An online store is the virtual showcase where vendors make their products or services available for users who browse the internet to acquire them. It is a web page that allows entrepreneurs to sell in an agile and massive way every day of the week, 24 hours a day and from anywhere.
Today we are going to talk about the fundamental keys to making an online store and other aspects to provide the best service.
He and he are some of the first elements of an online store that come to mind, when thinking about what a web page must have in order to . But, do you know what else an e-commerce needs to have?
And it is that, like offline businesses, online stores must contain some key pieces to and inspire them to do their shoppingwithout encountering obstacles in the middle of the road.
One of the advantages that you will obtain if you choose is that you won’t have to worry about including most of these elements. We take care of them!
You will only have to:
Now, if you decide, we recommend reading this article to the end. Also, you can download our check list to create an online store from scratch. Then you will be more than ready to start with this exciting project of selling online!
Essential elements of an online store
1. Brand name and logo
Users (and potential customers) who visit your online store need to know how to find you on the internet. Therefore, it is (highly) recommended that the brand name be clear, easy to remember and enduring.
đź’ˇ Tip: Pay attention not to saturate your e-commerce with the logo and/or the name! It’s about finding the perfect balance to be identifiable and provide a positive image to your brand.
2. Product catalog
Another element of a virtual store that cannot be missing is the catalog of products offered by the business. It is vitally important that photos of these products are of excellent qualityshowing each piece in its entirety and reflecting the .
The is also essential in the catalog, since it will serve to give your customers all the information they need to know to be defined by the purchase.
đź’ˇ Tip: I clearly distinguished between the products that you have in the inventory and those that you do not. For the latter, you could offer the option to notify your customers when they are available again. If you have a Tiendanube, you can use the application to automate these types of messages. Don’t lose any sale!
If your product catalog is extensive, we recommend organizing it into categories. I defined the classification with strategy and try to give each category an understandable and descriptive name.
Avoid creating too many categories and subcategories, because they could end up confusing your audience.
4. Product Finder
Integrate a product search engine in the can help improve the user experience. It is a very useful tool for those customers who are looking to buy something in particular.
Put the search bar in a visible place, make sure it returns the right results and it’s fast!
đź’ˇ Tip: If you offer the option to autocomplete searches, you will be able to give your customers ideas of everything they can find in your e-commerce.
Do you want to move your e-commerce to a better platform?
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5. Shopping cart
The shopping cart is the place where the products selected by the buyer are stored. It is important to place in a conspicuous place of the page and take care that the information it shows is very transparent.
What do we mean by this? So that, when your customer accesses their shopping cart, they have a clear vision of what you are going to buy and how much you are going to pay. It is advisable to show the final price broken down into unit cost, discounts (if any), taxes, shipping costs, etc.
For example, when you go to buy a product in the Tiendanube, you see exactly what you are taking, at what price and you have the possibility of calculating the shipping cost before the check out just by entering the zip code.
The dynamic shopping carts they are very practical, since they offer the option of making modifications to the list (such as adding or deleting items) without having to start over. This undoubtedly improves the user experience in your store.
Since we are talking about the operation of e-commerce platforms, Did you know that it is possible to create one? At Tiendanube we offer you a free trial period that will help you get to know the tool. Keep reading to know the elements to configure!
Elements of an online store to make shipments
1. Form(s) of payment
Offer different forms of payment and integrations with , Provide flexibility to your customers and generate greater trust.
Some of the most used are:
- Payment by credit or debit card
- Payment through a third party (such as )
- Wire transfer
- Cash payment
2. Shipping Method(s)
As in the previous point, the greater the diversity of shipping methods, the greater the chances that your customers will find an option that fits your needs.
For example, you can offer a method of Express delivery that may have a higher cost, but assure your client that they will receive their purchase in a shorter period of time than conventional shipping.
Or, on the contrary, a free shipping for non-urgent orders. Offering free shipping in your store can be a great strategy to increase your . But it’s necessary plan and calculate costs to understand how profitable this action is for your business and at what times of the year it is convenient to carry it out.
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Elements for excellent customer service
1. Contact page
The is one of the pillars of any business and virtual stores are no exception! Make sure you have a contact page in view where you offer one or more ways to contact the brand to resolve doubts or express comments.
It can be email, branded social media, live chat, and even a convenient and affordable option like .
đź’ˇ Tip: Detail your attention schedule and always try to respond as soon as possible to offer excellent customer service.
2. Registration process
In many online stores you must comply with a registration process to be able to buy. The objective? Add the customer to a database to communicate with him in the future.
It is not a mandatory requirement and you yourself can define if it is useful for your business. In case you decide to enable it, try to ask only the essential information because if your customer finds it too invasive or complicated, they could leave the shopping cart and find what they are looking for in another store.
3. “About us” page
Having an “About Us” page that relates who is behind the brand is a good strategy to connect with your customers from another place and gain their trust.
It is an excellent space for tell the story of the brand, introduce the team that makes it possible and, why not, share positive comments that you received from your clients in the past. This is called social-proof and it has to do with the influence generated by knowing the good experience that someone else had to decide.
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Legal elements for a virtual store
1. Policies
Be transparent about cancellation, guarantees returns, discounts, promotionsand so on.
Try to put all this information in an easily accessible place, such as the main menu or the footer (footer), and explain in detail to avoid misunderstandings with your buyers.
2. Privacy Notice
As in any other web page that saves personal data of users, it is essential that your virtual store has a privacy notice.
This document serves to let the owner of the personal data know that their personal information will be collected and used for certain purposes. It must also be specified what treatment will be given to your personal data.
Broadly speaking, these are the essential elements of an online store for its proper functioning.
Of course, there are many others that we could consider “extras” as they are not essential, but they will help improve the experience of your potential customers when visiting your virtual store. Next, we share some of them.
Extra elements for your online store
1. Own domain
Your own domain will give your store professionalism and, if it describes the type of product you offer, it can add points to the . We refer to the URL or address of your .
Get your domain in Argentina!
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2.SSL or security certificate
This certificate serves to guarantee that your store is safe to enter personal data. The SSL is displayed in the URL, which usually starts with “https://”.
3. FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions
On this page you can put the answers to the questions you receive most frequently. With them, you will achieve a more efficient customer service and you will be able to take advantage of time in other matters of your business.
4. Blog
A blog is the perfect tool to organically.
In this tutorial we explain two options for .
5. Offers and promotions page
If you have discounted products or other promotions, why not show them in a special section? This could help attract the attention of your potential customers and increase conversion. I learned to in your Tiendanube.
6. Social networks and other sales channels
Take advantage of your online store to spread your social networks like Instagram or Facebook and, if that is the case, share your physical stores and marketplaces in which your brand has a presence. The idea is expand the variety of options to connect with your customers.
7. Chatbot
One bot conversational is an application that integrates with your e-commerce and has the ability to answer questions automatically and maintain fluid conversations with your customers. If you have a Tiendanube, you can try the services of or .
8. Newsletter
Take advantage of the benefits of email marketing and keep your customers informed about the latest releases, promotions and news from your brand.
and they are applications available in our Cloud Application Store that help you to facilitate this task.
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9. Customer ratings and/or product reviews
If your customers are speaking highly of your brand, why not shout it from the rooftops? This could build trust in potential customers who are interested in your products.
There are two ways to do it: with a specific page where you share some…
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