eCommerce Web Design - What to Know
In the past year a large number of our clients are opting to expand their websites to include an eCommerce section. So what is an eCommerce website and how does it work?
What is an eCommerce Website
An eCommerce website is like a traditional website with extra functionality to allow users purchase goods and services directly from a website. The transaction usually involves the user inserting their credit card information into the website through a secure gateway. The transaction is processed through a third party like Stripe and the payment is transferred into the website owners’ bank account. Goods that the user had purchased are usually then shipped or made ready for collection. In some cases the product being purchased might come in digital format and in that case the product can usually be downloaded from the website directly, after the transaction has been processed.
What are the Advantages of an eCommerce Website
The advantages of a website design that can support eCommerce are endless. It automatically opens up a new sales channel and allows better management of inventories. Added to this is the advantage of opening up a market with a global reach. Traditional businesses usually sell physical products to the local economy but being available online really opens the market to the world. Websites with eCommerce also have a huge benefit in terms cost savings, a traditional business selling products would usually need to have a physical showroom and sales staff but an on online shop can operate without such overheads. So the advantages of an eCommerce website are fantastic and when considering opening up this new sales channel to the global market there are some very important things to consider before you begin:
The Website eCommerce Technology
eCommerce websites have been around for a long time but it is only in the past two to three years that the technology has become really robust. In the past it was not unusual for a website to crash mid transaction and other systems relied on services from third parties like PayPal. The experience some users had was terrible and this in-turn slowed the growth of eCommerce websites. Thankfully over the past couple of years the technology has become really robust and companies like Stripe have pioneered payment systems that really make the process flow a lot better. So when looking to have an eCommerce website built, be sure to do your homework and look to web agencies that use the most up to date eCommerce techniques.
The Website Design
One of the most important things to learn about selling products or services through an eCommerce website is convincing the users to trust your website enough so they don’t feel nervous about imputing credit card details. To build trust, your brand must be strong, your website should be designed in a way that builds on that trust and the eCommerce section of your website should be completely robust. Again this comes back to the web agency you use to develop the website. Choose a good one and they will know how to build trust with your target audience.
The Website Security
Finally the website platform should be secure and with modern technology, most payment systems like Stripe are built with the most up-to-date encryption techniques. It is also really important that the front end of the website is completely secure and security updates installed on a regular basis. Paying attention to the security needs of an eCommerce website will help build trust with your users and also protect your business from any unwanted attacks.
About our Web Agency
Our web agency is based in Dublin, Ireland and we are always delighted to advise people on the design and implementation of eCommerce websites. We pride ourselves on being able to design and build the most up-to-date eCommerce websites and we would love to hear for you about opening a new sales channel to a global audience.