If you are already running, or want to start an online business, an eCommerce website is a vital tool for its success. However, to ensure that the website serves its intended purpose, some features must be present.
And, although many think starting an eCommerce website is easy, it requires some level of understanding and commitment.
If you want to grow the sales for your online store, then you must take time with your eCommerce site. Here in this article, we will discuss the must-have features of eCommerce sites.
1. High-Resolution Images & Video
High-definition images and videos will attract more customers on your website, unlike blurry and unclear ones. The more clear an image is, the more in touch with the product the customer will feel.
You must include images that are clear and that don’t take too much time to load. A report by Adobe shows that images that take much time to load or don’t load at all can cause up to 39% of customer drop-off.
To ensure that these images load faster and that they do not affect the speed of your website, you should optimize them before uploading. Optimize images to guarantee a desirable speed of the site, without compromising the quality of the image.
2. Shopping Cart
Shopping Cart is very important for an eCommerce website as it offers a place for customers to keep their selected products, as they undertake the checkout process.
This feature enables both the registered and the guest user to easily checkout. Consequently, the shopping cart should be flexible to make the process faster. Also, you can find ways to reduce shopping cart abandonment to avoid losing potential customers.
3. Reviews and Referrals
Before shoppers can decide what to buy, and from which online site, most of them check reviews and ask for referrals. About 95% of online shoppers rely on user reviews to make decisions.
Therefore, you shouldn’t fear including a user’s review section to enable your customers to review your product. Referral and reviews are some of the proven ways to generate sales leads.
4. Order Management
Another essential feature in an eCommerce website is a comprehensive order management panel. This feature simplifies your tasks by giving you access to complete information about refunds, buyer cancellations, a status update on exchange orders, COD order confirmation, and more. The panel also enables the online trader to manage their order fulfillment, as well as oversee its completion.
5. Security
An eCommerce website should have security features that ensure consumers’ information, especially in relation to credit cards, is secure. This feature ensures that crucial customer data is not saved and that for every prepaid shipment, a secure payment portal is used during checkout.
To ensure that your eCommerce website is secure, these are some of the most important things to consider:
- SSL certificate: SSL helps to establish a secure link between the website and users. As a user, you must ensure the site has HTTPS, as well as a green lock found in its address bar. As a merchant, choose a recognized SSL certificate vendor.
- Firewall: A firewall offers a wall or an opening between two networks. It helps to block malicious traffic and allow authorized traffic.
- Two-factor authentication: This adds to the site’s security by necessitating a username, and password, as well as a code, sent to you via text or email.
When considering such security measures, exploring options like nearshore software development outsourcing is essential. This approach can provide access to skilled development teams with expertise in building and maintaining secure eCommerce platforms, enhancing your website’s data protection and customer trust.
6. Loyalty Program Reminder
To ensure that your customers have something to come back for, your site must include a loyalty program section. Also, it must include a loyalty reminder section that helps to remind the users to sign in for the program or alerting them of their upcoming discounts.
You should keep the loyalty reminder in a fixed sidebar to help enhance the gamification feature of the users’ shopping process, which in turn helps with conversions.
Also Read:
