How to Create An Ecommerce Store From Scratch

Overview

What is the best way to go about creating a new e-commerce store than can support hundred’s of SKU’s with an ability to filter by what part of the globe they are from? Best practices of what aids or hinders the performance of each page of an e-commerce store has been widely researched, tested, and documented. Utilizing proven approaches to these pages ensures an experience customers will find intuitive that performs well.

Goals

  • The Launch of a New Online Store for single sale items, separate from our usual Subscription Box offerings.

My Role

As the sole UI/UX designer for the project, I worked closely with management, customer service, and the engineering team. I was responsible for:

  • Researching the marketplace and best practices.

  • Wireframes / Prototyping / Hi-Fidelity UI design.

  • Design handoff, supporting internal and external engineering teams in implementation.

  • Maintain close contact with the Customer Service Team to ensure a successful launch and continued evolution of features.

Outcomes

  • Successful creation of a new sales channel that supports growth while offering a new purchasing format that customers were asking for.

Process Overview

Step 1:

Researched trends and patterns of the top 50 fastest growing companies in the DTC space. Utilized tools like Baymard Institute to research best practices that drive results. 

Step 2:

Created Wireframes, Site Maps, and Interactive Prototypes to share with the team to collaborate on our approach.

Step 3:

Ensured a seamless handoff with clear documentation of how elements should interact. Iterated on new features and solutions as we received feedback from customers. 

Summary

Through this project I utilized research-backed approaches to how pages and elements within an e-commerce store should be handled, and learned that starting with these best practices only takes you so far. The other half of the equation is knowing your customer through research, reading customer verbatims shared through surveys or support tickets. This allows you to determine all possible decisions from the point of view of improving the experience.