Creating an eCommerce website isn’t easy, especially when you don’t know all the features you must include to retain customers.
In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need to transform your website from a low-budget eCommerce store to an Amazon-level beast. Enjoy!
Essential On-Site eCommerce Features List
There are some features you can never build a successful eCommerce business without. Let’s review each one of them:
User-Friendly Navigation
Websites that make their customers feel lost produce much less sales than simple websites that offer intuitive navigation.
Think of your website just like a brick-and-mortar store. You won’t be pleased to find the bread in the meat section or the meat in the alcohol section, wouldn’t you? The same goes for online stores – organized means better.
Creating user-friendly navigation becomes even easier when you use themes like Blocksy. Whether you want a simple dropdown menu or a more complex mega menu, Blocksy allows you to integrate them easily.
Product Search and Filters
Some customers will only browse for specific products without the need for menus and categories. For this type of people, you must create a robust search function coupled with effective filtering options.
Ideally, customers should be able to narrow their search by different categories (e.g., size, color, price, brand.) This makes it easier to find products that meet their specific needs.
The easiest way to introduce this functionality to your website is through Blocksy Pro. The theme provides all the search and filtering options build right in, eliminating the need to add plugins or any other software.
High-Quality Product Images and Videos
No text will ever describe the product better than a high-quality image. Just think of it this way: would you buy a product with a great description and no photo or a product with an amazing set of photos and a short description?
With Blocksy, you can integrate images and videos without missing a beat. Imagine you have a brand of hand-made jewelry. You will, of course, want to showcase the shine of the metal, the stone’s spark, and more.
Without a theme that supports high-resolution videos and photos, that’s impossible.
Detailed Product Descriptions
Besides images and photos, products also need written descriptions to attract as many users as possible. Some products might need additional details like materials, usage instructions, and dimensions to decide.
Product descriptions are also excellent for SEO. Writing a description using keywords and key phrases can increase your website’s overall rating and attract more customers.
Blocksy that allows you to provide all the necessary details in an engaging format. Blocksy’s layout options make it easy to present any type of information in a way that’s both informative and visually appealing.
Secure Payment Options
The absence of secure and well-known payment options can be a big NO for most customers.
Offering a variety of secure payment methods makes your customers feel safe and allows you to tap into a bigger customer base. You can use Stripe, PayPal, credit cards, digital wallets and even cryptocurrency,
As a WooCommerce theme, Blocksy integrates with the most popular payment processors out there.
Shopping Cart and Checkout Process
The goal of a checkout process is to make the process of BUYING as smooth as possible. This includes reducing the number of steps required and the information needed. A complicated or buggy checkout can lead to cart abandonment – while a smooth checkout can increase sales.
Blocksy’s design offers a streamlined process. The theme integrates with WooCommerce’s one-page checkout. This feature allows customers to review their cart, enter payment information, and complete the purchase on a single page.
The feature reduces friction in the checkout process, leading to higher conversion rates and a better overall shopping experience.
Customer Reviews and Ratings
Customer reviews and ratings play a significant role in building trust and influencing purchasing decisions.
Most shoppers will look at reviews before deciding to buy a product, making it essential to display these reviews prominently on your product pages.
Blocksy’s Pro eCommerce starter sites offers a great product review system, making it easy to display customer feedback effectively.
Mobile Responsiveness
Most Internet traffic goes through mobile phones. This is why you MUST optimize the website for smartphones if you want sales. A website that doesn’t perform well on mobile can lower user satisfaction and negatively impact sales.
Blocksy’s design ensures that all eCommerce features work well on any device. Your customer can use a phone, laptop, desktop, or tablet – the result will be the same. This mobile-friendly design helps keep customers engaged and more likely to complete their purchase.
Personalization and Recommendations
You can create recommendations based on already known information: past purchases, targeted promotions, or wishlists.
Blocksy’s customization options allow easy integration with recommendation engines and personalization plugins.
For instance, if a customer frequently buys sportswear from your site, you could use a personalization plugin to display related products or discount their favorite brand.
Live Chat and Customer Support
No matter how perfect your service is, somewhere along the way, your customers will encounter a problem they can’t deal with. If you plan on hitting it big, you’ll get hundreds of daily requests – impossible to handle alone.
Live chat is a particularly effective way to offer real-time assistance, helping customers get the answers they need without leaving your site. Blocksy integrates with live chat plugins to offer seamless customer support directly on the website.
For example, if a customer has a question about product availability, they can quickly get the information through a live chat. This instant support can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the chances of cart abandonment.
Nice to Have Features
Here are some features that might not be paramount but can also increase your monthly sales:
Product Videos
A great way to showcase the products you sell in action. They provide a dynamic way for customers to see the product in use – a better way than static images.
This is especially true for different types of working tools or equipment. These product videos can also be used as a small introduction to the product, showing its essential features and functionalities.
This will increase the overall user experience, as they will receive video instructions from the beginning.
More information about the feature, which is already built in Blocksy Pro, can be found here.
Product Comparisons
This feature is particularly useful for sites that offer a wide range of similar products. For example, you might need this one for your customers if you’re selling tech.
People usually don’t have a brand preference when choosing a laptop, for instance. Instead, they are looking at the characteristics. That’s exactly where the feature comes in handy.
More information about the feature, which is already built in Blocksy Pro, can be found here.
Order Tracking
People aren’t the most patient creatures, so an order-tracking feature would significantly improve customer satisfaction and reduce support inquiries.
Mobile App
Offering a dedicated app for shopping can take your mobile optimization to the next level. While this is a BIG investment, it can pay off by increasing customer loyalty.
On top of that, an application would probably mean more sales in the future, as the customers will remember they have the app and will reorder from there.
Email & SMS Opt-In
These are great features for building your customer database and staying in touch with them. Offering discounts or special offers in exchange for signing up can effectively grow your list.
However, don’t be too insistent. Some people might not like sharing this information, so you must leave the option to shop without an email or phone number.
Special Offer Programs
Nobody says no to good old marketing. Flash sales, discounts, and limited-time offers can create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to purchase before the offer expires.
Wishlists
Wishlists allow customers to save products they’re interested in, making it easier for them to find these items later and potentially leading to future sales.
The feature is already built in Blocksy Pro, so you don’t have to use any other plugins or extensions. Here’s more information on that regard.
Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs reward repeat customers with points or discounts, incentivizing them to continue shopping with you and increasing customer retention.
Conclusion
Incorporating all these features is essential for creating a functional eCommerce website. Each feature ensures that the website meets your customers’ needs. Read how to add ecommerce to a website to know more.
Blocksy offers most of these features without the need to install plugins or any other software. That’s because Blocksy isn’t your simple WooCommerce theme – it is your path to creating a better eCommerce store.
