How to design a website that sells? The principles of good UX

An effective website can be one of a company's most important sales tools. However, not every website delivers the expected sales results. A well-designed website should be more than just a company's business card - it should genuinely support sales and guide the user toward conversion. An attractive appearance alone is not enough. The key is combining the company's business goals with users' needs and expectations and translating them into properly designed UX or user experience. It is shaped by, among other things, well-thought-out information architecture, a clear content structure, intuitive navigation and clear communication, which together make it easier for the visitor to find information, understand the offer and make a decision.

So how do you design a website that sells? In this article, we'll present the most important principles for designing effective websites - from understanding user needs and planning the purchase path, through building trust, to the elements that help turn visitors into customers.

What is UX and why is it important in website design?

UX or User Experience, is the sum of a user's experiences while using a website. Good UX means making it as easy as possible for the user to use the site - by properly arranging elements, organizing information and guiding them through subsequent stages in a way that always lets them know where they are and what to do next. It's about removing unnecessary barriers on the way to conversion, so that finding information, contacting the company or making a purchase happens naturally, without frustration or unnecessary hesitation over the next step.

It's worth remembering that users today have high expectations of websites and little tolerance for problems using them. If a site is unclear, makes it difficult to reach important information or requires too much effort, a potential customer may leave it and choose a competitor's offer instead. That's why investing in UX is not just about improving the site's appearance - above all, it's about increasing ease of use, effectively presenting the offer, building trust, highlighting the most important information and guiding the user toward actions that increase sales effectiveness.

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What are the key principles of good UX in e-commerce?

UX design in e-commerce should make it easy for the customer to move through the entire purchase process - from finding the right product, through learning about the offer, to completing the order. When designing an online store, it's therefore worth paying special attention to the elements that affect shopping comfort while also supporting conversion:

Simplicity and clarity - the interface shouldn't compete with the offer. A clear content hierarchy, proper highlighting of products and value propositions, and limiting unnecessary elements help focus the customer's attention on what matters for the purchase. The site should be intuitive and easy to navigate.
Intuitive navigation and search - the customer should quickly reach the product they're interested in. A logical category structure, clear menu, search bar and proper filtering are especially important in stores with an extensive product range.
A well-designed product page - high-quality photos, a highlighted price, and the most important features and product information, availability and CTA should form a clear whole. The product page must provide the information needed to make a decision and properly present the value of the offer.
A clear purchase path - the process from adding a product to the cart to placing the order should be as short and understandable as possible. The customer should know what stage they're at, what data they need to provide, and what the costs and delivery time of the order will be.
Responsiveness and mobile UX - shopping on a smartphone requires properly designed menus, product lists, filters, forms and CTA buttons. Simply shrinking the desktop version of the store isn't enough - the purchase process should be convenient especially on mobile devices.
Trust-building elements - information about delivery and payment, warranties and returns, customer reviews or contact details should be available at the right moments in the purchase process. They help the customer assess the store's credibility, build trust and make the decision to buy.
Loading speed - Users expect a page to load within a few seconds. Slow loading of category pages, products and subsequent order stages can lead to the loss of potential customers and a drop in sales.
Personalizing the experience - product recommendations, recently viewed products or content tailored to user behavior can make browsing the offer easier while also helping increase cart value and sales.

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What elements should be included on a sales page?

An effective sales page shouldn't just present the offer - above all, it should help the user understand its value, dispel doubts and make it easier to decide. Depending on the type of business, the conversion goal may be a product purchase, submitting a form, scheduling a consultation or signing up for an event. That's why, when designing a sales page, it's worth taking care of a few key elements:

A clear layout and information hierarchy - the offer and communication on the page should be organized so the user doesn't have to search for the information they need. A proper content structure and element hierarchy help the user understand the offer, find key information and move smoothly to the next decision stage.
A clear value proposition and benefits for the customer - the user should quickly understand what the company offers, who it's for and why it's worth using. Communication shouldn't be limited to presenting product features or the scope of a service - it's worth showing what the customer will gain from them, what problem they'll solve and what result they can achieve. The most important arguments should be visible already in the first part of the page.
Addressing user needs and objections - an effective sales page should account for how the customer analyzes the offer and makes a decision. It's worth identifying what they expect, what criteria they consider and what doubts they might have, and then planning communication to provide the arguments they need to make a decision.
An attractive presentation of the product or service - high-quality photos, video materials, project examples or presentations of results let the user get to know the offer better and see its value in practice. Instead of just reading about the product or service, they can see what the company actually delivers and more easily assess whether it fits their needs.
Social proof and customer reviews - recommendations, testimonials, case studies or information about existing customers increase the company's credibility and give the user greater confidence before making a decision. Other people's experiences show that a reliable company stands behind the offer presented, one that can be trusted with a project or service.
Trust-building elements: It's worth adding a section with partner logos, security certificates or quality guarantees. Such elements effectively reduce customer concerns and increase the conversion rate.\
Clear calls to action (CTA) - the user should know exactly what to do to take the next step toward a purchase or starting a collaboration. A well-designed CTA is properly highlighted and clearly indicates the expected action, while also dispelling any last doubts before contact. Its job is to make it easier to decide and to point the user in the right direction.

What tools support UX optimization on a website?

Designing an effective website doesn't end when it launches. Analyzing real user behavior lets you verify the assumptions you made, find elements that need correcting, and keep developing the site through UX optimization. Tools that help with this include:

Google Analytics - lets you analyze traffic and user behavior, including acquisition sources, visited subpages, events and completed conversions. This helps you see how users move around the site and at which stages you're losing potential customers.
Microsoft Clarity and Hotjar - heatmaps and session recordings show how users actually use the site - where they click, how far they scroll through content and which elements cause them problems. This lets you compare your design assumptions against real user behavior.
A/B testing tools (e.g., Optimizely) - let you compare different variants of a chosen element, such as a heading, CTA, form or section layout. Instead of basing decisions solely on assumptions, you can use data to check which solution more effectively guides the user to conversion.

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How to test and improve UX on a sales page?

UX optimization shouldn't be based on assumptions. After launching a site, it's worth observing how users actually use it, drawing conclusions from the data and introducing further improvements on that basis. This way, the site can be systematically developed not only in terms of usability, but above all sales effectiveness.

1. Analyze user behavior - check how users move around the site, which content engages them most, where they end their visit and at which points they abandon the next step.
2. Look for causes, not just problems - information about a low form conversion rate or a high number of exits from a subpage alone doesn't tell you what needs to change. It's worth combining this data with session recordings, heatmaps or customer feedback to better understand user behavior.
3. Gather user feedback - analytical data won't always tell you why a user abandoned a purchase, didn't submit a form or had trouble understanding the offer. Conversations with customers, surveys or information gathered by the sales team help you better understand their needs, questions and doubts, and then use that knowledge to improve the site.
4. Create and test hypotheses - based on the information you've gathered, determine what could improve the site's performance. Then test changes, e.g., in communication, content layout, forms or CTAs, and check their impact on user behavior and conversion.
5. Draw conclusions and keep developing the site - implementing a change shouldn't end the process. It's worth re-analyzing the results and using the knowledge gained for further improvements.

What UX trends will dominate in the future?

The development of technology is changing how users interact with websites, yet the core goal of UX remains the same - to make it as easy as possible for the visitor to find information and achieve their goal. New solutions should therefore not only make a site more attractive, but above all genuinely improve its usability and sales effectiveness.

Artificial intelligence and personalization - AI increasingly allows content, products and messages to be tailored to the needs of a specific user. It can also support information search, product recommendations or customer service, shortening the path to finding the right solution.
An even greater emphasis on simplicity - as the amount of content and functionality grows, the importance of clear, minimalist interfaces increases. Design will increasingly focus on cutting unnecessary elements and highlighting what actually helps the user make a decision.
Interactive presentation of the offer - configurators, calculators, comparison tools and interactive presentations let users get to know a product or service better and tailor the offer to their needs even before contacting the company.
Data-driven design - analytics, session recordings, tests and user feedback make it possible to assess the effectiveness of specific solutions with increasing precision. This means UX development can be based on actual customer behavior rather than solely on design assumptions.
Accessibility and WCAG-compliant design - accessibility is becoming one of the standards for designing modern websites. Proper contrast, readable typography, keyboard support and the right content structure allow a wider group of users to comfortably use the offer, regardless of their limitations or how they access the internet.
Storytelling and narrative design - websites are increasingly moving away from presenting an offer as a set of independent sections in favor of a well-thought-out narrative. The right sequence of messages allows the problem, solution, benefits and arguments for the offer to be presented gradually, guiding the user through the content in a way that supports decision-making.

In summary, designing a website that sells requires understanding and applying the principles of good UX. It's worth investing in optimizing the user experience to turn visitors into loyal customers and increase sales results. Remember that UX is a continuous improvement process, and keeping up with the latest trends and technologies will help you maintain a competitive edge.

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Autor wpisu

Maciej ZawadzkiCEO / UX&UI Designer

Co-founder and CEO of Webo, a UX/UI designer and project manager with over 8 years of experience in the digital industry. He has designed websites and applications for companies in the high-tech, industrial, financial, manufacturing, and service sectors. In his work, he combines a business, design, and technology perspective, helping create digital solutions tailored to users' needs and organizational goals.

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