If you’re on the quest to create an e-commerce website that is beautiful and easy to use, then you have come to the right place. You may already be familiar with the basics of setting up an e-commerce website, but do you know what features are essential for a successful store? Here at Celestiq, we believe that every e-commerce website should be equipped with some basic features, so without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 10 features your e-commerce website needs to have.
A Responsive Design for an Optimized Mobile Experience
If you want your e-commerce website to attract and convert more customers, it’s important to make sure that your site is optimized for both desktop and mobile experiences. Your site should look great and run smoothly regardless of the device it’s being viewed on. This means having a responsive design that automatically adjusts to different layouts and screen resolutions without sacrificing functionality or user experience.
Ensuring an optimized mobile experience is critical in today’s digital climate, as 85% of people worldwide now access the internet with a smartphone. Additionally, being mobile-friendly can also improve your website’s position in search engine rankings. By making sure that your e-commerce website has a responsive design, you are setting yourself up for success and staying ahead of the curve.
Powerful Product Search Functionality
The second feature to look for in an e-commerce website is powerful product search functionality. Giving customers the ability to search quickly and effectively is essential for a successful online store.
Customers want to be able to find the product they’re looking for quickly, and you need a powerful search function that can help them do that. The more intuitive and comprehensive it is, the more likely customers are to stick around and make a purchase.
Look for an e-commerce development agency that includes features such as:
Customizable front-end search forms
Automatic spelling correction
Faceted search options
Ability to refine by categories and attributes like price, size, color, etc.
Having a quality search function will ensure your customers have a great experience on your website and can find what they’re looking for without hassle.
Seamless Checkout Process
If you want to make sure your customers are happy shopping with you, a seamless checkout process is essential. Celestiq understands just how important it is for a customer to be able to easily complete their purchase – and how a bad checkout experience can spell disaster for your business. That’s why our team takes every measure to include a simple and straightforward checkout process in all e-commerce websites we design.
We always make sure that:
The customer can easily access their cart
Payment options are clearly visible
Shipping and delivery costs are immediately visible
A progress bar is available to track the completion of the transaction
Any important information needed from the buyer is clearly communicated
The customer’s data is secure and encrypted for privacy and safety
Customers can easily return or cancel their order if they need to
After purchase confirmation, customers receive a clear email with all the details of their order
Integrated Payment Gateway Options
One of the most important features you need in an e-commerce website is the ability to accept payments. Without payment gateways, there won’t be any customers buying your products. So, you want to make sure that the development agency you choose is able to integrate payment gateways into your website.
Security first
Having access to a wide range of payment gateway options means more flexibility and convenience for customers, but it also means keeping up with security protocols. A reputable development agency like Celestiq can ensure that all relevant data is safe by utilizing SSL encryption and other security measures.
Variety is key
Customers should also have easy access to different payment methods such as credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, etc. This allows customers to purchase items without having to go through a number of steps and makes for an overall smoother checkout experience.
Integrated payment gateway options are a must-have in any e-commerce website – it’s a crucial component for making transactions fast and secure, so choosing an experienced development agency like Celestiq can help take your shopping experience to the next level.
Shipping Integration
Celestiq understands that when it comes to an e-commerce website, shipping integration is imperative. After all, you need your customers to have the freedom to have their items shipped wherever they are – in the UK or abroad.
Flexible Delivery Options
Having multiple flexible delivery options give customers the freedom to choose their preferred shipping method, be it standard or express delivery. This helps them to save money and ensure their orders arrive on time.
Automated Delivery Estimator
Having an automated delivery estimator on your e-commerce website is also important — so customers can see estimated delivery times and rates before they check out. This helps to ensure a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience for them.
At Celestiq, we understand that customers want convenience — and this is why our e-commerce websites come with:
Fully integrated real-time shipping calculations to provide accurate pricing information
Customized shipping rules and options for different products or product categories
Automated order fulfillment notifications
Customer Accounts and Personalization
You should also think about customer accounts and personalization features with your e-commerce website. A lot of customers like the convenience of logging in to their accounts, so they can view their orders, access past purchases, faster checkouts and more. Personalization features will allow customers to tailor their experience to meet their exact needs, as well as make personalized recommendations based on past purchasing behavior.
Having these features will:
Give customers the ability to save products they want to buy later, which increases sales
Make it easier for new customers since they can quickly create an account and fill in information before they start shopping
Increase customer loyalty by providing personalization options
Improve the user experience by making it easier for customers to find what they need
Give your business better insights into customer behavior which you can use for marketing purposes
Overall, offering personalization and customer accounts on your e-commerce website will go a long way in improving the overall user experience and helping boost your bottom line!
Product Reviews and Ratings
Product reviews and ratings are essential for any ecommerce site. Not only do they help potential customers make informed decisions, but they also help improve customer engagement and trust.
At Celestiq, we understand the importance of product reviews. That’s why we make sure to build in features that allow customers to easily leave their own reviews & ratings, and read others’ stories about the product.
Advantages of Product Reviews & Ratings
Product reviews can bring a number of advantages to your ecommerce site. Here are just a few:
They give customers an easy way to share their opinion about a product or service, which helps build trust with potential buyers.
They give you an honest insight into how customers feel about your products and services.
They can even boost sales by convincing potential buyers that they should buy from you!
Finally, they provide you with invaluable customer feedback that can help you identify areas for improvement.
At Celestiq, we believe that product reviews are an integral part of any successful ecommerce website. That’s why our websites have features designed to make it quick and easy for customers to both read and leave their own ratings & reviews on products.
Blog or Resource Section
Having a blog section or resource page on your e-commerce website can offer a lot of benefits. From increasing traffic to giving you more chances to reach the top of SERPs, this feature is going to work wonders for your business.
Effects on SEO
A blog or resource section can add immense value to your website’s SEO efforts as it gives you an opportunity to create authoritative content that influencers in the industry are likely to link back to. What this means is new visitors from organic search who landed on your website through Google’s first page rankings tend to stay longer and are more likely to convert into customers.
Expansion of Audience
A blog or resource section also offers an incredible chance for you to engage with new audiences and grow your brand. You can write about topics related products in the industry and then use marketing channels such as email and social media, as well as influencer outreach, to get people excited about your content and ultimately visit the website.
In conclusion, having a blog or resource section on your e-commerce website will help in making it stand out not just in terms of design but also in the eyes of Google. At Celestiq, we can work with you to create an engaging blog or resource section that helps elevate your online presence!
Strong Visuals With High-Quality Images
Having strong visuals with high-quality images is essential for any e-commerce website. People like to be able to inspect and analyze the products before they are ready to make a purchase. Having high-quality images of your products will help them feel more confident with their purchase.
At Celestiq, we understand that in the world of e-commerce, the image matters. That’s why we pay extra attention to creating clear and concise product images that capture attention and convey product quality at first sight. With our expertise in website design, you can be sure that your website visitors will get an accurate impression of what they are buying even before they read the product description.
Additionally, a great way to add visual appeal to your pages is by adding video clips or lifestyle photos. Videos are especially effective at showing how your products are used and how customers can benefit from them, making them more likely to buy from you.
Analytics and Conversion Tracking
The tenth and last important feature to have in an e-commerce website is analytics and conversion tracking. Analytics allow you to track the performance of your e-commerce website and analyze the data to improve user experience. It is crucial for you to understand users’ behaviors, such as which pages they click on or where they came from. Conversion tracking helps you see what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to improving your customers’ journey.
Analytics and conversion tracking can also help you with:
Identifying trends in user behavior to better refine customer experience
Analyzing items that are often returned or left in carts
Measuring the overall success of marketing campaigns
Evaluating how successful the website structure is
Monitoring customer satisfaction and loyalty
Having robust analytics and conversion tracking tools on your website helps you get a better understanding of users’ behaviors so that you can optimize their online shopping experience, identify potential problems, and improve sales performance.
Conclusion
If you want to create an e-commerce website that is user friendly and increases sales, then it is important to focus on the features that we have outlined. An easy to navigate website that provides customers with options will go a long way in making sure your website succeeds.
At Celestiq, we have the experience and expertise in creating e-commerce websites that can meet the needs of our customers. Our team of web developers can help you create the perfect e-commerce website for you and your business. With our top ten features, you can be sure that your e-commerce website will be a success. Contact us today for more information!
