Visual merchandising is normally associated with retail. However, with the new normal pushing more consumers online, it is important to have a good presence online with beautiful graphics and information on your products.
For online, consumers visit the eCommerce site via mobile and web browsers. It is important to have an aesthetically pleasing online store with beautiful images.
It is important to apply similar design thinking process for retail on your eCommerce site.
1) The web page is your storefront. You need to have proper display and ensure navigation helps with decision making process. Also keep in mind that many consumers may be on mobile phones as well, so having an easy to use mobile site is important.
2) Simple, uncluttered and easy to navigate. The user experience is very important. I’ve been to many sites, and felt that Bliss has a very good interface.
The site layout is your shop layout. Make the most popular or new products which you want to highlight most accessible.
3) Site Navigation is like the section of isles of your store. Make navigation easy to help your customers get to what they want fast. You may lose customers if process is too complex.
4) Images and Videos are like your marketing display. It is important to have good quality photos and videos. Additional information that is needed to help with the purchase decision must be easily accessible as well.
5) Online Promotions is like sales event at the physical store. You can use similar tactic like bundling items together or gifts with purchase to drive sales for various items. It can be a good way to drive traffic to the store and entice customers to buy more.
6) Checkout is one of the most important part of the eCommerce site. This is the final piece before your customer finalize the sale, and most crucial part. If the checkout is hard to use, the customer may simply leave and buy from another site.
Product packaging is important and the pictures you use along with the navigation of the page and checkout creates the shopping experience for the customer. You can even think of your social media promotions as a sales event that tries to engage past and potential customers to return to the shop to buy more.
Visual merchandising principles for a physical store can be applied to an online store and your tested and proven tactics just need to be adapted to create an immersive shopping experience for your customers.