How to Plan for Your Site Upgrade

Every business that sells a product or service needs a fully functional, interactive, and engaging website. It doesn’t matter if your site is only geared for B2B or B2C, having a e-store is absolutely imperative. Yes, this is obvious information, and I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. However, there are many small to medium sized businesses that have barely working, low-budget sites that do nothing to draw attention or bring in new clientele.

Look, if you have a bare-bones site or something that has been thrown together so you at least have some form of internet presence, then it’s time to upgrade. Updating your site with something that will capture the attention of visitors will do wonders in driving conversions. There is massive potential for growth and expansion with a new site, but there should be some planning that goes into the build. As you move to a better platform, keep the following in mind:

Pick the Platform that Works for You.

Updating and modernizing your site is a big step to joining the ever-growing world of eCommerce, so be sure to pick the platform that works best for your business. This shouldn’t be a quick pick, as you should put time and effort into researching the platforms available. For small to medium size businesses, we recommend Magento, as it is very flexible when it comes to development.

Don’t Only Focus on Aesthetics! Make Sure the UX is Top-Notch.

While you should ensure your designs come to fruition, you should also keep user experience in mind. A pretty site can bring in a lot of traffic, but it won’t keep them clicking if the interface is not user-friendly. As the building process trucks along, get with the development firm/team and run tests. Make sure clicking through product pages and categories makes sense. Try going through the checkout process and see if you find any missteps.

If a certain process doesn’t quite click the way your are expecting, address it immediately and begin brainstorming solutions. The last thing you want is a group of frustrated site visitors experiencing a UX bug that should have been avoided. Ultimately, the customer should have a straightforward, easy experience.

Get Your Product and Inventory Info Up to Date.

Nothing will confuse and anger customers faster than inaccurate product information or inventory counts. If a product is out of stock, then the product should not be available for checkout, and the site must convey this to the guest. If a product requires manual assembly, batteries, etc., then these attributes/disclaimers should be part of the description. Update any descriptions, images, meta info, etc. Everything about the product should be current and clear.

Decide Which Shipping and Payment Methods You Want to Use.

This is not the end-all-be-all decision of a build, but it still needs a fair amount of consideration. What shipping options do you want available to customers? Will you offer international shipping? Do you have a preferred carrier? These are all things to think about. You should also think about the types of payment you want to receive for your services. PayPal is very popular, but might not be for you. Maybe you want to utilize Authorize.net services instead. Give it some thought and plan accordingly.

Lastly… Have a Clear Message

It might seem simple, but many sites overlook this. Customers need to know exactly what your site offers. Site visitors should not experience any confusion when browsing through your e-store. If you offer B2B goods for car dealerships, then the dealerships need to know this as soon as they navigate to the site. Oh, you sell tools for mechanics? That needs to be immediately apparent.

Yes, it’s a lot to think about. There are many, many steps that go into planning and upgrading your site. Trust in yourself and your developer, think about every approachable angle, and build the online store you need. For those out there looking to upgrade their site and take things to the next level, contact Razoyo and get a quote.