User experience (UX) is what makes or breaks an online shopping trip. When customers visit your store, they’re looking for more than products—they want a site that’s easy to navigate, quick to load, and enjoyable to use. If they don’t get that, they’re gone faster than you can say “checkout.”
For businesses on BigCommerce, website design is the secret sauce behind a great user experience. A thoughtful BigCommerce website design makes shopping feels effortless, keeps customers happy, and encourages them to return again and again.
In this blog, we’ll talk about practical ways to improve your store’s UX with effective website design. From navigation tips to checkout tweaks, we’ll show you how to create a site that converts browsers into buyers.
Simplify Navigation
A well-designed BigCommerce website starts with navigation. Once your store has the right look and feel, the next step is ensuring users can easily find what they’re looking for. Even the most beautiful site falls flat if customers feel lost trying to navigate it.
Intuitive navigation is the cornerstone of a great user experience. Clear menu structures, logical category hierarchies, and breadcrumb trails all work together to guide customers through your store. When users can find what they need without effort, they’re more likely to explore—and convert.
Take a fashion store, for example. A well-organized navigation system might break down products by categories like “Men,” “Women,” and “Kids,” with subcategories for “Tops,” “Bottoms,” and “Accessories.” Add breadcrumb trails so users always know where they are and how to backtrack, making the shopping experience seamless and frustration-free.
When customers can easily browse your BigCommerce store, they feel in control—and that’s a key ingredient for turning visitors into buyers.
Next, let’s look at how fast-loading pages play a critical role in enhancing that experience.
Optimize Page Load Speed
Once your navigation is seamless, the next step in improving user experience is speed. Even a well-structured site loses its charm if it’s slow to load. Fast-loading pages keep customers happy but are also great for boosting your search engine rankings. Google prioritizes speedy websites, and so do your visitors—no one wants to wait around for a page to load.
There are several ways to make your BigCommerce website load faster. Start with image optimization: compress large files without sacrificing quality to reduce load times.
Implement lazy loading so images and other heavy elements only load when they’re in view, rather than all at once. And minimizing code, such as removing unnecessary scripts and combining CSS files, can also make a big difference.
For example, compressing high-resolution product images can drastically improve page speed while still offering customers a clear, detailed view of your products. A faster site not only improves the user experience but also increases the likelihood of conversions and keeps bounce rates low.
With speed on your side, you’re setting a strong foundation.
Implement Responsive Design
Speed is vital, but so is adaptability. In an increasingly mobile-first world, a BigCommerce website design that looks great on desktops but falters on smaller screens is a missed opportunity. Responsive design means your store delivers a seamless shopping experience across all devices, from smartphones to tablets to laptops.
More than half of e-commerce traffic comes from mobile users, and they expect a site that’s navigable and responsive. Responsive design adjusts your website’s layout, images, and text to fit any screen size so that it looks consistent whatever device is used.
When your store works effortlessly on any device, you cater to the modern shopper’s needs.
Design Engaging Product Pages
With responsive design ensuring consistency across devices, the next step in enhancing your BigCommerce website design is creating product pages that captivate and inform. These pages are where customers decide whether to buy, so they need to deliver a rich, immersive experience.
High-quality visuals are the backbone of engaging product pages. Shoppers want to see every detail of an item before committing, and static images often aren’t enough.
What you can do is use multiple product angles, lifestyle images that show the item in real-world settings, and video demonstrations to provide a complete picture. These elements help customers visualize how the product fits into their lives.
An example of this is a furniture store. It can use 360-degree views to let customers virtually “walk around” a sofa, while lifestyle images show how it looks in a fully styled living room. Pair these visuals with concise, detailed descriptions that highlight key features, benefits, and use cases.
When product pages go beyond basic information and tell a story, they hold customers’ attention longer and encourage purchases.
Simplify the Checkout Process
Engaging product pages may entice customers to add items to their cart, but the real test is getting them through the checkout process. A complicated or confusing checkout is one of the top reasons for cart abandonment. Streamlining this most significant step will significantly increase conversions and leave customers with a positive impression of your store.
A simplified checkout starts with offering a guest checkout option. Not everyone wants to create an account just to make a purchase, so removing this barrier can make the process more appealing.
Keep form fields to a minimum by only asking for essential information, and ensure pricing is clear from the start, including taxes and shipping costs—no one likes unpleasant surprises at the final step.
A single-page checkout design is an excellent example of streamlining. All steps—entering shipping details, selecting payment options, and reviewing the order—are completed on one page. This eliminates unnecessary clicks and keeps the customer focused on completing their purchase.
By making the checkout process quick and easy, you reduce friction and increase the chances of turning browsers into buyers.
Use Clear and Actionable CTAs
Once your checkout process is simplified, the next step in improving user experience is ensuring your calls to action (CTAs) are clear, compelling, and strategically placed. CTAs guide users through your BigCommerce store, encouraging them to take specific actions like adding items to their cart, signing up for a newsletter, or completing a purchase.
The most effective CTAs are concise and action-oriented. Phrases like “Shop Now,” “Add to Cart,” or “View Collection” leave no room for ambiguity and prompt immediate action. Design also plays a crucial role. Buttons should stand out visually—use contrasting colors, bold fonts, and ample whitespace to draw attention.
For instance, a visually striking “Add to Cart” button placed prominently below product images ensures customers don’t miss their next step. Pair it with a secondary CTA like “View Details” for users who want more information before making a decision.
A BigCommerce website design that features well-placed CTAs improve navigation and drive conversions by eliminating guesswork for the customer.
Incorporate Customer Reviews and Testimonials
Once clear CTAs guide customers through your store, the next step is to build trust with social proof. Customer reviews and testimonials play a vital role in establishing credibility and reassuring potential buyers that your products deliver as promised. In fact, most shoppers rely on reviews to make informed purchasing decisions.
Displaying reviews prominently on product pages is one of the most effective strategies. Star ratings, written feedback, and photos from real customers help paint an honest picture of what shoppers can expect. A BigCommerce store selling electronics, for example, might feature star ratings next to product titles, followed by detailed reviews below the product description.
To maximize impact, include a section for top-rated reviews on your homepage or a dedicated “Customer Stories” page showcasing testimonials. Highlighting positive experiences not only builds trust but also strengthens your brand’s reputation.
Social proof reinforces the value of your products and boosts confidence, turning hesitant shoppers into loyal customers.
Provide Advanced Search and Filtering Options
Once trust is established through customer reviews, the next step in optimizing user experience is making product discovery as seamless as possible. Advanced search and filtering options help customers find exactly what they need quickly, even in stores with extensive product catalogs.
A robust search function should allow for natural language queries and provide relevant results instantly. Pair this with innovative filtering systems tailored to your industry to refine the shopping process.
For example, a florist shop might offer filters like “purple blooms,” “Valentine flowers,” and “romance,” while a furniture retailer could include options such as “material,” “room size,” and “style preference.”
These filters simplify decision-making and reduce frustration, encouraging customers to explore more products.
Maintain Accessibility Standards
A great user experience isn’t truly great unless it’s accessible to everyone. Your BigCommerce website design should accommodate users with disabilities for inclusivity and to strengthen your brand by showing you care about all customers.
Accessibility features are essential for compliance with guidelines like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and can expand your store’s reach.
Color contrast is a critical factor in accessibility. Make sure your text is easily readable against its background, especially for customers with visual impairments. Similarly, descriptive alt text on all images ensures that screen readers can convey the content to visually impaired users, allowing them to fully engage with your site.
Keyboard-friendly navigation is another key element. Some users rely on keyboards instead of mice, so your site should be navigable with tab and arrow keys. Form fields, buttons, and dropdown menus should respond properly to keyboard inputs.
Ensure Consistent Branding
Accessibility means everyone can use your site, but consistent branding is what leaves a lasting impression. A unified visual identity reinforces trust and enhances recognition. When your BigCommerce website design reflects your brand’s personality, customers feel a stronger connection to your business.
Consistency starts with a uniform color palette, typography, and logo placement across all pages. Fonts should be readable and reflect your brand’s tone—elegant for a luxury store, bold for a tech retailer. Design elements, such as button styles and iconography, should also follow a cohesive theme to avoid visual confusion.
Consider a beauty brand that uses soft pastel colors, minimalist fonts, and clean product photography throughout its site. This consistent aesthetic conveys sophistication and trust, reinforcing the brand’s identity.
Uniform branding ensures your store looks polished and professional, which builds credibility and encourages repeat visits.
(You might also be interested in reading about the buy online, pick up (BOPIS) option and how it works to improve your sales: Maximizing Sales with BOPIS.)
Conclusion
User experience is the cornerstone of any successful e-commerce store, and effective BigCommerce website design plays a pivotal role in delivering it.
Now it’s time to put these ideas into action. Start enhancing your BigCommerce store today, and watch how a great user experience transforms visitors into loyal customers.
Build a BigCommerce Store That Shoppers Love with Epic
Why take time away from running your business to design a website? Let Epic handle it for you! We specialize in creating BigCommerce website designs that deliver seamless user experiences and real results.
Focus on growing your business while we take care of your online presence. Contact Epic today and let’s bring your vision to life!
