Online shop? Here is an essential Ecommerce Checklist

E-commerce websites are often complicated and require significant effort to make successful. There are all the requirements of a normal website plus organising and loading your products, sorting out payment mechanisms, delivery (shipping) methods etc. Here is an extensive ecommerce checklist to help you.

If you are thinking you would like an on-line shop or an e-commerce feature attached to your website then here is a checklist of things you will need to think about.

PRODUCTS STRUCTURE

Product organisation – how are products categorised/grouped, what is the structure. Think about it from the customer perspective – how will they be trying to locate a specific product.

This is usually multi-level eg Men/Women/Children – then Coats/Tops/Trousers/etc – then Coats breaks down further etc etc

INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS

Product Title: Include brand, product name, serial number and any variation.

Descriptions: You will need 2 descriptions, a SHORT one and a FULL one which should be comprehensive (at least 2 good paragraphs). Unique, useful information is helpful in getting your site well ranked in the search engines.

Avoid the easy solution of copying your supplier or a competitor as this is going to prevent you getting anywhere in the search engines because others are already there.

Images:

• Large good quality photos preferably on clear or white background – professional quality photos sell, poor photos turn buyers off. You may need multiple photos of products if it is helpful to see other shots.
• Image file names should be descriptive eg blue-widget.jpg not images34567.jpg.
• Image files will need to all be optimised for use on the web in .jpg, .png. or gif format.
• Make sure you have the right to use them and will not be subject to copyright infringement.

Videos: if feasible include a video of something useful and relevant to the product.

Variable Product Attributes: does the product come in various sizes, quantities, colours, flavours …

Prices: Regular Price, Sale Price

Dimensions, Sizes, Weights: are these relevant to your customer and/or for shipping calculations?

SKU: (Stock Keeping Unit): Do you want to use a SKU – what basis? SKU tend to be your own internal product reference number.

You may also want to use a universal product identification code such as MPN (Manufacturer Part Number) or GTIN (Global Trade Item Numbers including UPC used in USA and EAN used in Europe) .

Stock Control: Do you want to use stock control counts? If so what do you want to do with low stock or out of stock?

Featured Products: Products you want to promote more prominently, offers etc

COMBINED OR GROUPED PRODUCTS

Associated Products: Are products grouped together and sold as a single item. Can a customer build their own product from a range of options?

LINKING PRODUCTS

Cross Selling:  If a customer buys product A, might they also be interested in products B and C – what products do you want to associate together

Up-selling: Promoting better (more profitable) versions of the current product

UK or INTERNATIONAL?

Are you operating just in the UK or internationally? Outside UK may add complications in terms of taxes, shipping and currencies.

TAXES

In UK is VAT relevant?

• B2B – selling to business you may want prices shown excluding VAT,
• B2C – selling to end consumers you will want to show prices including VAT.
• Selling to both?
• Selling within EU?
• Selling outside EU?

SHIPPING

Probably the most complicated part of the whole process.

• Options and Calculations?
• Zones?
• Weight and size calculations, flat rate
• Free above a given value?
• Local Delivery?
• Express delivery/normal delivery.
• Pick-up?
• International?

Keep it simple if you can and be as transparent as possible – surprise costs at the checkout are the number one reason why people do not follow through with a purchase.

INVOICES AND PACKING LISTS

This sort of feature maybe available as an optional extra.

PAYMENT METHODS

As a general rule you should use an online payment service provider for this as they deal with all the security requirements then.

• Online payment/BACs/Invoice/Cash on Delivery?
• Credit Card Processing – There will be charges for this depending on service provider and transaction volumes (Perhaps 3.4% +20p). There may also be an annual software licence charge for the gateway software.
• Online Service Providers are numerous and include Paypal, SagePay, Worldpay, NoChex, Amazon ….

CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS

Do you want people to set up an account with you so they get remembered or just buy anonymously?

DISCOUNT COUPONS/PROMOTIONAL CODES

Do you want to offer discount codes?

RETURNS POLICY

A good Returns Policy helps establish Trust and allows customers to feel more comfortable about doing business with you if it is clear they can get their money back without fuss if they are unhappy.

Statistically the Returns Policy is the most important feature of an ecommerce site.

Clear customer service policies are going to help you sell successfully.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS/PRIVACY POLICY/COOKIES

Don’t use the T&C to hide information – no one reads them, so information customers should be aware of needs to be put in front of them. The aim is to sell products to a satisfied customer who’s expectations are managed – not to encourage dissatisfaction.

Proper trading Terms and Conditions are vital and there are a number of legal requirements.

A Privacy Policy states what you will and won’t do with people’s data – it helps to reassure people.

There is a European requirement that your sites “use of Cookies” be explained.

REVIEWS

Do you want a reviews system included – Positive reviews help sales significantly.

MARKETING

Just because you have a website it does not mean people can find it and will buy from you. A lot of ongoing marketing is likely to be required.

NEWSLETTERS

Do you want some sort marketing email integration so you can email your customers? MAILCHIMP is a popular online service. Regular contact with people who have bought your products is going to sell more products especially if there are offers or something new to introduce them to.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Effective use of Social Media will help your marketing reach. Encourage people to follow you and regularly publish interesting content on suitable Social Media channels.

Facebook is probably the best place to concentrate for shops targeting end consumers. Content must not be Sales based, it needs to be more subtle. Publishing interesting content and getting a dialogue going is the key.

PPC PAY PER CLICK ADVERTISING

Can be very effective, it definitely puts you in front of people in the Search Engines especially in the early days before you have built up a following but it can be very expensive. Google Adwords and Facebook advertising are popular channels.

SEO and OTHER CONTENT

Firstly make sure your products are set-up properly for SEO. Basically this means doing your research about what people are likely to be searching for, then using the right keywords in the product titles and providing lots of useful information about the products (not just copied from another site).

You are looking to provide more useful information than your average online shop. The reason for this is 2 fold:

• It adds interest for visitors and shows them you are more than just a shop.
• The search engines are always on the look-out for original, useful and new content. Posting regular updates on a website and blog providing news, comment, helpful information, hints, tips, guidance etc is key to a good search engine ranking.