When it comes to the Ecommerce industry, Small Business Owners have either two choices; a Custom Design Store, or falling into the trap of choosing a cookie-cutter Template.
Here at Sites n Stores, we’re passionate about Custom Design, and you’ll often hear us singing its praises as an incredibly powerful tool that can see Small Business Owners reaping the rewards. But sometimes, Template Design is an all too appealing choice, seeming cheaper and easier to establish.
While it might seem like a good idea at the time to get your Ecommerce Store created on a Template, you may not actually realize the potential harm you’re doing to your Business. Templates may seem like the easier choice initially, but wait just a few months and you’ll begin to understand just how limiting and frustrating they are.
Before committing yourself to going down the bumpy road that is Template Ecommerce, take a look at these 6 reasons why you should seriously reconsider. Seriously.
1. You Look the Same as Everyone Else
1. You Look the Same as Everyone Else
This is one of the major pitfalls of choosing a Template for your Ecommerce Store. Templates are used by literally hundreds of thousands of Ecommerce Stores, which ultimately leads to these Small Businesses blending into one another.
These days, online shoppers are constantly scrolling through Ecommerce Sites, looking for something that catches their eye and grabs their attention. The trouble is, if you’ve chosen a Template Store, you’re going to blend in with your competition. Templates offer nothing by way of original design or creativity, meaning that once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
The only way to grab the searcher’s attention is to stand out with Custom Design. A Custom Design Ecommerce Store sets you apart from the masses, instantly making you recognisable against your competition. Even just by looking different, you’re more likely to stick in the mind of your potential customer, making your Ecommerce Store their go-to when they next want to purchase – simply because they remember you!
2. Unlikely to be Mobile Compatible
2. Unlikely to be Mobile Compatible
In today’s Digitally Orientated world, mobile and tablet usage has never been higher. This means, in order to have a successful Ecommerce Store, it’s absolutely vital to have a site that is mobile responsive. Fail to do this and you could be deterring potential customers away from your site by the truck-load.
According to Google, in 2016, 61% of users were unlikely to return to a site if they had trouble accessing it on their mobile device. Furthermore, 40% of these people then accessed a competitor’s Ecommerce Site instead.
Unfortunately, for the millions of Business Owners who have chosen Template Ecommerce Stores, many will find their store isn’t properly mobile compatible. This means that when visitors come to your Online Store when searching on a smartphone, the layout could be warped, the usability will be limited and certain crucial features – such as the shopping cart – may not function correctly.
Unlike Template Stores, Custom Design can ensure your Site is completely mobile responsive, giving users a completely stress-free browsing and buying experience. Responsive design will see your layout fit the screen dimensions of your visitor’s device, whether it be on mobile, tablet or laptop, with images scaling accordingly. Your Site will also appear more streamlined and elegant, a huge benefit for an Ecommerce Store as you’ll look more professional and trustworthy.
3. Doesn’t Convey Your Business Effectively
3. Doesn’t Convey Your Business Effectively
Template Designs were not made to look like you and your Small Business. They simply provide a soulless background, lacking personality and creativity, for which to present yourself. Whatever you’re selling, whether it be baked goods, clothing or children’s toys, using a Template will severely limit your branding capabilities.
Custom Design on the other hand, offers you a completely blank canvas for your Online Store, giving you free reign to present your Business’s individual personality, character and style. This significantly aids in your branding, something which is vital for Ecommerce Stores hoping to stand out and make a mark in the Online World.
4. They Poorly Showcase Your Products
4. They Poorly Showcase Your Products
Every Small Business Owner should consider their Ecommerce Store just the same as a regular brick-and-mortar shop. The way that products are displayed on the shelves play an enormous role in your customer’s purchasing process.
This is one of the ways that Template Design will let you down, time and time again. A Template Design can severely restrict the detail you can add to your product pages, and thus limits your ability to make products appeal to customers.
You only get one chance to display your products to potential customers, so don’t waste it! Custom Design allows you to create stunning, descriptive and inviting product pages, which will ultimately increase the likelihood of purchase. The flexibility of Custom Design lets you showcase high-quality, good-sized photos, excellent product descriptions that include essential information such as measurements, size, color and anything else that may help a potential customer to make a purchase.
5. Limits your Growth
5. Limits your Growth
The unfortunate reality of Templates is that they stunt Business growth with their extreme limitation.
Here at Sites n Stores, we know that your Business is constantly shifting, changing and expanding, which is why we always recommend Custom Design. A Template Ecommerce Store will provide little by way of change, meaning that your Business’s development and growth won’t be reflected accordingly to your online visitors. Not only does this mean you’ll be decreasing your potential to appear like a thriving Business, you’ll also weaken your authority within your industry.
Custom Design, allows for complete flexibility and changeability, meaning that as your Business grows, your store can too. This will allow for a better overall reflection of your Business and make you generally a more appealing supplier for prospects.
6. Lacks User Experience
6. Lacks User Experience
Slow load times, poor usability and characterless content and design are all the marks of a poor-quality Template, and all make for a lousy user experience. Due to their same-same atmosphere and cookie-cutter features, Templates offer very little by way of an exceptional shopping experience. Instead, they serve to make users feel as though their individual needs are not understood, or even recognised by your Business.
When someone visits an Ecommerce Store, they want a completely individual and unique experience that’s tailored to their own needs. This makes them feel as though they are a respected, valued customer and helps to build a strong relationship between them and your Business.
By working with Designers and Marketing specialists, like those here at Sites n Stores, you’ll be able to set-up your Online Store in a way that’s perfectly target to your specific market. This means you’re more able to provide visitors with exactly the kind of experience they’re looking for and thus maximize your return on investment!
Unfortunately, what a lot of Business Owners don’t realize is the damage that a poorly crafted, bland Template Site can have on their success. But hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll be better prepared to make the right decision when it comes to your own Ecommerce Store!
