Some 96% of Americans who have access to the internet have transacted online.
So if your business doesn’t have an online storefront, you’ll be missing out. Your customers are increasingly turning to the internet to buy products and services. So you definitely need an eCommerce site.
But having an eCommerce website isn’t enough. A lot of thought needs to go into creating a website that your customers want to visit to buy what they need.
Here’s a look at 7 mistakes to steer clear of when designing an eCommerce store.
1. Making eCommerce Website without Considering Mobile Devices
One big mistake you need to avoid is creating an eCommerce site with only desktop computers in mind. You also need to ensure that the site will work great on smaller screens featured on smartphones and tablets.
There are many studies showing that a lot of consumers do their online shopping from mobile devices rather than from desktop computers.
Since so much of the worldwide internet traffic originates from mobile devices, it makes sense to remember this when you create eCommerce website.
2. Inadequate User Experience
When it comes to eCommerce website development, you also need to be mindful of the user experience.
Research shows, for instance, that 52% of users acknowledge that a sub-par mobile experience would reduce the odds of their buying from a business. And 90% say they’d abandon an app offering a poor user experience.
How can you give users a better experience on your eCommerce site? Ensure your site is well organized and simple to navigate, and solicit feedback from your clients so that you can make your online store more attractive to them.
By creating an effective and enjoyable user experience, you’ll boost conversion rates. That means fewer instances of shoppers abandoning their virtual shopping carts. It’ll also potentially mean more repeat business.
3. Lack of Consistency
Effective eCommerce website design also means being consistent so that customers find it easy to navigate your website. This relates to the font types and sizes as well as the background and foreground color schemes.
There needs to be a visual consistency so that you don’t confuse customers. Failing to keep things consistent could jeopardize the effectiveness of your site.
4. Missing or Unclear Call to Action
It’s also important that you include a call to action component that is clear and intentional. So you don’t only want an effective call to action, you also want to ensure that the placement of the call to action attracts eyeballs.
One way you can get customers’ attention is by using call to action buttons such as “Buy Now” or “Go to Cart” buttons.
In order to grab even more attention, you might want to give the call to action buttons a unique color compared to the color schemes on your pages. You may also want to increase the size of the buttons so that they stand out even more.
The more your call to action buttons stand out from everything else on your pages, the more recognizable they will be, and the easier it will be for customers to buy what you’re selling.
5. Lousy Product Pages
When starting an eCommerce website, you’ll want to be mindful of your product pages. If you fall short in this area, you’ll lose out on potential sales.
You can avoid creating bad product pages by ensuring a positive user experience, by including effective product descriptions, and by featuring crystal-clear product pictures.
These things will resonate with your customers and increase the odds of their buying your product offerings.
6. Bad Checkout Process
Learning how to build an eCommerce website necessitates understanding how to increase the odds of your customers initiating and completing transactions. After all, too many consumers start — but don’t finish — transactions.
As was mentioned above, poor user experiences will hurt your sales conversion rates. Here are some recommendations to prevent this from happening:
Include trust badges or trust logos, such as Norton or Paypal, to show your customers that they can feel comfortable transacting with your business online.
Simplify navigation between your online store and your cart so that customers can go back and forth at will before deciding on what to buy. Your customers will more likely buy what you have to sell.
Give your customers options as to how they pay for their purchases. The more options you offer, the more appealing your store will be to customers.
7. Simplistic Searching Capabilities
Another mistake you’ll want to avoid is equipping your eCommerce storefront with searching capabilities that are woefully simplistic. You have to keep in mind that some of your visitors won’t be exactly sure what they want.
So if your searching tool is too one-dimensional, they won’t get the help they need. You need to ensure they can search using different parameters such as price range, color, size, model, and other things.
Get Your eCommerce Site Done Right
A lot is riding on your strategy to set up an effective eCommerce website. But merely having one isn’t nearly enough. It has to be the sort of online storefront that attracts customers and that keeps them patronizing your business.
This means you have to be mindful when it comes to building an eCommerce site. That’s where we come into the picture.
We specialize in helping small and medium-sized companies in North Florida that need help revamping and boosting their web presence. Get in touch to see how we can help you make the most of your eCommerce strategy.