An online store has one job: make it easy for the right customer to find a product, trust you and pay. Every design and technical decision should support that. Here’s what separates stores that sell from stores that just exist.
1. It’s fast on a phone
Most online shoppers in Kenya browse on mobile, often on mobile data. Heavy pages lose customers before they see a product. Optimised images, lean code and good hosting aren’t technical luxuries; they are part of your conversion rate.
2. Products are easy to find
- Clear categories that match how customers think, not how your warehouse is organised.
- Search that handles typos and product codes.
- Filters for size, colour, price and brand where they make sense.
3. Product pages answer every question
Good photos from several angles, honest descriptions, sizes or specifications, price, stock status and delivery information. If customers have to WhatsApp you to ask basic questions, the page isn’t finished.
4. Checkout is short and familiar
Ask only for what you need, allow guest checkout, and offer the payment methods your customers already use. In Kenya that usually means M-Pesa (ideally with an STK Push prompt to the customer’s phone) alongside card payments and, where it suits your business, bank transfer or cash on delivery.
5. Delivery is clear before checkout
Surprise delivery fees are a common reason people abandon a cart. Show delivery regions, fees and estimated times early, and let customers choose pickup if you offer it.
6. It builds trust
- A real address, phone number and WhatsApp contact.
- Clear returns and refund information.
- Reviews from real customers.
- HTTPS and a professional design.
7. It’s easy to run
You should be able to add products, update stock, process orders and create discount codes without calling a developer. Order notifications, stock alerts and customer emails should happen automatically.
8. It measures what matters
Track product views, add-to-cart, checkout and purchases, not just visits. That’s how you find out whether the problem is traffic, product pages or checkout. (See our guide to tracking e-commerce conversions.)
Start with the essentials
You don’t need every feature on day one. Launch with a fast store, a smooth checkout and the right payment options, then improve based on data. If you’d like help planning your store, see how we build online stores.