7 Must-Have Elements of a Shopping Website

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The advent of e-commerce websites have paved the way for an easier and more convenient shopping experience, especially for those who don't have the time to go to an actual store. If you plan to make your products available to the Internet market, here are the elements that your online store should have.

Clear Product Information

People need to know what they’re buying, so make sure that that the following product information is visible in your website:

·      Price

·      Description

·      Dimensions

·      Options in terms of size, color, etc.

·      Manufacturer

·      Availability

·      Related products

·      User reviews

High-quality Product Images

Online buyers won't be able to check your products physically, so they will solely have to rely on images posted on your website. Make sure to use images that are shot well and should resemble the actual product as much as possible. Allow users to zoom in on an image so that they can see the product’s little details.

Wide Range of Products

Internet shoppers will likely spend more time and more money on your online store if you have a wide variety of products to offer. If most of your products are out of stock or if you only have a limited range of offerings, you might miss out on making sales.

Security

When you have a shopping site, you will be taking information from shoppers that are important and confidential, such as addresses and account information. Because of that, website security should be ensured to protect all of this data. The same goes for your chosen payment gateway for credit card and debit card payments.

Seller Information

Shoppers should easily find necessary information about you, as well as answers to any question they might have. Make sure that you have the following:

·      An About page that provides information on your business. History, testimonials and current partnerships can also be included here.

·      An FAQ section where shoppers can find answers to usual inquiries on payment, shipping, and returns.

·      A contact page that provides information on how customers can reach you in case they don’t find the answers on the two sections mentioned above.

Search, Filter, and Compare Options

The importance of a search bar is pretty obvious. In fact, all websites should have it. When you have a wide range of products, you need to give your shoppers an easy way to locate a specific item.

Likewise, customers should also be able to filter their searches by product type, price range, color, size, etc. Even if your products are categorized, it’s still important to provide search options to your shoppers for their convenience.

Your online store should not just be about selling; it should also be about helping clients make the best choice. A Compare feature will help you with that. This should allow customers to compare two products side by side with the goal of helping them decide which item is best for their needs.

Good Website Design

Shopping is fun and easy—and your customers should be able to experience that in your online store.

Good website design for an e-commerce shop is not just about the aesthetics; it’s about the functionality too. Just like in an actual store, your shoppers should be able to easily go to and from different sections of your virtual store.

When it comes to online selling, having good products alone is not enough. If you want to break through to the online marketplace, you need to create a great experience for your shoppers, and you can do that when you incorporate these essentials into your online shopping website. 

Posted 6 May, 2015

jdbsebastian

Content Writer

I produce written content for the Web--from internal webpages and blog posts to marketing materials such as off-page articles, e-books and outreach e-mails. Currently, my projects are on personal finance, health, business, fashion, and beauty products. I'll be glad to send you samples of my work. Please feel free to message me.

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