# 10 tips for building an online shop > When building an online shop, you should think about your customers' needs. These 10 tips will help you do that. An online shop is a way to get your products, and possibly your services, in front of as many people as possible. When building one, you need to think about your legal obligations and GDPR, but beyond that we'd like to give you a few tips on making your online shop as user-friendly as possible. Tip 01 ### The buying process You can have the best product, but if customers can't find their way around the ordering system, that may be one of the reasons they never complete the purchase. The path to purchase should have as few steps as possible. If you need to add options such as colour, size, scent and so on, make the choice as clear and easy to understand as possible. An experienced designer can of course help you with this. The basket and the form where customers fill in their details are important steps too. Each field should have a clear label, so it's obvious which information goes where. _The simpler the buying process, the more customers complete their purchase._ Tip 02 ### Clear navigation When an online shop has many products, clear navigation matters too. Customers need to be able to find their way around the categories. If it isn't clear where to find products, it leaves a negative impression. They may then abandon the purchase and never come back to the site. _The faster customers get to the products they want, the faster they buy._ ![Clear online shop navigation](https://webikon.sk/cdn-cgi/image/width=2528,format=auto,fit=scale-down/https://media.webikon.sk/originals/2c/f0/2cf0ada7885bc4c8.png) Tip 03 ### Simple search Fast, effective search improves the user experience. Customers often use it to look for specific products, and when they find them quickly the whole purchase is easier, which can increase conversion. Make sure product names are assigned correctly so search works. If a customer doesn't find exactly what they're looking for, offer them similar products that might interest them. _Customers can more easily discover products that interest them._ Tip 04 ### Product recommendations Make buying easier for customers by recommending products on your site. Bestsellers usually catch their interest, which helps them choose if it's their first visit to your online shop. But you can also recommend products similar to the ones they're currently viewing or searching for. Besides making their search easier, this also helps your sales, because you show them more products. _Recommendations can increase the number of products sold._ ![DeerMates bestsellers](https://webikon.sk/cdn-cgi/image/width=2516,format=auto,fit=scale-down/https://media.webikon.sk/originals/70/3a/703a7168967682d0.png) Tip 05 ### Product photos Good, well-chosen product photos catch customers' attention. The visual side, of the whole website or of the product, is one of the main things customers base their decisions on when buying online. With product photos, and with other images on the website, make sure they are optimised so they aren't unnecessarily large and don't slow down loading. We can easily advise you on this, and there are also extensions that optimise images automatically once they're uploaded. _High-quality images can attract more customers._ Tip 06 ### Product descriptions Write apt, clear product descriptions. After the visuals, customers look at the description to find out more about the product. Describe exactly what the customer should expect to receive. That way you avoid unnecessary returns and complaints. Depending on what you sell, include dimensions or the quantity in the pack. _Accurate information reduces the risk of dissatisfied customers._ Tip 07 ### Product filtering Let customers filter products, so they can find their way around more easily and find what they want to buy. With clear filtering, customers have a more pleasant time in your online shop and will probably be happy to come back. _Customers find more precisely what they are looking for._ ![Product filtering in the DeerMates online shop](https://webikon.sk/cdn-cgi/image/width=2504,format=auto,fit=scale-down/https://media.webikon.sk/originals/c0/ea/c0ea42e4ed2400a8.png) Tip 08 ### Product reviews Customers look for reviews of the products they want to buy. You can see this in the number of channels and websites devoted entirely to reviews. Since they can't see the product in person, positive or negative reviews help them decide whether to buy it. Reviews also make a brand more trustworthy. Make sure they are easy to see, either next to individual products or on the homepage as a sign of customer satisfaction. _Positive reviews can motivate customers to buy._ Tip 09 ### Responsive design Responsive design is the absolute foundation of a well-functioning website today, but sometimes it's worth a reminder, and for online shops doubly so. Most people use a mobile device when shopping online. That's why our projects focus on responsive design, so customers can shop comfortably on their phones on the way to work. _Shopping from different devices can increase both customers and orders._ Tip 10 ### FAQ section A section with frequently asked questions is a great way to meet customers halfway and give them the information they're interested in. When the website launches, you may already know which questions come up most often. If not, keep track of what customers ask you and which problems you solve with them. You can then update the questions and answers as you go. Make sure the section is easy to find, though, either directly in the menu or with each individual product. _Customers can get information quickly without having to contact support._ ![DeerMates online shop FAQ](https://webikon.sk/cdn-cgi/image/width=2470,format=auto,fit=scale-down/https://media.webikon.sk/originals/d2/f2/d2f2955748727386.png) ### Build the shop for your customers It's good to know and apply the universal rules of what an online shop should look like. But don't forget that you are building it above all for your customers. Do your research and focus on your products. The specialists on our team can advise you on all of this. Take a look at the [online shops we've already launched](/en/services/ecommerce-development/), and [let's build yours together](/en/contact/). ### An online shop should adapt to how you sell. Tell us how you handle orders today, where your current solution holds you back and what you need to connect. We'll come back to you with a proposed next step. [Discuss your online shop](/en/contact/) [E-commerce development](/en/services/ecommerce-development/) --- Source: https://webikon.sk/en/blog/tips-for-building-an-online-store/