The fashion market is the largest industry in B2C eCommerce, growing steadily at an enormous rate. It is expected to reach a valuation of $1,164.7 billion by the end of the year 2025 (Statista). In fact, many eCommerce development services around the world keep pre-made fashion eCommerce solutions ready for customers because the demand is usually so high. If you’re looking to start or expand an online fashion/apparel store, it’s important to understand the different features that will make your store stand out from the competition.
Top Features For Your Fashion eStore
Here are top features you must consider for a fashion eStore. Of course, this list isn’t extensive, but these are the features that are currently in vogue, and will ensure your customers keep coming back.
Simple UI
User interface (UI) and navigation are two of the most important factors to consider when designing an online fashion & apparel store. A user-friendly UI makes it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for, and simple navigation prevents them from getting lost in your store.
eCommerce stores that expect customers to visit frequently cannot afford to have a complex application. If your customers have to navigate through a complex architecture every time they visit, they’ll probably not be coming back very often. You must ensure that your customers can always access any information they want easily – data such as size specifications, color variants, etc. should be no more than a click away. This will always ensure a positive shopping experience.
Multiple Payment Methods
In order to stay competitive and meet customer demands, your online fashion & apparel store must include multiple payment options. This means that you cannot be limited to credit, debit, and net banking – additional mechanisms such as mobile payment portals and wallets (such as ApplyPay, AmazonPay, GooglePay, etc.) must also be made available. By offering these types of payment mechanisms, you will also attract new customers who may not currently use traditional payment methods. It removes unnecessary hassle and security worries, and encourages people to become more regular customers.
Fast Delivery & Easy Returns
Online fashion stores are constantly competing for your business, and one of the best ways to differentiate yourself is through fast deliveries and easy return policies. Not only will these policies make shopping in your store a positive experience for customers, but also ensure that they keep coming back.
Fast delivery can be critical when it comes to clothing. If a customer has to wait too long for their order to arrive, they may decide not to place the order at all, and instead go for a different store. And as is often the case with online clothes shopping, some items may be defective or simply not fit well, meaning customers will likely want to return them. Which is where smooth and easy return policies come into place. Up to 30% of products that have been purchased online are likely to be returned (invespro), but with a smooth returning system, customers are also likely to buy again from the same site.
AR and VR
Augmented and virtual reality are two of the most exciting emerging technologies in eCommerce today. They have the potential to revolutionize how consumers interact with products and brands, and they could potentially play a huge role in the future of fashion and apparel eCommerce. Here are three reasons why augmented reality and VR will be important for fashion retailers:
– AR can help shoppers explore clothing items from all angles, including views from different heights or positions. This is useful not only for analyzing cloth fabrics and stitches but also for helping shoppers find styles they wouldn’t normally consider.
– AR and VR can be used by brands to create an immersive experience for customers surrounding a specific range of products as well. For example, you could visit Nike’s online store to try on shoes designed specifically for running, watch swimsuit models wearing designs by Lululemon, or view collections of dresses by Moda Operandi.
– AR is particularly useful for items where aesthetics is the primary driving factor behind purchases. As such, a technology that allows you to virtually “wear” your clothes before you purchase them can significantly improve the sales rates.
Great Customer Care
Customer service is an absolute requirement when it comes to fashion eCommerce. You cannot ignore it. Make sure your business is equipped to handle questions of all sorts about your services and products, their materials, their longevity, and so on. You need to be available by email and phone every day, at all times. It is also a smart idea to implement a live chat feature on your website, so customers can always direct their questions somewhere.
The idea is to make your customers’ shopping experiences as smooth as possible. Ensure that you offer as much information as you can about each garment you offer. Make sure the images you have put up perfectly reflect what your customers will get.
It is also a good idea to leverage AI to help out customers. Customers can fill out their dimensions and body measurements, and create an AI model of themselves. The system can then use these inputs to offer recommendations that will fit best.
Read also:15 Essential Features for an eCommerce Mobile App
Conclusion
The list of necessary features mentioned above isn’t a long one. Indeed, you must also ensure that your eStore is modern, well-designed, and mobile-friendly. By keeping these features at the forefront, you can make sure that your brand doesn’t just stand out from others but also delivers exceptional customer experience across all platforms.
