E-commerce Features to Consider for Business Growth

As the years go by, more and more individuals are turning to online shopping, which is excellent news for e-commerce entrepreneurs. However, this also means that the competition is becoming increasingly fierce as an abundance of e-commerce businesses emerge to take advantage of this lucrative market. Failure to present your business effectively could result in significant challenges getting your e-commerce venture off the ground.

Studies have shown that e-commerce ventures have an alarming failure rate of around 80%, while other researchers suggest it could be as high as 97%. This highlights the importance of incorporating critical e-commerce features to ensure sustainable growth and remain competitive in the rapidly changing online business environment.

To boost your sales, it is crucial to focus on implementing effective methods for business growth, and this begins by establishing a robust e-commerce strategy. Therefore, what key components should be incorporated into this strategy?

This article outlines eight indispensable e-commerce features that can lead to increased success and higher sales. By implementing these features, you can enhance the customer experience and stand out in the competitive e-commerce landscape. So, without further ado, let's explore these crucial e-commerce features.

1. A successful SEO strategy.

One of the main reasons why e-commerce businesses struggle to increase sales is due to insufficient traffic. Without adequate traffic, the chances of making sales are significantly reduced. It's a well-known fact that online searches can generate substantial traffic to your website, making it a critical aspect of e-commerce business growth.

Therefore, the first crucial feature to consider is having an e-commerce site optimized for SEO. With optimized e-commerce SEO, your website's ranking on search engines can be significantly improved, resulting in increased customer acquisition efforts. This is because when your website ranks higher on search engines, it becomes more visible to potential customers, leading to more traffic and ultimately, higher sales.

It's important to note that e-commerce SEO requires more effort than website SEO. If you're unfamiliar with the process, it's advisable to work with an expert who can guide you through it. Here are a few SEO tactics to consider for your e-commerce store:

Incorporate relevant keywords into product descriptions and titles to improve search engine visibility;
Produce high-quality, keyword-optimized content that resonates with your target audience;
Develop a user-friendly website that boasts fast loading times and intuitive navigation, which can enhance the customer experience;
Register your e-commerce store on Google My Business, which can help you appear in local search results and increase visibility;

By implementing these SEO tactics, you can improve your e-commerce store's search engine ranking and drive more organic traffic to your site.

2. Payment Gateway.

When it comes to e-commerce business grow, a reliable payment gateway is a crucial aspect to ensure customer satisfaction and trust in your brand. Let's take a closer look at the types of payment gateways available:

Hosted Payment Gateways. These are third-party payment providers that redirect customers to their secure payment page. Hosted payment gateways are ideal for small businesses that lack resources to set up their payment system.
Integrated Payment Gateways. Integrated payment gateways are built into your e-commerce store, allowing customers to complete transactions without leaving your website. Although they provide a more seamless customer experience, they require more technical knowledge and resources.
Self-hosted Payment Gateways. These gateways are a hybrid of the hosted and integrated options. They require more technical knowledge to set up and maintain, but they offer more control over the payment process.

After gaining an understanding of the different types of payment gateways available, it is crucial to take various factors into account when selecting the right one for your business:

Security. The top priority should be the security of your customers' payment information. Choose a payment gateway provider that offers high-level encryption and fraud prevention measures to ensure the safety of transactions.
Fees. Payment gateway providers have different fees for their services, such as transaction fees, setup fees, and monthly fees. Make sure to consider these costs when selecting a provider to ensure it aligns with your budget.
Payment methods. Various payment gateways support different payment methods. Ensure that the provider you decide supports the payment methods your customers prefer to offer them a smooth and convenient shopping experience.
Compatibility. It is important to check if the payment gateway is compatible with your e-commerce platform or website builder. Integration with your platform is vital to ensure seamless payment processing.

By taking these factors into consideration, you can select a payment gateway that caters to your business requirements, provides your customers with a secure and hassle-free payment experience, and fits within your budget.

3. Shipping and Logistics.

Shipping and logistics are crucial components of any e-commerce business. Efficient and reliable shipping ensures that products are delivered to customers in a timely manner, which helps to build trust and improve customer satisfaction. On the other hand, poor shipping and logistics can lead to lost sales and negative customer reviews.

To ensure successful shipping and logistics for your e-commerce business, it's important to consider the following factors:

Shipping Rates and Options. Consider the shipping rates and options available to your customers, such as expedited or standard shipping. Research the shipping rates of your competitors and try to offer competitive rates to attract customers. For example, Amazon offers with several shipping options to choose from, including standard shipping, two-day shipping, and same-day delivery.

Each shipping option has a different cost and estimated delivery time, allowing customers to select the option that best fits their needs. Amazon also offers free shipping for orders over a certain amount or for customers with a Prime membership.

Order Tracking. Effective tracking and communication are crucial aspects of e-commerce that can make or break customer satisfaction. Providing customers with timely and accurate updates on their orders can help to build trust and confidence in your brand. It's essential to provide customers with shipping notifications and tracking numbers to keep them informed every step of the way.

One way to streamline tracking and communication is by using an app like Trackr, a Shopify order tracking app. Trackr collects tracking information from more than 900 carriers worldwide, enabling you to offer your customers real-time updates on their orders. This app also allows you to customize your tracking page with your branding and provides customers with delivery date estimates. With this app, you can keep your customers up-to-date with their orders, leading to a positive customer experience and potentially increased sales.
Returns and Refunds. Returns and refunds are an essential part of any e-commerce business, and having a clear policy in place can help to avoid disputes with customers. It's important to provide instructions for returns and refunds on your website and to offer excellent customer support to address any issues promptly.

One useful tool for handling returns and exchanges is the Track, Shopify order tracking app, which allows your customers to initiate a return or exchange via a branded Returns portal. This helps to streamline the process and provides a better customer experience.

International Shipping. When expanding your e-commerce business globally, it is crucial to take into account the various regulations and procedures for international shipping and customs clearance. Failure to do so can lead to legal complications and delays in delivering products to your customers. Therefore, it is essential to research and understand the regulations and procedures for each country you plan to sell in and work with reliable international shipping carriers to ensure smooth and efficient delivery.

4. Customer Service.

Customer service is another component of any successful e-commerce business. It can make or break a customer's shopping experience and ultimately impact your business's reputation and bottom line. Providing excellent customer service is essential to retain customers, build brand loyalty, and drive growth.

Here are some tips for providing exceptional customer service:

Be responsive. Respond to customer inquiries promptly and with empathy. Make sure to provide multiple communication channels, such as phone, email, and chat, to make it easy for customers to reach you.
Personalize interactions. Use customer data to personalize interactions and tailor recommendations. Address customers by their names and show that you care about their specific needs.
Be transparent. Be transparent about your policies and procedures, including shipping times, returns, and refunds. This will help build trust with your customers and avoid any misunderstandings.
Go above and beyond. Surprise and delight your customers by offering unexpected perks, such as free samples, handwritten thank-you notes, or exclusive discounts.
Collect feedback. Ask for feedback and use it to improve your customer service. Consider implementing a customer feedback survey or using social media listening tools to gather insights and address any issues proactively.

5. Mobile Responsiveness.

As more and more consumers are using their mobile devices to shop online, it has become increasingly important for e-commerce businesses to optimize their websites for mobile responsiveness. In fact, a study showed that mobile devices account for over 50% of all e-commerce traffic.

Here are some useful practices for mobile optimization:

Use a responsive design. Use a website theme that is optimized for mobile devices and adjusts to fit different screen sizes.
Optimize loading speed. Optimize your website's loading speed to ensure fast page loading on mobile devices. Customers are likely to abandon slow-loading websites, which can result in lost sales.
Simplify navigation. Ensure that your website's navigation is easy to use on a small screen. Consider using drop-down menus or a hamburger menu to simplify navigation.
Optimize image. Optimize images on your website to ensure they load quickly on mobile devices without compromising on quality.
Use mobile-friendly forms. Optimize forms on your website for mobile devices by using fewer form fields and larger text boxes for input.

By following these best practices, you can create a mobile-optimized website that provides a smooth and enjoyable shopping experience for your customers on all devices.

Social Media Integration is also a vital component of any successful e-commerce strategy. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest offer a powerful way to reach a large audience, promote your products, and drive traffic to your website.

Integrating your e-commerce store with your social media accounts can help you reach your target audience more effectively and build brand awareness. By leveraging social media, you can create a more personalized experience for your customers and increase engagement.

Here are some best practices for integrating social media into your e-commerce strategy:

Add social media buttons to your website. Make it easy for visitors to follow you on social media by including social media buttons on your website.
Promote products on social media. Share your products on your social media accounts to attract more customers and drive traffic to your website.
Run social media campaigns. Create social media campaigns that encourage your followers to engage with your brand, share your products, and leave reviews.
Use social media for customer service. Respond to customer inquiries and complaints via social media to provide a more personalized and timely customer service experience.
Leverage social media influencers. Partner with social media influencers to promote your products and reach a wider audience.

Integrating social media into your e-commerce strategy can help you enhance customer engagement and create a personalized experience. It can also increase brand awareness, drive more traffic to your website and ultimately lead to increased sales

Conclusion

To succeed in the competitive world of e-commerce, it is essential to have a comprehensive strategy that includes the essential elements. By applying the tips and tricks in this guide, ecommerce businesses can improve their online presence, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately grow and succeed. Remember to prioritize these elements and constantly optimize your strategy to stay ahead of the competition in the ever-evolving e-commerce industry. With the right approach and commitment to excellence, any e-commerce business can thrive and achieve its goals.