Top Ecommerce Stores to Inspire Your Next Online Store

With online shopping accounting for over 23% of global retail sales in 2025, standing out online is no longer optional. It’s essential. For any ecommerce business, the design and functionality of your website can be the difference between a bounce and a sale, a visitor and a loyal customer.

Strong ecommerce store design builds trust, supports your marketing strategies, and drives conversions. Whether you’re a startup, a fast-growing brand, or an enterprise team optimizing performance, investing in great UX and website design pays off.

This article goes beyond showcasing visually impressive ecommerce sites. Each featured online store offers practical insights, from intuitive checkout flows to standout product pages, designed to inspire your next site update or help you launch a successful online business. Together, these examples reveal what’s possible when design and strategy align, and how BigCommerce helps make it happen.

What makes a great ecommerce site?

The best ecommerce sites do more than look good. They deliver fast, seamless, and accessible experiences that make it easy for shoppers to find what they need and feel confident buying it. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix may power many websites, but choosing the best ecommerce platform for your business is key to balancing design, performance, and growth.

Great ecommerce website design starts with user experience. From intuitive navigation to mobile-friendly layouts, every element should guide the shopper toward conversion. Fast load times, responsive design for mobile devices, and a smooth checkout process are essential to keeping customers engaged.

Trust signals also play a key role. Clear product descriptions, customer reviews, secure payment methods, and transparent policies help shoppers feel safe making a purchase.

Additionally, performance matters. Top-performing ecommerce sites are built for optimization. That includes using data to improve page speed, test CTAs, and fine-tune layout decisions that drive more online sales.

1. Visually engaging and brand-consistent.

Would you want to buy from a brick-and-mortar store that had broken windows, a messy storefront, and cobwebs on the shelves? Probably not. You would likely leave without even looking at their products.

Well, the same is true for ecommerce businesses, with their websites being their virtual storefronts. When a potential customer visits your online store, you need to make a positive first impression. Otherwise, they will simply leave.

That’s why an investment in attractive ecommerce design is an investment in the success of your online business. 

Great ecommerce website design should:

• Use a color scheme and typography that matches your brand

• Include a lot of white space to make it easier on the eyes

• Have eye-catching call-to-action (CTA) buttons

• Follow the best conversion rate optimization practices

• Be SEO (search engine optimization) friendly

• Easy to share on social media

• Be user-friendly and mobile-friendly

Top brands like Allbirds and Apple demonstrate that strong branding and simplicity go hand in hand. Their design choices reinforce trust and value, especially for beginners looking for guidance on what to buy.

2. Lightning-fast performance. 

Ecommerce businesses cannot afford slow websites. Here's why.

According to Skilled.co, 47% of customers expect a webpage to load in two seconds or less. And as of January 2025, mobile devices (excluding tablets) accounted for over 62% of web page views worldwide. That means your site needs to be fast, especially on smaller screens.

If you want to drive conversions, your online store needs to load quickly and consistently. That starts with choosing a high-performance ecommerce platform.

BigCommerce offers built-in speed and scalability, with Google Cloud hosting, automatic image optimization, and Akamai CDN integration to deliver fast load times, even during peak traffic. Tools like a mobile app can also extend performance and usability beyond the browser.

You can further boost performance by:

• Using a content delivery network if you publish large volumes of content

• Compressing high-resolution product images and videos

• Reducing reliance on third-party scripts

When it comes to site speed, small changes lead to big results.

3. Intuitive product discovery.

Customers often compare ecommerce websites to giants like Amazon, not for the number of products, but for how easy it is to find them. That expectation makes intuitive product discovery essential for any ecommerce business, especially at the mid-market and enterprise level.

Your online store should be designed to help shoppers explore and refine product options with minimal effort. That starts with a well-organized catalog and smart navigation.

Key elements include:

• Clear navigation with logical category structure and breadcrumbs

• Robust filters for refining by size, color, price, material, and more

• Search functionality that delivers relevant results quickly

• Consistent visuals that highlight high-quality products with clean layouts and professional imagery

The goal is to reduce friction in the browsing experience. When shoppers can quickly find what they need, they are far more likely to convert. Even on large online marketplace platforms like eBay and Etsy, ease of discovery remains critical. Integrating these best practices ensures your online retailer experience matches shopper expectations.

4. Mobile-friendly. 

In 2025, the majority of online shopping happens on mobile devices. That shift makes mobile performance a top priority for any modern ecommerce website.

A mobile-first approach ensures your ecommerce store is easy to navigate, fast to load, and optimized for smaller screens. This means touch-friendly menus, streamlined checkout flows, and responsive templates that adjust smoothly to any device.

BigCommerce helps businesses meet these expectations with mobile-optimized storefronts, built-in image scaling, and mobile-friendly checkout functionality out of the box. For teams building custom experiences, tools like Page Builder and headless APIs offer flexibility without compromising speed or usability.

5. User-generated reviews. 

User-generated content like customer reviews is one of the most powerful tools in ecommerce. A high volume of product reviews can significantly increase conversion rates, especially the first few that help establish trust early.

But reviews do more than influence buyers, they also support SEO. Adding review schema helps search engines display ratings in search results, improving visibility and click-through rates.

To make the most of your review strategy:

• Use verified buyer tags to reinforce authenticity

• Highlight top-rated products with badges or banners

• Encourage visual UGC, such as photo reviews and user-submitted images

Make reviews a visible and accessible part of your product pages. When shoppers see real feedback from real customers, they are more likely to buy. This is especially important for small businesses and entrepreneurs building credibility in competitive markets.

6. Conversion-focused architecture.

A visually polished ecommerce website is not enough if it does not move customers toward a purchase. Many brands invest heavily in design, but overlook the structure and strategy that support the actual buyer journey.

That is where conversion-focused architecture comes in. It is about designing every page, from homepage to checkout, to guide users toward action.

Best practices include:

• A/B testing different headlines, layouts, and CTAs to optimize for clicks and conversions

• Placing high-impact content and CTAs above the fold on your homepage

• Using urgency signals like low-stock warnings or countdown timers

• Showcasing social proof through customer reviews, trust badges, and “bought together” recommendations

BigCommerce supports a range of testing and optimization tools, including integrations with Google Optimize, Hotjar, Optimizely, and others. These tools help you analyze behavior, test hypotheses, and continually refine your ecommerce store for better performance.

7. Accessibility and inclusivity. 

Inclusive ecommerce website design is more than a best practice. It is a business advantage. Making your site accessible improves usability for all shoppers, boosts SEO, and supports your brand’s credibility under Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines.

Following accessibility standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) ensures your ecommerce store can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. It also shows that your brand values equity and inclusivity.

Key accessibility features to implement include:

• Alt text for all images, especially product visuals

• A logical heading structure that supports screen reader navigation

• Sufficient color contrast between text and background

• Full keyboard-only navigation for users who cannot use a mouse

These changes not only improve the experience for a broader audience, they also future-proof your site as accessibility becomes a standard expectation across the industry. BigCommerce gives you the flexibility to build and customize storefronts that meet these guidelines, helping you deliver a more inclusive shopping experience from day one.

8. Personalized shopping experiences.

Today’s shoppers expect more than a one-size-fits-all experience. Leading ecommerce sites use personalization to create shopping journeys that feel relevant, timely, and tailored, and that approach drives higher engagement and more conversions.

Effective personalization can take many forms, including:

• Product recommendations based on browsing or purchase history

• Dynamic content that adapts to a shopper’s location, behavior, or customer segment

• Email or SMS messaging triggered by onsite actions like cart abandonment or product views

BigCommerce supports personalization through integrations with top partners like Bloomreach, Klaviyo, and Justuno. You can also create tailored shopping experiences with native features like customer groups, custom price lists, and flexible APIs that adapt storefront content in real time.

Personalization is not just a feature, it is part of the customer experience your ecommerce business needs to stay competitive, especially when targeting business owners or beginners looking for guidance. Add to that the ability to use email marketing tools that re-engage users and reinforce your value, and you create a lasting impact.

Best ecommerce stores to inspire your brand

AS Colour. 

Case Study: AS Colour

Founded in 2005, AS Colour began by producing premium apparel blanks for the music industry and has since grown into a globally recognized brand serving both B2B and direct-to-consumer markets.

AS Colour needed a platform that could handle its growing complexity while preserving its clean, design-forward identity. With BigCommerce, the brand uses customer groups, flexible pricing, and robust inventory controls to create distinct experiences for retail and wholesale buyers. The site’s minimalist website design, fast load times, and easy-to-navigate product pages align perfectly with its high-quality brand aesthetic, all while supporting international expansion and a scalable ecommerce business.

UPLIFT Desk.

Case study: UPLIFT Desk

Founded with the mission to help people stay active and healthy at work, UPLIFT Desk has become a leader in ergonomic office furniture, particularly height-adjustable desks and accessories. The brand is known for its product quality, customization options, and strong customer service.

What makes the UPLIFT Desk ecommerce website stand out is its blend of performance, personalization, and scalability. Built on BigCommerce and powered by Catalyst, the site delivers a seamless shopping experience with dynamic product configurators, intuitive category navigation, and rich product descriptions that guide purchasing decisions. With the power of Catalyst and BigCommerce, UPLIFT Desk handles complex product options, high traffic, and performance demands, all without sacrificing speed or user experience.

Stanford Medicine Gift Shop.

Case study: Stanford Medicine Gift Shop

Located on the Stanford Health Care campus, the Stanford Medicine Gift Shop offers a curated selection of gifts, apparel, flowers, and comfort items for patients, visitors, and staff. As a hospital-based retailer, the shop needed a digital storefront that was both easy to manage and intuitive for a wide range of customers.

With BigCommerce, Stanford Medicine Gift Shop built a user-friendly online store that mirrors the thoughtful curation of its in-person experience. The site features clean navigation, accessible design, and a smooth checkout process, making it easy for anyone, whether local or remote, to send a meaningful gift with confidence.

Oroton.

Case study: Oroton

As one of Australia’s most iconic luxury fashion brands, Oroton is known for its timeless accessories, refined aesthetics, and attention to detail. With a heritage dating back to 1938, the brand needed a modern ecommerce platform that could deliver a premium shopping experience across both desktop and mobile.

Built on BigCommerce, Oroton’s ecommerce website combines elegant website design with powerful features that support global growth. The team was able to streamline international operations and offer multi-currency payments. With simplified backend workflows and localized checkout options, Oroton delivers a seamless user experience that aligns with its luxury identity, without adding complexity for the team behind it.

Mizuno USA.

Case study: Mizuno USA

Mizuno, a global leader in sports equipment and athletic apparel, needed an ecommerce platform that could keep up with its extensive product catalog and seasonal demand spikes. For its US division, performance, flexibility, and ease of integration were top priorities.

With BigCommerce, Mizuno USA delivers a fast, reliable online store experience that supports a wide range of products, from custom baseball gloves to high-performance running shoes. The brand leverages BigCommerce’s open architecture to connect backend systems, streamline inventory, and enable real-time product personalization. These features make it easy for athletes to find exactly what they need, no matter the sport.

Lekker Home.

Case study: Lekker Home

Based in Boston, Lekker Home curates high-end, modern furniture and decor from leading European designers. With a focus on craftsmanship and sustainability, the brand needed an ecommerce website that could reflect its design-driven identity while supporting complex product configurations.

BigCommerce gave Lekker Home the flexibility to build a user-friendly shopping experience that matches the elegance of its in-store showroom. The site features rich product pages with detailed customization options, clean navigation, and immersive imagery that showcases each piece in context. The platform’s integration-friendly architecture lets the team easily manage inventory without sacrificing performance or design integrity.

The Linz Shop.

The Linz Shop brings restaurant-quality beef directly to consumers through a premium ecommerce website experience. Known for supplying high-end steakhouses, the brand needed a direct-to-consumer online store that could match its reputation for excellence while supporting performance and scalability.

Powered by BigCommerce, The Linz Shop delivers a fast, reliable shopping experience with rich product descriptions, clear navigation, and a smooth checkout flow. The site builds trust through professional imagery, clear shipping details, and transparent policies. Behind the scenes, BigCommerce makes it easy to manage inventory, run seasonal campaigns, and grow without limitations.

GlassCraft Door Company.

Case study: GlassCraft Door Company

GlassCraft Door Company specializes in beautifully crafted doors with a focus on innovation, durability, and design flexibility. With a large and highly customizable product catalog, the company needed an ecommerce platform that could support advanced product configurations and a seamless experience for both B2C and B2B customers.

Built on BigCommerce, GlassCraft’s ecommerce website features a custom door configurator that allows customers to visualize design options in real time, including materials, finishes, glass styles, and hardware. This interactive tool simplifies complex buying decisions while showcasing the full range of customization available.

What do the best ecommerce stores have in common?

While every standout online store has its own identity, the most successful ones share a core set of principles that consistently drive performance and conversions.

Across industries and product types, the best ecommerce websites are:

• Mobile-first, with responsive design and seamless performance on all screen sizes

• Built with clear navigation that helps shoppers explore and refine their choices effortlessly

• Designed for a fast checkout experience with minimal friction and transparent information

• Visually engaging, using high-quality imagery, clean layouts, and brand-consistent design

In addition, the most effective ecommerce sites place special emphasis on their product pages. These pages often include rich details, product videos, customer reviews, and personalized recommendations that build trust and drive deeper engagement.

Many of these stores use tools that support dropshipping, offer digital products, or promote eco-friendly initiatives, showing how brands can align operations with their values. With ecommerce website builders like BigCommerce, WordPress, or a Shopify store, even beginners can build high-performing stores that rival big names like Walmart.

How BigCommerce empowers ecommerce success

Behind every high-performing ecommerce store is a powerful platform that supports it. The brands featured above are not just great at design and strategy, they succeed because they are built on a foundation that enables both.

BigCommerce gives growing and enterprise-level brands the tools they need to compete and scale in a fast-moving digital landscape. From fast page loads and secure checkout to flexible API architecture and enterprise-grade features, BigCommerce is built for performance.

Whether you need to launch a mobile-optimized online store, customize your product pages, run international storefronts, or personalize the customer experience, BigCommerce provides the flexibility to do it all, without compromising speed, security, or scalability.

With the right platform, inspiration becomes execution. And BigCommerce makes that possible.

Convert more shoppers into customers.

Turning interest into action takes more than great design. The most successful ecommerce websites remove friction at every step, and BigCommerce is built to do exactly that.

With an optimized checkout experience, your online store can minimize abandoned carts and speed up the path to purchase. Fewer clicks mean more completed purchases. Combined with fast load times and mobile responsiveness, BigCommerce helps ensure that customers stay engaged and confident from product page to confirmation screen.

Built-in performance tools and integrations with platforms like Google Optimize and Meta Pixel give you real-time data to test layouts, refine CTAs, and personalize content based on shopper behavior. You can also sync with Klaviyo to send behavior-based email or SMS messages that bring visitors back and close the loop.

BigCommerce also supports secure credit card transactions across multiple payment gateways, giving shoppers confidence while reducing checkout friction. For businesses that rely on accurate product availability, strong inventory management is equally important, ensuring items are in stock and ready to ship without delay.

Every second counts, and every improvement adds up. With BigCommerce, your ecommerce business is equipped to convert at scale.

Cut down on operational costs.

Scaling an ecommerce business should not mean scaling your tech burden. BigCommerce is built to reduce complexity, cut overhead, and free up resources, so your team can focus on growth, not maintenance.

Unlike traditional monolithic platforms like Magento, which often require heavy customization and developer resources, BigCommerce offers a more cost-efficient model. With no-code tools, drag-and-drop editing, and native features like Page Builder, you can launch updates and campaigns without relying on IT.

For businesses managing multiple brands or regions, multi-storefront and multi-currency support allows you to streamline operations from a single backend, all while providing tailored experiences in each market.

BigCommerce also supports headless architecture, making it easier to roll out front-end updates quickly without disrupting backend systems. This leads to faster deployment cycles, lower dev costs, and a lower total cost of ownership compared to overly custom or legacy platforms.

The result? More agility, less overhead, and a platform that grows with your business.

Customizable storefronts and integrations.

Every brand has unique needs, and your ecommerce platform should support them, not limit them. BigCommerce’s open architecture gives you full control over how your online store looks, performs, and grows.

Whether you're integrating with your ERP, customizing your checkout flow, or building a bespoke front-end experience, BigCommerce’s API-first foundation makes it easy. With over 400 vetted third-party providers in the BigCommerce App Marketplace and a robust partner ecosystem, you can extend your storefront with the tools and services that fit your business model.

From marketing automation platforms like Klaviyo to personalization tools and headless CMS options, BigCommerce gives you the freedom to build the tech stack that works best for you, and scale it as you grow.

Create stunning composable storefronts.

Today’s leading ecommerce businesses are embracing composable architecture, a modular approach that lets you build your online store using best of breed technologies. Instead of relying on a single, rigid system, composable commerce allows you to choose the tools that best fit your needs and integrate them seamlessly.

BigCommerce supports this modern approach with full headless commerce capabilities. That means you can decouple the front end from the backend, giving your team total design freedom without sacrificing speed or scalability.

For enterprise brands, Catalyst by BigCommerce offers a ready made framework for building composable storefronts with faster time to market. Use modern technologies like Next.js, React, and third party CMS tools to create lightning fast, custom experiences, all backed by BigCommerce’s flexible APIs and robust infrastructure.

With Feedonomics, you can also streamline product feed management across channels like Google, Amazon, and Meta, ensuring consistency and reach without added complexity.

Composable commerce enables brands to innovate freely, adapt faster, and futureproof their digital presence with confidence.

The final word

Great ecommerce websites do more than sell products, they deliver experiences that build trust, inspire loyalty, and drive growth. From mobile-first design and fast checkout flows to rich product pages and personalized recommendations, every detail matters.

The examples above prove that thoughtful design paired with the right ecommerce platform leads to real results. Whether you are building a new online store or optimizing an existing one, BigCommerce gives you the tools, flexibility, and performance to scale with confidence.

If you are ready to create an ecommerce store that not only looks great but converts and grows with your business, BigCommerce is built for you. Talk to our sales team to learn more about how BigCommerce can support your goals and help you build a store that performs.

Best Ecommerce Store Examples FAQs

What makes an ecommerce store great?

There are a lot of qualities that shoppers look for in an ecommerce store, but some of the foundational elements you’ll need to ensure are a clean, beautiful design that’s easy to use, even on mobile devices, and that loads quickly. An adequate product selection and social proof, like customer reviews, are great to have as well.

What are common issues with ecommerce stores?

One big problem with some ecommerce sites is page load speed. If your site speed is poor, that will impact your SEO ranking, not to mention annoy your customers.

Is Amazon an ecommerce store?

Yes. Amazon launched in the mid-1990s as a way to buy books online, but eventually expanded into almost every other product you can think of. Since then, Amazon has also become a marketplace, where third party sellers can sell their wares on Amazon.com, and an advertising platform.

What are examples of great ecommerce stores?

BigCommerce has a ton of great brands on its platform. A few of the ones we love are Mizuno USA and Cordova Outdoors.

Are ecommerce stores difficult to make?

That depends on a number of factors, from your ecommerce platform to your industry to your specific requirements. When you’re looking for an ecommerce platform, make sure you have a detailed understanding of the functionality you’ll need, so you can understand how simple or complex it will be to accomplish on any particular platform. Many platforms have drag-and-drop editing functionality to limit the amount of coding you’ll have to do, but some are so customizable that they can get complex and require a lot of work from your team of developers. 

Can you integrate an ecommerce store into social media platforms?

Yes. You can integrate your product mix into social media platforms to take advantage of their commerce functionality and put your brand and products in front of both new and existing customers.

What is an example of an online boutique?

An online boutique is a small, curated ecommerce store that specializes in a specific style or product category. Lekker Home is a great example. The brand offers a refined selection of modern furniture and home goods through a beautifully designed online store built on BigCommerce.

Can you sell sports equipment online?

Yes, you can sell sports equipment through your own ecommerce website. For example, Mizuno USA uses BigCommerce to power its online store, offering everything from baseball gloves to running shoes with advanced customization and streamlined fulfillment.

Can you sell beer online? 

Yes, you can sell beer online, but it requires compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. You'll need to implement age verification, manage shipping restrictions, and ensure your ecommerce website meets all legal requirements for selling alcohol.

Can you sell ice cream online? 

Yes, you can sell ice cream online with the right shipping and packaging solutions. Dippin’ Dots sells its flash-frozen treats through its ecommerce website, using specialized cold shipping methods to ensure products arrive frozen and ready to enjoy.