There are many web-based eCommerce services that can help you start your own eCommerce website. If you're looking to create an online store, here are 4 things you need to know when developing an eCommerce website.
1) Focus on your customers
When designing a new website, business owners often fail to think about the experience actual users will experience, rather than what they want on their site. It's crucial that you actually research your target audience and see what they want. What do they think of other sites in the same niche? Which features are most important to them?
Your website shouldn't have any unnecessary content that takes away from your message or speed. When you're developing an ecommerce website, it should take no longer than 3 seconds to load. Anything that's not essential to your business or customers should be eliminated as unnecessary fluff.
2) Inspire trust and security
When visitors visit your site, they should feel comfortable and secure knowing that their private information is safe. Get a merchant account to process payments securely online. You don't want your customers to feel uneasy about shopping on your site. They should know that any information they provide is safe and never sold or given away to third parties.
Additionally, having active social media channels and a solid presence on the web helps increase your credibility and your website's SEO rankings. You can create social media accounts through popular sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. It takes time to build up these accounts but it benefits you in the long run.
3) Emphasize your branding
Customers should be able to identify your brand as soon as they visit. Make sure that your logo appears on every page of your site so you stay consistent with your branding.
The design and feel of the website is also important; it shouldn't be too busy or cluttered with ads. Visitors want to see what's for sale, not what other offers you've got. This goes back to the first point, keeping everything simple. Visitors should come to your website and have a better understanding of what you offer when they leave it.
4) Make it easy to use & checkout
Web design is important, but we want you to think about the user experience as well. Your website should be designed and built with your visitors in mind. If they're coming from a mobile device like a tablet or smartphone, make sure that the site uses responsive web design so it can scale easily across screens.
Most customers prefer a one page checkout process. This allows them to enter their information once, and complete the purchase quickly so they can have it shipped without delay. If you have multiple pages for your checkout process, highlight the progress of the order so customers know where they are in the buying process. You should also include a form for your customers to sign up for an account if they don't already have one.
Conclusion
Web design is important, but we want you to think about the user experience as well. Your website should be designed and built with your visitors in mind. At the end of the day, you're focused on them, right! Good luck with your eCommerce website design. If you need guidance on how to launch and scale your eCommerce website, contact Gold Penguin Marketing today!
