Foundation · 3 min
What you need to know
What goes in the header and footer?
The header is the strip at the top of the page. Put the store name, useful product links, and a cart link there. Add search if shoppers need it.
Check that a phone visitor can open the menu and see the cart without hunting. Put contact details and delivery and return links in the footer, where visitors often look for them.
Do not rely on the footer alone for a fact that can change a buying decision. If delivery time matters for a gift purchase, show it on the relevant product or checkout page too.
How many menu items should you have?
Keep the menu short enough that a visitor can tell the choices apart. Group related options under one broad name rather than placing a separate link for each option across the top. Test whether a new visitor knows where to find a gift set.
If people keep opening the wrong menu item, change the label or grouping. An arbitrary item limit will not fix unclear names.
Do you need a mega menu?
A mega menu opens a large panel with several columns of product links. A small catalog may need only a simple dropdown. A bigger store might benefit from a panel that makes several product categories visible without repeated hovering or tapping.
Try opening and closing it on a phone. Then use the Tab key on a computer to check that you can reach every link. A beautiful panel that closes unexpectedly or hides links is harder to use than a plain list.
Should search stay visible?
Make search easy to find when shoppers are likely to know a product name or when the catalog is large. A buyer may search for a product name instead of opening the menu. If you put search behind an icon on a phone, check that people recognize and can open it.
Search does not replace clear categories. Some shoppers browse because they do not yet know the product name.
What are breadcrumbs?
Breadcrumbs are short links that show where a page sits in the store, such as Home → Product group → Product name. They let a shopper go back to the broader group without using the browser’s Back button. Check that the path matches how your products are actually grouped.
These linked paths also show search engines how a product sits within the store. Important product pages should still be reachable through ordinary navigation links.
Why can’t customers find products?
Ask people to find a specific product without telling them where to click. If they look for a gift item under “Gifts” while you placed it only under “Seasonal,” your menu may reflect your own filing system instead of the buyer’s words. Adjust the path and test again.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
Should every store have a mega menu?
No. Choose the simplest menu that makes your product groups clear. The size and variety of the catalog matter more than the style of the menu.
Can a product appear in more than one browsing path?
It can when both paths make sense to shoppers. Keep its product information consistent and check how the store handles its URLs and links.