When creating an eCommerce website that will boost your brick-and-mortar store, there are three key areas you will want to pay attention to – functionality, design, and the features of your platform. The first two are rather straightforward if you’re working with a team of top-notch developers.
But what about the features? What must you include to make your site competitive? Scroll down to find out.
1. Breadcrumbs
Not the breadcrumbs you’re thinking of. Web breadcrumbs are usually a list of titles with active links that the user can click on to navigate their way back to a specific product page without having to return to the home page. They are typically separated using the (>) symbol, and in addition to helping users know where they are, they also make it possible for Google to determine how your site is structured.
A top-rated custom eCommerce website development provider like Launch can create breadcrumbs for your platform and optimize them to ensure they work flawlessly. They also update your code to make changes such as when you add a new product so that there won’t be missing links.
2. Intuitive Menu
Just like breadcrumbs, menus are also a crucial navigational feature that makes your website easier to use. In many cases, you’ll find websites with a horizontal menu at the top, and a vertical menu at the left side. Though common, you aren’t limited to that. There are different menus to choose from, such as dynamic, mega, and drop-down menus.
A dynamic menu expands when clicked on and builds menu trees that span both horizontally and vertically so that customers can choose the items that interest them. A drop-down menu expands when you hover or click on it. Lastly, a mega menu is like a drop-down menu but with a wider selection of items. Mega menus allow users to view all options at once, thus they don’t have to navigate an item at a time.
Here’s where a seasoned eCommerce web developer from Launch will come in handy to help you pick the most ideal menu for your platform.
3. Responsive Design
This sounds pretty obvious at a time when many web users are opting for mobile experiences. Your website should be able to accommodate a host of different devices, from desktop computers to TVs.
If you’re not able to optimize for TVs, make sure your site can be browsed from any mobile device and desktop/laptop computers and you’ll be on the safe side.
4. Powerful Search & Filtering
No eCommerce consumer will waste their time looking for products they can’t find whereas they’ve got the option to switch to a different online shop. Thus, you should make it easy for them to find the products they are looking for with ease. If possible, incorporate machine learning and/or artificial intelligence so customers can get helpful suggestions as they type in their queries.
Your sort & filter tool should work accurately so users can narrow down to the products they want. A good tip here is to come up with detailed product categories so users can filter in a more advanced manner.
5. Swatches
This is a subtle feature, yet a very powerful one for businesses that have product variants. If the product you’re selling is available in different shapes, colors, or patterns, you can use this feature to give customers a closer view of what the product looks like in a different setting.
If you personalize products, go the extra mile and allow users to customize what they are buying in real time so they can see what it’ll look like before placing an order.
6. Reviews and Rating Display
With no option to feel and/or touch products before making a purchase, online buyers depend mostly on ratings and reviews from other customers to make their purchase decisions. Though it’s a good idea to include information that makes customers have faith in your brand, don’t stop at that.
Make sure your eCommerce store provides a way for customers to leave a rating and review after a purchase. Additionally, make sure such information is easily accessible from the product page.
Final Thoughts
The most important features for your eCommerce website aren’t limited to the 6 mentioned above. Still, these will make a huge difference in helping you get started on a journey of offering an unforgettable customer experience.
The most important thing as you formulate your eCommerce platform’s development and design strategy is to center it around user-friendliness. As long as users don’t struggle to find the products they are looking for, you can be sure you’ll attract an audience.