10 Essential Features of eCommerce Website
Are you looking for the essential features for your eCommerce websites? Before COVID-19, eCommerce grew steadily, but the pandemic flipped the script. Most of the world got stuck at home, with restrictions on going out, even shopping. This scenario of online shopping quickly became part of everyone’s daily life. With this sudden change in lifestyle and shopping habits, eCommerce businesses saw an unexpected boom.

Even today, eCommerce hasn’t slowed down. Experts say it could grow by at least 22% in the next few years. So, if you’ve been considering launching your eCommerce website, now’s the time to leap.
Launching your eCommerce website is just one step in the entire journey; it takes all the essential features of the customers to make it work. One key factor that converts visitors into buyers is their user experience. UX and features integrated seamlessly into the customer journey enhance conversion and ROI.
1. Strong Marketing Strategy and Unique Selling Point (USP)
Customers are bombarded with 100s of marketing messages every day. To attract your target audience, you must strategize your marketing activities to work for your eCommerce website. Your website should have the experience or better experience the customers would in a physical retail store to make them engage and shop.
With a Unique Selling Proposition, you can stand apart from the 100s of other marketing messages on the user’s device. Customers should be comfortable and confident when transacting with your brand and website.
Building customer loyalty is possible only by marketing to them at the right time and delivering the value you offer. Satisfied customers are likely to buy more from a store they have interacted with than a new one.
2. Collections and Categories
Just like how customers would find aisles of products in a retail store, your website should make it easier for your customers to find what they want.
Products should be categorized or grouped in collections based on their relations and similarity. Most of the time, the collections’ products share similarities in style, color, brand, and purpose.
Collections often help the customers filter and sort product options. This makes it easier for them to narrow down their selections. This also makes their search process faster, providing a faster route to checkout and increasing conversion and ROI.
Source:https://policelifestyle.com
In the above example, you can see that the Police lifestyle website have highlighted their “LEGENDS” Collection.
3. Filters and Sorting
Buyers browsing your website will require the features to filter and sort to find exactly what they need. The sorting feature lets customers rearrange the catalog of items in a collection based on their preferences. For example, most users prefer to sort by price from low to high or by-product popularity.
Source: https://www.stacees.com
- Filtering Options
- Sorting Feature
Regarding fashion brands, buyers might be more interested in the latest/newest products or collections. Depending on their shopping style, users use sorting and filtering features before purchasing.
Your site should be set up so buyers can filter products by their favorite brands, colors, and sizes. Together with filtering and sorting features, the entire user journey should contribute to a smooth customer experience.
4. Product Page
The product page serves as a sales page for each product; the better the product listing page is on a website, the more conversions the site will have.
The buyers who end up on this page are interested in buying the product showcased and will be looking for details about it. The main features of a product detail page are the product description, benefits, and even customer reviews. Customer reviews give the shopper confidence and trigger an emotion of FOMO in their mind, improving conversions.
Source: Leesa.com
Besides providing relevant product information, product pages are great for upselling and cross-selling.
Source:https://www.altrarunning.com/
For example, a person buying shoes might also require a pair of socks. Upselling the right product that compliments their primary product selection would encourage them to buy the additional product, adding to the AOV( Average Order Value).
Source: Amazon.com
Amazon does a fantastic job upselling other products that similar buyers purchase. For example above, Amazon has grouped related products into a styling section.
Well-organized and user-friendly product pages display the products and their variations to give customers the nudge to buy products that match their expectations and needs.
5. Search Function
Search features play a huge role in improving the shopping experience. There are two main types of searches used in eCommerce.
The first is the traditional search, where you type in a keyword, and it shows you a list of items that match what you’re looking for within that category.
The second and more popular option today is instant search. With instant search, results appear in real-time as you type, showing you precisely what you’re looking for right away.
Many new search technologies have been introduced in eCommerce, one of which is AI-based personalized searches.
For example, Algolia is an AI-powered search that can be integrated into any e-commerce site, enabling users to search based on semantic keywords, which is more accurate than a standard search.
These search features adapt to the user’s behavior and improve the search experience, keeping the user engaged.
Source:algolia.com
These search features have become a favorite in eCommerce because they make searching faster and boost customer satisfaction. When shoppers find what they need quickly, they’re more likely to purchase, leading to better conversions for your store.
6. Shopping Cart
The shopping cart is where shoppers can review and adjust their orders before completing the payment. It’s not just a place to confirm purchases—it’s also an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell related products.
A well-designed cart should show essential details, like the total amount (with or without shipping), the number of items, and even options like sending the purchase as a gift or donating it to a cause. These small features can enhance the shopping experience and even encourage future purchases.
Source: Leesa.com
There are two main types of shopping carts:
- Cart Page: This is a separate page with its URL. Shoppers can view their cart and make changes, but they need to update the page for the changes to take effect manually.
- AJAX Cart: This is more modern and user-friendly. It appears as a sliding drawer or popup and has no URL. Any updates, like changing the number of items, are reflected instantly without needing to refresh the page.
A well-thought-out shopping cart isn’t just functional—it’s a powerful tool to keep customers engaged and encourage them to return or recommend your store.
7. Checkout
The checkout process is the most critical step in the eCommerce journey. This is where you ask shoppers to commit and make their purchases, so it must be smooth and user-friendly.
Source:Leesa.com
Platforms like Shopify offer highly optimized checkouts that help maximize conversion rates. At checkout, customers provide the final details—payment method, shipping address, shipping options, and any discount codes they want to use.
This is where everything comes together, so it’s essential to ensure the process is seamless and transparent. A poorly designed checkout could cost you a sale, so it’s worth investing time to get it right.
8. Security and Encryption
Security and encryption are the backbone of any eCommerce business. They ensure customers can shop and pay safely, building trust and confidence in your store.
SSL certificates, standard on most major eCommerce platforms, protect personal and payment information. Good retailers also highlight security measures in their website content to reassure customers.
When shoppers feel their data is safe, they’re more likely to complete a purchase. Security isn’t just a technical necessity—it’s a key element of a successful shopping experience.
9. Payment Gateway
A payment gateway is a technology that processes payments for online stores, allowing merchants to receive money from customers.
Most eCommerce platforms provide various payment gateway options, which is a significant advantage.
The more payment methods you offer—like credit cards, digital wallets, or bank transfers—the more straightforward for customers to complete their purchases. This increases the chances of conversions while also helping merchants handle tax calculations smoothly.
Another critical aspect is automated notifications. These include reminders for abandoned carts, stock updates, newsletter signups, order confirmations, shipment tracking updates, and review requests.
In today’s eCommerce world, these automated message flows aren’t just helpful but essential. They help keep customers informed, encourage engagement, and create opportunities to increase sales.
10. Customer Support
Customer support is crucial, especially for an online store where shoppers cannot ask a salesperson for help like in a physical store. Online, customers need a way to get answers about products, understand features, or clarify doubts about your brand or policies.
The goal is to make the shopping experience as smooth and hassle-free as possible. You want to reduce any barriers to purchase by providing easy access to information.
Some typical customer support tools include an FAQ page, a help center, live chat, or even an automated chatbot. These tools help customers quickly get the answers they need to make confident buying decisions.
The more proactive you are in providing support and answering questions upfront, the easier and more enjoyable the shopping experience becomes. This builds trust, boosts customer satisfaction, and increases the likelihood of sales.
With these 10 essential features, your eCommerce site can attract more customers, keep them happy, and drive consistent sales. Thoughtful planning and creativity will improve the customer experience and ensure a steady cash flow for your business!