Ecommerce businesses are thriving of late, so, what does it take to make a successful platform for them?
Online businesses have thrived ever since their inception. For internet users who do not share a love of going to brick and mortar stores or going to their local markets, online businesses are a way of saving time and trouble. Which is why their demand has hiked in recent years. Moreover, experts predicted eCommerce businesses to take over physical businesses by the year 2040. However, in 2020, many businesses were shut and the only choice was to shop online.
That is why their pace towards their supposed takeover has quickened and so has the demand for their creation. Which is why the call to make more eCommerce applications arise every day. So, today we are going to look at some of the key features and top elements that help make up these applications. Then without further ado, let us begin and see what you are going to need to make a successful eCommerce app.
1. Categorized Products
If you are an avid or casual user of eCommerce applications, then you understand the value of categorizing products. Many a time, users tend to search for their product and find something from a specific maker or company. However, some users like to explore their options and see what other companies are offering. Including prices, variation and if they offer better benefits than their favourite. Such users, and those who do not like search boxes, tend to look into the product’s pertaining category. Not only does it help them find similar products, but it also provides a neat and tidy look. So, to make an app that appeals to your users and provides them with convenient options, it is imperative to categorize your products.
2. Ease In Finding Products
Speaking of ease in finding products, while some users like to browse their options and go through a myriad of them, others just cannot take the hassle. Which is why they search for their desired products through a myriad of means. Now, typing in the names of these products might pull up a selected few results. However, you need to provide your users with various search options that narrow it down for them. For instance, some applications allow you to filter out the results by category, rating, prices, location, shipping et cetera. So, let us establish it further that you need to provide your users with the right options for them to find their desired products.
3. Product Descriptions
An expert of Android Application Development Companies said that eCommerce applications thrive when the products are well-managed and well-conveyed. What did he mean by that? It means that you should work on selling your products properly. In other words, it pertains more towards content rather than development. What you really need to do is make sure your product descriptions are thorough and provide adequate information about your commodity. Moreover, they also need to feature various sections, depending on their categories. For instance, a jacket’s product description would include separate sections for chest width, length, collar, sleeves, et cetera.
4. Adequate Visual Content
Another element about your application that needs to be about content rather than development itself, is the proper provision of visual content. You need to provide your users with the right look at your products. So, aside from well-photographed content, you also need to provide videos, case studies and success stories if possible.
5. Cart & Checkout
As your users go through your application, searching for their favourite products and looking at various others, they might come across a few that they like. So, what can they do if they do not plan to buy it at the time? Most users would add those products in a cart or a wish list. Moreover, many users like to make multiple purchases at once, so a cart option allows them to do so quickly. Which is why you need to provide your users with the right cart layout. That way, they can add, remove, compare and buy multiple products at once. Furthermore, you also need to ensure the checkout options are smooth.
6. Various Payment Methods
If you plan on making a marketplace-type of eCommerce application, then both your sellers and buyers will prefer to have various payment methods. While some would provide and look for COD (cash on delivery) others would prefer to pay through online means or bank transactions. That is why you need to ensure your application provides your users with a variety of payment methods. Some of the famous applications like Amazon & eBay provide their users with additional options of paying through cryptocurrency. So, the more options you have, the better.
7. Easy Order Tracking
Many users of your applications will be impatient and need to be kept in the loop regarding their order at all times. Some order the product and then forget about it until they get a text or an email about their due product delivery. However, it is your job to provide both types of users with the right tracking and logistics. To keep them in the track of your products at all time, you are going to need certain IoT elements. These will track your products from a warehouse and then send information back to your main servers. That way, your users will be able to stay in the loop of their orders and keep track of their delivery.
8. Customer Support APIs
So, once you sell a product and deliver it, the job does not end there. What if the user does not like it, or what if the user does like it but has no way of conveying their thoughts? That is why there are feedback sections, as well as customer complaints et cetera. So, you need to infuse your application with the right customer support APIs, so that it allows them to rate products or complain about any mishaps easily.