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There used to be a time when companies built a website just to get on the web. Then they did it right. The next step was to sell their products & services online with an e-commerce website. Now, it’s time to get that right.
There are many key elements that should be kept in mind when building an e-commerce site: the ability to find products, the product display, adding items to the shopping cart, the checkout process, and everything that happens after the sale. Use this as a checklist to see how your online storefront compares.
Ability to find products – are your products logically organized in categories and sub-categories? Do you have a site search? Ideally, your site search should recommend other search terms (like, “Did you mean…”)? Products that are on sale or “featured” can be showcased on your homepage.
Product display – use multiple images, when possible, and give the ability to rotate physical products or zoom in on important details. Provide an accurate product description with short sentences and bulleted lists. Customer reviews are always helpful.
Add to cart – confirm the user added the item to their shopping cart. Show the cart contents and options to checkout or continue shopping. After a product is added to the cart, cross-sell related items (ex: after buying a flashlight, recommend the correct batteries). Or, up-sell to another product (ex: For only $2.45 more, you can double your order).
Checkout – Shipping – allow your users to login for faster checkout next time. Shipping address should come from an address book, or allow the user to enter a new one. If the product you sell is primarily given as a gift, allow for multiple ship-to addresses per order. Give many shipping options with real-time rates and delivery dates.
Checkout – Billing & Payment – your website should be secure at this point, and you should make a point of letting the user know that. Provide multiple payment options: credit card, PayPal, Google’s Checkout, e-Check, money order.
Checkout – Order Summary – summarize the order before it’s completed. This allows the user to make final adjustments. It’s also your last chance to cross-sell and up-sell.
Checkout – Order Confirmation – give a confirmation number (makes post-sale communication with the user easier). E-mail a copy of the order to the user, and provide a printable version.
Post-sale Customer Support – customers should be able to login to your website to track their order and view their order history, as well as manage their address book and edit their e-mail newsletter preferences.
Of course, there’s more to an e-commerce site besides the customer’s experience. You need to get users to the site (internet marketing, combining pay-per-click (PPC) ads, natural search engine optimization (SEO), e-mail marketing, and affiliate marketing) and you need to be able to control the website via a secure administration site (where you can manage your categories, items, customers, and orders).
Don’t worry if your online storefront doesn’t fit all of these criteria – many don’t. However, if you’re falling behind, you should think about adding to your existing system, or replacing it with a new one. Many “off the shelf” shopping carts contain most of these features. Or, a custom solution can be made just for you. Either way, remember that the Internet is evolving, and so should your website. If you haven’t done so lately, review what you have and look for opportunities for improving your user’s online experience.
Eric Nagel is a graduate, Cum Laude, of the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor's in Computer Science. He has been working in the web design industry since 1996 and is a veritable wealth of programming knowledge. Eric's broad base of knowledge about programming and systems environments is invaluable, and necessary to helping clients understand the intricacies of the project. He has earned his MBA focusing on E-Business from the University of Phoenix, has been designated a Certified E-Commerce Consultant by the Institute of Certified E-Commerce Consultants, and is a member of the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants. In addition, Eric is a Master CIW Designer and a Zend Certified Engineer. Learn more about Eric and what he can do for you at
Email: eric@ericnagel.com
Company Profile:
Eric Nagel & Associates
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