The role of ecommerce in the modern world is growing by leaps and bounds. Online sales have become an essential part of many businesses, and you can’t imagine a successful online business without an effective and presentable website.
You can either create a website yourself, or rely on the expertise of ecommerce development companies. They have the knowledge and resources to create a unique and functional site that meets the needs of the company and its customers alike.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at ten fundamental features that any ecommerce should have. Meeting these criteria is key to attracting and retaining customers, improving usability, and ensuring user safety. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
1. Easy navigation
A minimalist, intuitive navigation is an absolute must for your ecommerce website. A user should be able to easily find a product or a piece of information they are looking for. When faced with poor navigation, a user is likely to lose interest in your company and switch to a competitor.
Here are some simple tips for putting together a clever navigation system that can boost user experience big time.
Categories and subcategories of products
Your website must have a simple and clear structure, with products split into logical categories and subcategories. This will enable users to find the right product in no time. When designing your website hierarchy, be sure to consider the specifics of your business and your customers’ needs.
Search feature
In addition to searching by category, a user should be able to search a product by entering the keywords into a search bar. It’s important to make your search bar clearly visible, so that users don’t miss it. Besides, consider adding the autocomplete and spelling correction functions. This will greatly facilitate a search process for users.
2. Smart shopping cart
Another thing your ecommerce platform can’t do without is a user-oriented shopping cart. Shoppers should be able to easily add products to the cart and manage its contents before placing an order.
Below we’ve listed the key characteristics of a functional shopping cart.
- Ability to add products with one click. Be sure to provide each product with a large, eye-catching “Add to Cart” button. A user should be able to add a product to the shopping cart in just one click.
- Ability to edit and remove items. A shopping cart should enable customers to edit their orders based on their changing needs. This includes changing the number of items, removing products, and adding new ones.
- Convenient shipping and payment options. A user should have a choice between several shipping and payment methods. Each customer has their own preferences, and it’s your responsibility as a seller to cater to their varying needs.
3. Registration and user accounts
It goes without saying that a new user should be able to create an account with your ecommerce website. Registered users can enjoy a personalized on-site experience and smoother shopping journey. Keep on reading to find out how to make your new potential customers feel comfortable and appreciated on your website.
- Easy registration. To access the website’s full functionality, a user should be able to create a new account by filling out the required fields with their personal information. The registration process must be quick and intuitive, so as not to drive away potential customers.
- Account with stored personal data. Registered users should have access to their private account, where they can view and edit their personal information, shipping addresses, history of orders, and so on. This will make a shopping process smoother and more enjoyable.
- Optional sign-up via social media. Consider giving users an opportunity to sign up via their social media accounts, such as Facebook, Google or Twitter. This will spare them the need to create a new account.
User accounts allow businesses to establish and solidify relationships with customers, provide them with personalized offers, and make their shopping journey more fulfilling. Hassle-free registration and easy-to-manage user accounts are crucial to delivering a positive user experience.
4. Data safety
Data safety is the alpha and omega of any ecommerce website. Users should be able to sleep well at night knowing that their personal information and payment details are securely protected. Check out the secrets to making your website a safe space!
- SSL protocol to protect data and transactions. SSL protocols serve to encrypt data exchanged between a user and a server, protecting it from being intercepted by third parties. SSL is a seal of credibility that makes users trust your website.
- Safe transmission and storage of payment information. When shopping online, users are required to enter their payment details on your ecommerce site. You need to ensure that this information is safely transmitted and stored on the server. Advanced encryption protocols can successfully cope with that task.
- Anti-fraud policy. As an owner of an ecommerce platform, it’s your duty to fight online fraud and prevent unauthorized access to user data. Be sure to use identity verification services, fraud detection systems, and other tools to make your customers feel protected and cared for.
5. Payment options
Seeing that customers have different payment habits, consider providing them with a decent selection of payment options. Making shopping on your website available to a wider audience is a surefire way to increase your customer base and build your reputation as a trustworthy seller.
Payment gateways and e-wallets
One of the best ways to grow your list of payment methods is to incorporate payment gateways and electronic wallets into your platform. Payment gateways allow users to pay for their purchases with credit and debit cards, as well as other electronic payment tools. As for e-wallets like PayPal, they have long cemented their reputation as a flexible and confidential payment method.
Secure online payments
Along with a variety of payment options, it’s equally important to guarantee payment safety. Security protocols, such as SSL, are a trusted way to ensure privacy and protect user data during payment. Let your customers know what online security systems you are using. That will characterize you as a solid, customer-oriented business that prioritizes data safety.
Flexibility and convenience
Your customers will thank you for a minimalist interface for choosing a payment method. Also, make sure users are given an option to save their payment details for future purchases.
6. Reviews and ratings
The role of user reviews and ratings in ecommerce cannot be overestimated. Customers are increasingly relying on other people’s opinions about a product before making a purchasing decision. With that said, be sure to put together a section with reviews and ratings on your website.
Reviews and ratings section
Customers should be able to leave their testimonials about the products they bought on your website. Make sure reviews are easy-to-see and not cluttered by other information. In addition to reviews, customers should be able to rate your merchandise (e.g., from 1 to 10), so that other users can see the average rating of a product.
Review filters
Your ecommerce platform should allow users to sort reviews by date, rating, and other parameters. This way, customers can easily access reviews that they find the most useful and relevant.
Social proof
Reviews and ratings are a manifestation of social proof that greatly affects customers’ purchasing decisions. Positive reviews and high ratings improve your brand reputation and increase customer trust. On top of that, the very presence of reviews and ratings reveals an active, engaging online community around your company, which can help boost sales and attract new shoppers.
7. Mobile-friendliness
The use of mobile users is growing exponentially, and this trend is surely going to continue into the future. Users should be able to browse through and make purchases on your platform from any portable device, whether it’s a smartphone or a tablet. This makes a mobile-optimized website a must for every savvy business owner.
Adaptive and highly-functional design
Adaptive design means that a website automatically adapts to the size of a user’s device, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience. All website elements, including images, texts, buttons, and menus, should be easy-to-read and accessible across all types of mobile devices.
Also, it’s important that your ecommerce platform has the same functionality across all devices. Shopping cart, search feature, order placement, and other features should be equally easy to use on PCs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Mobile apps
Mobile apps are another way to make your ecommerce platform more accessible and welcoming for mobile users. Thanks to a dedicated mobile app, mobile users can shop in your online store with more convenience. Plus, you can enhance your app with a bunch of clever features, such as sale notifications, personalized recommendations, and quick access toolbar.
8. Product search and filters
A convenient search feature is yet another element that defines the success of your ecommerce site. It allows customers to find the right products in no time, thus improving user experience. Below we’ve listed things to keep in mind when putting together a smart search feature.
- Search filters. Users should be able to filter products by price, size, color, brand, and other attributes. It’s a great way to narrow down search results and find an ideal product without having to go through the entire inventory.
- Product sorting. Make sure customers can sort products by price, popularity, rating, and other parameters. This feature can help shoppers save up plenty of time navigating your catalog (especially if it’s a big one).
- Autocomplete and recommendations. To speed up the search, be sure to benefit from the autofill feature. As for search recommendations, it’s a smart way to boost sales by drawing users’ attention to alternative products.
- Intuitive filters and categories. It’s important that your filters and product categories are logical and easy-to-understand. Split your merchandise into categories and subcategories to guide customers to the right product.
- Search history and favorites. Any modern ecommerce platform allows its users to access their search history. Also, customers should be able to add products to the Favorites category, so that they can come back to them at a later time. There’s no better way to increase sales by encouraging repeat purchases.
9. Contact information and customer support
As a responsible business owner, you should provide your customers with a variety of ways to get in touch with you. A knowledgeable and fast-operating customer support is equally important. It’s the face of your business that you show to your customers.
- Contact information. A customer should be able to choose a convenient method to contact you. Provide users with your email address, phone number, and physical address.
- Online chat. Online chat allows users to get in touch with you without leaving the website and get a reply almost instantly.
- FAQ page. Create a page with answers to frequently asked questions. That will reduce the need for users to contact you whenever they have a question.
- Fast feedback. Be sure to react to your customers’ questions and requests in the shortest time possible. Remember that many users judge a company by how fast and efficient their customer support is.
- Friendliness. Empathy and friendliness are key when communicating with customers. Try to make users feel cared for and do your best to satisfy their requests.
10. Analytics and reports
Analytical tools provide you with valuable information about the number of website visitors, user behavior, marketing performance, and other crucial parameters that define your ecommerce business. For example, Google Analytics allows you to track website traffic, traffic sources, and user engagement. By measuring conversion, you can optimize your sales funnel. Analyzing user behavior can help you pin down your website’s strengths and weaknesses. Regular reports and dashboards are a great source of information about your website’s performance and key metrics. With detailed reports and analytical data at your fingertips, you can make informed decisions about improving your ecommerce platform and taking your online business to the next level.
Bottom line
We’ve covered 10 fundamental features that make the essence of any ecommerce website. The pillars of a successful website include a well-organized navigation, functional shopping cart, easy registration process, data safety, popular payment methods, reviews and ratings, mobile-friendliness, convenient search filters, contact information and customer support, and, finally, analytics and reporting tools.
By incorporating these features into your ecommerce platform, you will create a welcoming and safe environment for people interested in your products. It’s a great strategy for building customer trust and delivering a strong user experience. Content users can do wonders for your business by sending your sales into the stratosphere!