Ebags.com is no stranger to Gold Award-winning entries—it’s got a boatload of them. And once again, the handbags and luggage merchant has captured a Gold MCM Award in the Ecommerce Consumer Specialty Products, Sales Over $20 million category.
Not only that, eBags is also the 2011 Website of the Year—the highest-scoring website in the competition this year. This site is a leading example of how you can carry a ton of SKUs and present them in a helpful, not overwhelming, structure.
Why it won website of the year: It starts with what one judge called a “near-perfect home page,” which boasts a clean, sophisticated design. This is important for a company that sells functional products, according to several members of the judging panel.
“For more than 40,000 SKUs, the home page makes it work. You can shop by brand, type of bag, search, sale, etc. However you want to browse, you can easily do it,” a judge said.
Judges say eBags’ value proposition, navigation and categories are crystal clear from the home page. So is its messaging: “Steal of the day,” “Need Help? Contact Us,” “Join eBags Rewards Club,” “Free Returns,” which makes it easy for customers to find more than just product.
The merchant’s product pages handle the little details, such as zoom, alternate views, product recommendations, customer reviews and product specs, very well. “I liked all the views to see all the sides and angles of the wallet,” a judge said.
Idea to Steal: Product demonstration videos don’t need to be over the top, just functional and educational. “Their videos are not fancy or complicated. It’s just a guy saying what he likes and why they sell the item,” a judge noted.