5 components of an advanced online store

Original author: Gil Remy
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Any self-respecting online store should have the following functionality: sorting goods, adding to the basket, guest access and tracking orders. In addition, there are a number of functions that are not basic, but many times improve the quality of service and the shopping experience. Such features are only offered by the few stores that make up the e-commerce elite.

So, here are five features that distinguish the best online store from just good.

1. Advanced search results with tips


When a user enters a search query, it would be nice to offer him some options to choose from as autocomplete search bar. But it’s best if, even before clicking the “Find” button, you already show the user the expected search results for his request.

Such a function will instantly provide the buyer with all the necessary information about the product: price, brief description, category name, image, without requiring any additional actions from the user.

As an excellent example, you can take the Altrec online store, in which this function is implemented very elegantly, offering at the same time several options for autocompletion, and a number of expected results for one of the possible queries. Autofill shows the user which options are generally possible and what else he can find besides what is displayed in the preliminary results. At the same time, there is a high probability that among the preliminary results the right product will appear to the user, and the buyer will immediately be able to go to the product page, bypassing unnecessary steps.



2. Built-in validation of fields


Hints at the data entry stage for the correct ordering can lead to the fact that the user completely abandons the purchase, since there is nothing more annoying than after clicking on the confirmation button to find that some fields were filled incorrectly. Built-in preliminary verification of the correctness of filling in the fields will significantly increase the likelihood that your client will fill out all the necessary forms correctly the first time and be satisfied with the service, and you, in turn, will receive a correctly completed order and reduce the likelihood of errors.

An additional advantage of this function is the ability to establish a dialogue with the user through short messages next to the fields (both correctly filled out and not), which will improve the overall impression of your store and make the buyer come back to you again. However, it is worth adding an important note: as mentioned in the article “ The State Of E-Commerce Checkout Design 2012 ” in Smashing Magazine, checking the correctness of the address fields is not always the appropriate solution. The reason is that sites that refuse the user to place an order due to the inappropriate address format will definitely lose customers. That is why it is better to neglect checking fields with addresses.

But where correctness is really important, it’s in the fields with the email address, bank card number, zip code, etc.



3. Animated basket


Some online stores are in no hurry to send the buyer to place an order immediately after adding the product to the basket and do it right. This gives the user an incentive to continue virtual shopping and, ultimately, increases store revenue. Just here the animated basket comes into play. This is an effective way to give the user confirmation that the selected product has already been placed in his basket and that at any time he can complete the order process, while not distracting him from further shopping.

American Eagle Online Store reveals a special area to the user at the bottom of the screen, which displays the product added to the cart, transaction details and the order button.



At the same time, the Crate & Barrel store went further and implemented an even more convenient basket in the form of a pop-up window, which displays the full amount of the order, as well as other products that may interest the user.



4. Real-time inventory


Another reason for customer disappointment may be the lack of the right size. That is why it is worth keeping your customers not only aware of how many goods of a certain size are left, but also, preferably, when you can expect to replenish the warehouse. It will also increase the chances that the customer will leave a pre-order or sign up to receive information about the availability of the goods, instead of going to another seller.

The following is a presentation of how the Threadless store solved this problem, immediately showing full information about the availability of goods.



5. Demo video


Unfortunately, the features of e-business do not allow providing the buyer with a full presentation of the product. However, a well-implemented presentation of goods can take e-commerce to a new level, giving the buyer even more confidence in the correctness of their choice.

The Zappos store, for example, uses a video presentation to sell a pair of Doc Martens boots, as well as many other products.



It is worth noting that these are just a few of the most obvious and frequently used functions of online stores that I would like to see in every online store. Moreover, all these functions are implemented using long-known technologies, which, moreover, will be easy to implement in your site. Consequently, there are no reasons preventing the emergence of these and other functions in any e-commerce site striving for success.

Payment on delivery


Even with the introduction of all the described functions and tools in the online store itself, the issue of ease of payment always remains an issue. And if there are already a lot of implemented systems for paying online, until recently, everything was more traditional with receiving money during delivery - cash or, in rare cases, a GSM terminal. Today, a modern online store, in order to please the buyer, needs to accept payment by cards, even upon delivery. The recent but already very famous startup of Jack Dorsey - Square (Russian copy - 2can) gained distribution in the USA among small retail outlets and private entrepreneurs. In Russia, online stores use similar solutions to accept payment by courier upon delivery. All that is needed is an Apple or Android smartphone and a mobile terminal, which is a device the size of a handsfree headset.

All these functions were introduced in order to push the creators of online stores to improve the quality of service and create a sense of customer care, which will make online business a worthy alternative to traditional stores.

Do you have experience creating or managing an online store? What would you add to this list?

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