A shopping cart is a term used to describe web software that allows an internet shopper to select items for purchase placing them in a virtual basket for later checkout. It is analogous to the shopping carts we all use in the super markets. Some web site designers will code their own shopping cart modules or use a commercially-available plug-in.

An effective ecommerce design is one that clearly displays important information. Probably the most important item of information is the price for a product and clearly showing the price helps build customer trust in a website. Another import facet of ecommerce web site design is to always display the “buy” button clearly from the shopping cart. When that button is difficult to find, customers might change their mind about the purchase while searching for it.

They design shopping carts so that customers can easily find and buy a product. They will try to adhere to the principle of least-clicks for shoppers trying to navigate the shopping cart. This requires implementing a search feature and clearly-defined categories with the ability to list subcategories by the hover of a mouse pointer over each.

Ecommerce web designers make sure to use quality photographs of products. Since the buyer cannot hold the item being purchased, a high-quality picture is the closest substitute to being there. Blurred images also tend to degrade the overall image of the website and can work against buyer trust.

Well-written descriptions help the buyer make smart purchases. As a web design client, you will most likely have to write all of the descriptions for each product in your shopping cart. A customer feels he or she is making a smart purchase when you give the most information possible. If the descriptions are too long, the web designer can recommend a “read more” link in order to have a breakout page or window to hold the remaining information.

A well-designed ecommerce website will have a cross-reference to related products. Customers on the site are oftentimes trying to compare just as they would in a traditional retail outlet. Not only are they trying to compare but looking for accessories too. A way to improve the customer shopping experience is to list alternative products and accessories under their own categories so that the buyer has an easier time looking for exactly what is wanted.

Credit card transactions are more than likely handled through a merchant account. In many ways this is advantageous to the website owner because the merchant services provider will handle much of the security required in an environment where credit cards are used. For example, a merchant services provider might actually provide the purchase web forms that capture customer name, phone number, credit card number, expiration date, and any other information needed. Plus, they do this all within the context of a secure socket layer which protects the electronic transmission of customer information.