Building an e-commerce website is different from creating a traditional site that speaks about your business. While the standard type of website also gives your customers a lot of valuable information, an e-commerce website will be what drives your bread and butter. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to engage customers or bring up the sales.
This is why it is essential that you pay special attention when you’re creating an e-commerce website that sells the merchandise it lists. So, if you’re thinking of building an e-commerce website, here’s what you’ll need to consider before you get work started.
It’s All in The Design
One of the most important aspects of your e-commerce website is your design. Unlike most websites that focus on just making their design look good, you have to pay attention to various other features as well. Make sure the basic theme and design match that of your products because this will help bring everything together. For instance, if you deal with men’s leather jackets, make sure that the colors, text, and images used to go together.
While website design is crucial because stats show that 59% of visitors will read through your website if they think it is beautifully created, you also need to pay attention to your e-commerce website’s shopping cart. Unfortunately, a lot of amateur designers don’t know that it can be one of the most crucial aspects of your website. Look at some examples over the internet and opt a shopping cart design that’s simple yet intuitive.
Product Descriptions
Before starting with your own e-commerce website, go to others like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and others. See how they make their products shine out? The entire purpose of your website is to sell the products you list. This is why you need to highlight and showcase them in such a way that they grab attention instantly. Don’t make the mistake of using low-quality images because this won’t reflect positively on your brand. Instead, use high-quality, zoomed pictures that the customers can imagine using.
Apart from the product images, you also need to ensure that the descriptions you include give as much information as possible. For instance, if you’re selling apparel, make sure you include details like colors, size, and anything else that might be important. Remember, the better the product description, the higher the chance of your customer clicking on the ‘add to cart’ option.
Care for Your Customer
Increased traffic is good for a traditional website, but they’re even more essential for your e-commerce site. Because they’ll be buying from you, you need to ensure that you’re doing all that you can to make them comfortable. Things like having the best live chat software, low shipping rate, and simple features such as a search tab will help you make the best of things.
According to a study conducted by AlixPartners, 36% of customers say that they didn’t choose to buy products because the delivery cost was too high. Other stats also show that 28% of people will abandon their shopping cart if they are presented with unexpected costs.
So, what do you do? Do you throw caution to the wind and accept losses? Of course not!
One of the best ways to beat shipping fees but still get your product’s worth is to adjust the price in the original product price. While the customer may think that the price is high, he is 2x likelier to buy the product than to pay the shipping fee.
Easy Checkout and Payments
Do you know what an ideal checkout page looks like? It is something which is quick, and efficient. It’s a system which doesn’t force your visitors to go through the signup processes simply because they want to buy a $5 accessory. Instead, your website should have a guest login as well so new customers can make purchases without having to commit. Moreover, stress your developer about making an easy to navigate checkout so your customers can be motivated towards it. Remember, designing and developing a website is easy, and the checkout page should be simple if you go through the 1st step without difficulty.
Another important feature you’ll need to tackle is the payment. E-commerce websites that don’t allow customers to pay with PayPal or other modes of payment aren’t preferred because they’re not versatile. So instead of just going with a system that allows Visa or Master card, go with multiple options, so you have a better chance of converting your customers.
Security Is Key to Success
If you visit a brick and mortar shop, you’ll notice that it is guarded by cameras, security personnel, and some other tools. But how do you ensure your customer’s security on your website? Because identity theft and cybercrime are so high, your customer will think before they actually give you their credit card number.
One of the best ways to get security for your website is through an SSL certificate. This certificate will help in protecting your customers’ credit card information, email addresses, and phone number.
Setting up an e-commerce website will take some time. Because there is a range of prerequisites that need to be completed, you need to ensure that you pay attention to everything. The only way your site and e-commerce business can be called a success is if you count in all these factors.
But remember, there’s a lot more you need to consider. So, don’t just trust anyone with building your website.
