If you are a fledgling e-commerce startup, it can be tempting to purchase a turnkey style template website. After all, money is tight when you are starting out and you have to watch where you allocate your resources.

Unfortunately, failing to invest enough into your website could be the biggest mistake your new startup makes. In a recent study, 94% of people said that poor web design was a serious reason to mistrust or outright reject a website.

In this post, we will break down why custom website development is so important to your e-commerce or startup site.

1. Credibility
   As we mentioned before, the visual layout of your website is incredibly important for consumers. In fact, it only takes 50 milliseconds for someone to form an opinion on your website. Offering bold visuals and unique features beyond what you can find on a template-based website is a great way to establish yourself as a serious digital presence.
2. Navigation
   Few customers use the search bar when looking through your website. That is why it is so important that you have a website that is not only clearly laid out, but also has excellent mapping from one page to the next. With a turnkey service, you will be forced to attempt to do this mapping yourself, which can easily result in mistakes. With a professional website development team, you can trust that your site will be clear and easy to navigate.
3. Mobile Compatibility
   We’ve discussed the importance of mobile optimization in the past, but it’s important enough that we will revisit it now. As more and more people abandon traditional desktops and laptops for tablets and smartphones, your website will need to be able to adapt to a number of different environments. While template websites have some tools to help your site adapt, a custom website will allow you to offer the very best web experience no matter what platform it is being viewed on.
4. Strong Security
   Many companies that offer professional website development offer specialize in website security solutions. Considering how important it is for an e-commerce site to protect the information of their buyers from hacker attacks, website security should be a top priority. When comparing template sites and custom made ones, there is no doubt that custom sites offer the very best in website security software. That means that your consumers will be able to purchase from your site without concern.

In the digital age, your website is your storefront. If you want to retain customers, it must be well organized, engaging, and secure.