Your eCommerce website is comparable to malls and stores where first impressions count. Customers will enter through an appealing window display, and well-organized merchandise will entice them to browse and make purchases. Stores that are messy and untidy will lose sales since no one wants to enter them.
Unlike other websites, an eCommerce website is unique. There are further factors to take into account, including, SSL configuration, payment choices, site architecture, design, and page load speed. You require a platform that can accommodate enough server resources.
Must have features for eCommerce website
Wireframing, prototyping, programming, deployment, and database maintenance are the primary steps in eCommerce website development.
It's time for website redevelopment if your current website isn't working anymore, doesn't look professional, or isn't visually attractive.
Here are eight factors to consider while establishing an eCommerce website, whether you're building it from scratch or redesigning an existing one.
1. SEO and Site Performance
Page rank is important for traffic. For your pages to rank higher and for customers to find you, use good eCommerce SEO practices while developing your website.
The effort is worthwhile because the CTR decreases significantly from position one to position two in the search results.
Site performance and page loading speed have a significant impact on the user experience and Google's rankings. Slow websites are quickly abandoned by users who want convenience and ease. According to one estimate, 40% of customers abandon their carts if the page loads more slowly than three seconds.
2. Website Security
Although no Internet user wants to become infected when browsing the web, their computer's security is always at stake. Because businesses save a lot of information about their customers and save their personal information on a website, safety is a major concern and one of the most crucial requirements for an eCommerce website.
Your company is at risk if this data is compromised; the contact information of your leads could be taken and sold, or you could lose critical information forever.
3. Responsive Website Design
Every website should be mobile-friendly. However, unfortunately, hundreds of businesses still use outdated themes and websites that function perfectly only on desktop computers. Mobile consumers must be able to search, browse, and make purchases via their phones and other devices. So, make sure you choose a responsive theme to create your website to cater to the needs of mobile shoppers.
4. Limit Your Product Selection and Offer Site Search
Giving your clients too many options can hurt your bottom line. When faced with too many options, buyers experience decision paralysis. Rather than making a choice, they will leave. Here are several strategies for resolving this problem:
By sticking to your specialization, you can better serve your customers.
Choose the top products in advance. Even though there may be twenty options available, limit their selection to two or three outstanding products.
Make the checkout procedure as quick and easy as you can. Each extra form field or click decreases the likelihood of a successful sale.
Include a quick, dependable, and scalable web search at all times. Search on the website is used by 30% of visitors. It's an essential part of every eCommerce website.
5. Embed Quality Pictures and Videos
Whether you like it or not, consumers will only give you around 10 seconds of their time. Therefore, you must be direct, catch their attention, and keep them reading until you can explain in more depth.
Video and photos both work well for maintaining viewer interest. Having one or both above the fold on every page is essential for success.
Photos cannot fully tell a story, but video can. Try to incorporate as many product videos as you can.
6. Payment Options
With the help of the site search, customers discover what they are looking for. However, the checkout process presents more obstacles than a track meet.
Unanticipated shipping fees
Ambiguous return policy
Some payments are not accepted
For the purchase to be complete, customers need to create an account.
The shipping obstacles must be addressed head-on. On the home page and the product pages, post your shipping costs and policies, any negative elements must be removed.
It's time to upgrade to a platform without payment restrictions if yours does. Processing foreign credit and debit cards, as well as online payment processors like PayPal and Stripe, must be available on your online store.
7. CMS Integration
All your written and graphic content, as well as your marketing paperwork, should be stored and managed in one location with the help of a content management system (CMS). Once published, your changes will automatically be reflected on the website. You can update or add new information.
A CMS can also assist your staff in responding to customer support tickets on time.
8. Marketing Strategy
A solid marketing plan created alongside the website can offer you a head start on the initial orders, regardless of whether you are opening a website based on a physical store or you have experience in the retail industry. However, it also identifies the components that go into a successful website and defines its structure.
Early marketing plan development might aid in determining the characteristics you'll require.
Wrapping Up
Any retailer's objective is to develop a frictionless buying experience. Always test your systems by acting like a consumer and making a purchase. Look for solutions to lessen bottlenecks and enhance your customer experience overall.
Additionally, working with an eCommerce brand development agency helps speed up the scaling process. To find out how we can help your brand grow, get in touch with the experts at Envision eCommerce right away.