E-Commerce Dos and Don'ts

Copyright (c) 2013 Joe Cleary

If you have an internet store that offers products online such as clothes, toys, bags, furniture, gadgets, or books, you should consider learning more about e-commerce design. It is important to hire a web designer who can create a web design that is easy to navigate, efficient, and attractive to the customers.

It is better to hire someone professional who knows what he is doing than to just experiment on your own. Your business is on the line here so you have to make sure that you always give it your best even if it means you have to spend a little more. It will all be worth it once the money keeps coming in not only because of your products but also because of your user-friendly website.

To give you some ideas about e-commerce design, here are some of the things that you should and should not do.

DO provide as much information about the product as you can

When people buy from an offline store, they have the option to touch the product or hold it in their hands. This is one disadvantage of buying from the internet. To make up for this disadvantage, you have to provide a comprehensive description of the product such as the size, weight, dimensions, materials, fabric type, available colors, and other specifications that will help the buyer make a smart decision.

DON'T make it difficult for the customers to buy your product

People who shop online are impatient people. If you put too many obstacles before they can buy your product, they will most likely leave your website without purchasing anything. For example, instead of asking them to sign up to your website before they can purchase your products, why not give them this option after they paid for the item? Also, do not ask them to fill out too many forms before they can finally pay for the product. What you can do is to ask them their credit card and shipping details in one form.

DO make your contact information visible at all times

One important e-commerce design tip is to make sure that your customers can easily find your contact information. You can put them in your header or footer and make sure that it is visible no matter what the customer is currently viewing. You should also provide different modes of contact such as phone numbers, address, and email address, especially if you are selling expensive products. This will keep customers at ease if they know that they can contact you if there is a problem with the transaction or with the item.

DO have a search feature in your website

In an e-commerce website, it can be time-consuming to look for something by clicking numerous categories and subcategories. You should have a built-in search engine which your customers can use using keywords. It should also have search parameters or filters that will give your customers a more refined search.

These are some dos and don'ts when it comes to choosing a e-commerce design. Be sure to remember these tips if you are planning to start your own online retail store.

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