Following up on last week’s post on “Reach Out to International Markets with Your Ecommerce Website,” here are 10 practical tips to help you on your way to reaping the rewards of eCommerce for your small business.

Good eCommerce web design is all about thinking what your customer’s needs are and anticipating what they will look for when they visit your site. To maximize the chances of converting visits to sales, there are several features you should have that will make the process smooth and efficient for everyone.

1. Search Field – This is the first thing visitors will look for that will make finding stuff on your site easy and convenient. Place it prominently at the top where no one can miss it.
2. Clear Product Labels – It is important that you give as much info as possible when describing your product or service. Include all the specs necessary so that interested buyers will know at a glance if it is indeed what they are looking for. Showcase a photo large enough for them to appreciate, but not too big to the point that it slows down page loading time.
3. Contact Info – Prominently display your email address and contact number. Customers will always have questions and concerns so the easier you make it for them to reach you, the sooner you can expect to make a sale.
4. User-friendly Navigation – Make your business website as intuitive for visitors to navigate as possible. Users should be able to browse your entire site with just a few clicks and always have the shopping cart accessible at their disposal as they go along.
5. Data Security – Peace of mind is at the forefront of every online shopper’s mind so assuring them that your site is secure is another must. Sign up with a privacy specialist such as TRUSTe and display that info at the bottom of your homepage.
6. Suggested Products – Basing on a customer’s search, you can promote other relevant products that you think could be of interest to your visitors. Select some of your bestsellers and have these visible somewhere in your homepage along with any special offers they might like to know about. You can also incorporate a wish list feature to store their saved searches for future purchases.
7. Return, Refund and Exchange Policies – To demonstrate that you are committed to consumer satisfaction, develop and promote these policies whenever customers make a purchase. Include policy details in the checkout section and have your customers “agree” to the terms and conditions before getting their payment information.
8. Delivery Services – Be specific about what mode of shipping you will employ and manage their expectations with a timeline. As much as possible, include a tracking feature so that they can monitor the whereabouts of their orders.
9. Newsletter Subscription – Give customers the option to sign up for free updates simply by providing you with their email address. This is a great way to build a database that you can refer to for targeted marketing campaigns.
10. Social Media – If you are on Facebook or Twitter, let your customers know by including status update widgets and icon links on your homepage. Social media is a great channel for customer support and gives your company added exposure and online presence.

If you are interested to know more about designing your Ecommerce website or small business website, contact us at 1.800.850.7707 or visit us at The Design People.

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Eve

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