If you’ve been paying attention to how people shop online lately, you may have noticed something new: they’re not just typing into Google anymore. They’re asking questions in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews—and then following the answers to make buying decisions. That shift means your ecommerce website has a new audience to impress: not just your shoppers, but the AI tools they’re using to find you. Designing your site with “AIO” (AI…
E-Commerce Web Design Tips
Designing an e-commerce store goes beyond visuals — it affects how customers navigate, find products, and ultimately decide to buy.
This section covers practical web design considerations for BigCommerce stores, including layout decisions, navigation structure, product presentation, and how to balance branding with usability.
You’ll find real-world insights on what works, what causes friction, and how to approach design in a way that supports both your business goals and your day-to-day operations.
Hiring a BigCommerce website designer for your store can feel risky, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Every designer has their own approach, and not every process will be the right fit for every merchant. That’s okay. The important thing is to find someone whose process aligns with your needs, goals, and communication style. Here’s how I approach BigCommerce design projects, based on working with hundreds of merchants over the years. If you’re…
If you’re building or redesigning your BigCommerce store, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to use a ready-made theme or go with a fully custom design. It’s a big decision, and not just about looks. Your choice will impact cost, launch timeline, flexibility, and even how your customers experience your site. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, so let’s break down what each option really means, the pros and cons, and how to decide…
Hiring the right BigCommerce web design company can make or break your online store. A good designer doesn’t just make things look nice—they understand the platform, know what helps customers convert, and can guide you through decisions that impact performance, user experience, and long-term flexibility. Whether you’re starting from scratch or thinking about a redesign, here are 10 questions to ask before choosing a designer and what to listen for in their answers. Essential Questions…
When launching a BigCommerce store, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to stick with a free theme or invest in a premium one. On the surface, free themes seem like an easy way to save money, but depending on your store’s needs, that savings might cost you in lost conversions or extra development work down the road. Here’s my take after working with hundreds of BigCommerce merchants. Free Themes: Budget-Friendly but Limited…
I get this question a lot, especially from clients who see there’s an update available for their theme and wonder if they should apply it. But theme updates aren’t always as straightforward as they seem. Let’s break down what these updates actually mean, how they work in BigCommerce, and when it makes sense to invest the time and effort in updating your store’s design. What Happens When a Theme Is Updated? When you first install…
The homepage of your e-commerce store serves as the digital front door to your business. A well-designed homepage sets the tone for your brand, provides visitors with a clear understanding of your store’s offerings, and encourages further engagement. To create a great homepage, you need to balance aesthetics with functionality. This will ensure that users can easily navigate and find relevant information while being drawn to high-priority actions such as browsing products or making a…
If you’re using a SaaS e-commerce platform like Shopify or BigCommerce, you have a variety of tools at your disposable for designing your store. Most design options will be in your theme settings, where you can choose colors, select fonts and configure your store’s basic layouts. SaaS platforms make it fairly easy to customize your design, however it’s easy to get carried away. Like many things, less is more when it comes to e-commerce web…
