Today, customers are spending much more time on e-commerce websites than at brick and mortar stores. It is becoming increasingly important for even the best e-commerce website builders to give customers a better and more personalised online experience. One feature in e-commerce sites that improves the shopping experience is the comparison table. At a glance, customers are able to differentiate products, understand the benefits, identify the problems and get additional information before performing the desired action. The action could be anything from clicking the Buy button, filling up an enquiry form or signing up for membership.

Before selecting the right format for the Comparison Table, it is necessary to have product information listed in a similar manner on all the product pages. This will bring about some consistency and help potential customers decipher product information at a faster rate. However, even with a simple and easy information-sharing template, it is not possible for customers to remember long lists of product details and descriptions. That is where the Comparison Chart comes to play. The right comparison table will provide customers with simple and easy-to-understand data and accelerate the end goal desired from the customers. The right design can have a critical impact on the overall business outcome.

Even the best e-commerce website builder for small business uses the Comparison Table to give their customers holistic shopping experience. There are various small nuances of a comparison table that make it so special. The Comparison Table usually consists of columns listing each of the different products that need to be compared and the rows highlight each of their attributes.

Comparison table has listed below some points that will help you design the most suitable le for optimal customers’ satisfaction:

1. Allow Comparison of a Maximum of 4-5 items at A Time

The Comparison Table is best used to highlight only the large differentiators between products. This stage is reached after customers have gone through all the options and are at the final stage of decision making. So limiting the number of products that can be compared will help simplify the purchase decision. For static comparison tables, keep the information as simple as possible and if the information is a more detailed shift to a dynamic structure. Dynamic structures provide users with the ability to choose the attributes they wish to see.

Another factor to consider is the amount of content showcased. The layout and text need to be user-friendly. Also, keep in mind that different customers may be using different devices with varying screen sizes. The comparison table should be easy to read in each of these devices.

2.Provide Consistent Information

Many e-commerce sites make the mistake of providing only select information of different brands. Try and ensure that information for all the attributes is available, especially for competing brands in the same category. Non-availability of information may be one of the reasons for customers not making that final ‘Click to Purchase’. So no matter how neatly and well organised the details are if it does not convey the desired information it will be useless.

This problem is often seen in dynamic comparison charts where products have a long list of offerings and some information is not available for the products being compared.

3. Add Specific Details That Are Easy to Compare

The information shared should be short and easy to process. So make sure the content is crisp, specific and to-the-point. The more elaborate, the more chances that the customers will get confused. So try and avoid any information that is vague and of no use for the final decision making.

One way of doing this is to use keywords in the text and visual icons like ticks and cross marks to highlight similarities and differences. Another option is to use colours to highlight specific parts of the text, use thicker borders and different colour shades to highlight each attribute. All these small, yet important details go a long way in helping the s make their final decision.

4.Get Inspired by Microsoft Excel Features

Remember that the comparison chart is to help simplify data-readability and data analysis for the customer. So go ahead and use some of the common features of Microsoft excel while designing your comparison table. Options like using freeze pane to keep the headers in place as customers scroll through the table or the flexibility to hide certain attributes in order to highlight important features are all important add-ons that really simplify the user experience.

5.Give A Personal Touch

While making the comparison table, do not blindly share the long list of specifications and features. Rather, think through the benefits that the specific product offers and highlight the highly saleable aspects of it. Sometimes certain details may be too technical for a layman to understand. In such situations try and simplify the details. For example, if you are mentioning the size of a mobile, you could also mention that it is no bigger than a notepad. For more complicated details, you could share a link with a more elaborate explanation of the product offering or feature.

6.Know The Secret Ingredients of Comparison Tables

To put it simply, when you build your own ecommerce site you must have an easy comparison sheet that encourages customer interaction. The customers should be able to get all the information they want without having to search for it. They should be able to understand the information shared with them easily. And most importantly, they should have all the information they wants in one place.

The Website Builder will have to act as a guide for the customers or end users and help them through their purchase journey. At no point of time should the customers feel they are being led-on to select the more expensive option. Build a truthful relationship of trust and understanding such that the customers feel genuinely happy with his product even after months of making a purchase. This will ensure a long term relationship, loyalty and more credibility for your ecommerce site.