Top 14 Functionalities for a Successful eCommerce Website
A business enthusiast who wants to run an eCommerce website in the midst of stiff competition will have a tough time sustaining an online business. If you are not offering extraordinary products and marvellous experiences, gaining a successful outcome, in the beginning, will be an enigma for you.
Nevertheless, if you include and offer specific features and functionalities will distinguish you from the competitors. Catch a glimpse of the fundamental eCommerce website functionalities to fire up your online store.
14 Indispensable eCommerce Website Features for Beginners
1. A Straightforward Design
Maybe not but undoubtedly, when preparing a list of features for the website a smooth design is vital. A study by Sweor suggests that it takes only 5 nanoseconds for first-time web visitors to formulate an opinion on whether they are staying or leaving your website. So basically, you only have a couple of seconds to impress them with your Shopify eCommerce solutions. The key? A user friendly web design!
The first thing to amplify your eCommerce business for a user friendly web design could be to approach a top-notch eCommerce solution provider where the team could help you get a higher-quality website design.
The next thing is to follow the tips and tricks to enhance the convenience of the website. As a result, you will successfully start your journey to a user friendly web design.
2. Uncomplicated Navigation Bar
As seen in the above image, we at Chimpare, even though being a service-based company, believe in creating a straightforward navigation bar. So that users can easily find our key offerings.
After sorting out all the designing stuff, set yourself up for the navigation part. A user mainly focuses on this part from discovering the product to conversion.
If the users are not convinced with the fact of easy navigation, then you will easily get replaced with a website with seamless navigation where they can reach the products within just 3 clicks.
Try to categorise your products in a logical manner. Inculcating this functionality will radically help in enhancing the product sales as well as earnings from the eCommerce website.
3.Advanced eCommerce website search
Advanced site search is the feature that easily supplements the navigation trait that we discussed above. This image above clearly defines an advanced search trait that an eCommerce website must have for users to easily find the desired products by search.
Though a lot of Shopify eCommerce solutions are offering simple search functionality. That is not beneficial to many users as it might upset them finding the product.
On the other hand, opting for the advanced search option will circumvent the navigation feature and lets users find exactly what they need.
Advanced search functionality is not only a part of the navigation but also benefits in boosting organic sessions for your website, eventually enhancing SEO and conversion. Hence, you must include this functionality for successfully running an eCommerce website.
4. A perfect footer with important site links
Apart from the easy navigation from the header, take into consideration the footer also for providing powerful Magento eCommerce solutions. Ensure that you are providing all the major links to your website in the footer section. Adequate usage of the footer parts will help in increasing user engagement as well as finding the product easily.
However, Google gives equal weightage to the links at the bottom just like the header section. So you won’t have a problem with the internal linking and amplifying your SEO score.
5. Try videos
Images are good but videos are more catchy. Videos prove useful when highlighting product features or benefits. User decision-making can be sped up when short but insightful videos are presented. Moreover, produce good quality videos for higher returns. It will also be easier to answer product FAQs easily with the help of videos.
6.The most impactful product reviews
A study suggests that 93% of customers prefer reading online reviews before making a decision to buy a product.
Trust in your brand is a primary motivator for eCommerce shoppers. You can’t win customers over unless you gain their trust, regardless of how great your products are.
7.Product FAQs section
Before making a purchase, users may have small, minimal questions, which a product FAQs section can answer. As seen above, we have created a separate FAQ section for the Farfetch Shopping brand.
The best thing you can do is list all the common questions on your product pages and answer them directly instead of receiving emails from users every now and then on trivial matters. Increasing conversions and reducing pre-sales queries can be achieved this way.
8.Watch out for the checkout process.
You want your customers to be able to sign up or log in quickly, fill in their information, make payments, and be done with it.
Conversions will be negatively affected and cart abandonment will increase if you stretch the checkout process unnecessarily.
To simplify the checkout process, enable your consumers to checkout as guests. It will alleviate the charge of signing up for new users who are willing to shop.
9.Provide Multiple Payment Options
One of the reasons people abandon carts is not having multiple payment options. It is possible to reduce your cart abandonment rate and seal the deal by accepting multiple payments.
The availability of multiple payment options at the checkout also simplifies the buying process and makes shopping more enjoyable.
Payment gateways should only be used if they are safe and authentic. To build as much trust as possible, you should also display this on your payment page.
10.Order Tracking facility for the keen people
Customers will be able to check their order status in real-time if you add order tracking to your eCommerce website.
In order to enhance user experience during order fulfilment, your eCommerce store needs this functionality. As a result, you will not have to pay too much to develop an eCommerce website, keeping your costs down.
This feature will considerably help customers who are anxious to know their order status and eventually help you repeat purchases.
11.Start sending newsletters
Sending a personalised email newsletter can still bring back sales if users abandon carts and leave your website. Moreover, email can be used for upsell/cross-sell opportunities with customers.
Your eCommerce website can certainly generate revenue and higher conversion rates when you use these types of promotions correctly.
12.Product In-Stock Notification
Is this something you’ve experienced before? A perfect product may catch your eye online, and you may feel instantly compelled to buy it. In spite of this, the product is frequently out of stock due to its high demand.
Customer service can also be affected in the same way. The best thing to do here is to provide customers with the option of signing up to receive notifications when the item is back in stock.
Customers can register for an out-of-stock product to get notified when it returns.
As a result, you will be able to enhance the user experience and capture new customer emails that you can then use to target upsells and cross-sells later on.
13. Integrate chatbots
AI, NLP, and other technologies are used to program chatbots to simulate human-like conversations.
Integration of a system of this type is aimed at reducing the duration of customer interactions and answering their questions as quickly as possible.
You will be able to reduce your eCommerce’s operational costs because they will be available 24/7. By resolving simple doubts before purchase, it can also generate revenue.
14. Be benevolent when returning products
You need to integrate product returns into your Magento eCommerce solution if you want to create a successful one. Users will be more confident about your brand and products when you do so.
Providing free returns can cost you money, but it increases the chances of repeat customers.
Want to develop a full-fledged eCommerce website consisting of all the above beneficial functionalities?
Summing It Up!
The technology used by startups and new-age eCommerce entrepreneurs needs to be tech-agnostic, yet they need not reinvent the wheel every time they want to show off.
A successful eCommerce website should focus on integrating tools and features that are customer-centric to offer an amazing shopping experience. Your journey to developing an amazing eCommerce store can begin with the above list.
A team of eCommerce developers like Chimpare will often be necessary for you as you embark on this journey. A wide variety of eCommerce startups and enterprises have sought our help due to our extensive industry experience and professional record.
