5 TIPS TO OPTIMISE YOUR WEBSITE FOR ECOMMERCE SUCCESS

Operating a successful eCommerce website requires you to consider a lot of elements to make it successful. To get you started, here are five fundamental tips that you can use to optimise your eCommerce store for success.

​1. Improve the checkout process
​On average, 70% of online shoppers abandon their basket at checkout. Creating a checkout process that is simple and offers flexibility for the customer is crucial to improving the on-site conversion rate. Removing outdated or unnecessary fields, and offering flexible payment options at the checkout are examples of how you can improve your checkout process.

​2. Enhance product pages
Product pages are the eCommerce equivalent of the in-store sales assistant. They have to work hard to provide potential customers landing on your website with all the information they need to confidently make a purchase. Some of the fundamental things every eCommerce product page should have are high quality photos and videos, informative product descriptions and product reviews.

3. Optimise site speed
Site speed is a critical success factor to eCommerce success. A lengthy page loading time deters shoppers, causing them to drop-off prematurely. Online shoppers are time-poor and have come to expect a super-fast online experience thanks to big players like Amazon, who make online shopping effortless for consumers.

4. Adopt a mobile-first experience
Online shoppers use a range of devices to discover and purchase online. Having a website that is optimised for desktops, mobiles and tablets is essential to ensure a great user experience across all devices.

5. Invest in on-site merchandising and seasonal content
Online retail is fast-moving, so making continuous updates to the website is essential to keep buyers interested and ensure alignment with key holidays and promotions. For example, as soon as Black Friday ends, the on-site content needs to be swapped out to reflect Christmas shopping, with a focus on gifting and seasonal offers. 

​InterTradeIreland’s E-Merge programme can provide companies with £2500/€2800 fully-funded consultancy support, to help develop online sales and eCommerce solutions. Similarly, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment offers the Trading Online Voucher Scheme. This is a grant of up to €2,500 subject to matching funding for micro-enterprises.