With more and more consumers turning to online shopping, having a well-designed and functional eCommerce website is crucial for the success of your business. However, it might be challenging to determine which features are essential for your online store.
To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of nine must have features that every eCommerce website should incorporate.
WordPress eCommerce Features You Need in 2024
In 2024, eCommerce is transforming with new technologies. Augmented reality and virtual reality let customers try products virtually. Voice commerce, powered by smart speakers, allows for hands-free shopping and personalized recommendations.
With AI and machine learning, brands create tailored experiences, boosting sales and loyalty.
However, regardless of the technology changes, certain features remain the same – like allowing customers to leave a review through a product review plugin for WordPress. They drive conversions and ensure customer satisfaction, ultimately securing the future of your business.
So, which features are considered eCommerce must haves? Here are the essential eCommerce WordPress website features and how to implement them.
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1. User Friendly Design
User-friendly design is usually at the top of every eCommerce must haves list. This should not come as a surprise, since an eCommerce store that’s hard to navigate won’t attract or keep customers.
Prioritize user experience in every aspect of your website design. Implement straightforward menus to help users locate products effortlessly.
Another effective strategy is to incorporate a live search function, allowing users to quickly find what they’re looking for by typing keywords and being directed to the relevant pages.
2. High-Quality Photos
Everybody wants their products to catch customers’ attention and sell well. That’s why quality product photos are an eCommerce must have if you want to succeed.
Blurry photos discourage people from buying your products and impact the way clients perceive your brand.
Include multiple high-quality images for each product from different angles to help customers see what they’re getting.
3. An Easy Checkout Process
A complicated and unnecessarily long checkout process can discourage customers from finalizing their purchases and make them abandon their carts.
Your website should feature clear buttons for adding items to the cart and checking out. Offering a guest checkout option can help you simplify the process even further, allowing customers to complete their purchases without registering.
Most of the shopping happens on mobile devices, so ensuring your checkout page works well on them expands your reach to shoppers on smartphones and tablets.
4. Customer Reviews
When it comes to whether or not customer reviews are an essential eCommerce website feature, the stats speak for themselves.
95% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase decision. These reviews hold substantial sway, as evidenced by the fact that 92% of B2B buyers are more inclined to buy after encountering positive feedback.
Interestingly, even negative reviews can enhance customer trust, as they demonstrate transparency and authenticity. Therefore, incorporating product reviews is an eCommerce must have.
There’s no easier way to empower users to leave feedback than installing and activating a WordPress customer review plugin.
Our product allows customers to leave feedback on any page or post, with options to include images and videos. As the administrator, you can manage reviews, as well as respond to and transfer WooCommerce reviews for centralized control.
Users can rate content, mark reviews as helpful, and share them on social media. The plugin supports customizable star ratings, reactions to reviews, and anonymous submissions.
Thanks to the BuddyPress integration the reviews can be posted on user profiles and walls. With easy customization options, our customer review plugin enhances user engagement and streamlines review management.
5. Transparent Shipping Costs
Unexpected shipping costs can be a major red flag for customers, leading to abandoned shopping carts and negative reviews.
It’s not just the shipping itself, but the surprise fees that deter buyers. Over a quarter of shoppers will leave if they encounter unexpected charges added to their total at the checkout page.
While offering free shipping year-round may not be feasible for small businesses, transparency about costs is crucial. Clearly stating shipping fees upfront before customers reach the checkout helps prevent disappointment for everyone involved.
6. Mobile-Friendly Design
As we’ve already mentioned, a great number of online purchases are done via mobile devices. With more shoppers turning to their phones, having a mobile-friendly eCommerce website is a must have.
Google’s mobile-friendly test tool is a valuable resource for evaluating the effectiveness of your online store’s compatibility. This tool allows you to assess individual pages to ensure they meet mobile-friendly criteria set by Google.
Additionally, it provides a comprehensive site-wide mobile usability report, offering insights into areas for improvement across your entire website.
By utilizing this tool, you can identify and address any issues that might be hindering the mobile user experience, ultimately enhancing usability and maximizing the potential for mobile-driven sales.
7. Secure Payment Options
Ensuring the security of online transactions is vital for earning the customers’ trust. With the internet posing potential risks, shoppers might hesitate to spend their hard-earned money unless they feel confident in the website’s reliability.
Offering secure payment options through trusted gateways like PayPal, Stripe, Amazon Pay, and Authorize.net not only boosts your credibility but also provides peace of mind to customers.
Make sure to include online and payment security measures on your eCommerce site, to foster trust and loyalty, encouraging repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
8. Contact Information
As you already know, customer trust is necessary to increase sales, and having contact information on your eCommerce site is key.
It reminds shoppers there’s a real person behind your brand, someone they can contact with questions if needed. Include a “Contact Us” page with accurate email addresses or a contact form for easy communication.
Despite its simplicity, having contact information is an eCommerce must have if you want to achieve success.
9. Social Media Links
Including social media links on an eCommerce website can help you in several ways.
Firstly, it allows you to expand your online presence and reach a wider audience. Social media platforms provide valuable opportunities to engage with customers, share updates about products or promotions, and build brand loyalty.
Secondly, social media links enable integration between the eCommerce website and various social channels, making it easier for customers to connect with the brand across different platforms.
Lastly, social media is a powerful marketing tool, as satisfied customers can easily share their purchases or reviews with their networks, potentially driving more traffic and sales to the eCommerce site.
Overall, integrating social media links into an eCommerce website is a must-have strategy for increasing brand visibility, fostering customer engagement, and ultimately driving business growth.
eCommerce Must Haves for Online Success
Designing an eCommerce store requires careful consideration, balancing aesthetics with usability. It’s crucial to create an experience that is visually appealing and easy to navigate for users. Incorporating all the essential eCommerce website features outlined here is key.
Pay extra attention to customer reviews, as they can help you grow faster by building trust and credibility, influencing purchase decisions, boosting search engine rankings, and contributing to long-term customer loyalty. Install our customer review plugin for WordPress today and allow your business to flourish.
The features discussed in this article benefit both you and your customers, boosting sales and providing shoppers with outstanding service throughout their journey.
For personalized assistance in optimizing your eCommerce website with must-have features, we offer consultation services tailored for WordPress users.
