When ecommerce brands talk about optimisation, the focus usually lands in the same places. The homepage, product pages and checkout.
And while those pages absolutely matter, they're not the only ones influencing performance. Some of the most visited, most relied-on and most commercially important pages on your site are often the ones that receive the least attention. Overlooking them can quietly damage conversion rates, retention and customer trust. Here are the ecommerce pages most brands forget to optimise.
1. Category Pages
Category pages are often treated as product grids with little strategic thought behind them, but they play an integral role in product discovery, especially for customers who aren't arriving with a specific product in mind. Poor filtering, weak merchandising and unclear hierarchy can make browsing feel overwhelming. Optimised category pages should:
- Guide customers through product ranges clearly
- Prioritise bestsellers or high-margin products intelligently
- Integrate helpful content where appropriate
2. Delivery and Returns Pages
Delivery and returns pages are some of the most visited pages on any ecommerce site, particularly for new customers. Yet they're often buried in footers, written in dense copy and left untouched for years. They're an opportunity to build trust and demonstrate transparency to customers with clear and easy-to-read policies. If customers can't quickly understand delivery times, costs or return conditions, they'll hesitate and most likely abandon your site. Optimising these pages helps to increase conversion rates by removing doubt and instilling trust from the outset.
3. Out-of-Stock Pages
Most brands don't fully harness the power of out-of-stock or 404 pages. Out-of-stock moments are actually opportunities to capture demand, suggest alternatives and maintain engagement. A simple 'unavailable' message wastes valuable user intent that may have cost you paid acquisition spend. Optimised out-of-stock experiences should:
- Offer back-in-stock alerts
- Suggest relevant alternatives
- Keep customers within the browsing journey
4. The Thank You Page
The confirmation or 'thank you' page is one of the most overlooked pages in ecommerce. This is a defining moment along the ecommerce journey when customers are engaged, reassured and paying attention. Instead of simply confirming an order, brands can utilise this space to reinforce trust, encourage account creation, promote referrals or suggest complementary products. By focusing on building a genuine relationship with customers beyond checkout, you are more likely to create loyal brand advocates.
5. Account and Order History Pages
Returning customers interact with their account areas far more than most brands realise. Order history, saved addresses, reorder functionality and subscription management all live here so if these pages are clunky or outdated, they can quietly discourage repeat purchases. Well-optimised account areas should:
- Make reordering effortless
- Surface relevant recommendations
- Provide clear order tracking and status updates
If you're reviewing your ecommerce performance, don't just focus on how your product pages are converting. Remember to look into which overlooked pages might be quietly holding you back. If you'd like support identifying optimisation opportunities across your entire ecommerce journey, don't hesitate to get in touch!
