7 Most Common Ecommerce Mistakes You Need To Avoid

It is pretty common to commit mistakes in an e-commerce business. Sometimes even the reputed brands end up in taking the wrong strategy which costs them a lot. Looking at the current scenario of cutthroat competition, it is advisable to minimise the faults. Especially, the newcomers should be watchful to minute errors they are making. Then only they will be able to mark their dominance in the e-commerce world.

Mistakes can occur in every aspect of an online store. Be it web designing or promoting the products online, mismanagement can lead to the loss of many potential customers. So, in this article, we have highlighted the common mistakes you can make as a newcomer in the e-commerce industry.

1. Search Engine Friendly Website

Search engines are an important aspect of an online store. They help customer to find their desired product. They will be displeased if they don’t get the relevant results. It is more likely that they will leave your site and search at another place. So, your e-commerce site should own a fast and accurate search engine. You should provide a filter for different categories as well.

2.Common mistakes in the product pages-

People spend most of their time in the product pages. They check if the product meets their specific requirement or not. Just like brick and mortar shops, a customer wants to closely observe the quantity and quality of a product. And if your store doesn’t provide sufficient detailing on each product, the customer will find it risky to shop from you. So, you can correct this fault by adding plenty of product information to your site. Not just a written description, a customer will want to view the product from every angle. Many online stores make a mistake by providing unclear and little product images. That is totally unsatisfactory for customers. On the contrary, stores who showcase large and high-quality pictures are adored by the audience. It is better if you share multiple product pictures taken from different angles. Make sure that people can zoom them to view in detail. The images should resemble the actual product.

Let us have a checklist on what should you display on a product page-

• All the dimensions like size, weight etc.
• Material or fabric, pattern
• Category
• Available colours and sizes
• Packing details
• Special features
• Pricing
• Special discount or offer
• Customer review and ratings
• Commonly asked questions

Including these information will help your customer to make a perfect buying decision.

Another mistake many stores do is that they don’t put up the related products on the screen. For example, if somebody buys a t-shirt your product page must show matching trousers to pair with it. Or you can share what other customers brought along with the t-shirt. You can give some discount if your customer buys both t-shirt and trousers at once. This tactic is known as upselling. It improves your sales strikingly!

3. Improper shopping cart

Now the person has made the buying decision. Next, he will want to view the shopping cart. Some stores have a system where they don’t allow the user to delete some items on the same page. This limit can annoy the user as they have to go back to the product page from where they started. Hence, provide the options of adding or deleting the number of products from the shopping cart itself. Clearly show the quantity of selected items and the net price plus delivery charges.

4. Lengthy checkout process

Studies have confirmed that more than 70% of the people leave the site if the checkout process takes too long. It is a huge mistake to redirect people to different pages for placing an order. For example, some stores urge the audience to open an account right during order confirmation. As a service provider, your prime motive should be delivering a hassle free payment system. So, try to make the checkout procedure as simple as possible. After the page of shopping cart, keep another page to furnish card details and address for delivery. Thereafter, add a confirmation page and complete the purchase.

5. Only one or two payment methods

As an online seller, you will be dealing with a diverse community. Obviously, everyone will be having their preferable mode of payment from credit card to mobile wallets. The interested shoppers can’t buy if you don’t offer a specific transaction channel. So, allow a range of options like Paypal, internet banking, Google pay, MasterCard etc.

6. Lack of efficient customer care

In case the customer has any problem with the product quality or delivery system, they should be able to contact you seamlessly. You are making a huge mistake if you have not yet provided 24/7 customer support service. Many customers check the honesty of a store from customer care. So, you should readily give your contact details like email, phone number, address on the website. And always be available to solve the complaints of your consumers. To help your customers, it is advisable to add frequently asked questions on the products page. In this way, your customers will grow faith and trust in your store.

7. Sponsoring campaigns without targeting demographics.

It is possible to make mistakes at this point too. Before putting money in an advertisement, you have to undertake optimum research. You need to understand the people who will be buying your product. Then only the right platform can be chosen to exhibit your campaign. So, take the help of metrics, analytical tools to identify the interest of your audience. Prepare an ideal buyer persona. Now customise your sales campaign according to the situation. This will save you a lot of capital and gain you faster access to your customers. Without proper planning, brand engagement will be poor and promotion will be ineffective.

So, these were the 7 common blunders committed by newbies in online marketing. Be careful while setting up your online store and advertising it. Mistakes can teach us the most important lessons. So, be confident at start your business today itself!