Optimise your e-commerce website for better performance.

In today’s hyper-competitive e-commerce landscape, a cluttered website can be a noisy conversion killer. According to Baymard Institute, 70.19% of consumers abandon their carts, often due to slow load times or overwhelming product choices. Both issues stem from having “too much going on”—whether in design or code.

Before we discuss how to declutter a website, let’s consider what is overloading it and why it causes trouble

Conversion killers.

A cluttered website isn't just visually overwhelming—it also lacks performance efficiency. Forbes highlights that 47% of consumers expect a page to load in 2 seconds or less, so even minor clutter can have a big impact on user experience and sales.

One of the primary causes of slow load times in e-commerce websites are heavy, unoptimised media files, such as large images and videos that increase loading time significantly. Additionally, excessive plugins and scripts running in the background can slow down site performance, adding unnecessary complexity. Poorly structured or bloated code significantly slows down load times, making it harder for browsers to render pages efficiently. Fixing these issues not only speeds up your site and creates a smoother user experience but also reduces the energy required to load your website. This, in turn, makes your site more sustainable, contributing to a greener digital footprint.

However, there are more details to consider. Users are increasingly less forgiving of features that distract, disrupt or delay. Forbes ADVISOR data shows that auto-playing videos and pop-up ads are major sources of user frustration, disrupting flow and slowing down load times. Live chat pop-ups and frequent subscription prompts add to the pressure, often making browsing intrusive. Additionally, unattractive layouts and redundant content reduce engagement and brand perception. Slow loading speeds remain critical, causing many users to leave a site prematurely. While fewer users mention poor search functionality or outdated design, these issues still hinder the overall user experience and should be addressed for optimal performance.

Ready-made scripts = sabotage.

At Significa, we rely on allies to deliver optimal results—we use Shopify for check-out and invoicing and Storyblok for content management. But the bottom line is that we specialise in creating custom solutions that directly address our clients' unique needs.

Marketing teams often rely on pre-built scripts to gather data for making informed decisions, but these can end up causing more harm than good. By cluttering websites and slowing load times, the scripts intended to track conversions can deter them. It's crucial to weigh the impact of these scripts on site performance—such as lost revenue from abandoned carts—against the benefits of custom-built scripts that gather meaningful insights without hindering user experience. Consider whether all the data being collected is truly useful.

Sometimes, these scripts don’t function properly across all browsers, especially privacy-focused ones like Brave or when users have ad-blockers enabled. The percentage of blocked scripts can be significant, especially in industries with tech-savvy users. While proxying mechanisms can enable external scripts to run on all devices, this, too, requires custom development. Balancing performance with meaningful data collection is key to ensuring these scripts contribute value without hindering user experience.

Moreover, decluttering your website also offers the added advantage of reducing mobile data usage. Lighter websites with fewer bugs require less data to load, which is especially important for mobile users on paid data plans.

Considering all the above reasons and our over-a-decade expertise, we vouch for custom solutions as they often lead to better results and a smoother user journey.

For Hey Harper, we implemented a custom A/B testing solution to compare the old and new versions of their website while using the latest content. By segmenting users, some experienced the old version, while others were shown the updated design. This approach eliminated factors like market or content changes, allowing a direct comparison of conversion rates. The results were impressive—refining the look and feel of the site had a clear positive impact on sales, proving the value of an enhanced user experience.

Decluttering-up!

Now, onto some actionable steps to declutter your e-commerce website to improve its performance.

1. Simplify navigation to boost usability.

A clean, intuitive navigation system keeps users on track. Forbes notes that with shrinking attention spans, you have just 8 seconds to engage visitors. Streamlined menus with clear categories guide users efficiently through your store.

Pro Tip: For clarity, Limit top-level menu items to 5-7 categories, and don’t overflow the screen with the menu itself.

2. Minimise choice overload.

As the Decision Lab explains, too many product options can overwhelm users and slow decision-making. To tackle this, Forbes suggests that highlighting a curated selection of bestsellers or personalised recommendations can help drive conversions.

Pro Tip: Focus on quality over quantity. The paradoxical phenomenon of choice overload is real.

3. Speed up load times.

According to Google, bounce rates increase by 32% when load time rises from 1 to 3 seconds, making speed improvements essential. Utilising Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and browser caching can significantly boost page speed and responsiveness.

Pro Tip: Optimise images and implement lazy loading techniques to maintain high-quality visuals while reducing load times and enhancing the overall user experience.

4. Declutter your checkout process.

A complicated checkout process frustrates users, with Baymard reporting that 22% of consumers abandon carts because of it. Simplifying forms and reducing distractions can significantly improve the user experience and conversion rates. At Significa, we often turn to Shopify for its streamlined checkout solutions that prioritise ease and efficiency.

Pro Tip: Remove unnecessary fields, allow guest checkout, and reduce redundant steps.

5. Prioritise content hierarchy and white space.

Design clarity is crucial for helping users navigate your site. According to HubSpot, 38% of users leave websites with unattractive layouts. Leveraging white space and a clear content hierarchy directs focus to important actions like product discovery or checkout. Think of it like open space—just as a clear, open environment helps you think better, a clean layout makes it easier for users to make decisions.>

Pro Tip: Use large fonts, clear CTAs, and white space to guide users effortlessly.

Less is more, not a bore.

Although the less is a bore movement also had its moment during the 60’s postmodernism with Robert Venturi, the fact is decluttering your e-commerce site improves user experience, boosts performance, and ultimately drives conversions.

By simplifying navigation, optimising load times, and removing unnecessary elements, you can create a more efficient site that engages users and supports growth. However, every e-commerce business has unique needs, and that’s where custom solutions come in. At Significa, we design tailored websites that prioritise both design and functionality, ensuring the best possible experience for your users and helping your business grow sustainably.