Question

Visit the website of any multinational company

1. Post the link to the website
2. List the features that make the website "global"
3. Is there anything about the website that could be done to improve it (make it more 'global')?

Answer 1

Essential Features of an E-Commerce Website

amazon.com

Whether you are planning to jump on the bandwagon of online selling, or have been in the business for a while, the best bet for selling your products is registering yourself on an online marketplace. Online marketplaces, such as Amazon provide an easy, simple, stepwise, hassle-free selling experience to all sellers. For starters, as a registered seller on Amazon, you are eligible for a host of seller services such as Fulfillment by Amazon, Amazon Pay and can sell to a global customer base through Amazon Global Selling.

That said, if you wish to become an independent e-tailer and have considered building your website, you must take into account that your website is your storefront and the only avenue of generating revenue for your business. It must strike that perfect balance between functionality, accessibility and marketability. Here’s a list of features that successful e-commerce websites must have:

Brand Logo: A catchy brand logo is a brand’s business card for its customers. A good logo helps represent your brand to prospective customers, builds trust, and ensures customers identify your brand easily, often ensuring return buyers.

Easy Navigation, Search Bar: Your website design should be user-friendly. Shoppers must be able to locate the product they want to buy in minimum number of clicks. A good website must have products listed in shopping categories, filters, and comparison capabilities etc.

Visuals and videos: High resolution images are an absolute necessity when it comes to capturing the customer’s attention. A good website should have products photos that can be zoomed along with crisp products videos.

Registration & Log In: Allowing user to register on your website has several advantages for both you and your user. For one, users do not need to repeatedly enter all relevant details, speeding up the checkout process. On the other hand, as a seller have access to your user’s contact information which you can use for promotional and marketing purposes.

Mobile-friendly website: A considerable amount of purchases are made over mobiles these days. Having a mobile friendly version of your website is an absolute must. The website content must be adaptable to any mobile device and provide a user-friendly experience.

Trust marks/Customer reviews: Customers often make a purchase decision based on user reviews or ratings on a product. Depending on their functionality, e-commerce sites can use plugins from the popular review platforms to add credibility to their products.

Special offers and wish lists: E-commerce sites are using special offers as their standard marketing practices via email, social, text, etc. Also not using wish lists are equal to leaving revenue on the virtual desktop table. The customers should be able to bookmark items they want and will most likely buy in the future.

Social media accessibility: In today’s age, your brand’s social media presence can be the single most important factor influencing brand value, customer engagement, and sales. You can thus have a Facebook page about your product, Instagram account advertising discounts, etc. for extended customer outreach.