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If your company needs a compelling ecommerce website that stands out in the online marketplace, these top ten features will help to ensure success.

1. Clear CTAs that draw the eye

Your calls to action should be clearly located. Ideally, visitors to your website should immediately know where to go to make their next move.

Ensure your CTAs are clearly visible. It helps not to have too much information crammed onto one page. You need to make every step leading to a sale as easy as possible for your potential customers.

Make sure your CTA stands out and draws the eye.

2. Simple and easy navigation 

It should be simple for visitors to your ecommerce site to browse and then take appropriate steps to complete their purchase.

To make it easy, offer them clearly defined navigation. Avoid too many menu options as this can confuse visitors – if they have to search too hard, they’ll give up.

Use broad terms to categorise your offerings rather than giving each item a separate page. Keep things as straightforward as possible to avoid making your site look too cluttered.

You could also add a search bar to provide additional assistance to customers looking for a particular item. Most consumers don’t want to trawl through pages of products to find what they’re looking for.

3. Fast download speeds

Speed is a crucial factor for any ecommerce site. If pages take too long to load, you’re sure to lose sales.

Your platform needs to offer a consistently fast service that can cope with periods of peak demand. No retailer can afford to miss out on sales promotions such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

Your platform should provide a quick and easy service at whatever time of day your potential customers want to shop. Also, ensure you optimise your site for mobile users, so every potential customer can transact with you as efficiently on a mobile device as on a pc.

4. High-quality product images

As your customers can’t physically see or touch your products, offering high-quality images is vital. A high percentage of decision-making is based on the visual review of a product.

Multiple pictures showing different aspects of an item give potential customers additional reassurance – buyers need to feel confident that they’ve seen what they are about to buy.

5. Comprehensive and unique product descriptions

Your goods need to be categorised in a comprehensive way, so visitors to your ecommerce site can read exactly what each product offers.  

As well as a name, each item on your website needs to have an informative description. Try mentioning the main benefits and then include a bullet point list of key features.

6. Secure hosting and payment platform

Any ecommerce website must offer consumers security when it comes to payments and the storage of their data. Your payment gateway should be simple to use and integrate seamlessly with your site.

Ideally, your ecommerce site should provide as many payment options as possible. As well as major credit cards, can you offer other payment methods such as PayPal and Apple Pay?

7. Quick checkout process

Once a visitor to your website has decided to purchase, you want to make the subsequent transaction as easy as possible. Too many steps, and you risk them abandoning the sale when the item is already in the shopping basket.

Only ask for essential information such as billing and shipping address and payment details. Shipping details should be integrated into the checkout process. If you ask for too much additional information at this stage, you risk losing the sale.

8. Dedicated customer support

To ensure customers return to your site, you should provide accessible customer support. If a customer has a query or problem, they’ll want clear contact options.

Try to offer multiple methods, including phone, email, and live chat. That way, your customers can choose how they communicate with you. In addition to offering these methods, ensure your staff are trained and equipped to deal with issues fast and efficiently.

9. Transparency on T&Cs, delivery and refunds

At the bottom of your ecommerce site, include a page that gives visitors all the essential information they need on your terms and conditions, delivery options and charges, and refund policy.

This doesn’t have to be a main menu option, but it should be easy for visitors to locate. By giving visitors comprehensive information on these aspects, you provide reassurance – and this can play a big part in them going ahead with a purchase.

10. Be on-brand

The look of your ecommerce website should reinforce your brand identity in the minds of your customers. This includes your website design, the imagery you use, your company logo, and the way your products are presented.

You want your customers to be familiar with your company’s name and colours. The more recognisable you are to them, the more likely they are to keep coming back to you.

We can design your successful ecommerce site

Make it Seen offers a full-service digital solution, which includes creative web design, SEO, online marketing, branding and print services.

We can help you boost your engagements with our innovative design and online marketing solutions.

Call 01902 239010 or click to Get a Quote