7+ Essential Features for E-commerce Website | List of 2024

The popularity of shopping online has increased dramatically in the past few years. Despite recent security concerns for retail credit card transactions, it has become a standard practice. It’s generally a more secure option than going to a physical store. 

The trust factor for the world of online retail is not a concern. The trick is to get customers to select your store over your competition’s. To draw your customers’ attention and increase sales, your online store must be current and include vital features for a seamless and robust experience. 

Incorporating the most essential elements to your website is necessary to create an attractive artwork, not a revenue-generating machine.

It’s not something you would want to do.

We’re confident that a stunning logo could be more attractive. Sure, an incredible logo is gorgeous. But it’s not the sole aspect. Thus, it’s not worth investing thousands of dollars in its development. This can increase the cost of operating your online site and produce only a tiny income.

What Do Customers Want From E-commerce Sites?

• A simple and intuitive online shopping experience begins when you arrive on the homepage to complete your purchase.
• E-commerce website design should be aesthetic and pleasing design. 
• When browsing the Internet, once they have reached the main page, they can make quick decisions about the website to stay over there or switch to another website within just two seconds.
• A visually appealing and attractive website will increase the time spent by visitors to your site. Customers will likely stay on your site to explore it, purchase something, and transfer it into the conversion rates. 
• So, while focusing on high-quality products is crucial, your website also performs some heavy lifting. To begin or establish your own e-commerce company, consider, “What do my customers want from my e-commerce site?”

Must-Have Features for E-commerce Website

Let’s examine some features of an e-commerce website that can assist you in achieving the three pillars that are essential to online success. You can find these features on sites that some well-known online stores use.

1. User-Friendly Design

One of the most important things consumers look for in an online store is a good user experience. If they cannot navigate your site or struggle to find what they’re seeking, they may switch to the other merchants on the web. Utilize e-commerce UX best practices.

Customer experience should be the top priority through:

• The process of creating a simple, high website that is high-quality and of good quality.
• This also includes the search bar.
• It is clear how pages are classified and shown in the navigation bar.
• The main focus is developing an interactive website responsive to mobile devices.

2. Mobile-Friendly Features

In the current market, online customers are increasingly dependent on mobile devices. According to SaleCycle, Mobile devices were utilized for 56% of all online transactions in 2020.

In addition, most users prefer to browse the web on their phones, so it’s vital to include mobile-friendly features in your site’s design.

Ensure your website’s design automatically adjusts to the dimensions and shapes of smartphones to increase the conversion rate and ensure that website design keeps visitors happy. 

3. Multiple Payment Options

The abandonment of shopping carts is often an issue for online merchants. For increasing, the checkout process is completed on your website. Ensure that the purchasing process is as simple as possible for your customers by offering various payment options online in the cart.

Along with offering debit or credit cards, you can consider multiple payment options, such as PayPal or Stripe. You can also incorporate plugins that offer buy now, pay later, or buy now capabilities to get clients to click “purchase” instead of pressing the “purchase” button.

• SWooCommerce is one of the best website builders, making work more accessible, and you can sell anything online, anywhere.
• It’s easy to set up an online store with WooCommerce
• Start selling today with WooCommerce.

4. 24/7 Customer Service

Providing helpful and accessible customer support is a significant component of the quality of a customer’s experience. According to Microsoft, 90% of Americans think customer support is essential when deciding whether to buy from e-commerce platforms. 

Create a 24/7 chatbot to provide customer support on your e-commerce site features that can respond to customer needs anytime. Plugins like Zendesk or LivePerson let you integrate this feature into your website cost-effectively. 

5. User Reviews

Create a website online store where customers can read authentic reviews about your products.

Yeah, customers indeed read online reviews before making a final decision. However, seventy-nine percent of customers are influenced by reviews rather than recommendations from friends. Reviews are essential to any company that succeeds online. Because your customers don’t get to see and touch the product in person, they’re more dependent on the feedback of previous customers.

6. User-Friendly Features and Discounts

Customers want to feel like they’re getting an excellent deal and being treated with respect compared to competitors. Great offers, deals, and pricing discounts help grab the customer’s attention, and other user-friendly features give the customers this appealing and personal experience.

Offer customer accounts access to loyalty pricing and their wishlists and histories. In addition, you can utilize an automated e-commerce platform to send targeted promotions to your loyal customers.

7. High-Quality Images and Product Descriptions

If consumers are searching for items to buy, they must be aware of all the information before making the purchase decision. 

Online shopping has the negative aspect that one can’t physically touch or feel the products while purchasing them. Because of this, it’s essential to have high-quality photographs of your merchandise and, where appropriate, photos taken from various perspectives and angles and in context.

It is also important to explain each product in detail. Be sure to include all aspects of the product, such as its dimensions, texture, uses and benefits, and available colors. Potential customers must be well-informed about the product they’ll buy before going to a different retailer.

8. Calls to Action (CTA) Buttons

Be sure to direct visitors to your site by providing calls to action button specifically tailored to what you’d like your visitors to do. For instance, if your site is selling something that you are selling, your CTA button could be “Click Here to Save 20%!” It may be apparent to you, but most people and many individuals live in homes with children and run businesses that don’t have much time to spend online when purchasing something from e-commerce platforms. The extra assistance you give your customers boosts confidence in your business, shows that you appreciate your clients, and reduces stress. Please don’t make your clients feel stupid for doing what they do. If they’re on your website, they must be knowledgeable enough to buy from the best company there.

9. Security and Privacy

Security is the last thing you should think about. You must use an SSL certificate to safeguard the data sent between the browser and the server. Every website, whether e-commerce or not, must possess at least an SSL certificate. Additionally, you must have clearly defined privacy policies that inform your customers how their data is handled on your site and by your company.

10. Sorting and Filtering

Sorting and filtering are other essential features that any successful eCommerce website should incorporate. By incorporating sorting and filtering features, you help prospective buyers search for the best products according to their budgets, preferences, and color choices. 

The website’s search feature and filtering and sorting functions must be easily visible and efficient. When we refer to them as powerful, they need to be able to sort items and filters quickly.

11. Order Tracking

If a customer places an order, the most important thing for them is when their shipment arrives. Order tracking lets customers view their order status on a particular e-commerce website. 

For instance, AutoZone provides an order-tracking website that doesn’t require customers to sign up. They only need an email address and the order number they received in their confirmation email.

12. Push Notifications

If you’d like to keep your business free of the spam filters and algorithmic issues of social media, the best way to sign up customers of your online store as customers is to use push notifications.

Push notifications let users get the latest updates in their browsers. If you have a deal that you want to notify people about, you can send them a note to send it to their notification center using their browser.

13. Mobile App

Alongside having a mobile-friendly store that lets customers shop from any device, think about the possibility of having a mobile app for your store. However, Mobile apps have proven effective in keeping brand names in customers’ minds by placing logos or icons on devices users are most likely to use.

It’s unnecessary to wait for customers to start an application, such as a browser, social media, or email, to be updated with the most recent sales news.

You can distribute these announcements through your app to customers who can receive notifications. 

Why Should You Invest in an E-commerce Platform?

The demand for online stores has taken leaps at a high level because of the following benefits:- 

1. Global Market

Having an e-commerce website will allow businesses to connect with a broader audience and render products and services globally without considering distance and time zones, which is one of the essential benefits of an e-commerce website. 

2. 24*7 Availability

Customers will enjoy the round-the-clock convenience of purchasing what they want and when they want it, and you won’t lose out on sales with an online store. Often, these stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, compared to regular store hours.

3. Broaden Your Brand

Expand your product line and increase sales by offering intangible products like eBooks on your website store. Customers can also order personalized items, making it easy to provide all the required information to meet their needs.

4. Higher Conversion Rate

Buyers will be more inclined to buy when they can order immediately instead of waiting for a store to open.

5. Marketing Through Social Media & Search Engines

If you have a search engine optimization online store, there is a high chance of appearing in the top ten results of search engines like Google or Yahoo. Outsourcing an SEO service supplier will help you know your online market. Based on this data, you can create an online strategy to expose your site to highly motivated, relevant customers.

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook,  and Twitter will allow you to build a cordial relationship with your customers through ratings and reviews and inform them by posting updates frequently about your services and promotions. 

6. More Convenient

Customers are embracing the ease of online shopping, which is growing in popularity. Instead of wasting hours in stores that are physically located, shoppers are shopping on the Internet during breaks during work, before the school bus, during severe weather conditions, and on all the occasions when it is difficult to go to the main street. The market’s presence has made it simpler for everyone, including busy parents of children with strollers and pushchair customers, to browse and make purchases without having to be in an area that isn’t always accessible.

7. Fewer Expenses

It is, without a doubt, much less expensive and more convenient to sell your services or products through an eCommerce platform because online entrepreneurs don’t have to consider the cost of store rental, security measures, utility bills, and a vast number of employees. This will allow you to market your goods at an affordable price.

8. Less Risk

Online shops allow you to make more money without risking losing money. You’ll require a smaller staff with a lower risk of theft, rogue employees, and destroying common goods when you have a physical store.

9. Personalisation

Your website is a great way to interact with your customers by offering personalized services like delivery confirmations, order tracking, and product recommendations based on their past orders.

10. Influence Purchases

Today, potential buyers use the Internet to look around and decide what they’d like and where to purchase it. Having your product listed in an online store can increase your chances of sales, but you must create confidence among customers that your product suits them.

Making your online store available now will give your business an edge over competitors. This is the right time to enter an online e-commerce website because customers always look for the fastest and easiest methods to buy the things they require while keeping a full schedule. 

Some Common FAQs Related to E-commerce Platform