10 Must Haves for eCommerce Websites

Are you ready to launch your new eCommerce website? An eCommerce website requires much more than just images and a link for buyers to purchase. You need to build an awesome user experience or you’ll risk losing them after their first visit to your page. If you’re not quite sure what you need for your eCommerce website, take a look at a list of some must-haves. Some of these may have already occurred to you, while others might be a surprise.

Quick Loading Time

Believe it or not, you risk losing a large portion of your shoppers if your website takes more than 5 seconds to load. Be sure to know all the tips for designing a site that will load quickly, including image size and type, as well as other media files.

Mobile Version & Responsive Design

Now that 55% of people are shopping from mobile devices/smartphones rather than from PCs and laptops, it’s important that you incorporate a responsive design for your site if it’s in your design budget. Your website should be easily viewed on any device, which means the mobile versions will often differ from the full site. Responsive design should include resized text that’s easy to read on smaller devises, changing navigational position according to how the device is held, fewer images to boost load times, and enough space surrounding links that people’s thumbs can click with ease.

Calls-to-Action

Your customers need your leadership. A call-to-action should appear at least once on every page, whether that CTA leads customers to make a purchase or to gather more information. Your CTAs should inspire excitement, while also letting customers know exactly where the link they click will take them. There should be primary CTAs, which are for making purchases, and secondary CTAs, which lead to more information about products, services, and the company as a whole.

Easy Checkout

MarketingSherpa estimates 59.8% of buyers abandon their carts before checking out. One possible reason for this may be due to a difficult payment process. The customer’s progress should be step-by-step, meaning each page should lead directly to the next and never back to a previous step. If customers must have an account before buying, require that step first. Don’t let them get halfway through the process and then direct them to an account set-up page. Make sure all fields in your forms are clearly labeled so buyers don’t get error messages when submitting payments. Finally, make sure all directions are clearly labeled. Instead of “Continue” as the direction, specify if they will continue shopping or continue to checkout. If buyers feel they’re being led in circles, they’ll give up.

Security Certificates

Consumers want to feel safe when handing over financial information. A study by Avira shows that around 29% of shoppers feel their information may end up in the wrong hands. You can ease this fear by applying for security certificates and posting the badges in visible areas. Popular security providers include Veri-Sign and GeoTrust.

Contact Information

A contact form is fine, as long as it’s not the only option your customers have for reaching you. Nothing is more frustrating to a buyer more than chasing a seller down to receive customer service. Be sure to include a phone number and an email address, at the very least. Otherwise, be sure to include location information so buyers are able to go straight to a store with concerns and returns.

Blog

Websites with a blog receive up to 55% more views than sites without. Not only is your blog excellent for helping customers find you through search engines, it’s also a great way to build trust with buyers. Your eCommerce blog should include information about all of your products, from how-to’s to product comparisons. The more information your share on your blog, the more likely your customers are to consider you an expert in your field. People like buying from experts; it makes them feel safe.

Social Media Links

Several reports show social media has a huge impact on eCommerce. For example, 77% of companies report they acquired customers through Facebook. Websites using the +1 button receive 3.5 times the Google+ visits than those without. If you’re not using social sharing buttons on your site, you could miss out on huge leads.

Customer Reviews

According to one study, 49% of buyers consider reviews before buying products. Since people will search for product reviews, your review page could help your rankings in search results. You’ll also claim ownership of the information rather than allowing a third-party review site to enjoy all the website reviews. Those reviews might as well be available on your eCommerce site to keeps buyers in one place.

Education

Not everyone will be the first time they visit your site. You must include information that keeps the conversation going. The best way to show your customers you care is to continually educate them on virtues of your products. You can do this through how-to videos, tutorials, whitepapers, and ebooks. Along with boosted search results, you’ll also experience the benefit of positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Also, customers will feel more comfortable purchasing a product they know how to use.

As you continue building your eCommerce site, you’ll find other must-haves that work just for you. If you have more questions or would like assistance setting up your website, Five Technology is here to help you with all your eCommerce needs. Let’s get started!