Best strategies to create a highly converting ecommerce home page

If you’ve ever stared at your own homepage and thought “something’s not right,” you’re not alone. After building and reworking The Toy Box (plus a stack of other e-commerce sites), I can tell you: the devil’s in the details, and the best homepages are the ones that feel effortless for customers. Here’s how we learned to get it right—sometimes the hard way.

1. Nail Your Value Proposition

Back when we took over The Toy Box, the homepage was full of “Welcome to our store!” banners and not much else. Turns out, nobody cares unless you’re telling them what makes you worth buying from.

A strong value prop isn’t just “we sell toys”—it’s about what makes your shop different. Free NZ-wide shipping? Only the best brands? Super fast delivery? Whatever it is, shout it from the top of the page. When we finally put “Fast, free delivery on orders over $100” in our top bar above the menu, conversions went up. People want to know: what’s in it for me, right now?

Key points:

Make your main benefit(s) obvious, high on the page
Don’t hide behind clichés—be specific
Try a bold headline and a subheading with supporting info
Don't be afraid to experiment. You're just going to have to learn over time to see what works.

2. Make Navigation Stupidly Simple

We once had a client who was convinced their menu needed every category, subcategory, and sub-subcategory visible at all times. The result? Total chaos. Customers gave up before they found anything.

The lesson: simple is better. Group products sensibly and use Mega menus for big categories. Stick to easy-to-understand words (nobody searches for “juvenile leisure items” - they’re just looking for toys). Add a clear search bar up top so people can find what they want, fast. Your About, Contact, FAQ, and main categories should never be more than one click away.

Tips:

Test your navigation on your least techy friend or a real customer
If they get lost, so will everyone else
Fewer clicks = more sales, every time
Once you've got it nailed, don't change it constantly. People who come regularly to your site like familiarity.
Make sure you have a look at your navigation on mobile as well because for many of our e-commerce clients, it represents 70-80% of the traffic.

3. Use Great Images (Don’t Be Lazy)

First impressions matter. These days, you can actually take decent product photos on your phone if you know what you’re doing—especially if you use something like Canva to clean up the background. But don’t stop there. You want lifestyle shots too: show your products in the real world, in the hands of actual people, not just floating on a white background. At The Toy Box, we learned our customers (mainly mums) cared a lot about scale—how big is this toy in real life, is it right for their kid’s age? Adding in-context photos made a big difference for us and helps customers buy with confidence.

Hero banners aren’t just for show—they grab attention and instantly say what you’re about. Try lifestyle photos showing your product in use, or even a short video that tells your story (bonus points if you can make people smile). People shop with their eyes first. If your homepage looks tired or generic, that’s how people will feel about your brand.

Practical advice:

Invest in professional photos—don’t rely on supplier images
Use hero images and banners for main promos
Rotate visuals for seasons, promos, or big events

4. Optimise for Mobile (Seriously, Do It)

I used to ignore this until I looked at our analytics—most of our Toy Box customers were mums on their phones during nap time. If your homepage only looks good on a desktop, you’re missing more than half your market.

Monkey on cell phone about to click on "Buy Now".

Modern web design means thinking mobile-first. Test banners, check your menu, and make sure buttons are big enough to tap with one thumb. Slow-loading images and pop-ups that cover the screen are conversion killers.

To-do list:

Check your homepage on Apple, Android, and everything in between
Make sure text and buttons resize properly
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test—don’t trust your desktop preview

5. Personalise Where You Can

One thing that always worked for us? Personalising just a little. Show returning visitors the stuff they browsed last time. Offer NZ-specific shipping info or even just a friendly “Welcome back!” message if you’ve got the tech for it.

It doesn’t need to be creepy or over-the-top. Sometimes, just highlighting products popular in the visitor’s city (“Top sellers in Auckland this week”) makes people feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Customers notice when you make things easier for them.

Ideas:

Use apps or Shopify features to display personalised content
Segment your email list for tailored homepage deals
Don’t force it—subtlety works

6. Show Off Your Bestsellers & New Arrivals

Early on, we made the mistake of letting old stock clog up our homepage. What moved the needle was having a “Bestsellers” section and showing off new arrivals. Shoppers want to know what’s hot and what’s just landed—make it easy.

Seasonal features and limited-time offers give customers a reason to come back. Change these up regularly—nothing says “nobody’s home” like a Christmas promo in February.

Key moves:

Create homepage sections for bestsellers, new arrivals, and promos
Keep them fresh and updated
Use urgency where it makes sense (“Selling fast”, “Just landed”)

7. Build Trust Right Away

If you’re new or selling something high-value, trust signals are everything. We found that even just a few customer reviews on the homepage made a big difference. Add in secure payment badges, any awards, and well-known partner logos.

One client had a testimonial carousel right at the top—it felt cheesy at first, but conversion rates told the real story. Social proof sells.

Checklist:

Show off customer reviews and testimonials (real ones)
Add security badges and payment trust marks
Highlight partnerships or media mentions

8. Make Your CTAs Loud and Clear

You’d be amazed how many homepages have “Learn More” as the main button. No one clicks that. Tell people exactly what you want them to do—“Shop Now”, “Get 10% Off”, “Browse New Arrivals”. Make CTAs big, bright, and frequent.

Monkey holding sign saying "Get 10% off"

On The Toy Box, changing our main button to “Shop the Range” boosted clicks overnight. Customers appreciate being told what’s next.

CTA tips:

Use strong action words
Place buttons above and below the fold
Test what works best with real users

Final Word

A great homepage doesn’t have to be complicated—it just has to make sense for your customers. Get your message clear, keep the journey simple, use photos that actually sell, and always test on mobile. Don’t be afraid to update sections, try something new, or ask your customers what they want to see.

If you’re struggling to get your homepage converting (or just want a fresh set of eyes on it), get in touch. We’ve rebuilt enough homepages to know what works—and what to avoid.

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