An eCommerce website can make or break your business. If visitors find it overwhelming or too complicated, you risk losing them to your competitors who have put more time and consideration into their online presence. So, don't skip any corners or overlook certain details because doing that can affect your bottom line.
Here are some key features of a good eCommerce website:
Simple Design
Having a quality-designed website could be the difference between gaining a customer and losing a visitor. Yes, consumer habits change over time, but that’s why it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and perform site redesigns when necessary. However, keep in mind that some designs never go out of style, like bold headlines, easy-to-read typefaces and attractive color schemes.
Organized Layout
One reason why your business’ website is underperforming is because the format is too chaotic and confusing. Simple is always better when it comes to a website layout because it lets visitors browse easily through the site. By making the navigation as straightforward as possible, there’s less chance of someone getting frustrated and hitting the “back” button.
Clear Shipping Policies
Have you ever tried to order something online only to find out at the last minute that you’re going to pay a lot more than you expected for shipping? Customers aren’t too keen on being misled or tricked, so don't do this to yours, especially if you know first-hand how irritating it can be.
Make sure that you clearly address your business’ shipping policies early in the shopping experience. Highlight any sales or shipping discounts on the homepage as well so you can grab your visitor’s attention.
Easy Check-out Process
So, a customer has been searching your website for about an hour filling their cart with a number of items. Now it’s time to check-out. But the process is long and confusing. It's not even clear what types of payments you accept. What are the chances that this person will abandon the site before making the purchase? Pretty good.
To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, sign up for an eCommerce merchant account with a reputable credit-card processing company that can provide you with the most up-to-date payment solutions and services.
Pro-Mobile
Businesses who are not mobile-friendly risk alienate a large percentage of their target customers. According to Business Insider, mobile commerce has been increasing each year. By 2020, an estimated 45 percent of all eCommerce purchases in the U.S. will be made from mobile devices.
A good eCommerce website is an important component of your business. Be sure to keep your customers’ user-experience in mind when it comes to your site's design, layout, navigation, and check-out process.
