A functional eCommerce website typically has a Homepage, a Products page, a Blog, and an About Us page. But in 2022, eCommerce owners need to think beyond the basics to meet their customers’ ever-changing technological landscape and developing needs
We bring you a list of must-haves elements every eCommerce website should include in 2022:
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User-Friendly Navigation
The key to helping customers find the products they need quickly is to offer a user-friendly navigation system. Products should be logically categorized, with the most popular categories listed first.
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Responsive Website Design
Reports show that 79% of smartphone users purchased products online with their mobile devices within the last six months, and due to the global pandemic, many B2B brands have adopted mobile websites – with 80% of B2B buyers now using mobile devices to make purchases. The development of custom-branded apps has also increased in recent years, which has paved the way for optimizing the online customer journey.
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Site Search
In addition to user-friendly navigation, site search is a feature found on most of the top e-commerce sites. It allows customers to bypass the navigation and search for exactly what they want.
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Multiple Security Features
As technology continues to develop, the risk of hacking and security breaches rise. That’s why another must-have for your eCommerce website is security features. One of the best methods to secure data and information online is to use VPN (a virtual private network). To keep your website – and your customers’ information – secure and protected – it can pay to enhance your website.
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Product Videos and good Quality Pics
Adding video to your product pages can increase conversions. According to Google, over 50% of shoppers said that online video helped them make a decision on which brand or product to purchase. Most eCommerce platforms allow retailers to add videos and images to their product pages.
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Shopping Cart and Checkout Buttons
An eCommerce website’s primary goal is to gain revenue, and an optimized shopping cart feature will only help you maximize this. When it comes to optimizing your shopping cart, customers expect features such as fast service, seamless checkout, trustworthy payment options, and even the option to preview their orders before completing a purchase.
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Product Reviews
The most popular form of user-generated content found on e-commerce sites is product reviews and ratings.
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Offer Multiple Payment Options
Your eCommerce website should also be flexible in terms of payment options and methods. While you should know what specific payment method your target audience prefers, having other options available can enhance the customer experience.
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Generous Return Policy
Want to increase consumer confidence in the products you sell? Offer a generous return policy and include it on your product page. Place it near your add to cart button to increase the chances that it will have a positive effect on the number of purchases.
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Contact Page with Multiple Contact Options/ FAQ
It’s important to build a relationship with your customers so, it doesn’t hurt to have an on-site option where your customers can reach you should they have questions, clarifications, concerns, or feedback. This could be in the form of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), a contact form, or a live chat.
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Order Tracking
Once your customer places an order, the top question on their mind is when will my order arrive.
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Personal Data Policy
Depending on where your e-commerce store is based and the customers that it serves, your site may need a policy that notifies visitors of the data that is collected about them on your website using cookies from the website and other analytics tools.
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Loyalty Program
Do you want to increase customer retention? One way to encourage people to shop from your eCommerce store again is to offer a loyalty program.
These are typically free or paid programs where customers get private or early access to the best deals.
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Gift Registries
If you do a search for gift registries on Google, you will find dozens of well-known brand retailers.
CNBC reported findings from a 2022 survey that Amazon leads as the top wedding registry provider with 45% listing penetration.
It’s important to remember that you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel in order to provide a fantastic shopping experience for your users. But make sure to optimize your website to take your brand to the next level.
