We already learnt about the fundamental shop layout in the first article of our series on designing e-commerce websites (header, main area, and footer). We’ll speak about several designs and layouts right now.
Layout For Ecommerce Websites
Yes, it is accurate. In our globe, there are several website layouts and styles. Your effort does not end with choosing the ideal colour scheme for your website or customising its appearance. After creating is complete, take into account how your site will seem on various types of devices. This can occasionally be the most frustrating step in the design process.
How could it be annoying? Screens come in a variety of sizes and resolutions, to start. With a wide variety of devices People may now access your website from a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Yes, they all have various screen sizes. Additionally, different operating systems and web browsers are used by individuals. Your website may appear flawless when accessed through a Windows PC using the Chrome browser, but may appear unkempt when seen through an Android smartphone (believe it or not, this problem happens more often than you thought). Now you see why it might be difficult to show an e-commerce website across a variety of platforms, applications, and operating systems.
Read More: How To Grow A Successful Ecommerce Site
There are several types of website layouts:
Fixed-layout designs
Fixed design refers to a website’s width being planned and measured in terms of a certain pixel width. This pattern is fixed and has an immovable width, just like its namesakes. No matter the visitors’ screen size, resolution, or device, the width will remain constant. This also implies that the text format cannot be changed by the web browser. In the field of website design, fixed designs are used pretty frequently. With this design, the content’s width will always remain constant.
Advantages:
-The main area’s content will always be strictly regulated, therefore no minimum or maximum widths should be specified.
-You are free to choose the width that will allow for the best readability.
-The information will always be simple to read on all browsers and gadgets.
-You’ll find it simpler to layout and create your website.
-Your written content won’t be overwhelmed by your graphics.
-Your website will appear neat and orderly.
-Due to the static nature of photos and other components, you have more control over them.
Disadvantages :
-The visitor needs to scroll horizontally to view the rest of the page if the website’s design is too large and the screen size is too tiny.
-The set width of the website’s design could put a cap on the number of columns and content.
-If the screen is larger than the design, there will be some dead space.
Static design layout
The actual page of the static website is often represented by a collection of HTML files. That is cruel; an HTML file separates each page on a static website. Despite the fact that all pages contain the same content, they were really created using distinct file versions. If you have a static website and want to alter one component, like the footer, you must edit every file page that has a footer.
Advantages:
- Cheap developing
- Do not require much time to develop
- Cheap hosting
Disadvantages:
- This is not the ideal option for you if you’re looking for a more functional website with plenty of features.
- We need a qualified developer to upgrade the website.
- Staggered content
Fluid or liquid design arrangement
A type of website design known as liquid or fluid varies depending on the screen size. Instead of the amount of pixels, it changes according to the percentage of the screen size. An illustration. The items on your site will scale to a 75% reduction in size when the size of your browser window is decreased. Although a designer may opt not to utilise liquid or fluid design, this does not mean that this type of design layout is without advantages.
Advantages:
Because of the increased white space, this type of design could appear aesthetically appealing across all browsers and screen resolutions.
Because it may change the user’s configuration, it may be more user-friendly.
Disadvantages:
- Images, movies, and other types of content with fixed width must be configured at various widths in order to accommodate user-adjustable screen resolutions.
- Given that the design seems flawless on their particular screen resolution, it could be challenging for the designer to identify any design flaws.
Layout for adaptive design
With more options than fluid design, this type of design enables the contents of the website to adapt to various screen sizes, as suggested by its name. Adaptive design, on the other hand, uses screen size measurement to adjust rather than the screen percentage.
This design can automatically adjust to the screen size of the device and the browser after detecting it. For instance, there are three ready-to-use designs that were created with desktop, mobile, and tablet consumers in mind. The website will identify the visitors’ preferred device type and then present a layout that is appropriate for that device.
Advantages:
- There is no need to completely rebuild your website from the start if you want to convert an existing one into an adaptable one.
- Depending on the context and intent of each user, you may customise their experiences.
- Increasing traffic, particularly from mobile users.
Disadvantages:
- Less adaptable Only when the screen’s layout is available at the time the adaptable design is created will it function. That is to say, if none of your adaptable designs are acceptable for the new screen resolution when a new device with a completely new screen resolution is released, you may have a problem. In that case, your only option will be to modify or provide a different screen resolution on your website.
- A higher price. This is due to the fact that tailoring the user experience for various screen sizes and devices requires more time and effort.
Responsive design layout.
One of the most popular design layouts is this one. Similar to adaptive design, responsive design may alter automatically depending on the size of the screen. This one, though, is constructed on a fluid grid. That is to say, using features from both fluid designs and adaptable design, responsive design enables you to develop a new solution that works effectively for every type of device and screen resolution.
Advantages:
- Reduce website development costs more. You just need to create two sets of designs for PC, mobile, and iPad consumers when it comes to design.
- User-friendly, since every device or screen size may be accommodated by this type of design.
- SEO friendly Through a single URL, you can quickly compile all of your social sharing connections.
Disadvantages:
- A longer loading period. This type of design could take some time to load on your website.
- Has poor compatibility with earlier browser iterations (especially IE, and yes, there are some people who still use IE out there).
- More time is needed for development. A responsive site design takes a lot of effort to create.
- All of these layouts provide answers to the problem of various screen sizes, devices, and browsers. Choose the one that best meets your needs.
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