Take a quick look around the Internet, and you’ll quickly notice one thing: ecommerce is everywhere. In fact, these websites are a growing source of not only opportunities to buy something but also a chance to learn. After all, content marketing and consumer education are an important way to drive traffic to these sites. That’s why it’s always smart to regularly check out other ecommerce website examples to see what you might learn.
However, content marketing only gets people to visit your website. You’ll also need a compelling product line, a well-designed website, and clear branding to gain sales. Otherwise, your site can have lots of visitors with a low conversion rate. That’s why you need a well-designed website optimized for conversions.
The Importance of a Well-Designed Ecommerce Website for Businesses
Any marketer knows that certain methods work better than others at driving value. Certain principles apply to everyone, while others demonstrate that one size doesn’t fit all. Every site needs an effective way to drive traffic, but it must also capture consumer attention and demonstrate compelling value.
Especially in an era with high inflation and other economic challenges, branding is critical. Your website needs to distinguish itself from competitors with similar product lines. Similarly, customers want a frictionless product selection and ordering process. This requires careful design, thoughtful navigation features, and a well-articulated brand story.
You need to stand out from the crowd if you want to increase sales.
15 Ecommerce Website Examples to Spark Your Inspiration
While I’ve talked at length about what makes a great e-commerce brand and effective marketing, it’s great to discuss some examples. Each of these websites has achieved branding greatness and can help you decide how to design your own site. A few of these are niche, while others are larger and have a broader appeal.
Who said footwear needed to be fancy? Or waste a bunch of non-renewable resources to construct shoes most of us won’t wear after a year? Allbirds is a sustainable footwear company that helps you take care of the planet and your feet.
While some green product companies have fancy designs and a flashy website, Allbirds does neither. In fact, the site design integrates quality photography and skillful product descriptions that help present each shoe in a compelling way.
Finally, look at the testimonials. Most shoe companies emphasize styles and colors. However, Allbirds leverages user-generated content on their website to demonstrate how their shoes help people. As a bonus, you can use what other people say as a guide to which shoes might work best for you.
When most of us think of “fun slippers,” bunnies and other outlandish designs come to mind. Similarly, durable slippers often lack personality.
A quick look at the Mahabis website demonstrates that fun, durability, and sustainability can go hand in hand. Just as importantly for some, certain slipper models support your feet.
Showcasing the brand’s playful personality, Mahabis uses pop-up ads and email marketing to reach customers. Visitors will immediately get offered a coupon for email sign-ups and then be updated about the latest releases. As you browse, Mahabis makes it easy to select between men’s and women’s models, level of warmth, and other factors.
In other words, buying is easy and fun, and you’ll help save the planet.
When most people hear the term “fine jewelry,” they think of something that’s expensive or even unattainable. Likewise, it’s easy for people to think that a small piece of jewelry is “cheap.” Mejuri’s jewelry is neither: It features minimalist design and top-notch craftsmanship. Because their pieces are (generally) delicate, you can have inexpensive jewelry that looks impressive and features quality materials.
On the website, you’ll see the imagery and typeface reflect Mejuri jewelry because it features simple elegance. The site can also help you choose the right jewelry based on personalized recommendations. Did they catch you looking? If so, you’ll get carefully targeted email campaigns that help turn a browser into a customer.
Function of Beauty is a haircare brand that thrives on personalization and customization. This is a genius idea because many people struggle with finding the right haircare products. Do you have fine, curly hair? Many of the products made for curly hair are too heavy and weigh your hair down. Likewise, those with thin hair might desire something that produces more volume. Buying an off-the-shelf haircare routine may be a challenge.
Nowadays, custom beauty solutions are fashionable, especially since they often work better than traditional products or provide more convenience. Function of Beauty helps you find the right formulas through interactive quizzes and educational content. Then, you can have the best products shipped to your door.
Besides their careful presentation of Function product value propositions, the company uses social media heavily. In particular, when I went to their site during the writing process, I immediately noticed their TikTok campaign. It offered special gifts for a minimum purchase – the gifts were “TikTok approved” through user-generated content.
Further Reading: 9 Killer Ecommerce Email Marketing Strategies for Maximizing ROI
Love fashion but not the strain that garment manufacturing can have on the environment? This women’s clothing store emphasizes its commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing, such as by using organic cotton and natural linen. In addition, many styles are both modern and timeless – you won’t feel like that piece is out of style by next year.
Navigating the site is easy. Select by collection, like natural fibers, wear-to-work, or evening wear. You can also view by garment type or intended use. Either way, you’ll get a nice selection of clothes that don’t break the bank.
Finally, the brand emphasizes its commitment to corporate responsibility by giving back to the community – and taking care of the people who help bring their clothes to your door.
With transparency and ethical manufacturing more important to consumers than ever, clothing company Everlane delivers. They have a whole section on their website that discusses the ethics behind clothing and how their company delivers.
As you browse the product offerings, you’ll notice that the photography is top-notch. Everlane designs tend towards minimalism, so good pictures are essential to showcase the texture of each piece. Quality product descriptions and educational content help customers feel confident about their selections.
Finally, Everlane uses modern techniques to market its products. In particular, they leverage customer reviews and other user-generated content. This content is displayed both on their website and social media accounts.
Further Reading: How To Build An Ecommerce Website: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you’re into beauty, you probably recognize this brand. Not because it’s a traditional makeup company that your grandmother might’ve worn, but because it’s a modern brand that gets a lot of attention.
Navigating to the site, you’ll be immediately greeted by minimalist and modern aesthetics. To complement this, Glossier uses a lot of lifestyle imagery that shows how a modern woman can look effortlessly beautiful wearing their products.
While many newer brands fail because they never catch on, Glossier has seen their content go viral. One reason for this is their ability to adapt to current social media trends, such as showcasing their photos on Instagram. Similarly, Glossier puts plenty of products in swag bags and subscription boxes, boosting their exposure and amount of user-generated content.
Finally, skillful influencer marketing has made Glossier a well-known makeup brand. It’s a great example of leveraging the Age of Influence to the corporate advantage.
For so many people, memories start with a piece of luggage (or two) on the way to Grandma’s house or a family vacation. Sadly, modern luggage is often cheap and falls apart easily. Or, it’s ugly and overpriced. Away Travel hopes to avoid both of these pitfalls with its premium travel gear. It’s made to last and looks really nice on the carousel (and marching down the hallway).
Away emphasizes the quality of its products by showcasing their potential. For instance, you can get an expandable suitcase plus a matching carry-on. Both will last you for years in exotic getaways and business travel alike. Want some inspo? You’ll find it in the destination guides.
Finally, Away uses testimonials and social media campaigns to demonstrate that its products are truly worthwhile. In a relatively saturated and competitive market, social proof and authenticity are critical, especially if you’re asking people to spend good money on quality products.
Further Reading: 15 Best Ecommerce Website Builders to Set Up Your Web Shop
Patagonia focuses on preserving the environment and fostering outdoor adventures with top-quality gear. You can see this right away on their website, which features mountainous terrain as the main photograph. As a brand, Patagonia funds environmental causes and helps promote sustainability with top-quality construction.
Consistent with the focus on quality, Patagonia uses very high-quality product photography and detailed descriptions. These help you pick the right item and buy less, which uses fewer resources. They’d rather sell you the right item the first time than let you fail on other options. You can even buy pre-owned gear through the website.
Finally, Patagonia encourages social activism and customer engagement. One way they do this is by posting opportunities to take action on their website. Organizations that foster activism can also apply for funding from Patagonia’s “1% for the planet.” Best of all, many pieces are made from sustainable materials by factory workers that make a living wage.
Having house plants or an outdoor garden is a longstanding tradition. However, The Sill presents a modern take on plant parenthood and lifestyle inspiration. When you go to the site, you can’t miss the announcement of a limited-release rare plant that’s a master of FOMO.
That said, The Sill doesn’t just sell plants with pretty pictures. Instead, they leverage educational content and plant care guides. These help visitors pick the right plants for them, learn how to care for the plants, and boost their chances of success.
Of course, you can get many of these things at your local nursery, so The Sill needs to showcase their value as a website. For this, they use social media engagement and influencer marketing. Buying plants online has never been so fashionable.
One reason that vintage wardrobe staples like jeans are so popular is the high quality as compared to newer items. Anyone over 30 remembers when you could go to any department store, get a pair of jeans off the rack, and wear them for ten years.
Madewell is a company that sells classic, approachable fashions. And as their name suggests, the goal is to offer items that are well-made and sustainable. They accomplish this by using quality materials and responsible manufacturing techniques.
To drive their point home, Madewell uses product photos that remind you of the days when clothes were comfortable and high-quality. They also leverage lifestyle content to show how well these clothes fit into your everyday life. And finally, there’s a skilled use of both customer reviews and social media techniques.
Further Reading: 13 Free eCommerce Platforms to Launch Your Store on in 2024
Traditionally, eyeglasses are a major expense for many families. And if someone needs bifocals, costs can easily seem astronomical. However, this reality is changing through companies like Warby Parker. They have a commitment to affordable eyewear while also accepting insurance that lowers the price even more.
Of course, many people find the idea of buying glasses online daunting – it’s often hard to visualize how glasses will look on you. Warby Parker helps resolve this issue with customer education content, a style quiz, and their home try-on program. Then, when you order a pair of glasses, they’ll provide a free pair to someone in need.
Finally, Warby Parker uses their free-pair program and other aspects of storytelling to help drive social media success. The brand loves to hear from customers about how great their glasses look or how much money someone saved. Who knows? Maybe there are reviews from people who got a free pair.
Go into most urban pharmacies, and they’ll have shaving products locked up because they’re expensive. Harry’s focuses on modern, high-quality grooming products at a fair price. This value proposition, along with the personalized grooming experience, is their focus – and it shows clearly on the Harry’s website.
Of course, offering great deals isn’t always enough to produce a compelling website. Therefore, Harry’s uses storytelling and humor on their site and in marketing campaigns. Humor successfully turns an ordinary discussion into something memorable and keeps Harry’s distinct from the competition on more than just price.
Harry’s also has a highly effective social media campaign that leverages user-generated content, quality branded items, and influencer marketing. All of these are a great way to demonstrate that their products are inexpensive but offer good value, unlike full-priced brands or ordinary cut-rate store brands.
Men’s grooming isn’t something we typically talk about often, but Manscaped bucks the trend. They are a grooming company focused exclusively on male self-care. Both their advertising and website offer a humorous take on this mundane activity – while offering a huge range of products that help with all aspects of grooming.
However, Manscaped doesn’t just throw product descriptions up on their site and add a few jokes. Rather, they publish plenty of educational content to help you pick the best products for your needs. Reviews are posted on the website, so you can make an even better-informed decision.
Finally, Manscaped uses targeted advertising and social media to spread the word. For example, they pitch products to women as potential gifts for the men in their lives. Men hear about relatively effortless grooming that doesn’t result in discomfort. And the humor of various ads reflects who they’re targeted to.
Further Reading: 15 Best Ecommerce for Small Business Platforms in 2024
Superfoods and dietary supplements have been part of health and wellness for a long time. Athletic Greens produces a powdered supplement that includes both of these and more. For that reason, the company places a huge emphasis on health and wellness throughout its website. They also mention that the supplement has scientific backing rather than simply throwing things together and hoping it works.
The name Athletic Greens makes sense when you consider other aspects of their branding. First, the drink itself is green because of the superfoods that are included. Second, this product has several celebrity endorsements, including some Olympic athletes. This is an incredibly effective use of influencer marketing, as the product aims to help people live a more healthy lifestyle.
Key Takeaways from These Ecommerce Website Examples
Now that I’ve talked about these ecommerce website examples, here are some key takeaways. Most of their techniques are easy to use with some planning. Furthermore, they work well with large and small brands alike.
Establish a clear brand identity and maintain consistent messaging across all platforms. People need to identify your content as yours regardless of where they see it. Done right, even items like Instagram posts can help reinforce the benefits of your products.
Enhance your website with high-quality visuals, engaging content, and a user-friendly experience. Potential customers need to know that you care about your products, and they expect a frictionless experience. Having good customer education helps a lot, too.
Connect with customers emotionally through storytelling and personalized content. Many of the brands I showcased here focus on personalization, and the idea of having something “just for you” is a major theme for the modern consumer. Plus, not everyone responds to the same
Regularly analyze and refine your website’s performance for improved customer engagement and conversion rates. Not only do different customer groups respond differently from each other, but tastes change. What worked last year may be ineffective now. To stay ahead of the curve, you’ll want to tweak your approach as needed.
Which of these ecommerce website examples is your favorite? Any others that didn’t make the list but should have?
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