Building an online store is relatively easy.

Building an online store that customers actually enjoy using is a different challenge.

Customers don’t care what technology powers your website.

They care whether they can quickly find what they’re looking for, understand the product, trust the business, and complete their purchase without unnecessary frustration.

That’s what your e-commerce strategy should focus on.

 

Start With the Customer

Before choosing a platform or designing a homepage, understand your customers.

Ask:

• What are they buying?
• What questions do they have?
• What information do they need?
• What makes them hesitate?
• How do they normally shop?
• What devices do they use?

Your answers should influence the design of the store.

 

Make Products Easy to Find

Don’t force customers to click through endless menus.

Use clear categories and search functionality.

If you have a large catalog, filters can help customers narrow their choices.

The goal is to reduce the amount of effort required to find the right product.

 

Provide Excellent Product Information

Customers can’t physically hold an online product.

Your website needs to compensate by providing useful information.

Depending on what you’re selling, include:

• Detailed descriptions
• Specifications
• Dimensions
• Materials
• Images
• Videos
• Compatibility information
• Frequently asked questions

Help customers make an informed decision.

 

Use Images Strategically

Good product photography can communicate details that words cannot.

Show products clearly and, where useful, provide multiple views.

For certain products, lifestyle photography can also help customers understand how the product looks or works in context.

 

Make Pricing Clear

Customers shouldn’t have to hunt for the price.

Clearly display:

• Product price
• Available options
• Discounts
• Shipping costs when appropriate
• Other required charges

Transparency builds confidence.

 

Build Trust Throughout the Store

Online shoppers naturally have questions.

Is this business legitimate?

Will my order arrive?

Can I return it?

Is my payment information secure?

You can reduce uncertainty by clearly communicating:

• Contact information
• Return policies
• Shipping information
• Customer reviews
• Company information
• Secure checkout practices

 

Make Checkout Simple

Once customers decide to purchase, don’t create unnecessary obstacles.

Keep checkout focused.

Only request information you actually need.

Clearly show:

• Products
• Quantities
• Pricing
• Shipping
• Taxes or other applicable charges
• Total

Customers should always understand what they’re about to purchase.

 

Design for Mobile

A large percentage of online shopping activity can occur on smartphones.

Your store should make mobile shopping easy.

Test the entire process—not just the homepage.

Browse products.

Open product pages.

Add products to the cart.

Enter information.

Complete checkout.

Every step matters.

 

Make Customer Support Easy

Even the best product page won’t answer every question.

Give customers an easy way to get help.

Depending on your business, this could include:

• Contact forms
• Phone support
• Email
• FAQs
• Live chat
• Support portals

Good support can make the difference between a customer leaving and completing a purchase.

 

Make the Store Fast

A slow store can frustrate customers at every stage.

Optimize:

• Images
• Code
• Hosting
• Scripts
• Databases
• Third-party integrations

Performance should be part of the design and development process.

 

Make Reordering Easy

If customers frequently purchase the same products, make it easy for them to return.

Useful features might include:

• Customer accounts
• Order history
• Saved products
• Reorder functionality
• Subscriptions

Convenience can encourage repeat business.

 

Keep Improving

Launching the store isn’t the end of the process.

Monitor how customers use it.

Look for:

• Frequently visited pages
• Abandoned carts
• Search terms
• Popular products
• Support questions
• Checkout problems

Use this information to make improvements.

 

Build for People, Not Just Search Engines

SEO matters.

Marketing matters.

Analytics matter.

But your store ultimately needs to work for real people.

If customers can easily find products, understand them, trust your business, and complete purchases, you’re building a much stronger foundation.

 

Ready to Build a Better Online Store?

Iguana Technologies helps businesses develop e-commerce websites focused on usability, performance, functionality, and business goals.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or improving an existing store, we can help you create an online shopping experience your customers will want to use.

Contact us at Iguana Technologies to start planning your e-commerce website.