Like any other business, e-commerce goes beyond just the product or service itself. Web design should take into account the business landscape and the competition. The web design should reflect what makes one’s business unique and distinct from the rest of the competition. It should take into account how to retain old customers familiar with the company and its offerings while innovating to attract new customers. It should help generate inbound traffic and transform that traffic into highly profitable sales.

The key to an effective website therefore is strategy. You must understand the terrain across which your e-commerce company is a part of and take the right steps to build your own identity. Only then will your distinct brand truly reflect in your web design — be it in the choices of color schemes or themes, or in the interactive elements implemented in the site, or in the choice of content to feature, or in the type of graphics used to present information.