Do you want to start an e-commerce store? While offering high-quality products at an attractive price is part of the deal, a lot more goes into setting up an e-commerce store.
A new visitor only takes a minute to check out your store and decide if they want to continue browsing the products. Consumers’ attention spans are getting shorter by the day, and many choices tempt online shopping enthusiasts to explore other options.
10 Essential Features for a Successful E-Commerce Store
Here is our rundown of essential features you must incorporate into your e-commerce store.
1. Intuitive Navigation
One of the first things a new visitor observes about your store is the website’s design. Quick and easy navigation allows visitors to browse various products until they finally purchase one.
However, customers will only purchase products from a store if the navigation is intuitive.
Here are some helpful tips for creating a user-friendly website.
Tips for a User-Friendly Website
If you want your e-commerce store to be user-friendly and encourage visitors to browse items and checkout quickly, follow these tips.
- Make sure your e-commerce store loads quickly
- People can easily find what they are looking for
- Users can easily read the text on your home page and product listings
- Customers won’t abandon your online store if you add a search bar, a menu grid, categories, and an easily visible call to action button.
2. Search Bar
The search bar is clearly visible on most e-commerce websites. More than 70% of online customers use this bar to find what they want in an online store. People who know what to buy will search for their desired items in the bar, while others may type something relevant to see related products.
3. Product Listings and Filters
Since they can only touch a product physically after purchasing it from an online store, customers rely on the information provided on the listing page. You need menu bars or grid menus to help them find their desired items.
Add short videos (tutorials, features, testimonials) and high-resolution pictures of your store’s products. Every product page should have a clear description and a brief overview of the product’s features.
Product filters also make things easily accessible to visitors. Using a filter allows buyers to focus on what they need. The store takes customers to the duplicate product listing as they enter their choices or keywords in the search bar. Almost all e-commerce stores have product categories and filters to help consumers make as many purchases as possible.
The most popular filtering features on e-commerce websites include color, model, style, and rating.
Another crucial element is the placing of these filters. They should be smoothly integrated into the store’s design so users can access them easily.
For instance, if you look at the retail giant Amazon, the website has different categories to showcase hundreds of products. Some of these categories or ‘departments’ include:
- Arts & Crafts
- Pet Supplies
- Electronics
- Automotive
- Baby
By clicking each category, you can browse their subcategories. Every subcategory has different products. You will find the description & features, product reviews, and ratings on every product page.
For instance, if someone wants to buy a camera, they will click the ‘Electronics’ category where ‘Camera & Photo’ are grouped.
4. Wishlists
Sometimes, certain products capture a customer’s attention. However, they may need more money to purchase those products. The feature allows users to save purchases by adding items to a wish list and is a fantastic tool for these individuals. That way, customers who have decided can purchase the item(s) later.
For example, users can create a wishlist while shopping at Walmart. They can add something to their Wishlist if they want to save something for future purchases. They have to click on a product and choose ‘Add to list’ to put the item into their Wishlist.
Since customers must create a user account to use features like Wishlist, adding this feature means you can grow your mailing list for your next email marketing campaign.
5. Images and Videos
Create an engaging visual experience that captivates your potential customers, encouraging them to stay on your website. For example, video tutorials and high-resolution images are more interesting than plain text and should be included on every page. People have shorter attention spans and wouldn’t waste time on a website if they don’t find something useful.
When visitors land on your e-commerce store, you may only have a few seconds to capture their attention.
Use images to highlight the best features of your products and post video tutorials. You can communicate important information with a video clip or an interactive infographic.
Check out how Tiffany & Co., the iconic American luxury jewelry brand, showcases its ring collection with stunning photographs. The high-resolution pictures retain their quality, no matter how much you enlarge the images. Pictures of their earrings, necklaces, pendants, watches, etc., can also be found.
6. Product Reviews
Most online shoppers base their purchasing decisions on the ratings and review other customers leave. Adding reviews can promote an e-commerce store’s rankings organically. More reviews with higher ratings help a store establish its authority online.
The review procedure can be reward-based to encourage customers to submit feedback on the products they just purchased. That means you can offer points to every customer who posts reviews after purchasing from your store. Make sure the review procedure is quick and easy.
For example, Campus Protein offers a loyalty program that rewards customers for leaving a review. Customers earn 30 points for posting a review and 20 points for following their Instagram account.
7. About us
What are your main products, services, or offerings? What are your store’s core values? This section contains all the information about your products, team, and locations.
Always add an ‘About Us’ page on your store where clients can learn about the company’s origins, history, values, and goals. Customers should clearly understand who you are as a brand and how you operate. They are more likely to buy from brands that are socially responsible.
As today’s consumers are becoming more socially aware, they want to give back to society as much as possible. Many e-commerce stores now feature sections that show how a brand/store gives back, whether through collaboration with a local charity or sustainable practices.
For example, Levi Strauss adopted the Water<Less manufacturing technology to reduce the amount of water used. Thanks to this strategy, the brand claims it has saved up to 3.5 billion liters of water. Levi Strauss aims to ensure all significant suppliers become Water<Less facilities by 2025 to reduce water wastage. Their e-commerce store highlights this on the Values page of their website.
8. Multiple Payment Options
A simple checkout and a convenient payment process are crucial elements of an e-commerce store. Customers are likely to abandon their shopping carts if they cannot identify their preferred payment option, resulting in significant losses.
Stores should accept smart cards, online banking, e-wallets, cash on delivery methods, and credit and debit cards. Supporting numerous payment methods can streamline the checkout process, allowing customers to choose their preferred payment method and ultimately making it easier to complete their orders.
For example, Amazon offers various payment methods, including Visa Card, MasterCard/EuroCard, Amazon Store Card, Amazon Secured Card, etc.
9. Mobile-Friendly Layout
When websites are challenging or the checkout process could be more convenient, you may see greater bounce rates and lost sales. Mobile devices account for more than half of all website traffic worldwide. You may receive thousands of mobile visitors if your e-commerce store has a mobile-friendly layout.
According to Google, 75% of consumers prefer visiting a mobile-friendly site. Make sure your mobile-friendly e-commerce store has easily visible products and CTAs.
10. Strong, clear calls to action
A clear call to action button is one of the most essential features of any e-commerce store. The purpose of CTAs is to guide users on what to do next. Placing them on your website can help you earn more profits by increasing your sales.
However, CTAs are not just for pushing more sales but can also encourage visitors to subscribe to a store’s newsletter or fill out a lead form.
Ensure you let the visitor know exactly what action they are about to take to reduce confusion. Each page of your e-commerce website must have a clear CTA to encourage your visitors to check out more pages or to get them subscribed to your mailing list.
Remember to add only a few CTAs on one page. Otherwise, your website will feel too sales-y. Another benefit of incorporating CTAs into your store’s design is that they help track conversions. E-commerce store owners can see what’s working for them and identify the products getting more views or purchases.
Bonus Feature
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions offer a plethora of information to your current and potential customers. This section provides answers to multiple product-related questions. For instance, you can list Q&As for your refund and shipping policy, product listings, payment methods, etc.
In addition to ratings and reviews, frequently asked questions or FAQs help customers judge whether the store offers quality products.
For instance, check out the FAQ section of Tiny Organics, a company that offers organic and plant-based baby food. Users can get in-depth information about the store’s nutrient-rich foods for young kids so they can eat healthy from the very beginning.
Chatbots for Customer Support
Customer satisfaction and user experience are highly valued in the e-commerce industry. Hence, an online store’s top-notch, round-the-clock customer care department is essential. Modern technology has enabled e-commerce businesses to deploy AI-driven chatbots for customer care. Chatbots effectively handle customers’ reoccurring questions, reduce waiting times, and are highly responsive.
E-commerce stores can use chatbots, which are artificially intelligent programs, to interact with customers at every stage of the buying process. Online retailers can use these chatbots to respond to customer inquiries about their items on the company website or other messaging services like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, etc.
Before a customer makes a purchase, these eCommerce chatbots address any concerns about the products through conversational marketing.
Final Thoughts
From choosing the right design to integrating features like filters and chatbots, you can improve your online store’s functionality and appearance by following the ideas mentioned in this post. Contact us to find out the best e-commerce solution services for promoting your e-commerce business and earning profits.
