2 or 3 columns stores... what is best?

[luckyno]

What do you think about 3 or 2 columns layout? Which is the best? And why?

 

I'm developping a new store for a customer and I'm in doubt if it is better not to put a lot of information on the page (2 columns) or to use 3 columns.

 

I've seen a lot of new website that are using 2 columns... probably this trend is coming from blog layouts.

[pedgette]

If the design doesn't require a lot of the info boxes and that kind of stuff a 2 column design could work well. What I don't like as a buyer is to have to scroll down a lot in order to read a 2 column layout so you may will want to consider that when setting it up.

[Guest]

We started with a 2 column site and just had the basic information for the customer ie login, order history, search, information. We then wanted to add more info for the customer so we put the second column back in and added bestsellers and reviews. Most of our regular customers did not even notice the change but the new customers seem to use and like the addition of the second column. I think that in our store which sells coffee people will use the bestsellers box and reviews to see what others have tried and liked and will try new coffees based on that. Some businesses will not need that information for the customer, depends on the business.

 

If you do go with a three column design I would suggest moving the columns below the main text for SE's

http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105994

[Gomeza]

Hi luckyno

 

I'm a firm believer that the ease of site user navigation should be the paramount consideration in all eccommerce storefront designs. As persons that spend a lot of time online and are conversant with osCommerce in particular, we tend to forget that many potential online clients have varying degrees of computer literacy. Overly "busy" storefront designs tend to be confusing for casual or occassional online purchasers, giving validity to the notion of simple left column, easy to navigate designs. Blogging may well be a contributor to the trend towards these simpler two column layouts but it is also an important observation. If a generation of potential site users are being conditioned to navigate websites via a traditional blog layout, constructing an ecommerce strorefront to capitolize on this conditioning is simply common sense.

 

Ultimately, online purchasing of any type is all about finding the product, receiving enough product information to make the purchasing decision and the ease of making the purchase.

 

My one osCommerce design project is predicated entirely on these principles and so far it has been very successful.

 

A store I'm currently working on can be found: HERE

[luckyno]

Hi luckyno

 

I'm a firm believer that the ease of site user navigation should be the paramount consideration in all eccommerce storefront designs. As persons that spend a lot of time online and are conversant with osCommerce in particular, we tend to forget that many potential online clients have varying degrees of computer literacy. Overly "busy" storefront designs tend to be confusing for casual or occassional online purchasers, giving validity to the notion of simple left column, easy to navigate designs. Blogging may well be a contributor to the trend towards these simpler two column layouts but it is also an important observation. If a generation of potential site users are being conditioned to navigate websites via a traditional blog layout, constructing an ecommerce strorefront to capitolize on this conditioning is simply common sense.

 

Ultimately, online purchasing of any type is all about finding the product, receiving enough product information to make the purchasing decision and the ease of making the purchase.

 

My one osCommerce design project is predicated entirely on these principles and so far it has been very successful.

 

A store I'm currently working on can be found: HERE

 

I really agree with you... this is why I was thinking about a 2 columns store: blog layout and simplicity and the page isn't overcrowded with boxes, teext, images everywere.