Not so long ago, there was a time when desktops were the only way that users could view a website. So, every web designer knew that they only had to build websites that fit a specific screen size; at the time, every desktop pretty much had the same screen size, which was 800 or 1024 pixels wide. As computers became more popular, manufacturers started to make different-sized screens. That wasn’t really a big issue for web designers; they only had to add a scrolling feature to overcome the main screen navigation and viewing challenges. The Importance of Responsive Web Design for E-Commerce-
But something came along that changed the web design game—smartphones. Smartphones enabled users to view multimedia websites, which was revolutionary at the time. But there was a user experience problem, companies designed websites for larger screens, so mobile users had to constantly scroll and zoom to view websites on their tiny screens.
A solution, at the time, was to design two websites; one for desktops and another for mobile phones. Typically, the mobile phone website had fewer features. As the different types of screens, such as laptops, tablets, and phablets, increased, web design became more complex.
In comes responsive web design (RWD) to the relief of web designers and users. Web design enables a website to display on any device with the ideal dimensions regardless of screen size, platform, or orientation.
RWD allows the site to adapt the layout to the viewing environment using fluid, flexible images, media queries, and server-side components. Web designers save time and money by making one website, while users can view it from any device.
The Responsive Difference
Desktops are still a significant market, but there are more smartphones nowadays than in the past. Not only are there more smartphones, but users have been found to spend more time on their phones than they do on their desktops. As a business, you want to position yourself where your customers are to get more traffic. (buy belbien ambien) RWD doesn’t limit you to a single screen but makes you accessible across more screens.
The number of electronic devices is increasing, and so is the variety in screens. Think about it; consumers can now access the internet through their fridge or car screen. If an e-commerce site is accessible on those screens, then site owners will have an edge. For example, if a restaurant has an RWD site, it can sell meals to New Yorkers stuck in rush hour traffic from their car screens.
One of the driving principles behind a successful e-commerce website is to make the experience simple and easy to use. RWD doesn’t put any constraints on how users interact with the website; they can view it from a desktop or on the go using mobile devices. User experience is critical in e-commerce as it increases one-off conversions and retention rates.
The old ways of managing two websites are time-consuming and can get complicated. On a single RWD website, web management becomes more straightforward. The flexibility and optimization you find in RWD websites are also more straightforward for non-techies to understand and manage.
Imagine a user having to navigate your two sites to get service or buy a product? That is friction that can negatively impact your brand reputation. Customers want a fluid experience that they can recommend to their circle.
Over time you can save money with RWD. If you build a website for different devices, you must maintain and develop apps for them separately. An RWD website may have initial high costs, but it can have lower running costs in the long term.
Search engines also prefer to recommend RWD sites. The search engine realizes that the user will have a better experience on a website that can handle any screen size and not have to go through re-directs to get what they want. The e-commerce space is highly competitive. Your business needs every edge that it can get and can’t give the competition an inch of it.
An RWD site and its benefits are an edge that your business can use to get ahead. It has lower running costs, improves the user experience, makes your site more accessible, increases your brand reputation, and impacts key performance indicators like conversion rates.
Adapting to a Digital Market
Meeting the demands of a changing and growing online market through intelligent web design is key to e-commerce. Consumers want to access your website on their terms, whether at Central Park, a train station, at work or home. If your website doesn’t respond well to any screen size, then you create friction. An RWD is within reach for small and medium-sized companies. To get started with web design for your e-commerce business, you can contact a website design company in New York.
Invest in Your User Experience
E-commerce works well when the experience is frictionless. Create a website that will respond to your customers’ situation and improve the user experience. Create an RWD site that will give your business the edge.
Once changing form their old design to a new responsive design Apexmetalsigns.com saw a large increase in mobile conversions.
