Ecommerce development functionality to consider before you build
When you’re in the planning phase of a new online store, there are several ecommerce development functionality features to think about before you start with the build.
The functionality list for your site needs to be based on your unique business goals and needs, starting with the must-haves like payment gateways to the nice-to-haves like shipping rate calculators.
To help get you started with your new ecommerce development, we have listed the important functionality you need to consider before you start building your new ecommerce website:
Responsive Design
Responsive design is a development functionality that ensures a website is optimized and adapts to various screen sizes and devices. With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets for online shopping, responsive ecommerce website design is crucial for providing a seamless user experience.
It involves designing and coding the website in a way that allows the layout, images, and content to automatically adjust and reflow based on the device being used, ensuring that the website remains visually appealing and easy to navigate across different screen sizes.
SEO Capabilities
SEO capabilities are essential for ecommerce development to improve site visibility and ranking on search engine results pages. These functionalities involve implementing best practices to optimise the website’s structure, metadata, URLs, and content, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index the site.
Additionally, Ecommerce SEO services include features such as keyword optimisation, sitemaps, canonical tags, schema markup, and integration with analytics tools to track and analyze website performance and user behavior.
Site Speed
Site speed refers to how quickly a website loads and responds to user interactions and is a critical factor in providing a positive user experience and improving conversions. Ecommerce websites with fast loading times tend to have lower bounce rates and higher engagement.
To enhance site speed, development functionalities focus on optimizing code, compressing images, minimizing HTTP requests, leveraging caching mechanisms, and using content delivery networks (CDNs) to reduce latency.
CMS – Content Management System
A Content Management System (CMS) is a software application that allows website owners and administrators to create, manage, and publish digital content without requiring in-depth coding knowledge. In the context of ecommerce development, a CMS enables efficient management of product listings, inventory, pricing, and other website content.
It provides a user-friendly interface for adding and updating products, creating landing pages, managing customer data, and implementing marketing campaigns, simplifying website maintenance and content updates.
Product Management
Product management functionalities within an ecommerce website development encompass tools and features that facilitate efficient management of products and inventory. This includes functionalities such as product categorization, SKU management, stock tracking, pricing controls, product variants (e.g., sizes, colors), product descriptions, images, and reviews. Effective product management capabilities ensure accurate and up-to-date product information, easy inventory management, and seamless integration with other systems or marketplaces.
Payments and Checkout Process
Payments and the checkout process are critical components of an ecommerce website. Development functionalities in this area include integrating secure payment gateways (such as PayPal, Stripe, or Braintree) that allow customers to make transactions securely.
The checkout process should be streamlined and user-friendly, enabling customers to easily add items to their cart, enter shipping and billing information, choose shipping options, and complete the purchase. Payment and checkout functionalities also involve implementing features like guest checkout, saved payment methods, order tracking, and order confirmation notifications.
Security
Security functionalities are paramount for ecommerce websites to protect customer data, financial transactions, and sensitive information. This involves implementing SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transmission, using secure payment gateways, adhering to industry standards for data protection (such as PCI DSS compliance), and employing robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access, hacking attempts, and data breaches. Security functionalities also include user authentication, password encryption, and regular security audits and updates to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Integrations
Integrations refer to the ability of an ecommerce website to connect and interact with external systems, platforms, or services. This can include integrations with third-party tools for marketing automation, email marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), analytics, inventory management, shipping carriers, and more. Effective integrations streamline processes, automate tasks, and enhance overall functionality and efficiency, improving the website’s ability to manage operations and provide a seamless experience for both customers and website administrators.