5 Top Essential Components to Build an Online Store
The way people shop has undergone a radical transformation; they no longer rely only on physical stores. They find it more convenient to go online, browse several online stores, compare reviews, prices and facilities offered by each seller, and then decide. Online shopping offers a host of benefits to the consumers – they can buy at any time of their convenience, without leaving home. But there are literally tens of thousands of online stores; so how will you make yours appealing to a customer?
1. Clear Design & Intuitive Navigation
As a business owner you know the categories of products you are going to sell; you need to make sure that this is very clearly seen in the structure and design of your online store. Your customers should be able to find the products they are looking for without hassles. A good web development and design agency will sit with you and have detailed discussions to understand your business and your product categorization. Make navigation simple and with clear labels that does not confuse visitors to the site. You can get your site tested on some users before you roll it out finally.
2. Ensure Seamless Experience on Mobile
A huge number of people are purchasing from their mobile devices, especially on the go – traveling, waiting in line, and so on. Your e-commerce site must be responsive so that customers are able to navigate your site, find what they want and checkout their carts without any trouble. Your mobile site should be uncluttered so that links and call to action buttons are clearly visible. Important buttons like ‘Next’, ‘Checkout’, ‘Add to Cart’, and so on should be big enough that they can be tapped easily by mobile users with their fingers. You also need to ensure excellent images – that will be fit for retina display as well.
3. Quality Images
Having high quality photographs of your products is extremely important – this cannot be stressed enough. This is the stage where the potential customer gets attracted and considers purchase, so you need to make it count. Hire a reputed agency or individual photographer, and use good lighting; also show the product from different angles so that every feature is clearly visible to the customer. Allow the customers to zoom in so that they can see more details. You should also consider letting customers see the product in context so that they can relate to it more easily. For example, if you’re selling women’s handbags – include a photograph with a model holding the handbag so that it gives an accurate visualization of the size of the bag.
4. Easy Checkout Process
Studies have shown that a lengthy or complicated checkout process is the number 1 reason for people abandoning their carts. You need to plan and design your checkout page very carefully; it should strike a fine balance between functionality, usability, and trust building. The Checkout button must be prominently displayed so that there is no ambiguity. Mention all costs – taxes, shipping, or anything else – early on, and not at checkouts. You also need to make it easy for the customer to edit the shopping cart – add or remove items if they change their minds. Allow guest checkout – that is, don’t force the user to create an account – and keep the whole process uncomplicated. Display security logos as well as your contact information as it helps to seem trustworthy. If possible, show thumbnails of the products in the customer’s cart too.
5. Unambiguous Returns Policy
Customers need to feel that they can return the product if they are not satisfied with it, or if it has a defect, or the wrong product has been sent. Displaying your terms for the return very clearly is very important as it helps build trust and gives customers confidence to purchase. Mention if you give store credit, refunds or exchange. Display it prominently so that it’s easy to find, and in simple language. Of course, one way to avoid or minimize returns is to provide detailed and accurate product descriptions. When it comes to clothes, provide size charts, fabric name, colors and sizes available, and so on.
6. To Sum Up
Clean, uncluttered design, simple navigation, detailed product descriptions, responsive design that works across all devices and browsers and simple checkout process – in a nutshell, these are the keys to an effective online store. A good e-commerce development company like IPIX Tech Services can help you establish a robust online presence with a killer online store. Affordable, reliable and scalable e-commerce development services will help you attract qualified traffic, boost conversions, and enhance revenues. Contact us today to take your business to the next level.