Homepage Design: 18 Examples and Best Practices (2026)

First impressions matter. For ecommerce brands, homepage design can set the tone for the relationship with potential customers. Make a bad impression and you might lose a sale. Make a great one and you could gain a loyal customer for life.

The way you arrange elements, the ease of your navigation, and the colors and images you choose to represent your brand on your homepage can showcase your unique selling proposition (USP). These choices also reinforce your brand identity and help users find what they’re looking for. 

In this guide, learn the elements of website design to craft your own site’s homepage and use some effective homepage design examples as inspiration for your ecommerce business.

What is homepage design?

Homepage design is the layout, content, and style of the front page of your website. Often the first place people land when they first visit your ecommerce site, good homepage design reinforces your brand identity, assists with product discovery, and builds trust with first-time visitors. 

Why homepage design matters

Your website is one of many touchpoints that help customers form an opinion of your brand. Taking the time to build an intuitive and beautiful website with a thoughtfully designed homepage can pay off for the following reasons:

• It tells visitors what you’re about and connects with your target customer. 
• Alongside other properties, like your social media accounts, it builds brand consistency—something Marq found results in a 10% to 20% uplift in revenue. 
• It moves potential customers efficiently toward a desired action (e.g. purchase or email sign-up), which brings them into your marketing funnel for future retargeting.
• It establishes credibility and trust, showing visitors that yours is a professional business. 
• It creates a frictionless experience that is accessible to all visitors. 

Homepage design best practices

• User experience
• Branding
• A call to action
• Attention-grabbing photography and media
• Social proof and trust signals

A well-designed homepage can help ecommerce companies convert browsers into buyers. Great homepage design doesn’t just look visually appealing; it also keeps your customer and your message front and center. 

Here are a few essential elements for an effective homepage design: 

User experience

The goal of ecommerce user experience (UX) is to create a seamless, enjoyable shopping experience in an online store. UX design covers:

• Loading times. How quickly does your website load? Is it consistent?
• Navigation menus. Are menus organized with users in mind?
• Accessibility. Does your online shop follow the latest accessibility standards? 
• Journey mapping. Will clicking a link or button take the user to the correct place?
• Mobile friendliness. Does your site load quickly and function well on mobile?
• Copywriting. Do the website’s words represent your brand? Are they effectively conveying information?

As you build or redesign your webpage, here are a few strategies to try: 

Focus on function

Improve the functionality of your site with a visual hierarchy and design that appeals to scanning behavior and eye-tracking patterns. Research from UX experts NN/g shows some people read in an F-shaped pattern. They pay more attention to the top and the left-hand side of a page. Applying this information to your homepage design, you might showcase bestselling products above the fold and share social proof on the left-hand side. 

Fast loading times can also go further than a fun slideshow that slows your site. As Daniel Patricio, co-founder of biltong shop Bull and Cleaver, says, “Speed is a feature and key to conversion. Other design features aren’t inherently bad; the danger is [when they slow] your website to a crawl.” 

Make the navigation intuitive

Users should be able to get from one place to the next without any hurdles. Broken links, unclear category names, or inconsistent site behavior when shoppers hover can undermine professionalism and trust.

Your homepage’s navigation menu will play a big role in getting users from one place to another—ideally in as few clicks as possible. To shorten the pathway to the destination, flatten the navigation structure (meaning you only have a few layers of categories) and include only top-level categories on the horizontal menu. Use the footer menu to add items that don’t fit within your main menu (like an FAQ or Contact page), and place menus where users expect to find them. 

Optimize for mobile

More than 62% of web traffic comes from mobile devices, according to Statista. That means your mobile experience should be as seamless as your desktop site. 

Make your mobile homepage design functional through features like:

• Touch-friendly button spacing
• Thumb-zone placement of primary CTAs
• Load prioritization (hero and primary CTA before secondary content)
• Simplified navigation patterns for mobile

Many ecommerce themes, like those found in the Shopify Theme Store, come mobile-optimized out of the box. That means your homepage experience will be consistent, no matter where users access it.

Branding

Your brand guidelines should inform every decision you make, from the copy in your order confirmation email to the avatar on your TikTok profile. These guidelines will come in handy as you build your website homepage, too. 

Your branding should include a set of fonts, colors, and assets you can import into your ecommerce website builder. Keeping them consistent will help customers recognize your brand wherever they encounter it. 

Tip: Shopify themes are fully customizable, allowing you to start from a preset homepage layout and personalize it for your business needs.

A call to action

Think of a call to action (CTA) as an exit sign on a highway; it should be short, hard to miss, and point drivers down the right path. Your homepage design should center around a main CTA, whether that’s a link to shop a featured collection or to sign up for early access to a launch event. 

Use design principles like positioning, color, and contrast to guide the visitor’s eye to this action. For example, placing a CTA above the fold can make it easier for users to spot. 

Each section of your homepage design should have a clear CTA—especially the hero section. Too many options compete for your visitor’s attention. If you need to include multiple CTAs (like “View product details” and quick add-to-cart functionality), intentionally prioritize them through:

• Relative size
• Strong color contrast 
• Strategic white space

Attention-grabbing photography and media

In most cases, you will accompany the text and design elements of your website with photography and other media. These features tell a story about your brand, showcase your products, explain what you do visually, create a mood, highlight a promotion, or even help with navigation.

A few media options include: 

• Lifestyle photography. These photos show your products in the context of an aspirational lifestyle. You can use a hero image, which appears at the top of a page, to communicate what your brand stands for. 
• Product photos. High-quality product photos help users see the details of an item on its product page. Use them on the homepage when your product is a bigger focus than the story or brand. 
• Video. Your brand might benefit from video on the homepage if your story is important or it’s better to show your product in action.
• Animation. Animations add visual interest and interactive elements to your homepage design. They can also guide a visitor’s eye toward a CTA. 

Your media selection should align with your product type and positioning. If you’re selling children’s gummies and have a bright and playful brand style, for example, animations might be a good fit. However, if you’re selling premium skin care to boomers, skip illustrations in favor of lifestyle photography that shows the products in an aesthetically pleasing bathroom. 

Bear in mind, these are best practices. Start with what you think your target audience will best engage with, then run experiments to see which alternatives get the highest conversion rate.

Tip: For accessibility, add alt text to optimize any images you use on your website. Alt text is descriptive copy that screen readers can scan and read out for visually impaired users. It also helps search engines understand content and improves your search engine optimization (SEO).

Social proof and trust signals

You want to shout about how great your products are—but it’s even better if other people do the talking for you. Social proof makes your homepage appear less biased and caters to the 93% of shoppers who’ve made a purchase after reading a review.

Social proof on your homepage could take many forms:

• Review aggregates and ratings
• Press or media mentions
• User-generated content (UGC)

You can also build trust in the legitimacy of your business in these ways:

• Security and payment badges
• Money-back guarantees
• Return policies

If you operate in a competitive market, consider content that highlights your unique selling proposition (USP). Pip’s Heirloom Snacks, for example, uses graphics to tell homepage visitors about how its snacks are made:

Tip: Depending on your business, other elements might be essential for your homepage, such as links to blogs or educational content to help visitors understand a complicated product. 

Common homepage design mistakes to avoid

With so many features to include and sections to design, there are opportunities for things to go wrong:

• Missing a value proposition. Many visitors form their first impression of your business based on your homepage, which gives you an opportunity to showcase what sets you apart. Healthy soda drink Olipop, for example, has the slogan: “High Fiber. Less Sugar*. Delicious Flavors.” 
• Prioritizing the wrong content. First-time visitors with limited knowledge of your brand might want to see bestsellers and popular categories before an About section. 
• Adding too many CTAs. Browse a collection, buy a product, submit their email address, learn more about your business: Too many CTAs can make it harder to make a decision. Stick to one CTA per section, or use contrasting buttons to prioritize the action you want users to take.
• Cluttering your navigation. Stick to your most popular categories and bury subcategories within stacked navigation to avoid overwhelming visitors. 
• Slowing page load speeds. High-quality images often hinder site speed, which can significantly impact conversions and search rankings. Compress all images and use lazy loading to speed things up. 
• Forgetting a mobile-friendly version. If you design your homepage on a desktop, always double check the mobile version. Images may be too big, text may be unreadable, or buttons may be too close together when the homepage loads on a smaller screen.
• Sticking to one design forever. Give visitors a different experience when they visit your homepage by keeping the design fresh and visually interesting. 
• Forgoing testing. The only way to know which homepage design your target audience engages with best is to experiment. 

“In marketing and ecommerce, it’s never just done,” explains Karen Danudjaja, founder of Blume, in a Shopify Masters episode. “You have to always be looking at the analytics, iterating forward. With a platform like Shopify, those analytics—even for someone like me with zero experience—are all at your fingertips.”

Homepage design by store type

The homepage design for a small local store will be different from an international ecommerce business with a huge product catalog. Each brand’s existing awareness, priorities, and customer preferences will impact the layout and design of the homepage.

Generally speaking, these are the best practices for each store type:

• Single-product stores. Treat the homepage as a mini product landing page and focus on the product specs, tell people why they should buy it, and include social proof and product benefits throughout the design. The CTA focus should be “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart.”
• Large catalog stores. Help shoppers find what they’re looking for with a prominent search tool, bestselling products, and popular category lists. You could also include AI personalization widgets like “Recently viewed” to help returning customers find what they’ve already shown interest in.
• Subscription businesses. Include a “how it works” section with microcopy that helps people overcome sales objections like the ability to pause or cancel at any time. You could also include an account sign-in link for returning visitors to manage their subscription.
• Multichannel brands. Guide visitors towards their preferred sales channels with links to social commerce storefronts, retail store locator widgets, or omnichannel fulfillment options like curbside pickup. With Shopify, you can also display real-time inventory levels at the customer’s closest store. 

18 best examples of stunning homepage design

1. Thinx
2. Mad Tasty
3. Chāmpo
4. Raw
5. Magnolia Bakery
6. Thaely
7. Rocco
8. Stakt
9. Plastno
10. Lyka
11. HealthyBaby
12. Félix & Norton
13. Loisa
14. Fiome
15. Graza
16. Original Duckhead
17. Island Creek Oysters
18. Dirty Labs

The best ecommerce websites prioritize their target audience’s needs and preferences on the homepage, all while creating an unforgettable first impression. Here are 18 examples—all of which follow the best practices outlined above—to help you understand what incredible homepage design looks like in practice.

1. Thinx

Thinx is a pioneer in period underwear. One of the first brands on the market to sell absorbent undergarments to the mainstream consumer, they tell people how their products work in its signature brand voice. 

Below the main headline is microcopy that says their underwear is “designed to absorb periods, a little pee, and sweat.”

Why it works

Thinx took a bet that people with periods craved directness and real talk. When you land on the Thinx homepage, inclusive photography, clear language, and pricing tell you everything you need to know about the brand at a glance.

Standout feature

Thinx has clear navigation that helps visitors find the right product for their needs: period, teen line, and bladder control. Within each category, you can browse by bestsellers or underwear style. 

Beneath these collections, homepage visitors see the brand’s free standard shipping offer on orders over $125. Thinx also plays into things its target market likely cares about, showcasing how its underwear offers sizing and is made with safe materials. 

2. Mad Tasty

Mad Tasty is a sparkling water brand with a twist. Its hemp-based products promise health and wellness benefits in one tasty beverage. 

Mad Tasty’s design is high contrast, with colorful photography and casual homepage copy. Visitors also see social proof—a review from a happy customer—above the fold, before they have to scroll further down the homepage.

Why it works

The top of the homepage hooks visitors with images of its creative flavors and saves the more detailed information for farther down the page. This technique works because it doesn’t overwhelm visitors with too much information at once.

Standout feature

Lower on the homepage, Mad Tasty answers FAQs to give potential customers extra information before they buy. It covers sales objections like whether they’re legal and what CBD is. 

3. Chāmpo

Chāmpo is a hair care brand based around ancient Ayurvedic principles. Because visitors might not know this concept, Chāmpo makes education and customer guidance a focus of its homepage.

Why it works

A clear CTA directs website visitors to a quiz, rather than directly to shop. The quiz helps the brand understand the visitor’s needs before recommending the right products. 

Standout feature

Further down Chāmpo’s homepage is a section that describes the ingredients its hair care is made with. It’s a great example of how to talk about product features without being overly salesly. Each one ties into what its target customers care about—cruetly free cosmetics, PETA approval, and sustainability—with on-brand graphics that break up text.

4. Raw

Raw Juicery sells fresh-pressed juices and cleanse systems to health-conscious customers. Its subscription model lets members save on recurring deliveries of the brand’s juice products.

Why it works

Raw’s homepage leans into creative videos to sell its products. It displays three product categories—cleanse, make a box, and boosts—over the video reel to help homepage visitors find what they’re looking for. 

Standout feature

Upon scroll, visitors encounter a list of benefits of the brand’s subscription model. Membership promises exclusive perks—such as free shipping, access to new drops, and priority service—in exchange for recurring revenue for the brand.

5. Magnolia Bakery

Magnolia Bakery is a popular New York City baked goods destination that moved its offerings online, letting the rest of the country enjoy its products. The brand sells through its brick-and-mortar locations, through retail partners, and directly to consumers online.

Why it works

Land on Magnolia Bakery’s homepage and you’re transported into a wonderland of sweets and baked goodies, all expertly photographed to look delectable. Since customers can’t taste the brand’s goods before shopping, photography is key in sparking customers’ imaginations.

Standout feature

Due to its multiple sales channels, Magnolia Bakery dedicates a portion of its homepage to outlining delivery options for customers. This section directs customers to the products available in their area.

6. Thaely

Thaely is a modern shoe brand focusing on vegan and sustainable materials. To compete in a crowded sneaker market, its homepage design features photography with a fashion editorial twist that leans into the Y2K trend. 

Why it works

Thaely wants shoppers to know it isn’t selling your average hemp sandals. Photography draws visitors in before the eye travels to the copy that reveals the brand’s sustainability promise. This approach appeals to not only sustainable shoppers, but also individuals looking for fashionable and modern footwear.

Standout feature

Transparency is Gen Z’s currency of trust, according to Usercentrics’ State of Digital Trust report. 

On scroll, Thaely leans into its unique selling proposition (USP): its ethical manufacturing and sustainable business practices. The brand also employs social proof—user-generated content from happy customers—to increase purchase confidence. 

7. Rocco

Rocco is an appliance brand that identified a gap in the market—the need for smart wine fridges that acts as a bar cart and is also stylish.

Why it works

The homepage leans heavily on modern lifestyle photography that transports visitors into aspirational home design. Microcopy describes the fridge as something they couldn’t host without, which plays into the brand’s product positioning. 

Standout feature

Because it makes a unique product, Rocco helps website visitors understand the product’s benefits and positioning in relation to common products in the category. The brand also highlights its press coverage, increasing trust for customers new to the concept.

8. Stakt

Stakt sells fitness mats that marry the thinness of rolled yoga mats and the support of a folding gym mat. The brand’s homepage uses soft tones often associated with mindfulness to attract its target customer and lifestyle images that feature their core products.

Why it works

Stakt doesn’t just sell products; it has a library of on-demand workout classes that are accessible from the brand’s homepage. This content opens up a new avenue for customers to try the brand (and share their data!) without the financial commitment of a purchase.

Standout feature

Stakt promotes these resources on the homepage because it offers additional value beyond a fitness mat. It invites customers into a community—something that many first timers benefit from when starting a fitness journey.

9. Plastno

Plastno sells eco-friendly cleaning products, which it communicates through a bold headline on its homepage. There’s extra emphasis on the words “eco-friendly” to dial down on its product positioning, with a clear Shop Now CTA button. 

Why it works

Plastno continues the same positioning further down the homepage with a section that compares its cleaning products to others on the market. Beneath is a brand-colored CTA button that invites visitors to learn more about its mission. 

Standout feature

Plastno backs up its sustainability claims by showing how it’s been rated by Sustainable Jungle. This sits alongside logos from features in other media like CNN, Yahoo, and Business Insider as an extra layer of social proof. 

10. Lyka

Lyka is a fresh dog food delivery brand serving Australia. The brand’s homepage hooks visitors with an animated headline. It starts with “Change their food” and transforms into “Change their poo” and “Change their life.”

Why it works

Lyka offers a subscription model where pet owners can receive their dog food on a regular basis. To handle objections on how the subscription works, it has a short section to describe how billing works. 

Standout feature

Lyka explains how getting started with its pet food subscription is easy. This copy sits beside a video of a woman unboxing her dog’s food delivery, taking it out of the fridge, and serving it to her pet.

11. HealthyBaby

HealthyBaby is a baby supplies brand focusing on safe and natural alternatives to essentials like diapers and wipes. It communicates its positioning with microcopy like “The first EWG VERIFIED diaper” beneath the hero section, and divert visitors to an article that explains why safe diapers matter. 

Why it works

HealthyBaby understands its target audience and what’s important to parents of new babies: safety and ease of purchase. It addresses these concerns at various points throughout the homepage design.

Standout feature

HealthyBaby uses its homepage to share its competitive advantages over other baby essential companies. Visitors can see what its diapers are made with, its 4.5-star rating, and find more information about safety standards.

12. Félix & Norton

Félix & Norton is a gourmet cookie delivery brand that ships baked goods to customers and retail partners across Canada. Its homepage uses bold color choices and exciting lifestyle photography, with a hero section that encourages visitors to download its mobile app in exchange for free cookies.

Why it works

Some of the best homepage designs have simple, straightforward layouts that let the photos speak for themselves. In this example, Félix & Norton shows the mobile app and a stack of cookies they can get for free through first app purchase. 

Standout feature

The brand uses its homepage to direct visitors to its product pages, with bestsellers sitting just below the header section under a “Favorites of the week” headline. Visitors can see each product’s rating and price, then click through to add it to their cart. 

13. Loisa

Loisa is an online food brand selling staples for everyday Latin cooking. The homepage uses full-width mouth-watering cooking videos, modern fonts, and a vibrant color palette.

Why it works

When you’re selling food, it’s important to engage customers’ senses, as they can’t try your products before they buy. A beautiful video of a family cooking shows the texture and features sizzling sounds you can almost taste. 

Standout feature

The best homepage design prioritizes the customer journey through thoughtful navigation. Because Loisa has a wide range of products, it uses a mega menu with sub navigation to get visitors to the right place quickly. Images in the drop-down nav are a unique feature of the design.

14. Fiome

Fiome is a supplement brand offering fiber in a new format: delicious chews. Its homepage header is simple, with direct copy and a clear call to action. The remainder of the homepage is mostly dedicated to customer education.

Why it works

As with any wellness or health product, education is critical for helping potential customers understand the risks and benefits. But Fiome doesn’t bombard visitors with this information right away. Instead, it uses simple homepage design and navigation to get them to the right part of the website.

Standout feature

In addition to information on its website, Fiome has a daily email with education and tips. Using a sign-up form helps the brand build its subscriber list and has value for site visitors.

15. Graza

Graza sells high-quality olive oils and sauces. Its homepage design mirrors the brand’s colorful products with bright yellows and greens. To showcase its products––and new releases––the brand combines videos with action-based lifestyle videos. 

Why it works

Graza is, at its core, fun. Between its bright brand colors, casual tone, and creative graphics, it’s created a homepage that’s just as engaging as using its products.

Standout feature

Creative copy describes key use cases for each product, while clear product photography shows the differences between each oil. A large Shop All CTA in one of the company’s signature greens draws shoppers to a desired action. 

16. Original Duckhead

Original Duckhead sells unique patterned umbrellas and reusable bags. Each product has a theme with matching creative imagery. The “sorbet mini” umbrella highlighted on their homepage, for example, is leant against a retro ice cream sorbet.

Why it works

Original Duckhead’s clean yet retro-inspired homepage design echoes its product line. Lifestyle photography feels trendy yet approachable and highlights the products well. The simple top navigation lets customers quickly shop or learn about sustainability efforts. 

Standout feature

Scroll down and you’ll see Original Duckhead’s recent collaboration with Peanuts. Each product is tagged as “new” with a mini add-to-cart button:

17. Island Creek Oysters

Island Creek Oysters sells premium seafood. Its world-renowned products are on the menu at some of the best restaurants in the world.

Why it works

Island Creek Oysters’ homepage design is captivating. The main navigation shares different ways to shop, send a catering enquiry, or even follow the brand on Substack. 

Standout feature

Scroll down and you’ll see different types of oysters to choose from, as well as a subtitle that reinforces their unique selling proposition: fresh, fast, and free oyster delivery.

18. Dirty Labs

Dirty Labs is a sustainable business selling eco-friendly products for home cleaning and laundry. It uses a clean website template and a slideshow to showcase its products’ best assets, as well as to appeal to eco-minded shoppers with an “Earth Month” promotion.

Why it works

Dirty Labs’ Earth Month discount is valid only on autoship orders, which gives people an incentive to start a subscription. 

Standout feature

To lean further into their mission, Dirty Labs showcases their sustainability credentials on the homepage. 

How to use analytics to improve homepage performance

1. Study your web visitors in depth
2. Follow shoppers’ paths to conversion
3. Look for trends
4. Determine any points of confusion
5. Monitor key homepage metrics
6. A/B test homepage changes systematically

While clean design, crisp visuals, and an on-brand site are all important, paying attention to what’s performing well––and what isn’t––is key to optimizing your homepage. 

Here’s how to use web analytics to your advantage: 

1. Study your web visitors in depth

Use shoppers’ demographic information to better understand your audience and their wants. Demographic segmentation sorts data from your ecommerce platform to divide homepage visitors into broad segments. You can adjust your design approach accordingly.

For example, you might have thought your jewelry business would appeal to college students, but your demographic information tells you it’s Gen X who love your retro-inspired designs. With that in mind, you can update the language on your homepage to speak more to this age group. 

2. Follow shoppers’ paths to conversion

To create an intuitive homepage, study your audiences’ browsing patterns. Use heat maps to assess which features on your site users interact with most. You can also create a user flow report with Google Analytics to learn what paths users take as they navigate your site. If there are any areas where they drop off, it could signal an issue with your navigation.

Maybe you notice that people often convert on your core product pages and new arrivals page but never from the homepage. Using that information to your advantage, you could add “New Arrivals” and “Bestsellers” product sections on the homepage, helping shoppers get to the products that most interest them faster. 

3. Look for trends

Analytics often reveal buyer trends, like items that customers frequently purchase together or items that aren’t selling as well. Consider using the trends you identify via your analytics to strategically place complementary items next to each other on the homepage. 

Tip: With real-time analytics and deeper data exploration, Shopify Analytics equips business owners with the tools they need to identify trends and continuously improve their homepage. 

4. Determine any points of confusion

Analytics can show you where shoppers are dropping off during the purchase process. For example, if people are getting to your homepage and then exiting when they reach the CTA, you might have a link that isn’t working. Or if first-time users are bouncing quickly after landing on your homepage, your navigation might be too confusing. 

5. Monitor key homepage metrics

Use website analytics to monitor how people engage with your homepage, using key performance indicators (KPIs) like:

• Bounce rate. The percentage of people who visit your homepage and leave without visiting any more pages. High bounce rate could be caused by too many overwhelming pop-ups, above-the-fold content that doesn’t make it clear what you sell, or slow load speeds that drive people away.
• Time on page. The average duration of each visitor’s session. If time on page is low and bounce rate is high, users don’t find what they’re looking for and you should experiment with new navigation menus or collection pages.
• Scroll depth. How far down the page a user gets before leaving. If most people stop at a particular section, prioritize that area for testing or experiment with parallax scrolling.
• Click-through rate (CTR) by element. How many people click particular buttons, images, or menu items. Swap out poorly performing elements and test options until you find a clear winner that directs people where you want them to click. 
• Conversion paths. What people do next after landing on your homepage. If people head to a product page and then a shipping policy, then summarize details from your shipping policy—or even include a “free shipping over $20” announcement bar—to make the customer journey easier. 

6. A/B test homepage changes systematically

The first version of your design likely won’t be the best option. Winning designs are a series of trial and error.

Use apps like Shoplift or Shogun to run A/B tests that compare website analytics with two different homepage designs. You might compare elements like:

• Hero images
• Headline copy
• CTA buttons: color, size, microcopy, and placement
• Social proof placement 

The key is to isolate the test. If your hypothesis is that including emojis in CTA buttons will increase CTR, for example, keep the rest of the page the same. That way you can make sure the results of the test were a direct result of the CTA button change and not some other factor.

The role of branding in homepage design

Branding creates a distinct identity for a business. Thoughtful web design makes your positioning tangible.

The website for beauty brand Klur is a prime example of branding through homepage design. To match the “clean, ethical, and inclusive beauty” ethos, the site has an understated navigation bar that only features the most essential links, like the blog and a shopping bag. 

At the bottom of the page, there are a few informational links, including an FAQ section and customer care so shoppers can reach out. The website is clean, easy to navigate, and matches the high-end look of the products. 

What you should prioritize will vary by vertical. In a Shopify Merchant Survey* from November 2025, food and beverage merchants cited brand reputation as their primary differentiator (57%), while home and garden merchants lead with product quality (62%), and clothing and apparel merchants prioritized social media presence. Your homepage should reflect whichever advantage matters most in your category. 

For example, iIf you’re a food retailer looking to build your brand reputation, your homepage design could include social proof like:

• UGC from customers trying your food
• Endorsements from celebrity chefs 
• Customer logos to show retail partners that stock your products