Setting up a store online isn’t as easy as it sounds at first. The eCommerce platform has to be both functional and visually appealing, which is a challenging combo.

To help you brainstorm for a catchy design, here are the top 6 companies that have managed to come up with an inspirational and practical design for their respective online shops.

Simply Chocolate

Although you will have to tilt your head to the left when you open Simply Chocolate’s homepage, the eCommerce platform is more than likable. The visuals look impressive as they accentuate the navigation menu set sideways.

This look is unconventional but it does the trick, as visitors stay on the website longer to figure out how this wacky design works. As far as functionality is concerned, a single-page checkout ensures that ordering is streamlined, from browsing to shipping options.

Amazon

Ever since Jeff Bezos launched it back in 1994, Amazon has been raising the bar when it comes to the standards a successful online shop has to meet. Apart from the wide assortment of goods, Amazon’s user-friendly website is among the biggest allures of the franchise.

The in-site search engine guarantees that shoppers can easily find the items they are looking for and data-based filtering options ensure only the most relevant item are displayed. Simplicity is essential for Amazon’s online business, as the sidebar hamburger menu makes the virtual shop easily navigable.

Bite Toothpaste Bits

When you open Bite’s homepage, you will have no doubt what the company sells. This is a great example of how a picture is worth a thousand words in the world of online marketing. Just one look at the shop’s homepage effectively conveys the eco-friendly message about all-natural toothpaste.

Apart from the collection of customer reviews, the “Shop Now” page allows shoppers to configure products in terms of flavor. Once you add the professional GIFs of people using mouthwash and other Bite’s products, you get a visually appealing online shop.

Apple

Another tech giant on pour list is California-based Apple. The company’s online store is nothing short of impressive, with the latest iPhone model feature on the homepage. By highlighting quality, Apple is ensuring visitors open at least one more page.

The minimalistic design immediately draws visitors’ attention, as they genuinely wish to know more about Apple’s products. The large, close-up images of products are an excellent background for any textual content marketers wish shoppers to read.

Smokehaus

“Mettwurst and Salami Store,” as it is advertised by its owners, the brothers from Australia, Smokehaus is an excellent example of how an online store can emulate a real one. The homepage mimics the scene typical of every butcher’s store, with dry beef and sausages suspended from (virtual) hooks.

Visitors are invited to browse the store by dragging the assortment left or right. This feature makes the online butcher’s shop highly interactive, helping visitors stay interested in the products offered. Once the meat starts flying inside the shopping bag, buyers are cheered on by cute pop-ups, such as “Good choice, in your bag!”

Port of Mokha

Founded as part of the effort to revitalize Yemen’s coffee industry, Port of Mokha, Inc. aims to attract buyers using excellent copywriting. By inviting visitors to rediscover the product they offer, namely coffee, marketers are using storytelling to boost traffic.

The effect is further enhanced using customer ratings featured on respective product pages. Furthermore, there are plenty of artistic photographs of the people and the landscape behind the region’s coffee industry, giving a personal face to the brand.

From moving imagery to masterful copywriting, there are various reasons why an online shop can consider itself successful. The 6 examples we have listed above tell only a part of the story of how to launch a functional and visually appealing online store.