E-commerce platforms are software solutions that online retailers use to sell their products and manage their business, from accounting, inventory management, and supply to payment and customer service. It can be used by all big and small enterprises to streamline operations and reach a global audience. Running an online store is no small feat, but a functional and efficient e-commerce platform with comprehensive features can help simplify management tasks, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive growth.

Must-have features of an e-commerce platform

User-friendly interface
Navigation is an important reason that often keeps the customers on the platform. A robust e-commerce platform should have an easy-to-navigate and user-friendly interface. The website should be easily comprehensible at a glance for both customers and entrepreneurs. It must have an intuitive interface, and users must be able to find products and navigate the site with minimum issues. Look for easily visible call-to-actions (CTA), especially during check out. Many e-commerce websites provide free and paid templates for one’s online store, so search for designs that best match the brand personality. An efficient e-commerce site provides ample customization design options for growing businesses.

Mobile-friendly design
The website should be mobile responsive, which means it should function optimally on a handheld device without cutting out essential features or compromising user experience. Most users make quick purchases on mobile phones, so this is an essential feature in an e-commerce platform.

Store management system
These are components essential for operating one’s store. Product management systems, order management systems, and return management systems are all important for processing customer orders without any hiccups. These systems are included in most e-commerce platforms, and they help administrators to enhance their operations on all fronts.

Reliable payment processing
There’s no business without cash flow, and what ensures customers return, apart from the product itself, is a trust-worthy payment processing method. Whether it is accepting payments or processing refunds for returns, the payment getaways that the e-commerce website uses must run smoothly and effectively. They must deal in proper currencies for international deliveries and integrate well with one’s current software.

Robust security
Customer data is a valuable asset for any company. An efficient e-commerce platform puts robust security measures in place to ensure there are no data breaches or leaks. Check whether the preferred e-commerce platform meets the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards, which are a set of requirements for websites dealing with payments. It should also have Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates to ensure secure encrypted connections between the website and its users.

Prompt support and detailed user guides
Technical issues are common when dealing with technology and websites, but an ideal e-commerce platform has responsive support, is focused on reducing downtime for stores, and troubleshoots problems without delay. Usually, most trusted e-commerce platforms provide a library of content for users, complete with frequently asked questions (FAQs), how-to guides, common problems and solutions, and walkthroughs to guide users through the setup process efficiently. They may also have a Q&A area addressing additional queries.

Footer navigation
This refers to the navigation area placed at the bottom of a webpage, and plays a crucial role in optimizing search. These usually include quick links to key content and multiple resources, featured products, return policies and terms and conditions, and allow customers to visit important sections of the website, and engage users.

High-quality visuals and demo
It’s important that the e-commerce platform supports high-quality video and photographs, and also has space for product demonstrations for customers. Features like zoom-in, sizing options, and color variations are all desirable to enhance the shopping experience and help customers make informed purchasing decisions.

Chatbots
With recent technological advancements, an e-commerce platform that uses chatbots is able to offer 24/7 customer service, guiding them through all parts of a purchasing journey even without any sales representative. With this feature, businesses can automate their sales and customer interaction. Apart from this, one can also look for features specific to one’s business like physical store integrations and any required personalization.

Order tracking and shipping
Customers usually prefer to see shipping costs upfront before making a purchase. This sets realistic expectations and ensures customer trust. The platform must showcase the shipping cost, expected delivery time, and insurance information with product details. For this, the e-commerce platform must have error-free automation in place that can calculate the costs and also send tracking information with shipping statuses as the parcel moves through different stages via email.

Data analysis ability
E-commerce platforms are a warehouse of user data. An ideal platform is one that not only manages and organizes the data well but also analyzes it. This can include analyzing engagement and sales and drawing actionable insights and reports based on the data. This crucial information can then be used as metrics to boost sales and grow one’s business.

Integration with physical stores
Businesses with physical stores should ensure that their e-commerce platform syncs properly across different channels, stores, and warehouses. This will help in tracking real-time inventory in different locations, prevent fraud, and also enhance customer experience.