Tips To Make Your E-commerce Site More User Friendly
In this article we discuss simple tips to implement in order to make navigating your website unique and more user friendly.
Tip 1: Golden rule of three
Well thought through site architecture makes it easier for users and search engines to find the most important pages on your site. In order to achieve good website architecture follow the Golden Rule of e-commerce website architecture: “keep every page three or fewer clicks from your home page”. As discussed in one of our previous articles on search engine optimisation real world example would be a store selling coffee mugs. So on a an e-commerce website built with the golden rule in mind a customer would reach the product page as follows: Home Page > Catalog > Coffe Mug > Black Mug.
It is thus easier for search engines to index these pages.
Tip 2: Option to create a user account easily
It is a never ending debate on wether to allow customers to create user accounts. Online stores can justify customer accounts by stating that it allows customers to to save information, create wishlists and track orders.
To encourage shoppers to create user accounts the process has to be simple and the customer has to feel validataed for creating an account.
Consider the following options to keep the sign-up process as simple as possible
– Allow shoppers and customers to use their email address as the login for the account
– Allow social logins such as Facebook, Pinterest, Google, LinkedIn etc. as the login for the account
– Allow for the use of any password. Don not restrict passwords by length, numbers and special characters.
– Ask for optional information after sign-up. Optional information includes contact details, employment etc.
– Eliminate the use of CAPTCHA
– Enable auto fill on forms
– When the user is registered, enable the option for auto sign-in
– Integrate option for account creation at checkout
Provide incentives for users to sign-up. It is beneficial to the store owner when users sign-up, as it allows shop owners to expand their mailing lists, provide post sale information and to simplify the customer support process. Consider the following incentives to entice users to create accounts:
– Offer coupons or future discounts on orders.
This encourages the shopper to return to your online store, for future purchases
– Provide follow up services and warranties on purchases
Providing warranties and guarantees on expensive purchases encourages customers to purchases items. This is an intelligent tactic used to close sales
– Order history and invoice lookup
Enable functionality for registered customers to search purchases history
– Run a rewards program for registered users.
Reward programs are good incentive to create accounts. Furthermore rewards are a good way to build a loyal customer base.
– Provide gift certificates for registered users
Tip 3: Provide Wish-list Functionality
Wish-lists are among the most important features of any e-commerce store. Wish-lists are a collection of desired products that are saved to a customers user account. They signify interest in products without the intention to buy the product or products immediately. Wish-lists are an important feature to reduce shopping cart abandonment and to close sales by means of follow up emails. Wish-lists with share functionality allow users to share desired products with grinds and family on social networks. This could potentially increase traffic to your website and thus lead to more conversions.
Tip 4: Quickview functionality on the front-page and catalogue Products
Quick-view functionality opens a pop-up or modal view allowing users to view product information without opening the product page. Quivkview displays a product title, description, price and “add to cart” button. Quick-view functionality reduces shopping time and improves the customer shopping experience.
Tip 5: Product slider on the front page
A product slider allows shop owners to display all product or a specific product catalogue on the front page. This can lead to increased conversions, as customers do not have to navigate to other pages in order to view specials or highlighted product catalogues. Sliders also make your front page look clean and professional.
The features implemented on your online store are dependent on your target market. If your online store is setup properly, it could lead to increased conversion and longer lasting customer relationships.