Many entrepreneurs venturing into the e-commerce business see it as a thrilling endeavor, especially since the Philippines’ digital marketplace continues to grow. With more Filipinos becoming comfortable with online transactions and preferring the convenience of shopping from their phones or laptops, the prospects for online sellers look promising. However, going live with an online store involves more than uploading products and waiting for sales. The key to a successful launch lies in the details you prepare beforehand.
So, before officially opening your digital doors to customers, make sure to finalize crucial elements that ensure a smooth and trustworthy shopping experience. These details will make your store look professional and give you a better chance at turning first-time visitors into loyal buyers.
That said, here are seven important things to focus on before launching your e-commerce brand.
1. Optimize the Checkout Experience
A hassle-free checkout experience can make or break your e-commerce business. Shoppers who have already added items to their cart are close to making a purchase, but if the final steps feel confusing or too lengthy, they may quickly change their minds. That’s why you need to ensure that the checkout process is efficient and frictionless.
This involves keeping your checkout page clean and simple. Ideally, allow customers to complete their order on a single page. Include only the necessary fields and enable auto-fill when possible to reduce the time it takes to input information. Offer multiple payment options commonly used in the Philippines, such as credit and debit cards, digital wallets, and QR Ph. Providing flexible choices increases the likelihood that shoppers will find a payment method that works for them, and fortunately, this is made easier with Maya Business solutions.
Using the Shopify payment gateway Philippines plugin allows you to integrate Maya Checkout into your Shopify website easily, even without coding experience. This makes it easy for your e-commerce store to accept a wide array of payments while providing a more convenient and secure transaction process for your customers.
2. Polish Your Product Pages and Category Listings
Product pages are where shoppers decide whether to buy from you or not, so they deserve serious attention. Unlike in physical stores, customers can’t touch or test your items online. This means your product listings must be informative and visually compelling.
Ensure product photos are of high quality and taken from multiple angles. If applicable, show the product in use, or include a size comparison to help buyers visualize it better. Your product descriptions should also be clear and detailed. To that end, include all relevant information, such as dimensions, materials, usage instructions, and other features.
As for navigation, group your products into well-labeled categories to make browsing easier. When you help your customers find what they need faster, it contributes to a better overall shopping experience.
3. Set Up Trust Signals
Trust is a major factor in online shopping decisions, as many customers are still cautious about buying from new or unfamiliar sellers. To address this, your website should include visible trust signals that assure buyers of your legitimacy and professionalism.
If you have made previous sales from other platforms or received feedback from early testers, display these initial customer reviews or testimonials. You should also clearly display payment security badges, SSL certifications, and return policies. Transparency in shipping costs, delivery timelines, and refund options adds additional layers of trust.
4. Make Sure Your Website Is Mobile-Friendly
Since a large percentage of online shoppers use smartphones to browse and shop, your website must be optimized for mobile devices. A site that looks and works great on a desktop but breaks down on a phone can lead to lost sales and frustrated users.
To ensure a smooth mobile experience, check that all elements adjust properly to smaller screens. Your fonts should remain readable, and interactive elements like dropdowns or checkout forms should be easy to tap. Particularly, avoid features that are difficult to use on mobile, like tiny text links or pop-ups that are hard to close.
5. Install Essential Tools and Integrations
If you want to run a successful e-commerce business, you also need to track performance, run marketing campaigns, and respond to customer inquiries efficiently. To do this, set up essential tools before your launch.
In the case of installing Google Analytics, it allows you to track visitor behavior, such as which product pages are most viewed or where your traffic is coming from. This gives you valuable insights into what’s working and what needs improvement. If you’re already working with a digital marketing or SEO agency, data from this tool can guide their strategies, helping them optimize campaigns, improve search rankings, and target the right audience more effectively.
For customer service, consider installing a live chat widget or chatbot. Many Filipino shoppers prefer getting quick answers through Facebook Messenger, Viber, WhatsApp, or website chat rather than sending emails. That said, you should still set up email or SMS marketing tools to notify customers about promos, order confirmations, or restocks.
6. Prepare Your Shipping and Fulfillment Process
No matter how great your website may look, your fulfillment process can make or break your brand’s reputation. That’s why it’s important to iron out your shipping strategy and logistics before you launch.
Start by selecting reliable couriers as fulfillment partners. Regardless of what you choose, make sure to test their delivery timelines and understand their rates for both Metro Manila and provincial areas. If you're handling fulfillment on your own, ensure you have enough packing materials and a clear process to track orders. Also, have a plan in place for handling returns, damaged items, or lost parcels.
7. Test Everything
Before officially opening your store to the public, thoroughly test every part of your website and order process. Click every link, fill out every form, and go through the entire customer journey, from browsing and checkout to order confirmation emails. This ensures that your website is functioning as expected and that there are no broken links, confusing layouts, or technical bugs.
Establish a Reliable Brand Customers Want to Return to With the Help of Maya Business
Sign up for Maya Business to ensure that the checkout process of your e-commerce store is secure and efficient, contributing to the sustainability of your venture.
Setting up a Maya Business account also qualifies you for a no-collateral Maya Flexi Loan offer of up to PHP 2 million in just 3 months. This allows you to have another funding source to ensure your e-commerce website is equipped with all the right tools and refinements. Just keep using Maya as your primary processor for all wallet and card payments. Remember, the more you use our solutions, the better the loan offer will be.
You can also open a Maya Business Deposit account and use it as your settlement account. With an industry-leading 2.5% per annum interest rate, you’ll earn PHP 25,000 in interest per year on a PHP 1 million deposit. Furthermore, you’ll be able to send money to your partners and suppliers for free via InstaPay and PESONet, letting you save more.
Sign up for Maya Business today to enjoy the benefits of Maya Business solutions.
