Product Offering
Online stores are designed to sell products. Most websites that offer products find categorizing the products helpful. The navigation on the site allows shoppers to easily browse through several pages of products to select the item they wish to purchase.
Ordering Process
Online stores must use a "shopping cart."
This software allows customers to select the item, enter delivery information, billing information, and provide any other pertinent information. For example, online stores that offer gifts ask for the shopper's information, as well as the recipient's information. Online gift stores typically have a space where customers can write a short gift card message to the recipient.
Order Fulfillment
Once the customer enters an order online, the online store receives the order and prepares to deliver or ship the ordered item(s). If the order is being shipped, most shoppers expect to receive the tracking number. The tracking number is often emailed to the shopper once it is available.
Marketing
Unfortunately, a website that isn't marketed properly is rarely visited. Online stores must utilize online marketing methods such as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid search advertising to gain traffic. This is vital for an online store.
Store Templates
There are several online store templates available so that people don't have to build their website and order software from scratch. Yahoo! Stores is one example.
Design
Online stores are as varied as the people who run them. Although the basic structure of online stores is fairly similar among them all, it is the design of the site that tells the shopper if they want to shop at that online store. Shoppers want the website to be appealing and easy to use. The design of the website is extremely important to the success of the online store.
