So, today is the day...and you’re ecstatic! After all of your hard work, you’re finally venturing into the world of digital commerce (e-commerce). You built your site, itemized your products or services and you’re ready to launch. But then you panic. Are you really ready? Is everything set for a perfect launch day?
There are so many elements that need to be checked, re-checked, optimized, tested and verified. Why? Because your site needs to offer your customers a smooth online shopping experience.
While your ecommerce store may look perfect, you may have forgotten something. Everyone forgets and everyone makes mistakes -- there’s always a chance you may have missed a critical step that could hurt your sales. That’s why the experts at Troy Web Consulting have put together the following ecommerce checklist.
Website Testing
Your website is your ecommerce hub, therefore every aspect of it needs to work flawlessly.. What might that mean? Your website should…
be responsive and provide an optimized user experience.
be cross-browser and cross-device (e.g. Android and iOS) friendly.
run quickly, especially on mobile.
include a shopping cart/basket on every page with product images.
include a large and well-placed checkout button in one or more locations.
include sale/promotional information on all pages (i.e. free shipping or ‘sale’ banners).
include a consistent and visible site-navigation panel, preferably at the top of each page.
make and encourage sharing content via well-placed social media buttons.
make any relevant policies visible via the footer section of your website.
make it easy for customers to sign up for any mailing lists or newsletters using an incentive (e.g. ‘10% off your first purchase’).
Your Homepage
Your homepage is what the majority of your visitors will see first, this is your introduction. For this reason, it is important to get across exactly who you are, what you do, and what you offer. Your homepage should…
have a strong call to action (e.g. ‘shop now’) to encourage visitors to further explore your website.
present captivating, high-quality images that display your products or services. No stock-photos!
highlight offers/promotions as well as either ‘top selling’ or ‘featured’ products.
highlight any product or service reviews.
link to a blog, which helps to build consumer trust as well as encourage exploration.
Overall Product/Catalog Page
Your product/catalog pages will present a list of your multiple products/services to a potential consumer. Therefore, your product/catalog pages should…
include several categories (with images) from which a potential shoppers can browse.
include multiple filtering options for consumers to find relevant items.
clearly present product availability to reduce any potential shopper frustration.
present specials and offers based upon each product/service category.
Specific Product/Service Landing Pages
Your product/service landing page will present the specific item that your potential consumer clicked on while viewing your overall product/catalog page. Your product/service landing page must...
be clear and easy to understand
have a well placed ‘Buy’ or ‘Learn More’ button that stands out.
have a ‘wish list’ or ‘save’ button in case your consumer wishes to come back to the item.
use reviews from previous customers to persuade new visitors.
use concise product descriptions with an additional ‘view more info’ button (if necessary).
use social media networks to allow visitors to like, comment or share your products.
include product images/videos (if applicable) with zoom functionality.
upsell products/services after an item has been added to the shopping cart by emphasizing items that are frequently purchased together.
Shopping Cart Pages
Your shopping cart page will be your consumers last step before checkout. Therefore, you want to ensure that your shopping cart page...
displays any fees in the shopping cart before checkout. (e.g. shipping or taxes).
displays any relevant product specifications or user selected options (e.g. ‘size: lg or ‘color: navy’).
displays a ‘return to shopping’ button.
includes an easy way to update or change items or quantities in the shopping cart
includes a section in which customers can enter a coupon or discount code (great for marketing).
offers free shipping at checkout, which is great for boosting sale conversion.
offers same-day shipping (some shoppers will use it), this is a great way to boost profitability.
Checkout Pages
Finally, the last step - your checkout cart page will be the consumer's final destination. As the last step in your e-commerce process, your checkout page should…
remove unnecessary items or navigation on the page - keep visitors focused on checkout.
allow guests to checkout with or without creating an account.
offer multiple payment options, including PayPal so the consumer may select one they trust.
offer free return shipping to convert hesitant shoppers.
include a gift wrapping option (if applicable).
include a final confirmation page that displays what the consumer is purchasing, shows their billing/delivery address and has a large ‘Confirm’ button.
show a ‘thank you’ page once the checkout process is completed. This page should include: what will happen next; the ability to create an account (if applicable), order tracking, and an upsell of related products.
Is your website missing any of the items from our checklist? Do you still feel nervous about your e-commerce launch? Don’t worry, we’re here for you.
Sophisticated reconciliation tools for financials, advanced security, all-inclusive analytics integration, membership and online subscription management as well as comprehensive buy-now experiences that allow shoppers to sign up, make a payment and enroll as an affiliate on your platform…we do it all! The team of expert developers at Troy Web Consulting have the ability to integrate your new or existing platform with the latest technology, or simply build you a custom solution that is tested, optimized and verified. We’re Troy Web Consulting, and we know digital commerce.