There is little doubt that E-Commerce is the future for businesses today. E-Commerce is a highly competitive field. There are many issues to consider when setting up an e-commerce website. A professional E-Commerce website is one of them and is vital to the success of the venture. Whether you choose an off the shelf shopping cart software or design a custom e-commerce website for your business, here are six common mistakes that all e-commerce websites should avoid.
Old or outdated design
It is important for your website to appear fresh and modern, if you want to be successful. It is important for your website to reflect the current design trends. Outdated websites are less appealing to visitors and may discourage them from exploring further. Bounce rates can be high and customer retention will be low. Technology as well as design trends have changed significantly over time. The popularity of web 2.0 and social media have introduced new design elements and functionality on websites. If your website does not reflect current trends, you should seriously consider a re-design..
Limited information on products
The information you offer about your products is an important factor for improving conversions rates on your websites. Offering limited information on your products is another common mistake by e-commerce websites. You should spend time to research and collect information on your products. It is equally important to ensure images are included for all your products. Good e-commerce websites often offer multiple images and detailed description on all their products.
Every product should have a short description as well as an independent page with detailed information and images. Good websites often offer additional product guides and brochures for their products. You can find Information on manufacturer's websites.
Limited Payment Choice
Lack of proper payment method is another common mistake in e-commerce web design. Payment processing is one of most important components of an e-commerce website. The payment process on your website should be easy for customers to use. As far as possible you should use a standard checkout system and avoid using non-standard or complicated payment procedures. Most e-commerce websites today allow users to pay by major credit and debit cards as well as PayPal. PayPal has become a popular method that is used by customers worldwide. Good websites often offer multiple payment methods to choose from.
Unique selling proposition (USP) not clearly evident
Customers have a lot of choice when it comes to buying products on the internet. There are many competing stores offering products at competitive prices. If you want to build customer loyalty and establish your brand, it is important to offer something unique that sets you apart from your competition. It is equally important to convey this to customers. As far as possile, the main benefits of buying from your website or your unique selling proposition should become evident on the homepage itself.
Failure to convey the benefits of purchasing from the website is another common mistake made by e-commerce websites.
Poor search engine optimisation
The long term success of your website depends largely on how it is marketed on the internet and the traffic it receives from search engines. Prior to launch, your website should be optimised for search engines. E-ecommerce websites use dynamic pages that are generated from database. By default, search engines have problems in indexing database driven pages. However, with the right customisation you can address these issues and ensure your e-commerce website is search engine friendly.
Absence of contact details
Absence of or limited contact details is another common mistake made by e-commerce websites. Customer confidence is particularly important for e-commerce websites as payment processing is involved. Studies have shown that users feel more confidence when shopping on online stores where it is possible to contact the company if a need arises. Contact details, preferably including phone number, should be clearly listed on your website. Listing your contact details clearly on your e-commerce website helps build trust among visitors.
The author, K.Singh has over 9 years of commercial experience in E-Commerce. He currently works as a Web Design & Search engine optimisation (SEO) consultant with London based Web Design Company, Kronik Media.
To find out how your website can rank at the top of Google, visit the Internet Marketing Blog on Kronik Media's website.
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