It stands to reason that you’d want to try and sell designer goods with a level of grace and sophistication – that’s why Habitat doesn’t look like Morrisons. You want the image and ambiance of the surroundings to appeal to your clientele, entice them inside in the first instance and then convince them that your shop’s inherent cool factor will rub off when they purchase. This is what Kobaltshop.com is all about – well, we guess it’s all about, because the text is all written in Korean – but the look and feel speak universally to those who appreciate stylish eCommerce craftsmanship. There’s nothing overtly fancy or overblown here but things just work beautifully, while the simple use of tiled product thumbnails to convey lists of catalogued wares is enough to hold it all together. This colourful visual melee not only lets you instantly preview what’s available under Desk and Stationary, Personal Items, Kitchen and Tabletop, Home Accessories, Kids and Kidults and the Kobalt Paper Shop, but also provides a stark and bold effect. Throw something into the shopping cart, and we don’t just get a straightforward item list but an equally swish ‘bag’, where quantities can be altered via a drop-down or binned completely before checking out. Whether it’s the little clicking audio sound as you navigate the site or the subdued colour scheme, there’s something just innately sophisticated about the experience that is sure to tap into the target buyer’s sensibilities. We just reckon that it’s a first-class example of where eCommerce dares to be less ordinary, taking functionality and indeed security to desirable levels of online design.