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1. Use a well-tested e-commerce software platform.

Make sure your site is fully tried and tested before you go live or before you introduce a new feature or aspect.

No matter if you're using off the shelf software or custom building a new site from scratch. In both cases, test every aspect on every level - browsing, cart functions, payments - and make sure they work! A bug in the payments area or a product that can't be added to the basket will not only result in uncompleted sales, but also cause the loss of future customers and generate bad word-of-mouth.

2. Have scenarios prepared for unexpected occurrences

E-commerce has its own risks like:
* communication problems with payment processors
* hosting or server problems

In such situations, rather than offering the customers a buggy usage, you must be able to take an action with friendly "click & display" notifications like "Unfortunately we can't accept credit card payments at this time, but we can let you know when it will be available or you can use the payment options below."

Show the customer you're aware of the problem and have an alternative solution to hand.

Presentation

3. Adding to cart without registering

"Sign-In" forces users to "register first then start shopping," and is probably one of the best ways to lose a customer. Many users who add products to their shopping carts are still not sure they will go ahead and buy them. They want to see what the total will be first, or if there will be shipping fees or other add-on costs before clicking the "Buy Now" button.

Rather than placing barriers in front of them from the beginning, make it easy to explore the website and its products and to collect information along the way.

Don't forget, there is always the risk of losing a customer before they even reach the checkout.

4. Reaching to the product with less clicks

There are multiple ways to help users reach the products with less clicks:
* well-planned categories where sub-categories can be seen by hovering over them
* ability to narrow products by price, product features (e.g.screen sizes for monitors), brands names etc.
* an easily reachable product search form

5. There can never be "too detailed products"

In contrast to the famous and funny Microsoft Re-Designs in the iPod packaging video, providing as many details as you can on a product is a great thing.

You can always make this uncomplicated by presenting the basic information as standard and having "detailed information" as an option.

6. More and high-quality photographs

Seeing is believing. As users won't be able to touch the products, the more photos provided makes it easier for customers to decide if that is the item they need.

Always use high-quality images as it will be perceived as "sloppy" if otherwise.

7. Show related, alternative and complimentary products better

A widely seen mistake on e-commerce websites is the presenting of both the alternative and related products all mixed up together. But as they are not the same thing it can be confusing to the customer as well.

If you're about to sell a camera for example, then other cameras, the dock that is built specifically for that camera and various styles of camera cases are all different items, so a better presentation would be to display them under their own titles.

8. Use SSL in every page when collecting critical data

When collecting information such asregistration forms, credit card details and editing account details, make sure you switch the website to the SSL URL's, as it is a big measure of security and shows that you pay attention to, and are protective of, your data. :

P.S. Check SSLmatic.com for RapidSSL, Geotrust and Verisign certificates for much cheaper prices.

Order Processing

9. Notify users on every level

Although most online buying transactions are a good experience, there are some people who have had bad experiences with e-commerce, especially with the delivery of goods aspect.

Due to the nature of e-commerce, none or little stock is kept on actual premises, and a "bought" product may possibly not be delivered because it does not exist anymore, or is delivered later than expected. Also, especially for international orders, payments need to be approved manually. To sum up, there are various things that can go wrong from the customers point of view.

So you must notify customers with information on every level:
* when the payment is approved
* if a delay has occurred
* when the product is shipped

10. If something goes wrong, contact by phone as well as e-mail

As mentioned above, things can go wrong. The product may no longer be available, the system didn't write the "shipping address to the database" or one of many other variable errors.

In such a development contacting the customer is a must, but e-mail is mostly not enough. For the customer who doesn't check his e-mails regularly and is waiting for a product to be delivered on a certain date, the fact he may have a notification in the inbox saying "there is a problem with the order" does not make for a good e-commerce experience.

Using the telephone or SMS is a better way to make sure the customer knows what's going on.

Support

11.- Detailed knowledgebase

Whether the website is a fresh one or not, a knowledgebase covering the most required titles is a must. In the beginning these can simply be the "shipping & handling" and "refund policy."

A detailed knowledgebase shows that there are procedures within the company and is also a sign of trust.

12. Provide live chat support

E-commerce customers generally require help instantly and online when they are about to buy a product. (Their sessions may be expiring for example).

Live chat support, which can exist on every page with a clear link or image is a great way to meet this need. And it is better on the administration side, as you can see which page the customer is on, what browser and OS they use, their location etc.

Also, every chat can be recorded for reporting and analysis. Besides the paid-for ones, there is various free live chat software which can be found in WebResourcesDepot's "Customer Support" category.

13. Do your best to prevent the need for support calls, but still have a phone number

To think that an "e-commerce website" does not require telephone support is not really true. It is still a business and from the perception of users, a business requires a phone number.

But do your best to prevent support calls coming in by using some of the options mentioned above, as the telephone is a time killer and there is always the risk that a valuable customer may not get through because not enough phone support personnel are available.