E-Commerce websites are becoming increasingly popular. They offer a very good alternative to traditional retail sales. More business owners are shifting to online sales because a website generally requires less investment than a shop fit out. Others are finding that it’s a good way of expanding their business by allowing them to move more stock without needing a larger retail premises. eCommerce also offer the ability to create useful customer lists and allow website owners the ability to better market to their customers.
If you are planning to start a new eCommerce website, there are some essentials and safety precautions that you must always keep in mind to ensure a successful development.
Secure Checkout
With an enormous amount of fraud, theft, and security breaches on the internet, it is important to provide your customers a secure way to protect their payment methods. Many individuals are particular about where they shop, only purchasing from online stores that offer secure checkouts.
You can start creating a protected checkout process on your website by selecting a trusted payment gateway (such as PayPal) or third party processor. Look into payment options and features you like to see when shopping online.
Another option is to install a Secure Socket Layer SSL certificate to your website. SSL is most commonly used to protect communications between web browsers and servers by enabling data encryption on financial transactions, data transfers and logins. When installed, the SSL activates a padlock and the https protocol.
In an eCommerce survey, 2,400 online consumers were questioned and 93 percent noted that secure checkout processes highly influence their decision in which shops to purchase from. Secure checkouts work to build trust for customers to allow you to access their credit card numbers or PayPal account information. Extended Validation SSL Certificate gives highest customer assurance because it validates your legitimate business. Extended Validation SSL enables company name next to site URL along with Green Padlock icon in browser’s address bar and protects your single eCommerce website. In case your eCommerce Website has multiple first-level sub-domains then you can get Comodo PositiveSSL Wildcard certificate at cheapest price from authorised SSL Re-seller.
Membership Area
Presenting visitors with an option to register for your eCommerce website personalizes their experience and increases the chance of a returning customer purchasing from you.
An account allows customers to view recent orders, create wish lists, save addresses and billing information, save favorite items and more.
Product Reviews
If you are selling physical or digital products, it is always best to have a review system. On each product page, customers can read past reviews on the product quality and functionality as well as leave their own thoughts and comments. If a user is unsure about whether to buy the item or not, positive reviews can ease their doubt on the product.
Set an auto responder after a purchase is made thanking the consumer for the purchase as well as asking them to leave a review if they found the product useful.
Informational Pages
Customers want to be able to quickly find important information about your business. Informational pages may include, about us, contact us, terms and conditions of service, return policy, product information, shipping information, and more.
Quality Content and Pictures
Every eCommerce store should feature compelling product descriptions and intriguing page content that captivates viewers. The images should also be clear, high-quality, and in good lighting to showcase the products at their best.
Other essential elements your eCommerce website should contain are a clear logo, alternating discounts, payment system icons, social media links, and clear contact information.
If you’re looking for success in your eCommerce store inspect your website to ensure you are properly using the essentials listed above.