The ultimate E-commerce website checklist
As more people go online, the e-commerce business in Kenya is growing with more people trusting online products mostly when offered an option of paying on delivery.
When you start an e-commerce site you realize that there are loads of items that need to be checked, cross-checked and tested to ensure that your customers have a nice experience.
Customer experience remains paramount with an e-commerce business, then, before launching, make sure your platform fully provide the customer with values.
If you are having your e-commerce website developed or if you are in the process of getting one, here are some of the things that an e-commerce website should have to help you grow your business in Kenya.
Make a good first impression
It takes about 50 milliseconds for a user to decide if they will stay on your website or not and you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your website design is the first point of contact between your store and your customers.
You need to invest in a great and reliable web design with the right structure that is visually comfortable for your users. If your homepage interface and navigation are not appealing to your users they will definitely leave.
Ensure your website is responsive
Most people are on their mobile devices these days so it is crucial that you ensure that your e-commerce website is responsive on both a personal computer and on a smartphone/tablet. Responsive means that your website appearance changes depending on the screen size and orientation of the device being used to view it. Most web design companies in Kenya can develop a responsive website but be sure to ask.
A prominent search bar on every page
An e-commerce website will definitely have tons and tons of products therefore having a search bar on top of every page will enable users to find products in your catalogues easily. If you are able to provide alternatives search terms while your customer types, that’s even better.
Cart icon must be on every page
In most e-commerce websites you will find the cart icon on the top right corner of every page. If your customer adds an item to the basket, it shows how many items are in the basket. This is very convenient for your customers while navigating through different pages. Give customers an option of adding or removing items from the basket.
Clear checkout button
E-commerce checkout button is normally found next to the basket icon. Make it easy for people to check out after they are done shopping otherwise you will have so many abandoned carts.
Clear navigation menus
Navigation menus help your customers identify the different types of products that you sell on the website. If you sell electronics you can identify your products range by ‘mobile phones’ ‘tablets’ ‘accessories’ etc
Contact information
Most people in Kenya still have doubts and anxieties while buying products online. Therefore having contact information and mostly on every page can help reduce their anxiety as they are assured they can contact you.
Include a Live chat
Having a live chat on your website is very important. It means that people can ask questions if they experience any challenge while shopping in real-time and this can help you sell more.
Indicate stock availability
Indicate stock availability on the product listing page instead of having a customer click through to the product page and finding out the product is out of stock.
Make the ‘Add to basket’ or ‘Buy’ button prominent
Incorporate the 3-second rule whenever a customer visits a product page. Therefore make the ‘Add to basket’ or ‘Buy’ button visible on the website and if possible use bold and bright colours to make them stand out.
Add ‘wishlist’ button
The wishlist button should not be as prominent as the ‘buy’ button but it should be there to help a customer put aside items that they would like to buy later.
Use products images and videos
Show a variety of clear images showing different angles of the products and if possible add a zoom-in feature for customers to get a closer look. Use videos as well to demonstrate how to use products.
Show estimated delivery time and cost
Give your customers an accurate or estimated time when they can expect to receive their items as well as the delivery costs. You can as well include a premium for the customers who would want same-day delivery.
Return policy
Don’t forget to include a return policy on your website, it gives customers confidence that in case of anything they can return the product.
Showcase customer reviews or testimonials
Customer testimonials are usually found at the bottom of the products page. Reviews give potential customers confidence and affirmation before buying a product. Using customer reviews on products can help you sell more.
Payment options
Add more than one payment option such as a credit card or debit, PayPal or Mpesa.
Order process
To ensure the order process is smooth for your customers, you can break the process into the cart interface, customer’s details and delivery address, payment information then the confirmation page. You can as well automate emails such that after their order is confirmed on the website they also get an email for the confirmation of their order.
We hope this checklist will help you optimize your e-commerce website for conversions. We also develop e-commerce websites that can help you generate sales. Give us a call today for a free consultation.
