Online store
As practice shows, half of Russia’s population regularly shops in online stores. Initially, there was some skepticism toward them, but today online shopping is a perfectly normal phenomenon that no longer surprises anyone.
Advantages of an Online Store
- Saving personal time
- 24/7 availability
- Wide audience in terms of geographic reach
Types of Online Stores
- Online stores that exist only on the internet
- Online stores that complement a real offline store
An online store can be configured for multiple languages and support payments from different countries. Thus, it is clear that a well-promoted online store can be highly effective. Modern postal services allow you to ship products almost anywhere — the only question is the cost of delivery.
Payment in an Online Store
The payment mechanism depends on the target audience of your online store. Currently, there are several payment methods — via credit cards, electronic payment systems (WebMoney, Yandex Money, PayPal), and bank transfers. All of these can be integrated into the store's engine, but you should choose the ones most relevant to your specific target group.
What to Pay Attention To
User Registration. It should be as simple as possible. Nobody wants to waste time filling out endless form fields. An email, name, and contact phone number — that’s usually enough. If your business specifics require more information, present this as a note or request it later during a phone conversation with the client.
Payment System. To make things easy for the customer, support all the payment methods you can handle. Use electronic payment systems (such as WebMoney), as well as cash on delivery. You should meet your clients halfway and ensure maximum convenience — after all, it's your money.
Product Search. It should always be easily accessible. The user should be able to initiate a search with a single click from any section of the site. Provide two types of search — quick and advanced. Quick search consists of a single input field (e.g., product or service name). Advanced search includes as many product characteristics as possible (e.g., price, weight, size, name, year of release, etc.). Remember — search should be fast and convenient, and the results should be accurate and clear.
Product Display (Description). No matter what you’re selling, your products need detailed descriptions. Most likely, potential customers won’t be searching for your online store, but rather for the products in it. They will enter specific product names into search engines and get a link to your store. A potential buyer will at least view the specifications, and if they are satisfied, there’s a good chance they’ll make a purchase.
Product Description in an Online Store
The product description includes text and an image. The text should be informative and accurate. Product images must be high quality, showing enough detail so the buyer doesn’t feel like they’re buying a “pig in a poke.” If there is no image available, display a well-designed placeholder image that fits the site’s style, with a label such as “No Image Available.”
Contacts. Contact information should always be visible from any page — just like search. Include contacts in both a dedicated section and in the site header. When users don’t have to search for a phone number or email, they are less irritated and more likely to call for clarification. After the call, the rest is up to you. In the “Contacts” section, you can include any additional info you want: ICQ, Skype, directions map, etc.
Website Sections
Don’t forget that the purpose of an online store is to sell. So any extra or reference information should be placed in appropriate sections. Keep it separate from the store and do not place it on the homepage. When someone lands on the homepage, they should be presented with product options — not news or help articles. Make your website as simple and user-friendly as possible.
When developing an online store, put yourself in the buyer's shoes. Knowing your product and target audience, don’t be afraid to be the first to offer convenience or innovation — stay ahead of your competitors. Be attentive, pay attention to every detail, and most importantly — accept criticism of your online store from any objective source and respond accordingly.