One of the biggest issues that start-ups have to consider today is website design. If you operate an e-commerce website, then you will need to make sure that your site looks good and performs well from the day that you launch.
One common mistake that start-ups make is launching with a website that is too simplistic. They assume that they can upgrade the website as they go, but fail to consider the fact that their website will be the first and only impression that many prospective customers have of their brand. A professional looking website design is a must-have for any new brand.
Essential Features
There are some features that every e-commerce website should have. They include:
Social features: The easier it is for your consumers to share your products and blog posts and follow you on social media, the stronger your engagement will be and the easier you will find it to build up a following.
Feedback: You cannot afford to be a faceless organisation. Make it easy for your customers to contact you either via live chat, a feedback form, or social media.
Blog: Almost every business should have a blog associated with their website. Most modern e-commerce platforms have blogging features built-in or can easily be integrated with something like WordPress. Use your blog to put forward a human face for your organisation.
Security: Modern consumers are well educated and will not buy from a website if that site does not have good security. Use a secure payment system and implement best practices such as not sending out password reminders in cleartext. Again, most good online shopping platforms are fairly secure out of the box, but it is a good idea to educate yourself about the best security practices so that you can be sure you are taking good care of your customer’s information.
Search: Make it easy to find products and information on your website, both through clear navigation and an easy to use search feature. Even if you have only one or two products, offer a search feature – your users do not necessarily know how hard it will be to find what they are looking for, and if they can’t see a search box they might hit the back button without even trying to browse your site.
Responsive design: Mobile web traffic exceeded desktop web traffic for the first time in 2014, and the popularity of mobile devices as a shopping platform is growing every day. Make sure that your theme boasts a responsive design so that your site looks just as good on a mobile as it does on your desktop.
Working with a company such as Dewsign website design is a good way to ensure that you launch with an appealing and functional e-commerce website that will impress your customers.
The above features are all relatively easy and inexpensive to implement, but are the sort of thing that customers have come to demand of websites. Make sure that your start-up business implements these features before you go live.