Check Out These Must-Haves For Your eCommerce Store
Working in the world of eCommerce is no simple matter. Internet and technology move quickly, and so should you. That’s why, when you build your online storefront, you need to consider every single factor that dictates a high-quality website. Luckily, 1Digital Agency has compiled a list of attributes that your site will absolutely need in order to stay on top.
Make it User-Friendly
The entire purpose of your eCommerce store is to sell your product, so you want an easily navigable website and for people to easily purchase whatever they desire. Although that sounds like a breeze, there are plenty of websites out there that make their purchasing process far too complex: Simplicity is the key to a user-friendly site. Make sure that the user has categories to choose from, filters, and can easily find information about their purchase.
Make it Visually Stunning
You want a website that has high-resolution and interactive photos and videos. Customers don’t just want to see one picture of a product, they want to be able to zoom in and out, view it from different angles, to understand how the product will be applied in the real world. Make sure that whatever images you’re using won’t affect your page’s load time, either. Making a customer wait for the page to load can be the deciding factor between a sale and nothing at all.
Keep Up With Social Connection
Consumers want to know that the products that they buy are coming from brands that they can trust. One of the best ways to do this is to bond with your audience through social media. Building brand character through social media is imperative to a successful eCommerce site, and you should constantly be connecting with your customers. Think about how Wendy’s interacts with its customers with witty responses on facebook and twitter; that’s connecting the product to the face of the company.
Include Related Items
It’s always a smart move to remind your consumer of every product that you sell. The best way to do this is to keep a tab on what they’re actually interested in. Whenever a consumer searches a specific product, your site should always have suggestions for other similar products flashing right on the screen. This will intrigue your customers as well as offer them a valuable and helpful service. It’s the little things that build up and make for a great user experience!
Wishlist
Why let customers forget about a product that they might purchase at a later point in time? Having the option of a wishlist will ensure that any customer who regularly frequents your site will be reminded of every product that they find interesting. This simple addition will absolutely boost sales and make for a more helpful experience!
Include Deals
Everyone is always searching for the best deal that they can get. There’s something exciting about a promotional value or any sort of bargain shopping, and you want to indulge your customers on that front! Offering free shipping and the occasional free product will catch a consumer’s eye when they arrive on your site. You only have a few moments to convince someone to shop at your online store over others, and these promotional values and offers can make all of the difference. Anyone who’s hunting for the best deal is sure to take a gander at any site that offers free shipping, or free anything!
Include User’s Reviews
What’s more trustworthy than reviews of each product that you sell? Including user-written reviews below every product is a failsafe way to prove to your customers the quality of your products. Even a negative review can be beneficial to your customer service. A concerned and involved response to each negative (or positive) review shows customers that you care about their experience and that you’re always trying to improve. Having these reviews is simply essential to any great online storefront.
Accessible Customer Service
Having a readily available phone number or online chat is an absolute must for providing an enjoyable user experience. There is nothing more frustrating than having to hunt down contact information to ask a question or even file a complaint. You want your customers to know that they can contact you, through various media, and that it won’t be a hassle to do so.
FAQ
Show your users that you’re connected to them: Have readily available answers for common questions. The key to reeling in customers is providing the smoothest experience possible. Don’t make anyone hunt down answers for simple questions; make sure that your eCommerce site has a Frequently Asked Questions page. These kinds of things go a long way with customer satisfaction, there’s nothing more pleasant than having all the answers they need right in front of them.
Return Policy
Last but not least: Although a return policy may seem like an afterthought, it’s incredibly important to the customer’s experience. A customer that is able to easily purchase and return a product is more likely to purchase another product in the future. Don’t make it a pain to return merchandise; you’ll find that your customers will be far more loyal knowing that they have options.
There’s nothing better than being proud of your eCommerce website. If your site has all of the tips mentioned above, great! If not, maybe take some time to think about how they could benefit you. Regardless, the best way to stay on top of your site is to keep up with eCommerce trends. Always stay vigilant and always strive to improve.
