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Originally published at Internet.comLike a shopkeeper that must continually straighten shelves, replenish merchandise, decorate store windows, and construct visual displays, so should an e-tailer strive to keep the Web site inviting and engaging.
Simplicity often works best on the Web and customers should be able to locate items within three clicks of the mouse. Keep techy effects to a minimum; Flash is cool for accent but too much animation and sound can drive visitors away.
One of the objectives of your e-store is to cultivate an environment where visitors feel comfortable so design with your demographic in mind using appropriate colors, themes, and language. Hearts and flowers may not be consistent with a more rugged image, unless of course, it's Valentine's Day, and high impact, high energy designs might sell more snowboards than yoga mats.
Your site should accommodate those that are still dialing up or have slower computers. Graphics and all Web elements should load quickly but if you have too many images, load the page in chunks so visitors have something to look at while they wait.
Avoid excessive advertising clutter. Granted, ads are a revenue stream but if visitors have to wade through too many messages, some sales may float away. Instead of multiple banners, boxes or pop-ups all over your pages, use a variety of ad types scattered throughout the site.
Continue the friendliness theme by making your contact information easy to find, navigation intuitive, and service impeccable.
Author: Robyn Greenspan
Read article at Internet.com site