While many larger retailers have introduced native apps to complement their website, this option is not usually feasible for smaller retailers. So the emergence of responsive web design – in which sites conform to the individual requirements of the device they are being viewed on – offers the perfect solution.
Starbucks
It’s good to see that Starbucks has a responsive site. In terms of features, it has most things you would expect a modern coffeehouse to have: nice big videos on the homepage, along with news items listed vertically below.
Kiwibank
Banks aren’t the most likeable organisations, but we’re developing a soft spot for Kiwibank, a New Zealand-based bank that competes against larger Australian-based rivals.
Indochino
Indochino make high quality custom menswear and its responsive store features beautiful product photography combined with a minimal design aesthetic. While the whole site responds extremely well to various screen sizes, the way in which the product pages are handled is particularly worth noting.
Skinny Ties
Skinny Ties is a niche online retailer that sells nothing but retro-style skinny ties and have been doing so since 1997. The layout of the site is carefully structured and complemented by the use of great product photography and concise and helpful information on the individual product pages. The site navigation also works seamlessly across a variety of screen sizes and allows users to quickly search for products via a variety of options, such as material and colour.
Stury
Stury is a site that allows people to swap books online. The way in which the vertical navigation and grid based layout condenses when viewed on smaller screens is particularly effective and a design pattern that would work well for many other sites.
Fit For A Frame
Fit For A Frame sells gorgeous prints created by talented designers and illustrators. Their online store features simple navigation and an equally simple layout, both of which condense beautifully for smaller screens. There are some interesting tricks on show here too, such as the way the prints on the brickwall background on the homepage switch to a vertical layout when viewed on a smaller screen.
United Pixel Workers
United Pixel Workers sells T-shirts and accessories created by the web design community and given the tech savvy nature of their customers, it’s not surprising to see that their website is responsive. The site utilises a simple grid layout and large typography, which means it adjusts exceptionally well when viewed on smaller screens. The way in which the cart and menu buttons are arranged on narrower devices is particularly well thought out too.
Tattly
Tattly sell ‘Designy Temporary Tattoos’ created by leading designers and illustrators. Its online store utlises a simple grid structure throughout, which is complemented by a monochromatic colour palette, which prevents the UI from detracting from the products on show. The flexibility of the underlying grid means the layout resizes beautifully when the site is viewed on smaller screens.
8 Faces
The online home of typography magazine 8 Faces was recently relaunched, with a new design courtesy of the team at Paravel Inc and Elliot Jay Stocks of Viewport Industries.
Currys
“It provides a good experience on a range of devices while dealing with a massive amount of content and products of all shapes and sizes, and includes an easy-to-use buying process – all within a single codebase that’s clearly been well considered by the Currys web team.”
Kershaw knives
Kershaw has been designing and manufacturing high-quality and affordable knives since 1974. With his team and Kershaw, designer/frontend developer Jordan Sowers created an ecommerce site with a clean aesthetic to showcase the products. “Learning how to present and organise the vast amount of information associated with an ecommerce site, while also being flexible, made us realise so much of responsive design is about good timing,” says Sowers.
SALT
SALT is a collaboration between two surfers, Tyler Wolff and Nabil Samadani, who decided to bring well-crafted surfboards to the thriving scene they found in New York City. The website is arresting, its homepage featuring beautiful full-canvas photography. Delving reveals an inspiring aesthetic of considered typography, a purposeful grid and seductive product shots.
A Book Apart
Whilst many ecommerce websites rely on large beautiful photography to sell their products A Book Apart instead use the block colour covers to vividly display their series of “brief books for people who make websites”. This works especially well whendisplaying their entire collection of books, available as a bundle.
Hiut Denim
A site rich in photography, history and emotion. “Our town is making jeans again”, the oversized strapline defiantly proclaims. The gorgeous, hi-res photos showing your chosen wears just look fab, and we love the way the images are laid out on mobile.
