by Alex Schnee
Building out an e-commerce store requires some planning, consideration of your customers, and how much time and effort you want to put toward it. Some sites will be more complicated than others, and you will need to do some research into if those features can be beneficial for you. However, there are some features almost all e-commerce stores should have.
Here are some features you are going to want to consider when you go to build out your store.
1. A solid homepage
Your homepage is going to be the first introduction that customers have to your site and what you can offer them, which is why it worth looking into making it the best it can be. You should have your business name, pictures of your products or service, and buttons where your customers can learn more about what you have to offer. If your homepage looks unprofessional, then you are likely to lose users to your site almost immediately.
2. A way to contact support
You will want to look into whether or not your ecommerce API offers a specialized contact form, chat box, or another way that customers can get a hold of you as necessary. As an e-commerce store, it’s likely that you are going to have people who have a difficult time purchasing your product or services or they might just have a question of how it works. Regardless, you’re going to want to make sure you have the support necessary in order to build that customers loyalty.
3. Easy checkout
Checkout is likely to be the spot where your customers will drop off. If they feel like they have to go through extra steps or your design is too confusing, then you might notice a huge drop off rate when it comes to putting in credit card information. The simpler you can make the checkout process, the more you are likely to see the results that you would like. This includes clear call-to-actions, buttons, and reassurance that customers are buying through a secure platform where their information is safe and sound.
4. Information about the product or service
You should make sure that when you are building out your website that you have an area where your customers can find out more about what your product has to offer. This might be in the form of an FAQ page, blog posts, or white papers. Whatever it is, you’re going to want to make sure that you offer information that will help a buyer make a decision when it comes to your product. Without it, your potential customers might look to the competition where they can find out more info.
In summary
Creating an e-commerce store takes some thought and planning in order to make sure everything is in place, and you want to make sure all the necessary elements are there in order to encourage customer loyalty and people to buy.
