Improving the usability of an e-commerce solution: stage 6, identification of required fields

Last year was the biggest yet for online business, and it’s set to continue into 2011 with the creation of even more eCommerce software that will have a huge impact on the way businesses do business online. The rise of social networking sites in the last 3 years has changed the way we use the internet and now e-commerce is set to affect this sector in a big way. A new eCommerce solution is always an exciting addition to a new industry on the internet, and this is about to hit the social media market. Although new eCommerce software is being created, the fundamentals of creating an eCommerce solution remain the same.

As we continue to build the steps to building an easy-to-use eCommerce site, also keep in mind the area you’ll be selling in. The social media market is huge so managing the right internet marketing will be key to online business. Whether you target this market or stick to traditional marketplaces like eBay will depend on your budget and marketing. Having a presence in both ways can only help your online business and there is new eCommerce software available to manage both marketplaces.

In this step, we will see how the identification of the required fields in the order process is essential to complete the order. There is nothing worse than filling out an online order form only to have the form returned due to missing information. An online business should target only the information it needs, if the business only needs an email address, only put an email address field as users are less likely to fill in large amounts of information. The less information the user has to fill in, the more chances they have to complete the order. In the ordering process, it should be clear from the start which fields need to be filled in and which are optional through the e-commerce solution.

This can be done in a number of ways, deciding which one is best for your online business is up to you. Only add fields that your business requires, for example don’t ask the user to enter their home address if your product is a download, or don’t ask the user to enter two phone numbers, most people now have a phone mobile and these are the best numbers for marketing purposes such as SMS and web promotions.

Mark each required field with a * or say “required field” next to each field. Most eCommerce software now incorporates these features and can be manipulated at your command. Creating informative data in the ordering process gives the user confidence and does not give him an excuse to leave the ordering process and get distracted by another web page.

Every eCommerce solution is different and no one knows your business like you do, so the fields you need are based on your order process and marketing needs. Setting the goals of your online business’s ordering process in the first place will save you time and money, don’t overcomplicate the process. Include your most necessary information, the other details can be obtained later with online marketing.