Table of Contents
Introduction
With so much competition in the E-Commerce field, you will need to invest heavily in SEO and pay-per-click. However, before the marketing strategy starts, you should have your website designed by professionals aware of the latest trends in design.
But the success of your online store doesn’t solely depend on your products, trends etc. Essential factors like how it is designed and other must-have features can increase your customer conversion rate from traffic to leads to paying customers.
User-Friendly ( easy to use )
Studies show that 76% of consumers say the essential characteristic of an e-commerce website is the ease of use. A user-friendly online store feels like walking into a physical store and an attendant leading you to the aisle or section the product you’re looking for is.
When consumers are online shopping, they have a mission: to make an informed purchase. Everything else is a distraction. Your site must not have these hurdles that are unnecessary to your online shoppers.
A common ignored must-have feature of an e-commerce website is the autocomplete search functionality. It offers an easy-to-use and convenient navigation that focuses on the products search.
User-generated reviews and Social Proof
User-generated reviews on an e-commerce website are must-have features that will give online store owners brand character. Customers need to know that the products on sale are of quality or not as per their needs and wants. They will often look for product reviews to gauge if the product is worth it or not.
It’s pretty simple: If you don’t have product reviews on your e-commerce website, you will lose customers to a competitor who does. Unfortunately, many e-commerce businesses overlook this must-have feature because they think it’s too much work, that they won’t get enough reviews, or they simply don’t know how to use them yet.
Also, consider linking your social media to your e-commerce website. It can humanise your brand while simultaneously increasing your products’ awareness through sharing capabilities.
Mobile-Friendly
These days, when people think about e-commerce, they’re not just thinking about buying things online. They’re also thinking about how they can buy things online. And by “how,” we mean what type of device they want to use.
In today’s digital world, it’s no longer enough to have a traditional website that only caters to desktop computers. Your website should be responsive, meaning it will automatically adapt to whatever device your customer is using — a desktop computer or tablet, a laptop computer or a smartphone.
With a responsive e-commerce website, content intuitively adapts to whatever device is accessing it to provide the most user-friendly experience. This is important because consumers shop in different ways on different devices. For example, people browsing on smartphones and tablets are less likely to purchase them than people using desktops and laptops. So if you want people to buy from your site on a mobile device, you need an e-commerce website built with mobile customers in mind.
High-resolution photos and videos
Bigger isn’t always better. The most important thing when it comes to product images is quality. Ecommerce websites should display multiple photos per product. The photos should be high-resolution and optimised for page load.
Multiple angles – Shoppers want to see various angles and people using your product in different environments.
Zoom – Allow shoppers to zoom in on products so they can see the details.
Multiple Images – Show as many high-quality images as possible. The more pictures you have, the easier it is for shoppers to get an overall sense of what the product looks like.
Help centre
Customer service is an essential must-have feature for an e-commerce website. Customers don’t need to contact you for certain kinds of information if your website contains everything they may need to know, from delivery to returns to refunds or faqs on your products.
Your website should have a help centre page to serve this purpose. From this page, they can navigate any information required, and it saves you the time of answering recurring questions from them. For example, a return policy is essential as it adds to the credibility of your e-commerce site. It improves the trust between you and your customers.
Security Features
Before starting an e-commerce website, its security should be a top concern. Your customers’ information is your commodity, so protecting it should be of primary concern as a businessman or woman.
Too many merchants today take security for granted and end up paying the price. Ecommerce websites can be a lucrative target for hackers, so it is crucial that you protect your customers’ information and take steps to ensure privacy–especially if you have customer debit/credit card data stored on your server.
Language options
Of course, an e-commerce website means customers can purchase your products while you sleep. But another edge is that you can sell without boundaries.
If you plan to have a worldwide customer base, it is essential to provide the option of multiple languages. Users should be able to select their preferred language from a dropdown or some other easy-to-find location on the site. Also, localising your product content helps you to connect with new users.
Multiple Payment options
You’re a smart business owner. You have a solid idea of the industry you plan to operate in, a website, and your unique selling proposition. The next step is integrating online payments with your website. But which payment solutions should you incorporate? The world of online payments is filled with options, especially when it comes to e-commerce websites.
Multiple payment options are becoming a must-have for online transactions. Don’t rely on just one payment option, and you can’t tell your customer preferred choice of making payment. If your e-commerce website is limiting payment options, make sure to explain why.
Conclusion
If you want a profitable ecommerce website or one that can help you take your business to another level, you have to be prepared to invest in one.
Not every website developer understands these features and how it is great for marketing. Search engine optimization in many cases relies on top notch user/customer experience of a website.
