Have you ever felt like pulling your hair out...

...while trying to navigate a badly-designed website? If you're like most Web users, you probably got really frustrated and considered buying from another website. If you are a business owner in Singapore or abroad, having a well-designed website and easy-to-use e-Store is not just an option, it's essential.

There is too much competition available online to risk giving your customers a bad website experience. But with all the website design options available today in Singapore and around the world, you shouldn't ever have to deal with that problem. Here are some things you should keep in mind when deciding on a design for your website and e-Store:

• Easy navigation. Your awesome content and innovative products are useless if your website visitors can't find them. Have simple, easy to understand menus that make it ridiculously easy to find what you need.

• Security. If someone is going to pay for something online, they want to feel safe. Credit card fraud and online hacking is a legitimate threat. And being safe is good for you too: if you get hacked, you could get in a lot of trouble.

• Avoid clutter. Sure, you can fill your homepage with a dozen cool features and buttons; but are they really necessary? Stick to the basics, it will be easier for them to navigate and find the features they really need to access.

• Visual appeal. Does your website look like it was designed in the 90's? Update it! Pick colors and designs that are pleasing to the eye but are not too distracting. Your design should reflect your company attitude. Are you a serious (not relevant) business owner? If so, you might want to avoid a pin-up girl background. However, a lingerie company might do very well with that same background.