The ecommerce industry has really boomed in recent years. What was an experimental step for most businesses ten years ago has become a necessity today. A Forbes report says that by the end of 2022, 20.4% of global retail sales will be attributed to e-commerce. As the demand is increasing and the market is becoming more crowded, ecommerce platforms are giving due consideration to improving the shopping experience. To stay on par with the evolving customer behavior, platforms are taking innovative approaches. This article will discuss the top ecommerce web design trends that are gaining momentum in 2022.
- Experimenting with filters
Filters are an integral part of ecommerce websites. They make the shopping process easier and quicker for the customers and are key to improving the usability of e-commerce sites. When it comes to filter design, ecommerce platforms have always stuck to traditional formats with drop-down menus and checkboxes. But in 2022, we are witnessing experimentation with filters.
Filters are taking more of a fun outlook and are doubling up as a source of entertainment for users. Interactive filters that add a touch of humor to designs and provide a more responsive experience are gaining popularity. Some designers argue that it adversely affects the efficiency of the search process. That is something to be taken into account when experimenting with filters.
- Using product cut-outs
Ecommerce sites use product images to attract more customers to the websites and improve the conversion rate. Genuine and high-quality product images are shown to increase the chances of purchase and establish trustworthiness. In this area, an upcoming trend in ecommerce UX design is the usage of product cut-outs.
Embedding product cutouts on homepages to create a collage outlook is a rising design trend in 2022. It provides an out-of-the-box feel to the website while also advertising the products. The ecommerce site can market its products in a memorable way using product cut-outs of popular or new products on the homepage or in marketing materials.
- Embracing animations
Traditionally, ecommerce websites use minimum animation as they prefer to not take chances of hindering the functionality of websites. Recently, the perspective is shifting and ecommerce sites have begun to embrace animations. Animations are found to make the user experience more enjoyable and immersive. It’s also seen to help in improving brand identification.
Animations on product pages to showcase products and on the homepage to reinforce branding are a trend in 2022. Even in website navigation, animations are being used to make the user's shopping journey interactive. Through animations, websites spread subtle cues about their brand influencing the users and creating a memorable brand image in their minds.
- Smart content loading
Ecommerce sites are rich in content so loading time is a major cause of concern for them. A large loading time makes users feel frustrated and lead them to abandon their shopping journey. To address this concern, ecommerce sites have been experimenting with techniques such as lazy loading, infinite scrolling, etc. In 2022, another trend called smart content loading will be seen in ecommerce platforms.
Smart content loading is a technique that allows users to upload only quickly loading graphics and imagery. As a result, they don't have to wait for a long time on websites for something to load. It is expected to be a revolutionary trend in the ecommerce industry as it will significantly improve the user experience.
- Comeback of retro
Retro themed websites have been making a comeback in 2021 and this year, it will be more widespread. Ecommerce sites will also be jumping on the retro bandwagon using UI trends such as neubrutalism and vaporwave.
These trends use bold palettes, old school fonts, neon elements and abstract shapes. It might come across as too loud for certain types of people, so if you plan to introduce the retro style to your ecommerce platform, ensure that it will work for your target audience. Otherwise, you will be doing more harm than good!
Wrapping Up
Although ecommerce has been widely in use for some time now, its popularity is rising at an exponential rate today. Online retailers cannot succeed with simple websites for merely sales purposes. From the creativity of designs to the satisfaction of customer experience, everything plays a role in making an ecommerce site acceptable today. As the competition in the ecommerce market is rising, staying updated with the latest trends is a sure-shot way to get noticed by your audience quickly. Using UI UX design services to create a user-friendly website will go a long way and ensure success for your business.
