September Wrap-Up: What You Missed About Ecommerce Market Research, UFO Websites & More

The summer is truly over, the year’s final quarter has begun, and 2024 seems right around the corner. But the world does not stop turning, and we keep spinning with it while making the best of this journey! Before we start getting ready for the New Year for real, let’s look at what significant happened in September of 2023. From intriguing ecommerce market research to the best book recommendation for web designers, we’ve got things to discuss.

The news scoop

No day is the same in the world of web design and development, and we’re constantly flooded with incredible news. Sometimes, literally incredible. Here are a few important September updates we simply must discuss.

Ecommerce is booming!

Who said you have to have dozens of research pages covering one topic? This short and sweet update from Allison Schrager at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research reminded us how significantly the ecommerce market has grown over the last two decades. As Allison points out, ecommerce is here to stay, and it’s time to take a leap and build that online store.

Chrome Web Store gets a facelift

If you use Google Chrome – the world’s most popular web browser – on your desktop computer, you must have used the Chrome Web Store at some point. The design of this platform has recently gotten an exciting new look and now offers a completely refreshed browsing experience. According to Chandraveer Mathur, the new design is based on Google’s design language, Material You.

Pentagon launches a… UFO website

Here’s a URL: www.aaro.mil. What do you think this website’s all about? AARO stands for All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, and it is a platform for the U.S. government to address Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena-related information. What’s that? UFO information! Yes, the Pentagon has launched a website for all classified info on UFOs, and Melissa Quinn has insights. 

The spotlight

It’s time again to share some cool recs from our side of the room. 

The social spotlight

Are you familiar with the brilliant short-format podcast Digital Insights? If you love audio content that you can listen to on the go without dedicating a lot of time, these 3-5 minute episodes could be what you’re looking for. We’ve been enjoying Digital Insights, and it’s time we share it with you. Here’s a quick little episode on sustainability in web design. 

Are you more interested in visual content? Meet Jürgen Leckie, an Amsterdam-based UX designer, who has worked with such brands as Allianz, UNHCR and TNT. Although he’s not very active on Instagram, when he posts – it’s a work of art. Check out how Jürgen sketches his UX projects and get inspired.

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A post shared by Jürgen Leckie (@uxjurgen)

The WAcademy Book Club

WAcademy’s UX Designer Dovilė has a book recommendation! 

“Don’t Make Me Think by Krug Steve is a book that probably every web designer has either read or heard of. It provides an easy-to-understand guidebook on navigation and information design, but it’s not a dry textbook. On the contrary – it’s extremely fun to read and offers many great practical tips. If a web designer had to choose one book to save from a burning building, this right here would be it.”

The update

As always, a new month has brought us many new opportunities to grow, learn and deepen our knowledge on everything related to web design, ecommerce growth and small business scaling. Here are the top updates. 

Blog highlights

At WAcademy, we strive to create a symbiotic relationship between interns eager to learn and small businesses willing to trust interns to turn in amazing web designs. In September, our Blog focused on showcasing our interns’ work and educating small business owners about owning a website, scaling ecommerce businesses, learning how web design supports digital marketing, top tips for building podcast websites, and so much more!

• 10 Examples of Startup Websites Designed for FREE & Top 16 Essential Website Elements To Consider
• Etsy vs. Own Website: Which Is Better for Small Businesses?
• How To Scale Ecommerce Business: 5 Strategies That Work
• What Does Web Design and Internet Marketing Have in Common?
• 4 Best Podcast Website Design Tips To Help You Launch Your Project

Client reviews

Every positive review makes us push ourselves more, and this one from Jonas has definitely put a smile on our faces! The WAcademy’s Trustpilot profile is full of reviews from our clients, so give it a check when you have time. 

WAcademy’s design hall of fame

In September, our interns completed so many amazing and unique websites. Choosing just one to showcase in this blog post was a true challenge! If you want to see more examples of what our interns are capable of, check out our Portfolio page.

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