8 Items Your eCommerce Store Can't Live Without

With eCommerce now the norm for everyday shopping, getting your website right is essential to drive through those sales. And with most customers now online shopping savvy, you need to ensure you can not only meet but exceed their retail expectations.

If you want to deliver the ultimate shopping experience and improve your bottom line, here are the eight items your eCommerce store shouldn’t be without.

1. Clear branding

A well-thought-out brand identity that is consistently and creatively used should be the backdrop to your eCommerce site. From your logo and brand colours to key messaging, on-brand images and tone of voice, your online store should be instantly recognisable and trustworthy.

And, to build up customer loyalty, your brand should be used across all your off-line media, including flyers, marketing materials, stickers and business cards. You can purchase quality personalised stickers and other materials in bulk online, through reputable companies like Bizay. They are the absolute go-to if you’d like to enjoy cheap prices.

2. Regular promotions

An effective way to draw in customers and get them to engage with both your brand and your eCommerce site is through regular promotions, discounts, and offers. These can include free shipping, trial-size products, and multi-buy bundles – all of which encourage sales and add extra value to your customers’ experience. Your aim is to convert one-time buyers into loyal, repeat shoppers. And promotions that can draw your customer’s wider community in – refer a friend discount schemes, for example – can also help spread the word about your online brand.

3. Search function and shopping cart

Your customer’s expectation is for an enjoyable and hassle-free online shopping experience. And being able to quickly search for, and find, what they are looking for is key. This means that an intuitive product search function and clear shopping cart features are an absolute essential item for your eCommerce store.

4. Online chat and customer support

If a customer has an issue and is unable to resolve it or find help quickly, they are likely to move on and away from your shopping website. So, our fifth essential item is accessible customer support. This can include an online chat function, easy-to-use FAQs section, and access to a real customer service team. Effective customer support can put your brand in the driving seat when it comes to maintaining a high-quality customer experience.

5. E-news sign up

One of the easiest ways to keep in touch with your customers is via email. And so, a ‘subscribe’ button on your e-store is vital. Gaining permission to build up your marketing email list enables you to provide value to your customer and reinforce trust in your brand.

6. Great images and video content

Sometimes less is more when it comes to product descriptions. Using high-quality images and video content to backup your sales pitch can be particularly effective, as well as making your eCommerce store look eye-catching and sharp. Many shoppers say being able to look at a product video enables them to decide what to buy.

7. Product reviews

User-generated content can be a real asset to eCommerce stores, and the most popular way to incorporate such content into your site is with customer product reviews. It also adds another layer to the shopping experience, giving customers access to real-time information from their peers on the suitability and quality of a product.

8. Quality packaging

Finally, when looking at your eCommerce store, it is essential that your customer’s quality experience doesn’t just happen in the ‘virtual space’ but continues right through to purchase delivery. This means for an effective online store, you need to have effective packaging.

Online printers like Bizay are a great example of how you can customise your packaging. They even have a versatile range of quality cardboard boxes that can be personalised at affordable prices.

Using high-quality branded packaging creates a rounded and authentic experience for customers and ultimately reinforces their perception that your eCommerce site is one to trust.