MAXIMIZING ECOMMERCE SITE CRITERIA EQUALS BETTER INTERNET SALES

IAs an ecommerce entrepreneur, you must “walk a mile in your customer’s shoes.” So in the planning stage of your online venture, ask yourself this question: “What would you look for if you were a customer and were looking for the best ecommerce site?” Don’t forget the most significant of all Internet statistics: 1,043,104,886 users of the Internet worldwide! A goodly number of these will be looking for those selling products on the Internet. You should look hard at the factors motivating online shopping and see how your website rates as objectively as you can. Don’t skimp on this vital step!



Evaluate, Evaluate
There are many things that would make a site a hot favorite with your customers. Look around at the best ones; what do you see that they’re doing? You’ll be surprised to note that it’s the most basic elements that often get neglected. Have you considered your best and worst Web shopping experiences? Do you remember feeling frustration at a poorly set up Internet storefront? By that same token, do you recall the pleasurable emotion of a smooth and easy transaction? So, carefully consider the crucial factors that evoked those feelings.

Browsing online actually uses different senses and brain information processing methods than other activities-it’s been called being in a “virtual universe” where anything is possible and most normal rules of interaction become significantly altered. Many websites try to create novel environments using flashy graphics and other visual tricks; it really boils down to simple, user-friendly characteristics that won’t confuse the shopper. Among the most basic are the following features:



1. Flexible payment options – the best ecommerce site will offer as many as possible payment options from among those available today. These will include credit card payments, debit card payments, online payments, e-check payments, and so on. The more options you have the more likely that the client will come back again and gain to your site. Ecommerce security is of great concern to customers.
2. Highly navigable website - the best ecommerce site will have a very user friendly site, which would be easily navigable by the most novice computer user. Too many websites concentrate on having the latest techniques on their website, completely puzzling the new Internet browsing population. With millions joining the ranks of Internet users every day, you will risk losing this critical group of customers.
3. Download time – the best ecommerce site will have a fast downloading site. Many sites tend to post large pictures and animation on their sites which take too long to load for those using older computers and slower Internet connections. If the consumer has to wait for more than 45 seconds for a page to upload, he/she will move on from your site.
4. Frames vs. non-frames – have your website functional in both the options. Many of the people who use slower computers and older browsers often remove the frame options from their browsing. If your main features are based on frames, then the customer who has disabled this feature will be lost on your site, think it is a bad site, and move on. Also, note that many ecommerce solution technicians feel this hinders search engines from finding your website.
5. Fast order processing – the best ecommerce site will have a maximum no more than two or three clicks from the time the customer choses an item to when payment is processed. The more clicks that are required, the less likely is that the customer will come back for more.
6. Fast payment processing – the payment gateway’s ecommerce server should be able to process the payment quickly. It is extremely annoying when you wait forever to get the message that your payment has been accepted or not after keying your financial information on a site.

The features mentioned above matter in your attempt to make the customer happy. This is what the best ecommerce site must offer first and foremost – satisfaction.