Due to its convenience, online shopping is becoming increasingly popular with people all over the world. As a result, many businesses are now selling their products through online stores. One of the most important factors for success in e-commerce is a properly designed site.
The following are some of the ecommerce design mistakes that need to be avoided.
1. Not including shipping rates
Your customers will want to know the amount they are required to pay for shipping. Therefore, failing to include shipping rates is a big mistake. Even if there is no additional payment required for shipping, make it clear since this could attract more customers.
2. Lack of product details
Buying online and buying in a physical store is not the same. In a physical store, the customer is able to see every detail about a product before making the decision to buy. Online, however, they depend on the information provided on your site. If the details are not sufficient, customers might not make a purchase. Therefore, make sure you include all the necessary details about the product such as weight, size, dimensions or materials used.
3. Limited payment options
An ecommerce site should offer shoppers several payment options. You need to realize that even a popular service such as PayPal doesn’t work for everyone. Having different payment options allows your prospects to select a service which is most convenient for them.
4. Unclear contact details
Contact information is very important to your customers. Make sure you place these details in a prominent position on your homepage. Add all the vital contact details such as your office address, phone number and email address. This will make it very easy for your customers to get in touch. You could also consider having a live chat service where customers can get help instantly from a customer service agent.
5. A long checkout process
Most people don’t have the time to fill out lengthy forms which require too many personal details. Therefore, avoid asking for information which is not important. A long buying process is likely to result in the loss of valuable customers.
6. Using poor quality images
Using product images of high quality is very important for an ecommerce site. Low quality images will create a poor impression of your products and thus discourage customers from buying. Therefore, take time before posting any image on your site. Besides being of high quality, your photos should also show the product from various angles. This will make it easier for the customer to make a decision.
7. Small product images
When your product images are too tiny, customers will not be able to see the details. Therefore, you need to ensure that your images are large enough. Alternatively, you could include zoom in features which allow the image to be enlarged. However, be sure to use an image which will retain its clarity even when enlarged.
8. Not including FAQs
It is vital for every ecommerce site to have a FAQ section. This is where you answer questions which your customers are likely to ask. Having these answers readily available will make it easier for customers to make a purchasing decision.
Charles Mburugu has a great passion for sharing blogging and web development tips. At the moment, he is writing for Flash templates.
