If you want to build a successful ecommerce business, you need to avoid making these all-too-common mistakes.
From choosing the wrong platform…to being too stingy with your ad spend…these issues can kill your ecommerce business before it even gets off the ground.
Luckily, in this post, I’m going to show you the 11 biggest ecommerce mistakes…and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Not Choosing the Right Platform
There are a ton of different ecommerce platforms out there (Shopify, BigCommerce, Volusion,etc).
And while each platform has its own unique set of features and benefits, some platforms are definitely better than others.
For example, if you’re selling physical products, Shopify is going to be a much better option than BigCommerce.
And if you’re selling digital products, WooCommerce is going to be a better option that Volusion.
The bottom line is this: make sure you spend time researching the different platform options before you choose one for your ecommerce business. Otherwise, you might end up using a sub-par platform that could hold back your growth.
Mistake #2: Not Investing in Quality Product Images
If your product photos suck, so will your conversion rate. Period.
A study by Crayon found that 61% of consumers are more likely to buy a product online if they can see multiple high-resolution photos of that product. And 27% of consumers say that “poor quality images” is one of the main reasons they would abandon their online shopping cart.
The takeaway here is simple: if you want people to buy your stuff, make sure you’re using high-quality product photos on your site.
Mistake #3: Skimping on Ad Spend
If you want your ecommerce business to grow, then you need to be willing to invest in paid advertising…at least at first.
See, when you first start out, nobody knows who the hell you are. Which means that organic traffic alone isn’t going to cut it—you need paid ads to get in front of people who might be interested in buying what you sell.
But once you have some initial traction, then you can start scaling back on your ad spend and relying more on organic traffic sources like Google and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Mistake #4: Not Offering Free Shipping
According to a study by UPS, 8 out of 10 shoppers say free shipping is “one of the most important selection criteria when they shop online”. So if offer free shipping on orders over $50 or something like that), chances are good that people will just forget about it and go find another store that offers free shipping with no minimums.
And yet, many ecommerce businesses don’t offer free shipping on orders. Why? Because they think it will be too expensive or they’ll lose money on shipping costs. But the truth is, if you don’t offer free shipping, you’re likely losing out on sales.
Here are a few ways you can offset the cost of free shipping:
– Increase your product prices slightly. This way, you can cover the cost of shipping while still maintaining a competitive price point.
– Offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount. This encourages customers to spend more money on your site while still getting the free shipping they crave.
– Ship items in bulk. Buying in bulk often lowers your per-unit shipping costs, which means you can pass those savings on to your customers.
Mistake #5: Not Offering Product Reviews
If a product has no reviews, 77% of shoppers won’t buy it. That number goes up to 84% for products with 1-2 reviews.
Product reviews increase trust and social proof, two things that are essential for making sales online. Fortunately, there are plenty of 3rd party services (like Judge.me and Loox) that make it easy to add beautiful product reviews to your store.
Mistake #6: Not Creating Urgency
In order for people to buy from your store, they need to feel a sense of urgency about buying now rather than later (or never). There are a few ways that you can create urgency on your site…including but not limited to:
Offering time-sensitive discounts (i.e “20% off all orders placed within the next 24 hours!”)
Showing how many units of each product are left in stock (i.e “only 3 left in stock! Order now before we run out!”)
This sends the message that people need buy now or risk missing out altogether which creates a strong sense of urgency and gets people to take action.
Mistake #7: Ignoring Your Mobile Customers
Mistake #2: Ignoring Your Mobile Customers
In 2022, 53.74 percent of all website traffic came from smartphones and tablets—a number that’s only expected to grow in the coming years. Yet many ecommerce businesses still don’t have a mobile-friendly website. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re likely losing out on sales from mobile customers who gave up trying to navigate your site on their smaller screens.
Here are a few tips for making your ecommerce site mobile-friendly:
- Use responsive design. This type of design automatically adjusts your site’s layout to fit any screen size—no matter how small or large.
- Use large, easy-to-tap buttons. On a mobile screen, small buttons can be difficult to press—which can lead to frustrated customers who give up and take their business elsewhere.
- Keep your content short and sweet. Mobile shoppers have shorter attention spans than desktop shoppers, so it’s important to get your message across quickly and efficiently.
Mistake #8: Not Offering Coupons or Discounts
Offering coupons and discounts is a great way to generate sales—and keep customers coming back for more.
In fact, according to a study from Nielsen, 92% of consumers say that they are more likely to purchase a product if it’s on sale or discounted in some way.
And yet, so many ecommerce businesses don’t offer any type of discount or coupon code to their customers!
Mistake #9: Not Prioritizing Customer Service
Customer service should be a top priority for any business— but it’s especially important in ecommerce because customers can’t physically visit your store and speak to someone in person if they have a question or concern about their purchase.
If your customer service is lackluster, you risk losing those customers for good—which is why it’s so important to make sure you have a solid customer service strategy in place.
Here are a few tips for providing excellent customer service:
- Respond quickly to customer inquiries. The faster you responds to customer questions and concerns, the better off you’ll be—especially if another company beats you to the punch!
- Make it easy for customers to get in touch with you. Provide multiple channels (phone, email, live chat) for customers to reach out so they can choose the method that works best for them.
- Train your customer service reps thoroughly . Your reps should know your product inside and out so they can provide accurate information and resolve issues quickly and efficiently .
Mistake #10: Not Building an Email List Early On
The first mistake that people make when starting an ecommerce business is not building an email list early on.
An email list is a group of people who have given you permission to send them updates about your product or service.
You can then use this list to drive traffic back to your store with things like email marketing and retargeting ads.
Mistake #11: Not Upselling or Cross-Selling Customers
Once someone buys from you, it costs five times as much to acquire a new customer . That’s why it’s important to focus on selling additional products (known as upselling) or complementary products (known as cross-selling) to the customers who already shop at your store rather than acquiring new ones from scratch..
But most store owners don’t do this because they don’t want their customers to think that they’re being “sold to” after making a purchase.
Mistake #12: Not Paying Attention To Their Refund Policy
Did you know that over 60% of shoppers check a store’s refund policy before making a purchase ?
That number should be proof enough that your refund policy deserves attention—but most stores treat it as an afterthought ..
Your refund policy should be prominently displayed on your website (preferably in the footer), and it should be clear, concise, and easy-to-understand .
If you want people to feel confident about buying from your store , make sure that your refund policy reflects that
By avoiding these nine common mistakes, you can give yourself a big leg up on the competition as you start your own ecommerce business .
So take the time now to implement these changes, and set yourself up for long-term success!
What other tips do you have for people who are just getting started with ecommerce?
Leave a comment below and let me know ! Thanks for reading ?