10. Header too big
This is the biggest mistake we see. So many people don’t take the time to resize the logo image given to them by their graphic designer. They, then, let that logo file size determine the size of their header. That graphic designer didn’t have size/placement in mind when they created your actual .gif or .jpeg or .png file. Resize it once you get it to no more than about 200px high. You want it to be present—big enough for users to see clearly, but don’t clobber them over the head with it. When you make your logo too big, you detract from shoppers purpose which is to buy your stuff. You want as much shopping (products or product banners) to be available ‘above the fold’ (the instantly visible monitor space, before shoppers have to start scrolling). When you use too much header space, it’s unnecessary, and it takes away from shopping.
9. Just because you can change the color, doesn’t mean you should
Shopping cart software these days is robust, it’s flexible, and it’s easy to use. Engineers give you tons of options, tons of things to change, and the flexibility to do it instantly. The problem is, you probably shouldn’t, where design is concerned. If you’ve picked a template, chances are that the programmers/designers have pre-picked colors and fonts for you, based on their industry knowledge. If it’s a custom design that you’re doing, then you should heed this advice even more. There is very little reason that every section should have a different color, that fonts should be different, font sizes should change, etc. Keep it simple. Stick to 3 coordinating colors (a main color, and 2 accents used sparingly). This will do wonders for your product images, and let them help sell the product.
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