It’s interesting to me that the most successful general ecommerce sites have a visually utilitarian appearance, with emphasis on function over form (so to speak

It’s interesting to me that the most successful general ecommerce sites have a visually utilitarian appearance, with emphasis on function over form (so to speak). Brand websites have the extra burden of trying infuse their sites with a unique brand identity. Companies that sell directly on the internet, and have enough products that they have need for a “catalog” to present products, have an extra challenge. Such brand websites carry a heavy load, as they serve marketing/brand identity, suppport, contact, communication, and ecommerce functions. Throw in the mind-f*ck of “responsive design” and it’s not surprising some websites fall short. The OPs thesis seems dubious, as he proposes no alternative for anything that could possibly fulfill all these functions.