Building An eCommerce Website

No matter where you are in your eCommerce journey, building a solid website is one of the most important things that you can do to help build a good brand reputation and build your sales. Your website serves as a virtual storefront, so it is important to put time and effort in to make it reflect your brand and provide your customers with a pleasant shopping experience. Creating a website is not a skill that many people have had the chance to learn, so here are some basics you need to add to your site and why they are important.

Headers And Footers:

This sounds like a no-brainer, but be sure to include this in your website! Having a clear header and footer can make a world of difference to customers navigating your website. Make sure your header and footer are clear and usable on all devices, not just desktop computers. Things you can add to your header include your name and logo, a login for customers, a shopping cart icon to allow customers to view their cart, and a search bar. Having these available and easy to find allow customers a quick and easy shopping experience. For your footer, add links to contact information, FAQ’s, social links, privacy policies.

Optimized Product Pages:

Product pages are one of the most important parts of your website, and what your customers are most likely there for. Make your pages clear and easy to look at. Include a quality picture of the product, an item description, and a price, and an “add to cart” button. It is also helpful to list different colors and sizes, with coordinating pictures for each. This helps customers get a clear picture of what they are purchasing, and will save you time in the long run by minimizing returns.

Related Products:

Adding a section of related products at the bottom of your product pages is a great way to introduce customers to new, similar products to the one they are viewing, or to show them an accessory that pairs well with the current product.

Return Policy:

Let your customers know the return policy, and if they vary by product. Sometimes you cannot accept products for the health and safety of yourself and your customers, so let them know what products are final sale, and how long they have to return products that qualify for returns. Giving them a clear idea of what they are getting into with returns helps you and the customer stay on the same page, and is respectful to them.

Guest Checkout:

Some of your customers (especially first time customers) are not going to want to create an account right away, so give them the option to do a guest checkout. Make it simple for them, and allow them to save their information for an account at the end of the process should they change their mind. Otherwise, just get the basic information that you need such as shipping and billing address, payment information, and an email address for conformation and tracking. Be sure to include what payment options you accept and any security badges you have. Also send them a nice follow up email thanking them for their purchase!

Building a website is a lot of work, but it is also exciting and fun. Find a team that enjoys building them or hire an outside source to help you build a great website. What are some of your favorite website building tips? What fun things do you add for your customers to enjoy? Let us know in the comments!