Components of an Ecommerce Website That Drive Sales

When I first started building ecommerce stores, I thought design would be the hardest part.
Turns out, the real challenge is function.

If people can’t find what they want, trust your store, or complete checkout easily — nothing else matters. You can have beautiful branding and great products, but if the experience is clunky, sales will suffer.

After testing hundreds of online stores (and fixing dozens myself), I’ve figured out the core components every successful ecommerce site needs. These are the non-negotiables that turn browsers into buyers.

Let’s go deeper into each.

1. Easy Navigation: If They Can’t Find It, They Can’t Buy It

When I land on an ecommerce store, the first thing I notice isn’t the colours or the branding.
It’s how fast I can figure out where to go.

If the menus are confusing or the categories don’t make sense, I bounce — and your customers probably do too.

What Easy Navigation Looks Like:

• Top navigation bar with clear categories like “Men,” “Women,” “Accessories” — no guessing games.
• Dropdowns that open fast and show relevant subcategories (e.g. Men → Trainers → New Arrivals).
• Search bar that works like Google: typo-tolerant, suggests results, and shows product images.
• Breadcrumbs so users know exactly where they are (e.g. Home > Shoes > Running Shoes).
• Sticky nav or floating menus that stay visible as you scroll.

Common Pitfalls I’ve Seen:

• Too many categories crammed into one menu
• Clever labels like “The Vault” instead of just saying “Sale”
• No search functionality or a broken search experience
• Mobile menus that collapse awkwardly or overlap content

Table: Good vs Bad Navigation

Verdict:

Navigation is the backbone of any ecommerce experience. If I can’t find the product in under 3 clicks, it’s game over. Keep it simple, predictable, and clear. This isn’t where you want to be creative — it’s where you want to be effective.

2. Mobile Optimisation: Design for the Thumb, Not the Mouse

Mobile traffic isn’t the future — it’s already the majority. Around 63% of ecommerce sales now happen on smartphones or tablets.

I’ve worked with stores where 80% of traffic is mobile, yet the site was only tested on desktop. That’s a huge mistake.

What Makes a Site Truly Mobile-Ready:

• Responsive layout that adjusts perfectly on all screen sizes
• Large tap targets for buttons, links, and dropdowns
• Readable fonts without zooming
• Fast load speed over mobile networks
• Optimised images that don’t eat up data

Real Example:

I once consulted on a Shopify store that was seeing decent desktop conversions but struggling on mobile. After testing, we saw the product images were overlapping the “Add to Cart” button on iPhones.

One small CSS tweak improved the mobile layout, and their conversion rate jumped by 27%.

Checklist for Mobile Optimisation:

• Test every key action on iOS and Android
• Use tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test
• Eliminate unnecessary popups on mobile
• Compress images with tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel

Verdict:

If your mobile site isn’t flawless, you’re leaving money on the table. Don’t just shrink your desktop layout. Design with mobile as the default. Every tap and scroll should feel easy.

3. Intuitive Checkout: Where Most Stores Lose the Sale

The hardest part of the ecommerce funnel is checkout.
Most people who abandon their carts do so because checkout is confusing, slow, or feels risky.

I’ve seen this firsthand. Stores with amazing product pages still lose 70%+ of carts because of clunky checkout design.

What Makes Checkout Work:

• Guest checkout option — don’t force account creation
• Persistent cart across sessions
• Multiple payment options — cards, PayPal, Google/Apple Pay
• Progress bar showing 3 simple steps (Shipping → Payment → Confirm)
• Auto-fill for fields like email, address, and postcode

Table: Good vs Bad Checkout Flow

From My Own Testing:

I reduced the steps in one client’s checkout from 5 to 3 and added Apple Pay — their checkout completion rate went from 51% to 72% in under two weeks. That’s a huge win with minimal changes.

Verdict:

Don’t overthink checkout. Keep it fast, familiar, and flexible. Give customers control. The goal is to remove every friction point, not to collect extra data.

4. Customer Support: You’ll Win or Lose Customers Based on This

I used to think customer support was just for post-sale issues.
I was wrong.

It’s a sales tool — when it’s fast, reliable, and helpful.

What Good Customer Support Looks Like:

• Live chat available during business hours (or 24/7 with bots)
• FAQ page covering shipping, returns, sizing, and order issues
• Contact form + email with a clear response window
• Order tracking integration

Real-World Example:

One store I worked with used Gorgias to automate live chat and pull in order info. Customers could ask “Where’s my order?” and get an instant update. That alone reduced their support ticket volume by 40% and improved CSAT scores.

Customer Expectations:

• Replies in under 5 minutes (live chat)
• Clear answers, not templated fluff
• Easy escalation to a human

Verdict:

Customer support isn’t an afterthought — it’s part of the shopping experience. Answer fast, be transparent, and make it easy for customers to trust you. That alone will separate you from 90% of stores.

5. Shipping and Return Info: Don’t Hide the Deal-Breakers

Shipping is one of the biggest deal-breakers in ecommerce.
If I don’t know how much it costs or when it’ll arrive until I’m checking out, I’m already annoyed.

Customers want clarity. Not just during checkout — from the moment they hit your product page.

What to Make Clear:

• Delivery timeline (e.g. 2-3 working days)
• Free shipping threshold (e.g. “Free UK shipping on orders over £50”)
• Return window (e.g. 30-day free returns)
• Refund process — how long it takes and what it covers

Where to Place This Info:

• On every product page
• In the footer
• During checkout
• In the order confirmation email

Real Talk:

I’ve helped stores lower cart abandonment by 18% just by adding a “Delivery in 1–2 days” badge on product pages and clarifying returns upfront.

Customers don’t mind shipping fees or return policies — they just want to know before they buy.

Verdict:

Transparency builds trust. Make your shipping and returns as easy to understand as your product description. If customers have to hunt for this info, you’re already losing them.

6. Strong Calls to Action: Don’t Let Them Just “Browse”

Your CTA is the nudge that turns visitors into buyers.
No CTA? No sale.

What Effective CTAs Do:

• Stand out visually (contrast colours, bold text)
• Tell users what happens next (“Buy Now,” “Claim Discount,” “Get 10% Off”)
• Create urgency or benefit (“Limited Stock,” “Free Shipping Today Only”)

Where to Place CTAs:

• Homepage banner
• Collection pages
• Product pages
• Cart page
• Popups for email signups

Smart CTA Strategies:

• Offer 10% off for email sign-up with a popup on exit intent
• Use a sticky “Add to Cart” bar on product pages as users scroll
• Add social proof (e.g. “1,200 people bought this in the last 30 days”) next to CTA

From My Own Results:

A/B testing a green vs. red CTA button on a product page increased clickthroughs by 14%. Colour psychology is real — but clarity beats everything.

Verdict:

Every page should push users toward action. Whether it’s a sale, an email opt-in, or a follow on Instagram, your CTA is what makes the visit worth it. Be bold and be clear.

Final Thoughts: The Core Components Aren’t Optional

If you’ve made it this far, here’s the short version.

Every ecommerce website that works — that truly makes money — gets these six things right:

• Easy navigation
• Mobile optimisation
• Simple checkout
• Accessible support
• Transparent shipping and returns
• Clear CTAs

This isn’t theory.
It’s what I’ve seen after auditing and working on ecommerce stores across different industries.

Get these components right and your site won’t just look good — it’ll convert.