What you use your website for should influence its design.
- You just need to display information? Take a simple, static approach .
- You want something dynamic and customised? Opt for a bespoke build.
- You want to sell? You need an e-commerce site.
What is an e-commerce website?
At its simplest, an e-commerce website is an online store. It allows you to sell products or services and take payment online through your business. You can use this for all kinds of purchasing structures, whether it’s one off purchases or subscriptions.
Because so much shopping now takes place online, having an e-commerce website is basically a must-have. Unlike physical shop fronts, these websites are always accessible, so they introduce new customers as well as facilitate transactional behaviour.
The key features of an e-commerce website are:
- A digital storefront
- Product catalog
- Shopping cart
- Secure checkout
- Order management
What makes e-commerce websites different from other websites?
Primarily, what sets e-commerce platforms apart from others, is their ability to handle transactions. E-commerce transactions allow for the exchange of goods, services and payment over the internet.
Compared to other website design models they prioritise sales and conversion, have unique features that help the buyer’s journey (like shopping carts), require enhanced security for payment processing and superior data management to track the buyer’s behaviour and preferences.
Types of e-commerce websites
There are three main e-commerce types, which are:
- Business to consumer (B2C) - Probably the most popular form of e-commerce. Think of your online food shop or favourite clothes retailer. This is where businesses directly sell goods to consumers.
- Business to business (B2B) - This is when the transaction is between two businesses, like a manufacturer to a wholesaler.
- Consumer to consumer (C2C) - Websites like ebay or Depop use this form so individuals can sell items or services to each other.
3 key components of an e-commerce web build
When employing web design services they’ll look to include the following key components in your e-commerce web build.
User-friendly web build
All effective websites should be easy to navigate, but for e-commerce builds this is vital. When a customer is looking to buy, they’re searching for something particular. If they can’t find this thing on your website, your page is no longer interesting to them. Making navigation easy keeps consumers using your website and leaves them more satisfied when they leave.
Adaptive designs
Online shopping isn’t something people only do on their home desktop, people search, browse and buy on their mobile devices too. Your pages should load quickly, neatly and with clear touch points even on smartphones and tablets to take full advantage of that extra reach e-commerce platforms provide.
Secure transaction processing
Because e-commerce platforms rely on the transaction of money, secure payment processing is crucial. Customers have to trust your website to protect their personal and financial details when making a purchase. Secure payment gateways, website security and adherence to data protection standards are essential to building trust with your shoppers and keeping a trustworthy reputation.
Advantages of an e-commerce website
For businesses looking to grow their presence online, an e-commerce website isn’t just convenient for customers, it’s necessary.
Global reach
An online store is accessible from anywhere so you can reach customers worldwide. This increases opportunity for profit and quicker business development.
Cost-effectiveness
Running an online business is less expensive than having a physical store space.
Convenience
Customers can access your products from the comfort of their home, they can shop without the rush of being in a busy store, making it extra appealing.
Personalisation
E-commerce websites can be updated to offer extra personalisation based on customer behaviour. You can tailor product categories and filtering systems, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Analytics
Online shopping gives more data than real life shopping. You can track and analyse what consumers are searching for, adding to their cart, and ultimately buying. This gives you more information to make targeted ads and successful marketing campaigns.
Final thoughts
If you’re a business looking to sell products or services having an online shop front in the form of an e-commerce website is a no brainer.
Expand your consumer market, grow your business and create tailored marketing campaigns according to customer behaviour.
