sure it all runs smoothly.
Loading speed
Again, this is another common issue facing ecommerce websites. Users are impatient. In fact, studies show that nearly half of people won’t even wait three seconds for a shopping website to load. Google knows this, too. Website loading speeds are a known contributing factor to Google rankings. So, it’s paramount that you prioritise website loading speeds. You can check your site speed on Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
Delivery, returns and other vital information
When you sell products online, providing clear and concise product and general information to all customers is important. Your customers should know exactly what they are buying, how long it will take to arrive, where it is shipped from and how they can return it. You need to make these policies clear and accessible on your website from both the product page and the footer menu.
Customer reviews
Reviews are one of the most important factors in turning browsers into paying customers. In fact, research shows that 97% of people take customer reviews into consideration when buying an item online. So, you should look to include reviews of your product and overall shop on your ecommerce site. This could be either built into your website, or via a third-party review service like Trustpilot.
Simple checkout
Whether you build your website on Shopify, WordPress, Squarespace or with another similar service, one thing is always certain— the checkout process needs to be quick and simple. You might want to consider enabling Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and/or any other popular payment processes that customers will be familiar with.
Product categories
Customers shouldn’t have to work hard to find what they want. Categories are a great way to organise products, so users can easily navigate the products and make the right decision based on their needs.
Invest in marketing
It might seem obvious, but it’s something worth hammering home. Marketing can make or break ecommerce, and digital marketing, in particular offers a huge opportunity to draw new eyes to your brand. Invest in SEO, PPC (Pay Per Click), social media marketing, and email marketing, to ensure you capture customers' attention at every stage of the buying journey.
Learn more about ecommerce digital marketing in our comprehensive guide.
Go for the upsell
Alongside categories, you should build upsell functionality to encourage customers to add to their basket. This could be a “people also bought” section at the bottom or the page, or even a minimum basket value for free delivery. Whatever you choose, make sure it is clear to customers, and they are able to make decisions based on their own buying needs.
Eye-catching design
We’ve talked a lot about functionality, but how your website looks is still very important to customers. Your brand should stand out, and you should choose colours and fonts that appeal to your target audience, but also be aware of your competitors and try to make design choices that differentiate you from them. It’s worth bringing in a designer to support you here, so everything is consistent from the outset.
Invest in product photography
If your products don’t meet your customer’s standards, they won’t purchase from you again– they might even leave a negative review and tell their friends and family. One of the key ways to make sure this doesn’t happen is to invest in high-quality product photography. Aim to include multiple photos of each product, including all colour and size variations where possible. If you sell clothing or apparel, consider capturing photos of models wearing your products, so customers can see how it will look on them.
Consider using video
Video is another great medium for ecommerce websites, regardless of what you sell. Whether that’s a simple video of your product from all angles, or examples of people using it in situ. You can re-use photography and videography across social media and for other marketing purposes, so it’s always a valuable investment for ecommerce businesses.
Prioritise mobile-first design
According to Shopify, in 2023, over three-quarters of adults had made a purchase from their smartphones. We can only expect this figure to be even higher in 2024 and continue to grow over the next few years. Mobile shopping experience should be one of your highest priorities so people can shop on the go.
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Ecommerce website examples
Now that you know what goes into making a fantastic ecommerce website, let’s look at some of the brands smashing it. You can take inspiration from these market leaders and implement the best parts of their sites on your own.
ASOS
A top-class online shopping experience
There’s a reason why ASOS reigns supreme in the world of fashion. The online retailer regularly switches up offers but maintains a consistent and user-friendly navigation process that gives customers a seamless shopping experience. ASOS is particularly strong regarding the upsell, with a tailored “You might also like” section underneath all products.
Customers are encouraged to shop for entire outfits rather than single items, which is where ASOS really shines.
Argos
A high street success story
It’s worth looking closely at high-street stalwart Argos’ online shopping experience, as this is one of the best examples of how a brick-and-mortar business can dominate the digital world. Argos offers a seamless transition from online to in-store, allowing customers to browse what’s in stock near them, arrange click-and-collect at local collection points, and book home delivery slots.
In a world where many high street brands have struggled with the transition to online, Argos is a prime example of what’s possible when you invest in ecommerce.
Mailchimp
A B2B inspiration
There are many great examples of B2C ecommerce websites, but what about B2B? Businesses are also making purchases online and even on mobile devices, but their needs are different from those of your typical customer.
Mailchimp's email marketing platform is nothing like the stuffy, corporate shopping experience you might expect from B2B. Everything from the monkey mascot to the yellow branding and simple but straightforward copywriting makes Mailchimp genuinely iconic. One of the best things about this site is the collection of case studies, offering users unique insight into how Mailchimp works and what it can do for them.
Vistaprint
Customisable products
Many websites offer customisable product designs, and Vistaprint is one of the top in this field. The ecommerce site prints everything from t-shirts to business cards photobooks and calendars.
Vistaprint is designed for both a B2B and B2C audience and cleverly demonstrates how smart navigation and simple checkout can attract all types of audience.
The customisation functionality is seamless, making it easy for customers to use the templates or upload their own designs for clothing and apparel. You can choose everything from product colour to fonts and designs—Vistaprint even offers digital design services for those needing brand logos and other assets.
Ready to kickstart your ecommerce dreams?
In this guide, we’ve covered everything from types of websites to best practices and even examples of market leaders. Whether you’re already running an online store or need inspiration for your first shopping venture, you’ve got plenty of food for thought to get you started.
Turning your ecommerce site into a profitable business will require accounting expertise regardless of what you sell. Tracking your finances from the very start will help keep you on track and ensure you know what is profit and what needs to be kept aside. Get dedicated accountancy support from the convenience of an app with Crunch Ecommerce.
Need more insight into the financial side of your business? Read our dedicated guide to ecommerce accounting to learn about bookkeeping, inventory management and tracking your income and expenses.
