How to create an online order form

Building a website is no simple task. However, if you plan to scale an ecommerce business, you’ll need your site’s user experience to be enjoyable.

One of the major pain points for online customers is the checkout phase, with approximately 70% of shopping carts abandoned before payment.

Common issues cited include technical faults, poor load times, unintuitive UX, and payment issues.

So, if you want to outperform your competitors, your top priority is learning how to create an online order form that ticks the right boxes and converts visitors into paying customers.

Looking to get started?

You’re in the right place, as we’re going to explain everything that a beginner needs to know.

We’ll introduce you to PandaDoc’s online form builder software features that help teams work collaboratively, as well as some tips and tricks to make the process smoother.

What exactly is an online order form?

Let’s start with an online order form definition: It’s a type of digital document used for both communications and transactions.

To give an example, imagine you’re placing an online order for takeout food.

You would likely fill out a set of three forms; selecting the dishes you want, choosing your preferred payment method, and reviewing the order — with your food on the way in just a few clicks.

That’s just one common example, but the opportunities are truly limitless.

Order forms can also be used by businesses for internal processes, such as streamlining procurement, helping you keep track of inventory, or for workflow ticketing systems. 

Why create an order form?

Creating online order forms offers distinct advantages over traditional communication methods like email or telephone. 

Benefits include:

Seamless efficiency

Your customers can input order information much faster, especially with the help of autofill features now common in internet browsers.

Greater accuracy

Since your customers are inputting their own information directly, there’s a far lower chance of errors or miscommunication.

This can save you from the hassle of remedying wrong orders (and prevents a poor customer experience).

Easier organization

Online forms are usually saved in a single location, making their contents easy to access and manage for data analysis or tax purposes.

It’s also easier to search for specific orders, which is great if you’re looking to implement a delivery tracking system.

Customization options

You can add as many fields to your online form as you like, and include new features for a highly-tailored experience.

In short, you’ll want to build a set of order form templates for every instance where your business makes a purchase or a sale, to ensure convenience with scaling up your operation.

Examples of order forms

Your imagination is truly the only limit with the versatility of online forms. 

That said, here are five common order forms examples that you should consider using:

Product/service order form

The most common example of an order form used by businesses that sell physical or digital products.

It includes fields for the customer’s name, address, contact information, and the product(s) they wish to purchase.

Donation page

A donation order form is used by non-profit organizations to collect donations from individuals or companies.

You’d expect to see similar fields as listed above, plus an option for a recurring subscription.

Customer service tickets

Online order forms can also be used for ticketing systems, such as for product repairs, customer inquiries, or general feedback.

Internal process requests

A formalized route wherein your team can request services from another department, such as an IT support request or dietary requirements for your cafeteria staff to follow.

Custom order form

A form tailored to the specific needs of your business — especially common for trade or B2B transactions.

Make sure that your form can generate a professional invoice for the recipient to easily calculate their taxes.

How to make an online order form

It’s easy to create an order form online if you know which information to include.

Here’s our step-by-step guide:

Choose an online form builder

Ecommerce businesses are spoilt for choice with form builder apps to suit different needs and skill levels.

The PandaDoc solution has all the features you need to create beautiful online documents in minutes. And what’s more, you can try before you buy with a 14-day free trial.

Create a new form

Starting from scratch is a good idea if you want to learn the ins and outs of form building, but if you’re looking to save time, a ready-made template can help.

You’ll want to make sure it has boxes for all relevant details, such as name, email, shipping address, and payment information.

The PandaDoc template library gives you instant access to over 750 types of documents, ensuring your forms are always customized to your needs.

Set up payment options

If you want to sell a product or service, you’ll need to set up payment options. 

Luckily, most form builders integrate with popular payment gateways such as PayPal.

And with PandaDoc, you can also use Stripe, Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (and protect your transactions with eSignatures).

Preview and test your form

Before publishing your customer order form, preview and test it to ensure that everything is working correctly. 

Make sure that you can submit the form, receive the confirmation message, and that the payment options are functioning properly.

Publish your hard work

Once you’re satisfied, it’s time for publication.

Make it easy for customers to find and complete the form, considering settings such as confirmation messages, email notifications, and redirections after submission.

Drive business revenue with custom order forms

To conclude, learning how to create an online order form is an essential skill for scaling your ecommerce business.

They make it easier for you to convert site visitors into paying customers.

Looking to get started with order forms for small business?

Be sure to check out PandaDoc Forms, which will have you set up with effective and professional-looking custom order forms from template in no time. 

You won’t need any coding or design skills; simply drag and drop the fields you need, customize to match your brand, and you’re ready to start taking orders!