Advantages of related product sections for eCommerce websites

web design manchester

If your website sells products directly, you have an eCommerce website. And apart from a stunning landing page, a user friendly checkout process, and a well designed product page complete with customer reviews, you should also design and include a related products feature too. But what are the advantages of related product sections for eCommerce websites? And does your website really need one? Well, as Manchester’s number one web design professionals, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we think this can be an important addition. We provide high quality, effective, web design solutions for a range of local companies and businesses across Manchester, and the surrounding area. This includes Blackburn and Stockport. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about related product sections.

What is a related product section?

So, first of all, what exactly is a related product section? Well, when you put something in your basket online, you might have noticed that other items are suggested to you. These could be items that accompany what you have just selected, or they could be items that other people have looked at, after buying the same item as you. From Amazon, to independent retailers, this is a standard practice that occurs across the internet.

Designing a related product section

Some related product sections include 3 to 5 items on a scrolling system, while others include a grid layout of up to 9 related items. Either way, you should make sure that your related product section is:

  • eye-catching and bright
  • in line with company branding
  • easy to use and interact with on all devices
  • responsive
  • designed using professional imagery

Advantages of related product sections for eCommerce websites

So, what are the advantages of using a related product section? Well, there are several, including:

  • Increasing the number of impulse buys- if your customer has added something to their basket, but your related products section shows them something else that they are interested in, you can increase your chances of making an additional sale. And this is classed as an impulse buy, as your users were not necessarily looking for the second item, and were instead drawn to it by the positioning and design of your related product section.
  • Improving the user experience- if your users are in a hurry, and they want to buy a couple of related items from the same website, an iron and an ironing board for example, offering these related products after the first item has been placed in the shopping cart is a great way to speed up the process for users, and improve their overall experience on your website. An improved user experience is a good way to encourage returning customers.
  • Meeting user expectations- because so many companies use this system, include large multi-national companies, as well as SMBs, your users expect to see a related product section. And so including one is a good way to meet their expectations, and show your potential customers that you are a professional, reliable company.

For more information or advice, get in touch with the experts today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.