A good Ecommerce site is easy to navigate, is easy to use, and fits the specific branding you have in mind for your site. For those new to web design, this can seem like an impossible journey, but depending on the ecommerce platform selected, finding the right fit can be a fairly easy task.
Most ecommerce platforms have templates that can help you get started with customization options to meet your unique needs. Browse through your options, find a template that includes as many necessary features as possible, and be ready to make as many adjustments to meet the vision you have for your site.
Quality templates can make it easy to put together a store, offering ways to customize everything from navigation to product pages for a site that works well and speaks to your vision as a brand.
List Your Products
Once you have the framework of your site established, you’re ready to list the products you have for sale. This isn’t quite as simple or straightforward as it sounds; however, how well you list your products, the quality of your descriptions, and even the navigation of your ecommerce page can directly influence your sales.
1. Product descriptions.
Product descriptions sound mundane, but quality content can make a huge difference. On ecommerce sites, product descriptions are the primary driver for SEO: when your descriptions aren’t robust and fail to make the best use of keywords, you’re not going to show up in search engine results.
Product descriptions also play an incredibly important part in telling customers what you have to offer and why they should buy from you.
When writing product descriptions, use colorful, high-quality language that paints a picture for customers. Because buyers can’t physically handle your merchandise, product descriptions are effectively the next best thing. Think about the kinds of details you look for when making purchases online and use this as your guide for drafting content that impresses.
Around 20% of potential purchases fail because of a lack of details surrounding products sold online, so be absolutely sure that your descriptions hit the mark.
2. Product display.
Product display should complement product descriptions completely, providing a way to show and tell shoppers what to expect. A single photo won’t cut it; modern ecommerce shoppers want to see items from all angles, up close and at a distance, to make an informed decision.
Clothing should be photographed on models where possible, or a mannequin when not. Photos should be high quality and showcase fabrics, front, back, and side details, and even styling options when possible.
Don’t just get out your iPhone and snap some photos; pictures should always be professional. When your site looks amateur, shoppers may assume that your products are amateur, too.
3. Navigation.
A site’s navigation is an integral part of making sales. When a site visitor is completely overwhelmed with menus, dropdowns, and navigation options, going through the effort to find the right products can be very overwhelming.
Regardless of how many products you sell or categories you have, keep navigation clean, simple, and easy to use. User experience is a key part of satisfying shoppers; 79% of web users say that a poor experience on one site will lead them to search for another to meet their needs.
4. Checkout.
Checking out is a big part of making money; after all, if your shoppers don’t finish a transaction, you’re not going to earn anything. The checkout process may feel a bit like an afterthought, but a problematic point of sale is a primary driver for cart abandonment.
An estimated 21% of customers will abandon a sale if the checkout process is too complicated. In addition, 23% of users will abandon a cart if checking out requires an account, so make sure a guest checkout option is a part of your process, too.
To make your checkout process as fast and painless as possible:
Make guest checkout options easy to access.
Accept auto-filled details when possible, like credit card info stored in Chrome.
Accept a variety of payment options, including gift cards, credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and PayPal.
Keep everything on one screen instead of making customers constantly hit “Next.”
5. Search.
When customers want access to information quickly, a search is the easiest way to do so. To minimize the frustration felt by customers who just want to know more about you or your products, make sure your search function is effective and easy to use. Far too many sites have clunky, awkward, or inefficient search functions — and that completely destroys the user experience.