CommerceStyle.com

So whether you believe it or now, there is a big difference between web designers and e-commerce designers.  The difference in the two is actually huge.

It stems from the fact that web designers tend to put all of their efforts into making things look as good as possible no matter what.  While there is nothing wrong with this for regular sites, for e-commerce sites making a site look good is only 40% of the job.  The othe 60% goes into UI and usability work.

I've always known that basic web designers aren't cut out for e-commerce.  The biggest evidence is web template sites.  There are hundreds of website template companies out there where you can pay a price and download a template for your website.  And 90% of them have an e-commerce section which consists of pretty much un-usable crap.

As if that wasn't enough, SmashingMagazine.com has posted an article of 35 "Beautiful" e-commerce sites to back up my claim.

Link below
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/22/35-beautiful-and-effective-ecommerce-websites/

Now I'm a fan of SM, not because of articles like this, but because of all the informative articles about topics like jQuery, usability and design techniques.  But this article misses the target by hundreds of feet.  Pretty much every site they list is either no beautiful, or is just totally unusable.

 Lets face it.  If you're building an e-commerce site, you have to have usability as your number 1 focus, and these sites just throw that out the door and focus on being pretty.  I'd be more than willing to place a bet that while these sites may be appealing to some, they are less than profitable compared to their competition.

With that being said, no ill feeling towards Smashing Magazine.  They do a great job, except for this one occasion.

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