How to Make the Most of Free Ecommerce Templates and Save on Design Fees

In a perfect world, ecommerce solutions providers would provide custom designed templates to every new sign up while retaining their $50 monthly subscription fee. But unfortunately the dynamics of commerce does not allow that at this point of time.

So the next best thing is to opt for free ecommerce templates that come with the solution. When shopping cart providers first started giving out free template designs with their solution many years back, practically all of the designs pretty much sucked, by today's standards. But things the designs have improved drastically since then. In fact, free template designs are now a pulling factor for shopping cart providers.

The key to making any free template design work for you is finding the best fit. By 'fit' I mean the template's relation to the logo design, the products and the general feel of the store.

Logo Design
I am sure you have come across a few websites where the logo does not seem to fit the template. This is mainly due to the background color of the logo which is usually white. This gives a nasty impression that not much thought was given into the design of the sight. This unprofessional outlook might have a detrimental effect on sales.

To overcome this, some merchants pick the template design first, then have their logo designer create a logo to suit it. Since custom logo designs are very much cheaper than template designs, this is seen as a very viable option. I would suggest not spending more than $100 on a custom logo design. You can get a really good custom logo creation between the range of $70 and $100.

Products
Before selecting a template, give a thought or two to what you will be selling. For example, tactical gear stores usually use templates with bolder colors like black and brown. Stores selling extreme sports equipment use red while those promoting holiday destinations by the beach usually prefer light blue, which is reminiscent of clear skies and the ocean.

But knowing what colors not to use is as important as knowing what colors to use. Some are quite obvious like not using pink on a store selling NFL items. But I have seen a few dental sites using red in their logo design as well as their template design. Red is associated with pain as well as blood so using that hue in dental related designs is a no no.

Store Feel
Free templates come in various colors and designs. Some are neutral and may appeal to a wider market while some may only a appeal to a certain niche. For instance, if you looking to sell pot puree and wellness products, a pastel colored template with floral designs will go a long way in contributing to the calming feel of the store.

I would say that for a start, aspiring merchants should use carefully chosen free ecommerce templates. That would already translate to a saving of at least $300. The only thing that a new merchant should invest in, design wise, is a custom logo. And that should not cost more than $100.

But of course, if a merchant can afford it, then by all means, invest in an intelligently designed template that complements the products being sold.

Here is a little tip. Most ecommerce solution providers have tie-ins with design firms. These design firms provide the templates that ecommerce firms offer for free but they also design custom templates for a fee. I would suggest bugging your shopping ecommerce solution provider for some sort of discount arrangement when you sign up so you can get a logo or template designed at a cheaper price by these associated design firms. Its worth a try.

Harry Goldberg is a retired ecommerce entrepreneur who has built and sold over 100 online stores. He now shares his ideas and tips on how to make full use of logo design creation and where to obtain free ecommerce templates.