From last-minute Christmas shopping on amazon.com to working on design for DRIFIRE's webstore, our 2009 was chock-full of e-commerce. Here’s a rundown of the five most interesting and innovative ecomm site features of '09, from both inside the studio and out.

5. Big, juicy photography. Compelling photography is a huge part of creating an immediate connection with the user. Salomon Sports is a great example of this; they use expansive and compelling lifestyle photography to draw you into that photograph’s moment and use it as a portal to the products they sell.

4. Product searches everywhere. Most online shoppers are in a hurry; having mini product searches on non-store pages makes it quick and easy for users to find what they're looking for, cutting down on impatience and site exits. Our clients, Advanced Instruments, for example, utilizes space on the homepage and subpages to give the user quick gratification by allowing them to see fast results in a product search without ever having to leave the page they're on.

3. Checkouts to better serve your brand. In an age of generic Google and Yahoo checkouts, it’s unexpected to find a checkout that really ties your brand experience in a tidy bow. Checkout is the last (and thus most memorable) experience a user will have on your ecomm site, and making this impression a positive one is key to bringing them back. A customized, brand-specific checkout like DRIFIRE’s leaves the user with a clear vision of who DRIFIRE is as a brand and can also add credibility to the site when prompting the user to type in personal information.

2. Mini-carts and Quickviews. Two of the best time-savers for online shopping. Take Taza Chocolate’s e-comm site for example; thanks to the mini-cart features, the user never has to leave their current page to view or edit their cart. So, when I decide that dark chocolate is going to be my breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next month, I can add 90 bars to my cart no matter where I am in the store and I can do so without any annoying page refresh. Quickviews serve a similar purpose, giving the user a sneak preview of the most pertinent product facts straight from a search results page; an impatient shopper couldn’t ask for more. Check out DRIFIRE or target to get a glimpse of quickviews in action.

1. Interactive toys to help sell the goods. The obvious difference between physically going to a store and buying online is that the user doesn't get the experience of trying on or holding products. This is why interactive extras that simulate the tactile experience can really empower the user to buy; Jane Iredale's Mineral Makeover Room is a perfect example of this. From the comfort of her own computer, the user can choose a model that represents her look and can then apply make-up to that model using realistic coverage and color technology. Giving the user the opportunity to 'test' out your product instills confidence in them while simultaneously providing an engaging branded experience that gets you one step closer to a sale.