The e-commerce market in Africa is becoming more competitive by the day. Many predicted that the boom was going to be over quickly, but the industry has continued to grow at a staggering rate until today. The Jumia Group is still leading the pack, but other top names in the e-commerce market are beginning to implement better features to pamper online shoppers further.
If you’re in the e-commerce business, now is the perfect time to make improvements to your site. There are new technologies that will elevate the user experience to a whole new level. Here are some of the features you need to consider if you want to stay ahead of the market.
Shorter Checkout Process
E-commerce sites have always tried to make the process of making purchases as simple as possible. After the introduction of social logins following the rise of social media, e-commerce sites are now taking steps to shorten their checkout process even further. Some sites even allow customers to buy the products they want in as little as one click.
The key to offering the best checkout experience is simplicity. You don’t have to settle for a one-page checkout system if it doesn’t meet your site’s specific goals. Instead, keep the checkout pages clean and make sure users can go through the process seamlessly.
Avoid distractions such as ads or unnecessary elements on the checkout pages. Removing ads can lower dropped carts by over 60% in some cases. Lastly, offer as many payment options and shipping methods as you comfortably can, but display the options in a non-intimidating way. Let customers decide how they want to pay for the items they are buying.
Smarter Search
Similar to running a blog or a news site, the key to having a successful e-commerce site is getting visitors to the products or information they need as quickly as possible. A better search feature is a must-have. Sites that still take internal searches lightly will soon be left behind by e-commerce outlets with smarter, more capable search functionalities.
There is no need to waste resources to develop your own search feature, which makes adding one even easier. You can rely on a smart site search functionality offered by third-party solutions providers. Simply integrate the search function with your site and users will be able to get better product recommendations and search results instantly.
The Extra Mile in Security
Security is always a big factor in e-commerce. Customers will not make any purchase on your site without proper security measures in place. A basic SSL certificate is no longer enough. To really be ahead, you need to go the extra mile and implement better security measures across the site.
For starters, it is now better to use an authenticated SSL certificate. You can also display your privacy policy and security verification badges where the customers can see them to induce higher confidence and increase your credibility. Better security, combined with smarter search and instant checkout, will make your e-commerce site more competitive than ever.
