Brand presence – both physical and digital – has never been more important. Customers want to feel, see and try products before ordering through your online shop. But which matters more to your customers: the digital or physical store?

Sunniva Heltne, designer at TRY Dig, sees the same pattern constantly when designing online stores.

"Brands invest heavily in beautiful physical stores but neglect the digital experience. Customers expect the same quality everywhere they meet your brand," she says.

This pattern has led brands to open beautiful physical stores, often designed by renowned architectural firms like Snøhetta. But what happens when customers visit your online shop and the brand experience is completely different from your physical store? Do you even need a physical store then?

 

Elevate the design – create a strong brand

More brands are coming to TRY eCommerce with platforms that can't keep up with their ambitions. They want technology upgrades – and we recommend upgrading design simultaneously.

Dennis Nilsson, Commercial Manager at TRY eCommerce, uses a revealing comparison:
"Physical retail follows the rule: 'location, location, location'. Fair enough. But consider this: when you open a flagship store in Bjørvika or Grunerløkka, do your staff assemble flat-pack Ikea furniture? Or do you hire an interior designer to create a universe that represents your brand?"

Dennis answers his own question:
"Usually it's the latter. So if you apply the same logic to your online shop, which reaches far more customers than a physical store, why would you use a ready-made design template or otherwise compromise your expression and design?"

 

Physical stores play an important role

The comparison strikes a chord. Most brands acknowledge they invest more heavily in physical retail design than digital – even though online offers far greater scale and exposure.

The reason? Physical retail feels more familiar. It's been part of commerce for centuries, whilst digital remains relatively new.

"That said, we still believe physical stores play an important role in the customer journey. Omnichannel isn't just a buzzword – for some brands, letting customers get physically acquainted with products before ordering is crucial," says Dennis.

try x klaviyo

Close collaboration between developers and designers

TRY's technology and design teams work closely together. The process is tailored to each client, diving deep into brand purpose before realising it through design that elevates products and connects emotionally with customers.

"I think of the online shop as the brand's digital home," says Sunniva Heltne, designer at TRY Dig.

"Just as you'd invest in decorating your house, you must invest in how your brand lives online. That's where most customers visit."

But it's important to consider what technology your online shop currently uses.

"Your technology choice determines design freedom. TRY specialises in headless eCommerce, giving us complete creative flexibility whilst maintaining editorial simplicity for your team. The result? Beautiful designs and genuinely fast sites, says Dennis»

 

Top three reasons to invest in design for your online shop:

  1. You'll stand out! In a world where many online shops use ready-made design templates and look identical, you'll differentiate yourself – and get noticed.
  2. Your online shop is where customers expect to find definitive product information. Let them find it as easily as possible.
  3. Building trust requires clarity and consistency – both physically and digitally. We can't afford to compromise our expression and communication.

"Good design isn't just decoration – it's business strategy. When design works properly, customers don't notice it. They simply feel welcome and want to buy. That's what we work towards in every project," says Heltne.

Feel free to reach out to us