24 May 2023
Amjad Rehman
Senior Software Engineer
If you thought color is a mere visual element on paper or screen, think again. In reality color is ubiquitous. It has a mind!
Color is more than just a visual element; it holds psychological power. In the realm of eCommerce websites, color plays a crucial role in creating a brand's first impression and conveying its identity. Industry experts emphasize the importance of a pleasing user experience, and colors contribute significantly to achieving this. They attract attention, communicate product offerings, and enhance brand credibility.
A well-executed color palette can engage visitors, increase website engagement, and ultimately impact sales. Surprisingly, color preferences are deeply rooted and can influence consumer choices, making a customer's perception of a website's color scheme a determining factor in their purchasing decision.
According to a survey by The TopDesignFirms, color is considered the most crucial visual element in website design by 39% of respondents. Here are some key findings from the survey:
With over 10 million colors to choose from, the decision on the best website color scheme for your brand can be overwhelming. To simplify the process, here's a glimpse of some of the best website color schemes for 2023.
Bright: The best way to capture the vibrance
When choosing a website color scheme, prioritize visually appealing and harmonious colors. Bright hues are advantageous for eCommerce websites as they attract attention and stand out against backgrounds. Complement other design elements by incorporating lighter shades, such as light pink, to create a balanced aesthetic. This prevents clutter and adds visual interest, guiding users through product exploration.
Amber: Infusing warmth and sophistication
Amber is a warm color that’s bold and classic, making it a good choice for eCommerce websites. This warm color enhances the natural appeal of products like wood furniture or leather goods. Its bright hue aids in guiding shoppers through product pages, especially on mobile devices. With its eye-catching and vibrant nature, amber is ideal for eCommerce websites selling products with a natural or earthy appeal, enticing and encouraging audience engagement and purchases.
Red: Command attention and ignite excitement
A bold and energizing color that works well with natural themes due to its association with fire, symbolizing the earth itself. However, its reputation for being masculine may not align with feminine qualities such as flowers or jewelry. Red is known to create a sense of urgency and desire, making it enticing for impulse purchases. When combined with other vibrant shades like yellow, blue, or pink, it creates a visually captivating display that attracts and retains visitor attention. If seeking a balance between energy and subtlety, consider combining shades like orange or yellow with white or gray, offering just enough contrast without overpowering the overall design.
Purple: For a touch of elegance and mystique
A calming and inviting color that promotes relaxation and a sense of safety, making it suitable for eCommerce sites. Its association with luxury brands adds an element of sophistication and prestige. Purple draws attention without being overly bright or flashy, directing focus to desired areas of the store design. This unique color choice enhances brand recognition and fosters trust, especially as purple is not commonly found in stores or online. It allows businesses to establish a distinct identity and stand out from competitors. Purple harmonizes well with other colors like gray, blue, red, and yellow, as they share similar hues but differ in intensity, creating visually appealing combinations.
Orange: For a burst of vitality and enthusiasm
This eye-catching color creates a fun and exciting atmosphere, making it ideal for products with natural or earthy tones. The orange-red contrast adds visual interest and pairs well with other bright colors. With its energy and versatility, orange draws attention without overpowering the content, seamlessly integrating with other design elements for a captivating user experience.
Green: Create a sense of harmony and freshness
A friendly and distinctive color that promotes brand recognition and trust. Its playful and energetic nature brings joy to any space and easily catches the eye on websites. Green can be combined with brighter shades of yellow, blue, or pink to create a vibrant and attention-grabbing display that fosters visitor engagement. It complements the main product or service as well as the logo design, helping businesses stand out from competitors.
H&M, the highly popular clothes’ brand, uses animated colors like green, pink, and blue to draw attention to the products and content featured on their site. By deftly striking a balance between engaging and calm colors they successfully keep the customers hooked.
Helbak's uses a monochromatic color scheme which creates variation while providing continuity. It helps focus the viewer's attention on product images and make out different product categories.
The sustainable shoe brand, Rothy’s, makes use of muted colors to attract customers to their products. They advantageously pair their shoes with neutral fashion elements to make their footwear stand out and appear alluring to potential customers.
Oi Polloi has a playful color scheme the multivarious nature of which reflects the variety of brands showcased on the online store.
The eco-conscious clothing company, L/L Supply's palette of white background and earthy neutral tones, is known for its clean minimalism and telling their story.
Drybar’s site is yet another striking example of how color schemes can connect diverse site elements and provide specific directional cues. The grays and neutral tones are an ideal contrast to the joyful yellow, which at once links and highlights the brand name, product images, and navigational aspects.
Style is the ruling motif of William Abraham’s color scheme. Striking product images appear distinct against the deep black background. Rich reds and bold blues express authority and confidence, while deep browns add warmth.
Chacos is all about colors. Blues, yellows, and oranges are vivid, playful, and seamlessly adhere to the multi-coloured, unique products.
Given that website color schemes contribute towards forming an attitude, it is important for brands to understand the importance of colors in marketing.
There is no doubt that a brand is much more than the color scheme its website uses. But trends and industry data say that eCommerce website colors often decide how customers perceive your brand when they first visit it—and this also influences the chance of revisitng later on! Moreover, the ways the colors interact on your website do impact the conversions, integrity, and success of your brand. Using the right color palettes often gives your brand the much needed shot in the arm to woo new visitors and enthuse the old ones.
If you are an eCommerce company looking to increase sales, spin the color wheel and contemplate deeply on the colors that will be most effective for your audience. Now that you know what colors to use, ditch the color scheme you were using for years, and spark it up to trigger sales and charter business growth!