With 12.1% of online retail stores using Magento, it’s pretty safe to say that this is one of the leading eCommerce platforms on the internet.

And that for some good reasons. Magento is highly customizable, SEO-friendly, and offers hundreds of tools that will allow you to build and manage your online store without much effort.

However, opening up a store on Magento doesn’t guarantee success.

There are thousands of other online stores out there, and chances are that some may sell the same products as you. Shoppers know that, and they’ll probably look at your competitors before making a purchase.

So how can you make sure that shoppers will choose you over the others?

Given that 94% of first impressions are design-related, having a well-designed website is a great first step in winning over more customers.

Let’s see how you can make that happen.

1.    Pick the Right Theme

For starters, you’ve got to pick a theme. This is the backbone of your website, as it determines your web pages’ overall look and feels.

But with so many themes available, wrapping your head around choosing the right one may be easier said than done.

To narrow down your search, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What features do I need?
  • What’s my design budget?
  • Do I need to customize it?
  • How do I want to display my products?

And as mobile devices generate 54.8% of all web traffic, choosing a mobile-friendly theme is a must. Otherwise, you may lose on a lot of potential customers.

Although most themes are responsive, some of them may still look a little off on mobiles. So be sure to test out different themes on your phone and see how they look.

2.    Optimize Loading Speed

Speaking of mobile-friendliness, 53% of mobile users will abandon a web page that takes longer than three seconds to load.

What’s more, website speed is classified as a direct ranking factor. In other words, a slow website will generate a loss of visitors as well as a drop in search engine rankings.

That said, speed test your website to see whether it holds up against the three-second mark.

If it doesn’t, the first thing you could do is optimize images. The larger the image files, the longer the loading time.

You can use plugins, like Catalog Image Resizer, to resize images automatically.

Watch out for the number of plugins you use, though. Sure, it might be tempting to add as many functions to your website as you can, but too many extensions will likely affect your loading speed.

Make sure to get rid of any plugins and widgets that do not add any value to your website, and stick with the necessities.

In some cases, bringing your website to optimal speed might take a little more work, like tweaking your theme’s code, for example. In that case, you should consider working with a Magento web design professional.

3.    Improve Product Pages

Product pages need to be in tip-top shape, as they play a significant role in influencing users’ purchase decisions.

For starters, display your products in the best way possible. Unlike brick-and-mortar stores, online shoppers can’t physically interact with the products.

Consequently, users will rely on imagery to determine whether your products are worth it.

That said, you need to use high-quality, zoomable photos. Display your products from all angles to give potential buyers a better idea of how the product will look once it’s in their hands.

Also, have at least one image where other objects surround your product. This will help users determine the actual size of the product easier.

When it comes to product descriptions, information needs to be clear and concise. Highlight your product’s benefits and stand-out features.

Furthermore, provide precise details in regards to pricing. That’s because 60% of customers abandon their carts due to unexpected costs, like additional fees, or extra shipping costs, for example.

Lastly, provide social proof, like customer reviews or ratings, to boost conversions.

4.    Optimize the Checkout Process

Well-put-together product pages don’t seal the deal, though. Users still need to go through the checkout.

A long and cumbersome checkout process will likely push shoppers to abandon your products.

That said, consider implementing a one-page checkout solution. There are plenty of plugins that will help you do just that. They’re fast, convenient, and will likely lead to higher conversion rates.

Also, avoid mandatory sign-ups during the checkout process. This is a surefire way to drive shoppers away from your website. Instead, you should implement guest checkout features or allow users to log in via their social media accounts.

Another best practice is to add multiple payment options. Different customers prefer different payment methods, so you’ll need to make the job easy for everyone.

Besides Credit and Debit cards, make sure to implement payment via Google Pay, PayPal, etc.

Furthermore, add an exit-intent pop-up for users about to abandon the checkout. You could offer them a discount to sweeten the deal or ask for their email address to send other offers in the future.

5.    Make Navigation Easy

Lastly, shoppers need to find the products they want quickly and easily.

First off, avoid providing too many options, as you can overwhelm users with the number of choices they have, thus giving them a hard time making a decision.

Instead, you should categorize products and display the most popular ones in the navigation menu.

Furthermore, you’ll need to have a search box. This way, shoppers will find what they’re looking for quickly.

Keep in mind that the search box has to be highly visible. Placing it in the top right corner of the screen may be your best bet, as that’s where most consumers expect it to be.

Also, implement an autofill feature to help shoppers search quicker.

Takeaways

All in all, with a bit of work, your Magento website will experience a noticeable increase in sales.

To make that happen, you’ll need to put customers first. First off, your website has to be fast and mobile-friendly.

After that, improve the shopping experience by allowing users to find products easily, including high-quality product photos, and making the checkout process as fast as possible.