Designing Your First Logo? Here’s What E-commerce Founders Need To Know

Designing your first e-commerce logo? Learn essential tips to create a memorable, brand-aligned logo that captures customer attention and enhances recognition.

Launching an ecommerce business? You probably got your product, shipping, and platform all handled. Maybe you even have customers lined up.

But there’s one important thing you shouldn’t forget – your logo. This tiny graphic might seem like a small piece of the puzzle, some sort of an aesthetic addition to your business. But it’s more than that! Your logo can make or break your business, as it affects how your customers will see and remember your brand.

Don’t know how to get started on your design? We got you covered. Here’s our guide on how to create your first e-commerce logo, why you even need to create one, plus the tools you can use to make the process easier.

Let’s get started!

Why You Need a Good E-commerce Logo

Your logo is the face of your business. It’s the first thing your customers see when they check out your website or your products.

It’s also the main graphic that will be plastered on every piece of material you have – from your packaging to invoices, down to your social media pages and business cards.

So yes, you need a logo. Without one, you risk being unmemorable to your customers, as they don’t have a visual to remember you by.

It’s even more important in e-commerce spaces, as you don’t have a brick-and-mortar store or any physical displays. You need to have an eye-catching visual (AKA your logo) to get your customers’ attention.

Customers also expect legitimate businesses to have a logo. The e-commerce landscape is rife with scammers and fake companies. If you don’t have a logo, you’ll look unprofessional and like a potential scammer.

Here are also some quick stats for you:

• 75% of consumers can recognize a brand simply by its logo
• 60% of consumers avoid brands with unattractive logos
• 23% revenue increase is linked to consistent logo use across platforms

As you can see, it’s not enough to just have a logo. You need an appealing and memorable design. Your logo should also communicate your brand identity and story. Lastly, it needs to be used consistently to build brand recognition and recall.

How To Design Your E-commerce Logo

Let’s now discuss how to create your e-commerce logo. Keep in mind the following tips:

1. Understand your brand and audience

Your logo should reflect the core of your e-commerce business. So, before you start sketching, answer these questions first:

• Why does your business exist? What is your mission and vision?
• What problems does your business solve?
• What sets you apart from your competitors? What do you offer that they don’t?
• What is your brand’s personality? Are you creative, caring, sporty, or sophisticated?
• Who is your target audience?

Knowing these can help you identify the right look and creative direction for your logo.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re launching an all-natural organic skincare line for millennials. Your logo should look clean, simple, and warm, not bold, flashy, or ultra-corporate. The same goes if you’re selling fun toys for children. A cute mascot logo will work well, but not a luxurious monogram logo.

If you’re struggling, we recommend writing down five adjectives to describe your business. This can help you narrow your choice and make visualizing much easier.

2. Know the elements of a good logo

A good logo has five key elements: simplicity, scalability, uniqueness, timelessness, and relevance. Consider these when designing your logo.

• Simplicity – Think of popular logos like Apple and Nike. They’re really simple, but that’s what makes them stand out. Simple logos are also easier to understand and remember, which is a plus in a crowded e-commerce marketplace.
• Scalability – A good e-commerce logo is one that looks good at any size. It needs to look good whether it’s blown up in your website header or if it’s shrunk to fit a small sticker. Make sure your logo’s details, colors, and quality will still look the same no matter how you scale it.
• Uniqueness – A great logo is distinctive and unique. It’s fine to be inspired by others and to keep in step with the trending looks in your industry. However, don’t copy your competitors.
• Timelessness – Your logo should stand the test of time. Avoid using trends that can make your design look outdated in just a year or two.
• Relevance – Your logo should resonate with your brand identity, audience, and the industry you are in.

3. Choose the right logo type

The right logo type will depend on your branding and your goals, but to give you an idea of what’s out there, here are the top styles to consider:

• Pictorial – Logos that use recognizable shapes or icons to convey their brand’s essence. Think Target, Apple, or Dominos. This logo type is popular since they can easily communicate what your business is all about in just one image.
• Abstract – These logos also use icons but they are more conceptual and creative in nature. These icons don’t exist in real-life, rather they are made up ones. Some examples are Airbnb and Pepsi.
• Wordmark – These are logos that spell out your business name, such as Google and Coca-Cola. This is great to use if you have a distinct and catchy name.
• Lettermark – These use initials instead of your full name. Think IBM, H&M, and CNN. Use this if your full business name is too long or complex to remember for your customers.
• Mascot – These logos use characters or anthropomorphized animals or objects to serve as the “face” of your business. This logo style is suitable for kids brands, food brands, or sporting goods.
• Emblem – These logos look like crests or shields and usually include intricate illustrations or text. Examples are Starbucks, Harley-Davidson, and Porsche. Use this if you’re aiming for a classic or heritage feel for your business.

4. Use the right color

Studies show that color can enhance brand recognition by up to 80%. Forty-two percent of consumers also form their perception of a brand based solely on its logo color.

Color is indeed a crucial element in your logo. But how do you choose the right one?

We suggest leaning into color psychology, which is the study of how each color can have different perceptions for people. For instance, blue is seen as stable and secure which makes it fitting for corporate businesses or those in the finance industry. Green is associated with nature which makes it perfect for eco-friendly or sustainable brands. Yellow is seen as playful and joyful, which makes it a great match for brands that are aimed for kids or teens. And so on!

Your target audience’s age can also have different preferences for color. Bright colors appeal to younger audiences, while muted tones appeal to older ones.

We suggest sticking to two colors at most to keep your palette clean and easy to remember. It’s also best if you study color harmony to ensure that your colors are complementary to each other.

5. Pair with the right font

Just like colors, each font has different associations with them.

Serif fonts are typically viewed as classic and old-school. They are suitable for vintage or luxury brands as they evoke a chic and timeless vibe. They are also suited for educational, financial, or corporate institutions as they look more formal than other fonts.

Sans-serif fonts are modern and clean. They are also easier to read than other fonts, which makes them suitable for digital mediums. Some sample fonts are Arial, Helvetica, and Futura.

Script fonts are handwritten styled fonts. These logos are incredibly versatile as they can either look chic and elegant (like the Chopard logo) or playful and approachable (like the Sharpie logo).

Display fonts are custom decorative fonts. They are attention-grabbing and more expressive than regular fonts. Brands that use this font style are Fanta, CNN, and Disney.

Choose the font that is best fit for your brand identity and audience. Make sure it’s also readable and legible even on small sizes.

6. Create your logo

Now that you have your design, it’s time to create it! But what is the best option for an e-commerce founder like you?

You can go for a DIY option if you have a design background. This is the cheapest option since you don’t have to hire anyone else and have full creative freedom. However, it is time-consuming. You’ll also be limited by the skills that you do have, so more complex design might not be possible.

If you’re looking for an easier way to design your logo (while still keeping the price low), you can opt for logo maker tools. These tools provide templates that you can edit, so you don’t have to start from scratch. The cons, though, are that you are limited to the available designs the tool has. It is the speedier and easier way to get an e-commerce logo, though, which is why it’s a popular choice.

You can also hire a freelance designer on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. This is the most expensive option, but you can get more professional, high-quality designs custom-made for your creative vision.

Conclusion

Your e-commerce website is your storefront in the digital world, and your logo is the welcome sign. Get it right and you’ll get customers lining up your (virtual!) door. Get it wrong and you’ll risk being forgotten.

But don’t worry. Creating the perfect e-commerce logo doesn’t have to be complicated. As long as you understand your brand identity and choose the right visuals to convey that, you’re golden. Make sure to follow our tips above, and you, too, will be able to craft a logo that you can be proud of.