What is meant by an easy-to-use online store and why is it important?
Ease of use means that your website or online store is easy to use and that visitors quickly find the information they are looking for.
An easy-to-use and efficient online store is essential to create a good user experience. Users will be able to easily find what they are looking for and carry out their purchase in a fast and efficient way. This can increase the likelihood of them making repurchases, as well as recommending the online store to others.
An easy-to-use online store is also important for SEO, as a good user experience will affect your ranking in the search engine. A good user experience can cause visitors to spend longer on the website, visit more pages and come back more often, signaling to search engines that the website is relevant and valuable. Increased visibility in search engines will also drive traffic to the online store, which in turn can lead to increased conversion.
In this article, we give you 7 tips to consider when creating an easy-to-use online store.
1. Easy navigation
It is important that the online store has a simple and efficient navigation, so that it will be easy for users to find what they are looking for. This includes, among other things, clear product categories and subcategories, as well as a search function that makes it easy to find the products or services offered in the online store.
Here, among other things, you need to decide which menu to use (page or top menu) and how many categories and subcategories are needed. It is recommended to use subcategories if the online store has a lot of content.
2. Good product information
Customers who visit an online store often have specific needs or desires about a product or service. They want to get as much information about the product/service as possible so that they have a good basis for making a purchase decision. It is therefore important to have a detailed and good product information that includes photos, videos, descriptions and specifications.
Detailed product information helps customers gain an understanding of what is on offer, which can help increase the trust of the online store. At the same time, a good product information can improve the visibility of the online store in search engines, thereby increasing the traffic to the online store. Good and detailed product information can also lead to increased sales by convincing customers that your product or service meets their needs.
3. Placement of content
It is important to create a clear structure over the content so that users can easily find what they are looking for. For example, if you want to promote an offer or promotion, this should be placed visibly in the online store. In this way, you can increase the attention of the visitor, which in turn can lead to an increased likelihood of conversion.
It is important that the content is distributed over several pages so that it does not become cluttered and complicated for users.
4. Responsive design
The online store should have a responsive design, which means that it is adapted to all devices. Items such as text, images and illustrations are aligned and placed according to the device being used — whether it's mobile, tablet or PC.
A responsive design will make it easier for users to navigate the page, which in turn leads to a more user-friendly online store. Ease of use is an important part of on-page SEO — The easier it is for users to find what they are looking for in the online store, the more likely they are to make a purchase.
5. Simple and secure payment process
There are several advantages to having a simple and secure payment process in the online store:
Increased conversion rate: A simple payment process will make it easier for customers to complete their purchase, which can lead to increased conversion rates.
Better user experience: A simple payment process will provide customers with a better user experience and increase the chance that they will return to the online store.
Reduced dropout: If the checkout process is perceived as complicated and inefficient in time, customers may leave the cart. A simple payment process will therefore be important to reduce this dropout.
Increased confidence and security: A secure and easy payment process will help increase customer confidence in the online store, which can lead to repeat visits and increased sales.
Better security: A secure payment process will help protect customers' sensitive information and prevent fraud, which is important for preserving customer trust.
It is ideal to offer multiple payment options for your customers so that the purchase process can be completed as easily and efficiently as possible.
6. Customer Service
Good customer service that is readily available to customers is essential to resolve any issues or questions customers may have. There should be a contact page with a form that customers can fill out, or an email address or phone number they can contact. This can help increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
7. Reviews
You may want to have customer reviews in an online store, as it gives potential customers the opportunity to read about other people's experiences with the products or services offered. This can help increase customer confidence in your online store, as well as help them make informed purchasing decisions. Customer reviews can also be useful for the online store to map out how they can improve their products and services.