Super fast page loading speeds

Google loves fast loading websites and so do customers. Website pages should take under 3 seconds to load on mobiles and desktops for the best user experience, low bounce rates and better search engine rankings

Easy intuitive navigation
Visitors should be able to reach most sections of the websites and find the information they are looking for in 2 clicks. The navigation should be simple, easy and intuitive and not buried in multiple layers.

Fully optimized to mobile devices
Mobile-first approach is here to stay. Mobile adoption and use for search related queries and ecommerce has seen a massive growth world wide, its imperative that websites are fully responsive and AMP enabled preferable to ensure an excellent user experience for visitors.

Typography & readability
Websites content must be easy on the eyes and quickly readable. Web fonts which are designed for online media must be used and, font sizes must be optimized to devices and resolutions for easy reading.

Visual and minimal design
Heatmap data and studies on browsing behavior and latest trends in user interface design all point to a more visual design instead of using large text blocks and a lot of content. Especially on home pages where too much information can confuse a visitor.

Well structured content hierarchy
Professionally developed websites follow a clear, well defined and visible content and navigation hierarchy. From the header to the sub header and body copy the visitors should be able to absorb key information without having to read the whole paragraph.

Interactive media and videos
93% of marketers rate interactive content as highly effective at educating prospective customers. In addition video is the fastest growing and most effective content format on the internet. Customers love interactivity elements such as infographics, calculators, interactive eBooks, polls and surveys, animated videos, whiteboard videos which can be used to convey important information.

New ecommerce segments and consumer behaviors have appeared.

According to a 2020 study, 41% of customers said they were shopping online for things they would normally buy in-store – like groceries, home essentials, healthcare and grooming products. This shift has given rise to a new segment of ecommerce business as consumers look for convenience and ease. These behaviors could very well end up being permanent.

The pandemic has fueled ecommerce boom and online competition

Ecommerce sales have been accelerated by the pandemic reaching and all-time high level globally. This has also fueled peak competition as more and more companies start sell online. Customer experience, pricing, fulfillment and omni-channel presence will differentiate between the winners and losers.

Fulfillment cost will reduce margins

64% of consumers want their orders shipped for free, and 72% of global consumers would like brands to use sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging. Fulfillment costs will start to go up and companies must find a way to contain eroding margins.

Personalization will win

Personalization enables online businesses to build personal interactions and customized experiences in their online stores. This enables higher conversions and can improve customer retentions. AI powered tools can offer tailored product recommendations and website personalization based on their preferences and needs.

Efficient Search Functionality

Accurate and comprehensive site search functionality can be a valuable factor in improving session times, shopper experience conversion and sales. Studies have shown that up to 80% of users leave an online store if search, navigation, and product listing is less than topnotch.

Product Visualization

Product visualization is a relatively new trend but a popular one with online shoppers as it improves customer user experience and make the product feel more personal. Product visualization technologies uses high-quality images that show the product in actual environments and present it in the manner the user will receive it.

Mobile apps are all the rage these days even tough few companies actually leverage the functionality of mobile apps to grow their conversions, capture customer data and improve ecommerce sales. While you may be tempted to develop a mobile app for your busines it would only make sense to do that if it can fulfill a need that your mobile optimized responsive website can. If you can focus and in point clear, tangible benefits to your customers, and the hard work and investment that goes into building a good app could be worth the investment. Here is how to decide if your business needs a mobile app:

Do you have a mobile optimized responsive website?
A responsive site basically adapts itself to the device it is being used on and could very well functional nearly like an app. With a responsive site you are good to go on a mobile devices without the need for an app.

Is there a functionality which you need that websites can’t offer?
Does your app resolve any pain points that your customers face? Can an app offer any additional functionality which your responsive website currently does not offer, and it is important to improve your customer experience, well then you may have a reason to get an app.

Are you catching up with your competition?
As a competitive approach and to have a better brand perception sometimes could justify the investment in a mobile app. However it would help to evaluate the success of their app and app usage in your niche based on number of downloads, user feedback and reviews of your competitors app to obtain an insight into customer preferences and if you should follow the competition.

Does your business have a loyalty program?
If you offer a customer loyalty program, It makes it easy for you to manage rebates, discounts, vouchers, and other incentives.

Does your business need user-generated content?
If you leverage content from your users on your social media platforms an app your be the best platform for you to source, access and use content provided by your users on your app.

Can you utilize mobile hardware functionality for your app?
Apps that integrate with mobile phone hardware such as camera, mic, GPS or accelerometer and your business can utilize hardware integration features in your app, then it makes sense for your business to develop an app that can offer you these features.

Generally an ecommerce business accepts payments from customers on their website when they purchase goods or services. The most popular payment methods for ecommerce websites are credit cards or Paypal for your website, to use either of these or any other methods you should choose a payment processor and payment gateway which will be integrated on your website, and it securely authorizes payments for transactions made on your website.

What is A Payment Gateway?

A payment gateway as a merchant service that processes credit card payments for ecommerce sites and traditional brick and mortar stores. Popular payment gateways include PayPal/Braintree, Stripe, and Square. Every ecommerce transaction is completed when money from the issuing bank is sent to the acquiring bank based on the transaction between the customer and the merchant (website).

Types of Payment Gateway

Hosted (external) payment gateway

Although integrated with your website, it redirects the users to the payment gateway provider website or uses iframe elements on your page for the payment details input.

Integrated (direct or shared) payment gateway

With this sort of online payment platform, the customer doesn’t need to leave your site. All interactions are handled right there, on your site.

Important factors when choosing a payment gateway for your ecommerce website.

The Audience

Your choice should also take into account the demographics and geography of your clients. This will enable you to understand which payment types they would need. Identify your business requirements. What impact does a payment gateway have on your audience? Does it support multiple currencies? Or, what is its policy of recurring payments? Are its services available in the country where your target customers live?

Business specifics

First of all, you need to make sure the chosen solution works across all of your target markets, locations, as well as in your country of operation and has no limitations regarding, markets, accepted cards, currencies etc.

Security

A reliable payment gateway provider should offer compliance with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These are globally recognized standards for  customer data and payment information protection. It is also important to verify that your payment gateway provider is GDPR compliant if you are planning to sell globally.

Cost

The financial charges applied by your payment gateway provider is very crucial component of your selection process. Generally most online payment gateways may charge a commission/transaction fees for every transaction. In addition, some may also have a monthly or annual subscription fees and a set-up cost. Make sure the setup fee is not high and the fixed fee per transaction is not costing you much, also ensure there are no hidden fees or plan limitations that may force you to pay a higher fee if you are billing a higher than agreed amount. It is important to discuss in detail and fully  understand the fee structure and factor it in your costs and pricing.

Compatibility with your ecommerce platform?

You must also confirm that the API provided by the payment gateway for integration on your website is fully compatible with your online store platform. If you are using a Magento ecommerce platform or a Woo Commerce or Shopify store, the payment gateway should be compatible and optimized to work seamlessly with your ecommerce platform.

Does the provider have a good service & support?

Quality and reliable support online and via telephone is a key factor in selecting your provider. It is very helpful to obtain quick and fast support and trouble shooting for your ecommerce websites should there be any disruption or malfunction in the service. Quick response time, and fast resolution of any issues are important and critical factors in your choice of a payment gateway provider.

Performance and Reliability

Your customer’s checkout and payment experience is directly linked to high conversion rates and lower cart abandonment rates on your ecommerce websites. The payment process must be fast and glitch-free  on all types of browsers, devices and operating systems. Additionally there should near zero or very low downtimes as well since an ecommerce store cannot afford downtime at all.

What is ecommerce marketing?

Ecommerce marketing encompasses promotional strategies and tactics is the practice of using promotional tactics to build and grow traffic to your online store, converting visitors into paying customers, and retaining those customers on a long-term basis. A broad ecommerce marketing strategy consists of both onsite and offsite marketing tactics which include customer experience, pricing, value addition, social media marketing, conversion rate optimization and more. A proactive ecommerce marketing can grow your online business by building your brand awareness, increasing customer loyalty, and eventually expanding online sales. ultimately increase online sales.

Here are a few popular integrated techniques to marketing your ecommerce business without spending a fortune.

Integrate Instagram
With over a billion daily active users, Instagram is one of the biggest social platforms that brings together brands, customers, influencers and engaging content together in a dynamic mix. Posting consistent, high quality images, videos, user generated content and strategic hashtags you can slowly build a devoted Instagram community that is interested in your products and engages with your activity.

Launch a Facebook store

With over 2.6 billion users Facebook is a powerful medium to reach potential customers using hyper-targeted methods. Brands now have the option of actively selling on Facebook and Instagram using “Commerce Account” which helps them promote and actively sell through channels such as Facebook Marketplace and Facebook page shops. It’s simple and straightforward to start making sales through your Facebook store and also integrate directly with your Shopify or BigCommerce store for a shared common product listing and inventory.

Create content strategy with a blog
Businesses across virtually all industries are actively producing quality content for their blogs and sharing it with their audience to build trust in their brand. Blogging offers a multichannel platform to drive traffic to all customer touch-points by posting quality brand centric and customer oriented content on the website, on social media platforms and then drive traffic through SEO.

Use email marketing

Email marketing is still one of the most effective direct marketing channel for reaching potential customers and making sales and generating repeat customers. Offering your email list customers frequent previews to new products and launches, special deals, offers and discounts can easily achieve significant conversions with little spend.

Get Started With Mobile marketing
By 2021, mobile devices will contribute over 50% of all online shopping. That is a phenomenal insight into the popularity of a device which normally does not get the pride of place in mainstream ad campaigns. Optimizing your store for mobile devices and creating custom audience based on device targeting for your social media or search ad campaigns can help you reach a lot of precisely targeted, new potential customers without spending a fortune.

Expand to marketplaces for a bigger reach
Expand the reach of your products and brand by setting up your presence on multiple marketplace channels such as Amazon, eBay, or even niche venues like Etsy. Marketplaces enjoy much higher amounts of traffic than a dedicated online store, selling on multiple venues increases the visibility of your online store and brand and can drive cross-traffic to your store. Marketplaces have a large audience, a lot of whom may have never visited your online store and could potentially become customers.

Start A Retargeting Campaign
A proven marketing approach to improve conversions – remarketing or retargeting enables you to create ad campaigns that are targeted only at customers who have previously visited your Social media channels or your website or ecommerce store. This audience may already be familiar with your products or company and displaying your ads to them while they’re browsing the internet with the intent of getting them back on your website with a better chance of conversion.

Pursue abandoned carts and chase wish lists

Another remarketing strategy that works well is reminding customers of their Wishlists and/or abandoned carts on your store. Offering customers a reminder or an added incentive of a discount can help them take the final step in purchasing the products they have previously shown interest in.