In this blog article we discuss the E-Commerce Website Design Trends to be followed in 2016, so as to build an optimized, SEO friendly website with a good user expericene.
We live in a fast-changing world and in the case of online trends it is even more relevant. The eCommerce industry is not an exception in this sense. This industry is so dynamic that it keeps changing in its various aspects like eCommerce web design and functionality.
The design of an eCommerce site is the first thing that is going to impact the users. Today eCommerce websites are being developed at a rapid rate If you want to make your online store stand out among them, you need to assess the merits of current eCommerce website design trends.
We have prepared a list of eCommerce website design trends which to be followed in 2016 in the eCommerce industry. You can have a look at these trends:
1. Material Design
Material design is design language developed by Google in 2014. Its adoption has been a bit slow in the past year. But 2016 may be it’s time to flaunt. It is considered that the designers have a better understanding of Material design than ever before. So it may be a new design trend to look up for in 2016.
Material Design uses the concept of shadow effects and focuses on the dynamism which brings a charm of some graphical elements to the design. It enables the designers to create a beautiful interface which is more user-friendly.
Material design is being considered as an alternative to the flat design. It has already been featured in Google’s Android applications like Gmail, YouTube, Google Docs and Google maps, etc.
2. Responsive Design
Mobile internet usage has increased the popularity of the Responsive design in past few years, and it doesn’t seem to fall in the near future. It has become as in important requirement for most of the websites these days. There are so many screen sizes in modern time like a PC, Tablet or a mobile device and the websites have to fit all of them simultaneously. So it has to be optimized in a way to fit all the screen sizes.
It is user-friendly and at the same time, it is an easy way for the designers or business owners to design a functional mobile website. Moreover, Google’s update on mobile compatibility will keep it very much in fashion throughout the 2016 and the coming years.
3. Animation Rich Designs
Animations are very much in use in modern designs. It enhances the story telling of a website and is an excellent way to engage the users. Properly used animations can make the user experience better.
Large Scale Animations:
These are used as an interaction tool to have more impact on the users. They include parallax scrolling effect and pop up notifications.
Small Scale Animations:
These include loading bar and hover tools etc. They do not need a user input.
Loading Animation:
These are used to give the user a delightful experience. These are getting really popular for the flat design and one-page sites. However, they should be simple and match the color stream of the website.
Galleries and Slideshows:
Galleries and slideshows are a great way to show multiple images. These are very useful in case of websites dealing in photography and portfolios. These are impressive in product showcasing.
4. Motion Animations
This is a one of the coolest website design trends in designing which may be followed largely in 2016. It is a natural tendency of our eye to attracting towards motion, and it makes the Motion Animation a perfect tool to draw the user’s attention. It is a great way of product demonstration and highly useful in the eCommerce industry.
5. Hover Effects
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They provide the website a more natural feel. Hover effect defines the active elements of the website visually. They help in making it clear for the user where to click by highlighting the active elements with shadow effect or animation. However, it is an important aspect where to put the animation as you have to keep your site smooth. This is something which may be increasingly used as a design trend by a lot of designers.
6. Flat Design
With new trends emerging in the industry, the Flat design has never lost its value. It is still to be one of the most followed trends in near future. It is a minimalist designing technique and compatible with responsive design. The latest version even increases the credibility and accepts the use of long shadows giving more depth to the flat design. Some designers call it as Flat Design 2.0 as it is an upgraded version of the previous one. So it is going to trend throughout the 2016.
7. Hidden Menus
Menus are one of the most important aspects of any kind of user interface. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to show them prominently to the users. As the website designs are going through a new phase Hidden main menus are gaining popularity among the users as well as the designers. They were basically designed for the mobiles but getting popular as a desktop design too. There are of a great use on eCommerce websites as the remove a lot of mess. Keeping an eye on these factors we can say that this eCommere web design trend is going to be followed largely in coming future.
8. Card Design or Card like Layouts
Card design is a way to organize the products on your eCommerce site in a precise and easy to use manner. Card design or Card like layouts has secured its place with the designers as an emerging trend. It is amazingly user-friendly and helps the user to get the relevant information at a glance. One of the most important factors of its popularity is that it is a component of the Google’s Material design.
9. Large Background Images
This is another evolving trend in eCommerce website design trends. Large images or videos in the background show a product more impressively and helps to attract the users. They give the website a professional look and increases the user engagement. Although this has already become quite a famous trend, it is going to grow in popularity in 2016 as well.
These are some of the design trends to which can make a difference to your eCommerce website. You can wisely choose the design of your site to be with the time and make a difference right from the start of your business.
Thanks for sharing this detailed information. Very helpful and informative.