WordPress E-commerce is a great way to start an online store.
However, if you’ve never dealt with WordPress before, you may probably be muddled before even creating the site.
To get you started, here are the things you need to know and understand about what it means to design an e-commerce site.
Choose the Right E-commerce Plugin
WordPress offers quite a few of these plugins.
The most widely used is WooCommerce, with features for building an online store, from product management to payment gateways.
When choosing a plugin, think about your specific needs.
What are you going to be selling? Preferred payment methods? And what are your inventory management requirements?
Select a Responsive Theme, or better still, go bespoke
This makes sure your site looks and functions well on different devices.
Pick a WordPress theme that is mobile-friendly and optimised for the desired smooth experience.
Many e-commerce-focused themes come with pre-designed templates that you can customise to match your brand.
Simplify Navigation
User-friendly navigation is so so so important.
Design a clear menu that’s intuitive and guides visitors to the most relevant sections of your site, such as product categories, features and the shopping cart.
Use filters and search functionality to help customers get to where they need to be easily.
High-Quality Product Imagery and Descriptions
Visual appeal is needed on any site.
Have high-quality images that show your products from multiple angles.
Include detailed and accurate descriptions of each product, with highlighted features, benefits, and specs.
Clear, concise and persuasive descriptions can help customers make informed purchasing decisions.
Streamline the Checkout Process
If your checkout is full of ads, buggy links and timers, people will not buy from you.
Keep it as simple and as straightforward as possible.
Offer guest checkout options to avoid forcing people into creating an account if they don’t want to.
Also, add a progress indicator of some kind so users know how many steps are left in the checkout process.
Implement Trust Signals
Don’t make your site look like you’re going to steal people’s credit card information unless that’s your plan.
Display trust signals such as SSL certificates, secure payment logos, customer reviews, and a clear privacy policy.
Make it presentable and trustworthy, not dodgy.
Optimise for Speed
A slow-loading website can deter people and harm your SEO.
Optimise images, use caching plugins and choose a reliable hosting provider to make sure your site loads quickly.
Page speed not only improves UX but also contributes to higher conversion rates.
Provide Excellent Customer Support
Accessible customer support can set you apart from the competition.
Include a dedicated contact page with various means of communication, such as a live chat, email, and phone support.
Address concerns quickly to show your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Mobile-First Approach
More and more are solely using mobile phones for everything.
Test your site’s responsiveness to different screen sizes.
Consider features like mobile-specific menus and touch-friendly buttons.
Regularly Update and Maintain
Technology and user preferences evolve, so your WordPress e-commerce site should too.
Do the typical maintenance routine, update plugins, themes, and security measures to keep your site secure and functional.
Also periodically review and refine your site’s design and functionality based on user feedback analytics.
Sound Good?
Creating a user-friendly e-commerce site requires careful consideration of the design, functionality and UX.
It’s a lot to take on, especially if you’re not too sure about what you need to be doing.
Here at Toast, we specialise in all things WordPress.
So why not reach out, we can help you create the website you want.
