A sales website structure and optimisation tips
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Technologies similar to Cookies
Similar technologies are technics or tools, using certain characteristics to identify devices so that visits to a website can be analyzed. It includes, for example, HTML5 local storage, local Shared objects, fingerprinting techniques, tracking pixels and plugins.
For ease of reference, cookies and similar technologies are referred as "Cookies".
Usage of Cookies
Cookies enable us to provide users with certain features and supply us with information about website visits.
We also make use of cookies to make our site more user-friendly, to better understand our existing and prospective customers, including associating a user with different devices and browsers that they may use for online targeting and advertising purposes.
Regardless of size and product range, a successful e-commerce website, online store, or any commercial website stands out primarily for its design and ease of navigation. The catalogue structure and search function in such a store are built with Internet search mechanics in mind. Due to limited budgets, small business owners, start-ups, and novice dropshippers often choose ‘beauty’ and invest all their funds in the design of their resource. And they are mistaken! To prevent customers from closing the website in the first few seconds and getting lost in its catalogue, you need to think about functionality first.
Internet users don't want to spend a long time figuring out buttons. They are used to prompts and action. For some, placing an online order is a nerve-wracking process. They make a choice and are afraid of making a mistake. Therefore, the search and checkout process should be as simple as possible. Try to put yourself in your customer's shoes. How do they search for products? The structure of the website should allow for comparison of several products.
Let's figure out how to make the structure of an online resource simple, logical, and convenient for conversions. Fincraft Capital dropshipping managers offer you proven techniques that will improve your website or online store.
Internet users don't want to spend a long time figuring out buttons. They are used to prompts and action. For some, placing an online order is a nerve-wracking process. They make a choice and are afraid of making a mistake. Therefore, the search and checkout process should be as simple as possible. Try to put yourself in your customer's shoes. How do they search for products? The structure of the website should allow for comparison of several products.
Let's figure out how to make the structure of an online resource simple, logical, and convenient for conversions. Fincraft Capital dropshipping managers offer you proven techniques that will improve your website or online store.
Categories, subcategories, filters
Dividing a website into categories and subcategories is the basis of its structure. This is something that needs to be thought through carefully and in advance. Changing the structure of a working website that already has traffic is expensive and inconvenient.
The simplest classification:
Filters help to organise and streamline the search for products in categories. Each product is assigned an attribute by which it can be filtered. For example, a store selling electronics may have a ‘Smartphones’ category with filters for screen size, processor, memory, brand, and colour.
Life hack: Add product thumbnails to the category drop-down menu. This will help customers quickly understand what is in the section.
The simplest classification:
- Type
- Purpose
- Categories
- Parameters
Filters help to organise and streamline the search for products in categories. Each product is assigned an attribute by which it can be filtered. For example, a store selling electronics may have a ‘Smartphones’ category with filters for screen size, processor, memory, brand, and colour.
Life hack: Add product thumbnails to the category drop-down menu. This will help customers quickly understand what is in the section.
Limit the depth of the catalogue to three levels
The best catalogue structure is three levels deep (category—subcategory—sub-subcategory). Small shops should try to use a maximum of two levels. Three or more levels are needed for large portals. Do not overload the menu—a maximum of 7-9 items on the first level. Anything that does not fit into the basic structure can be placed in filters.
Add sorting functions:
Life hack: Make banners with promotions interactive — clickable, with animation or a countdown timer.
Add sorting functions:
- By price (from low to high and vice versa)
- By popularity
- By novelty
Life hack: Make banners with promotions interactive — clickable, with animation or a countdown timer.
Subcategories help to structure products more deeply, which simplifies the search. If there are fewer than 5-7 products in a subcategory, it will appear empty. If a subcategory includes only 2-3 products, consider which more suitable subcategory they can be moved to or which other products they can be combined with.
Life hack: Implement prompts such as ‘You searched for...’ or ‘Popular searches’.
Life hack: Implement prompts such as ‘You searched for...’ or ‘Popular searches’.
Delete all empty subcategories
Place products in multiple categories — this will help shoppers find what they need faster. If you want a particular page to rank higher than others in search results, make sure it is easy to access from the home page.
Use search filters so that customers can quickly sort products by price, popularity, or other parameters that are important to their choice.
Life hack: Try creating unique categories for unexpected product combinations. For example, create a section called ‘Random Finds’ or ‘Surprise of the Week’ that features products from different categories.
Use search filters so that customers can quickly sort products by price, popularity, or other parameters that are important to their choice.
Life hack: Try creating unique categories for unexpected product combinations. For example, create a section called ‘Random Finds’ or ‘Surprise of the Week’ that features products from different categories.
Place one product in multiple categories
It should be intuitively clear to the buyer what to do next. Guide them with helpful prompts, such as a ‘Next step’ button. Use clear and noticeable calls to action: ‘Add to basket,’ ‘Proceed to checkout,’ and ‘Complete purchase.’ Don't forget about the navigation chain so that the buyer can easily return to previous pages.
Life hack: Show products that are usually bought with the selected item and add a ‘Buy together’ button. This will help the buyer find everything they need at once.
Life hack: Show products that are usually bought with the selected item and add a ‘Buy together’ button. This will help the buyer find everything they need at once.
Simple navigation
Remove everything unnecessary, advise the experts at Fincraft Capital Czech Republic. Photos, product information, available options (sizes, colours, etc.) and price — that's all that should be on your product pages. No clutter or anything extra that could confuse or distract the buyer. Sort reviews so that those mentioning key features that buyers are most often interested in appear first.
The product card is an important element of an online store's success. For several years now, Google has been highlighting websites with unique content that is focused on people rather than search engines (Helpful Content Update) in its rankings.
Life hack: To display the most useful reviews in the product card, select those that describe the product's advantages in detail, have high ratings, or have many ‘useful’ marks. This can be done manually through the site's control panel or using an algorithm that automatically displays the best reviews.
The product card is an important element of an online store's success. For several years now, Google has been highlighting websites with unique content that is focused on people rather than search engines (Helpful Content Update) in its rankings.
Life hack: To display the most useful reviews in the product card, select those that describe the product's advantages in detail, have high ratings, or have many ‘useful’ marks. This can be done manually through the site's control panel or using an algorithm that automatically displays the best reviews.
Clean up your product pages
The customer adds items to their basket and places an order. The fewer steps the user has to take between these actions, the better. Make sure that the entire purchase process — from entering data to choosing a delivery and payment method — takes place on a single page. This will reduce the time it takes to place an order and simplify the task for the customer. Add a guest checkout feature.
Life hack: Save items in the cart even after closing the site. This way, customers can return to their purchases later.
In eCommerce, mistakes in the site structure can be costly. It is important to consider the needs of a specific target audience and think through the structure of the shopping site as much as possible. Study analytics and feedback — make changes. Fincraft Capital specialists analyse the websites and online stores of our platform's partners, checking the resource for: convenience and visual appeal, security, pricing transparency, multi-step and simple/complex navigation.
Life hack: Save items in the cart even after closing the site. This way, customers can return to their purchases later.
In eCommerce, mistakes in the site structure can be costly. It is important to consider the needs of a specific target audience and think through the structure of the shopping site as much as possible. Study analytics and feedback — make changes. Fincraft Capital specialists analyse the websites and online stores of our platform's partners, checking the resource for: convenience and visual appeal, security, pricing transparency, multi-step and simple/complex navigation.