#1: Payment Options

Most visitors to online stores prefer to pay by credit card. If you want to use your eCommerce shopping cart software to process credit card transactions with a real-time payment gateway, you'll have to open a merchant account.

Although the majority of shoppers at online stores will make a credit card transaction, choosing an eCommerce shopping cart that also allows you to accept alternative payments will please customers who remain resistant to providing such information online. Offering options such as PayPal®, Google® Checkout, checks, and/or money orders allows more people to feel comfortable checking out on your site.

#2: Site Search & Browse

Visitors to online stores have a need for speed - and it starts with time-saving search. Consumers expect online stores to allow them to search for a product and quickly find the product they want. Customers also navigate via categories, along with browsing by price, category and brand distinctions. If your eCommerce shopping cart does not include a search feature for your site, your visitor may simply decide to look elsewhere.

#3: Product Reviews

No matter how well online stores promote their own products, reviews by other customers will have a greater impact. In fact, 63% of consumers indicate that they are more likely to purchase from a site if it has product ratings and reviews, according to a CompUSA® and iPerceptions® study. Choose an eCommerce shopping cart that allows for product ratings and reviews - and let "word of mouth" work for you.

#4: Wish List/Registry

Customers at online stores often buy gifts for special occasions, which is why many eCommerce shopping carts feature a registry option that makes the process easier. Also, so-called "wish lists" allow customers to save items at online stores and return at a later date to purchase those items. In general, when your eCommerce shopping cart allows your customers to manage their items the way they want, the result is higher satisfaction.

#5: Real-Time Inventory

It's a common complaint from those who frequent online stores -- a customer goes through a lengthy process of placing an order, only to find out later that the item purchased wasn't really in stock. eCommerce shopping carts should allow for real-time inventory management, which ensures that what customers see on their screen is what's actually available for delivery to their doorstep.

#6: Express Checkout

The checkout process at many online stores can be as frustrating -- if not more so -- than standing in a long checkout line at a brick-and-mortar store. When visitors are ready to buy, your eCommerce shopping cart must make it as simple as possible. Some eCommerce shopping carts offer registered users an express checkout option, which pulls up their stored payment and billing info when they log in.

#7: Order Tracking

An eCommerce shopping cart can help you keep customers informed every step of the way - even after their order is placed. Automated order confirmation emails and shipping notification emails build customer's confidence in their purchase and in your brand. If a customer registers, they should be able to track their order by logging into an account created upon registration.

#8: Special Offers

Looking for a way to woo new customers - or existing customers you haven't seen in a while? eCommerce shopping carts can help you promote special offers like order discounts, coupon codes, free shipping and gift cards. These offers serve a dual purpose -they encourage customers to take advantage of a "good deal" while also helping you compete in today's competitive online marketplace.

#9: Website Security

Choose an eCommerce shopping cart with built-in SSL data encryption for website security. When online stores display SSL Certificate seals on their home pages, customers feel confident that their personal information will be protected and are more likely to complete a purchase.

eCommerce shopping carts are key to the success of online stores. When choosing an eCommerce shopping cart for your online business, keep customer satisfaction in mind and you'll be rewarded with customer loyalty.