15 e-commerce Tips

#1 - Where am I?
Whenever a user is navigating inside a store with more than 1 sub-level of navigation, it's critical to show them where in the site structure they are. This should be accomplished with headlines, sub-headers and breadcrumbs (e.g. Home > Category > Sub-Category > Product).

#2 - Navigation
When a user starts to "narrow" their navigation inside a particular category (in this case by selecting a specific designer), it's only right to allow them to remove those navigation selections rather than forcing the use of repetitive "back button" clicks.

#3 - Allow Sorting
The standards are "Price - low to high," "Price - high to low," "Popularity," aka "Best Selling," "Featured," "User Ratings" and "New" or "Latest."

#4 - Show the Products
Unless you've got more than 200 products total in a sub-category, it's only right to offer the user the option of seeing every product on one page.

#5 - Refining Options
If you can provide the user with a useful refinement option, you've made their experience better. In the instance of sizing, this is particularly important, as users loathe finding that "perfect" piece of apparel, only to discover you don't carry it in their size.

#6 - The More Specifics, the Better
#7 serves to illustrate a difference between refining your browsing in a section vs. navigating to a new sub-category. Offering the latter as an option where relevant and valuable is a wise decision.

#7 - What does it Costs & What I'm Saving?
Some product category pages shows items without the detail users are craving. It's particularly important for discount sites to show pricing, but nearly every website can benefit from providing an extra bit of detail before the click to the product page. Tell them materials, give a tiny description or list the sizes/colors/options you have in stock.

#8 - Search Bar Access
When a search has been performed, don't just show the search and the results, do like the engines and make the search bar front and center, while maintaining the user's query in the box for potential modification.

#9 - Search Refinement Options
If you have an advanced search system, or can allow users to select prices, options, colors, sizes, models, do it. Your bottom line will thank you - users often rate "search" as the most frustrating part of many e-commerce sites.

#10 - Critical Information
Many products are designed to "fit" certain criteria, whether it's a laptop or a body with clothes. In every instance of potential matches, show the critical information in the product details.

#11 - Stock Availability
There are still sites out there that let you click "add to cart" or even "checkout" before discovering the awful truth - not in stock.

#12 - More Photos
Since you don't get to see the item in real life, photos, reviews, videos and even fancy, 3D interfaces are invaluable to helping the user feel like they've "experienced" the product prior to purchase.

#13 - Delivery Options and Return Policies
It's best to make the link obvious in the permanent navigation.

#14 - Email Receipt
Rather than leaving customers in the dark, notify them immediately of the order via email.

#15 - Give All the Order Details ASAP
When you send out order confirmations, make sure to include all of the product details to re-assure the buyer that they've selected properly. If I accidentally ordered the size 9 instead of size 8, I want to be able to fix it before the package arrives.