7 must-have features for eCommerce websites

It's no secret we all spend more time shopping online than ever before

When it comes to the art of e-commerce, at iSky digital we do it big and have pinpointed 7 key features your eCommerce website needs to have

1. Art Direction

If your website does not respond to different screen sizes that’s not responsive. If your website is not responsive then perhaps you’ve been living under a rock, yet users expect your website to deliver the same experience across all devices so that they are comfortable interacting with your brand online.

Why is it important you ask? research now shows that over 60% of all traffic over the Internet comes from smartphones, surpassing desktop traffic by a country mile. Now more than ever you must deliver your brand that fits the experience that consumers find palatable. If you don’t you’re essentially ‘Turning away new business’.

2. Customer reviews

It’s no secret that everyone that shops online always checks the reviews The Good The Bad and The Ugly nowadays, it seems like there are more negative reviews than positive reviews but it actually makes sense products by design have a 5% fail rate so if your products have negative reviews essentially that’s part of the game. However, No reviews are far worse than negative reviews. As a point of reference products with 4.7 – 5.0 are less likely to be purchased than products in the 4.2 – 4.7 customer rating range.

3. Buttery smooth checkout process

Making it easy to check out is the most important part because you can’t make money if you don’t sell products. You should have clear call-to-action, catching buttons that make it easy to and compelling move through your checkout process. Your buttons should have high contrast and be easy to locate.

But really the buy button is just one part of it, on average roughly 70% of consumers abandon their carts. Why do you ask? It’s inevitable that many users are just browsing and a lot of times consumers want to see products in cart and evaluate the total price with shipping. One of the most common reasons for abandoning a shopping cart is the checkout process. of the remaining consumers who may buy your product, 43% say they don’t check out and buy your product because of a complicated process.

4. Clear and concise return policy

When we shop online we generally shop online in places that we can trust. if you are just getting started in eCommerce or attracting new business it’s especially hard to establish trust as it is of the utmost importance. providing a clear return policy reassures potential customers that they are not taking a risk purchasing your product. if you’re not a brick-and-mortar business it’s critical to provide clear instructions on how the product can be returned.

We all consume Goods on sites like Amazon and our favorite brands online. Consumers cite that hassle free returns as the top reason they consume Goods from a digital brand. 96% of customers say they would return to shop online again based on the ease of returning the product.

5. Highly visible search bar

If you have a large product range it is important to have a search bar. Sometimes a tiny icon just isn’t enough and it doesn’t suggest to the consumer to use this function to find the product they are looking for.Shoppers oftentimes are in a hurry trying to find what they’re looking for and a search bar search functionality make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for so they don’t have any need to look elsewhere.

you might want to consider also sprucing up the search results page so it’s not just plain Jane. include facts and blog posts in your search results so that the search page is engaging with content related to their search.

6. Rewards programs for loyalty

Did you know that it costs 5 times more to attract a new customer than it is to keep an existing customer. Research shows existing customers are far more likely to make another purchase within 16 days of the first transaction and they will also spend more.

There are a lot of different types of rewards programs out there, loyalty referral points towards future purchases, discounts for spending at certain values, customizing how the consumer pays. Which type of loyalty program worlds for you depends on your products and your target demographic. We can help you tailor a loyalty program that aligns your bottom line with your business model.

7. Product recommendations

Product recommendations are a great way to increase the overall sell value, while also adding value in a natural way to your customers. It’s logical to cross-sell and if the products make sense. You often see this on Amazon, perhaps Home Depot if you’re a DIY person. product recommendations are responsible for 35% of total sales online

There are many ways this can be achieved. Whether predictive recommendation functionality, personalized recommendation based on purchasing history or behavior on site I Sky digital can help you custom tailor product recommendations for higher dollar sales and conversions.

Business is essentially competing and outperforming the competition with technology process and; customer service. When it comes to your website, staying up-to-date with industry standards and trends definitely gives you a competitive advantage. If you’re behind the game it’s time to innovate.

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