E-commerce is evolving. The features that define an online store, both on the app and on the website, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The online consumer is spoiled for choice now.
If your website feels lacking, the customer will go to another competitor who provides a better online experience and more features. Loyalty is fickle with so many options being available.
By 2025, businesses must adopt a range of essential functionalities to meet consumer expectations and enhance their user experience. According to recent stats, global e-commerce sales would cross $4.1 trillion by the end of 2024. How to make the most of the opportunity? Be ahead of the trends and competitors.
We look at must-have features for an e-commerce website that will drive engagement, convert visitors into paying customers, and improve loyalty.
User-Friendly Navigation
A clear, intuitive, responsive design adapts to the device’s layout, providing an optimal viewing experience that is easy to engage with. With a well-structured menu, along with clear navigational pointers, visitors don’t feel lost in your website. They should be able to trace their steps back easily if required.
The Amazon website is a prime example. Though the website is content-heavy, the user is able to easily navigate and sort products and move them to the shopping cart. The large, colored buttons to buy or pay look simple but help online shoppers make a clear choice.
Mobile-Friendly Website Design
It’s no longer optional to have a mobile-friendly layout and design for your website. It makes sense because a whopping 90 percent of online shopping is done through a smartphone.
Apart from smartphone devices, large-screen foldable phones are selling fast, and tablets are now being widely used. The website has to be accessible in all sizes and types of devices.
Built-In Voice Search
Voice search is gaining traction, particularly due to the rise of smart speakers, mobile voice assistants from companies like OpenAI and Google, and an increasingly sophisticated customer experience due to AI advancements. Gone are the days when we had to repeat everything to Siri!
By 2025, more than 50 percent of customers are going to expect the ability to search for products and ask questions related to billing using voice commands.
Social Proof From User Generated Content
What is social proof? It is a behavioral tendency of people that makes them more likely to do something that they see others doing. Social proof is one of the main reasons user generated content(UGC) is so successful.
Authentic product reviews, ratings, and customer testimonials are highly effective user generated content that appeals to most online shoppers. Almost 80 percent of shoppers say that UGC affects their shopping decisions, which is huge.
Social media was overtaken by influencers for a long time. However, the last few years have changed the marketing scenario with real and authentic content creators building trust and connection with the brand.
This trend is going to be around for a while, and websites will need social proof with user-generated content to get the desired results. Website blogs with UGC videos work well, and so do social media posts that highlight the UGC.
AI and Chatbot Integration
Earlier most websites had an email address or a web form for sending queries. But now online shoppers want real-time assistance. Integrated chatbots can provide immediate assistance to customers who are navigating to seek information about a product or service.
Automated bots that act as assistants are not appealing, and a live human assistant available 24/7 is not something every e-commerce company can afford.
As Hocoos notes, AI is already simplifying web development and design. All you have to do is answer a few questions, and a website generator will create a website for you within minutes.
Now again, AI assistants fill the chatbot gap. These cost-effective chatbots are useful for the most common queries, making customer service accessible to more businesses.
Live Order Tracking
Once any purchase is made, the customer develops anxiety and wants to know when the product will arrive at the doorstep. The customer is in a vulnerable state of mind because they have paid for the order. If there is any problem or ambiguity with the order, they may not shop again.
If your website provides order-tracking capabilities real-time shipment status updates, it enhances transparency and builds trust in the brand.
As we look towards 2025, e-commerce websites must adapt to the rapidly changing customer expectations and shortening attention spans. These features, be they user-centric designs or AI-based technologies, help in driving sales.
These features can be effectively implemented to create an engaging and fun shopping experience.
