Creating an online store is easier than ever with various low-cost and user-friendly platforms. However, getting new customers and driving sales from existing ones are necessary for the growth of your eCommerce business. Each marketing channel requires effort, resources, and money, so finding a proper balance that works for your enterprise is essential. Even seasoned eCommerce users can find it difficult to increase revenues and grow their businesses.
Mistakes can be an invaluable part of the learning process, but it’s best to prevent them from happening in the first place. To help you do this, being aware of the most common errors business owners make in eCommerce can help save you from costly mistakes and missed possibilities.
To draw on the experience of both Shopiroller’s team and its global network of over 500,000 eCommerce stores, here are five tips to help new sellers avoid the most common mistakes made in the eCommerce industry. This advice is based on our combined years of running an eCommerce platform.
Not Knowing Your Target Audience
Business owners who fail to correctly identify and understand their target customers often miss out on opportunities. It is not enough to have a product that someone may need or want; you must also make sure potential customers are aware of your business by utilizing effective marketing techniques. This requires understanding who your target audience is and how to reach them.
Without a clear idea of your target audience, every marketing initiative you undertake will be a shot in the dark. Knowing your audience will enable you to identify which images and words best capture their attention when creating ads, determine which social networks to focus on most actively, and more. Invest time and effort into learning as much as possible about your potential customers.
- What issues are they facing?
- What do they seek out?
- What activities bring them joy?
- Which communities do they associate with?
- What principles shape their worldviews?
- In what ways do they interact with content online?
- What platforms do they frequent?
Understanding who your target audience is and what they think will help you create a brand message they can relate to and an enjoyable shopping experience that keeps them coming back.
Not Knowing which eCommerce Channels to Choose
It’s not enough to identify your target audience; you need to understand the best way of reaching them. Are they active on Facebook? Do they prefer shopping online via Amazon or eBay? Would they benefit from reading email newsletters? Knowing these details is crucial for ensuring that your products are seen by those who will appreciate them most, regardless of their value.
eCommerce channels have different purposes and target the same shoppers. Please find out how other media operate and experiment with them to determine which ones are most effective for your store. Feel free to try new approaches to reaching prospective customers online. Keep testing and adjusting until you get the results you’re looking for.
Begin by creating a set of goals for what you would like to achieve with your marketing efforts
Do you wish to:
- Attract new customers who are actively seeking services or products.
- Reconnect with existing customers?
- Reach out to fresh prospects?
- Increase the quantity and quality of website traffic.
Based on your objectives, choose the eCommerce channels that are most effective in connecting your business to prospective customers
- Search Engines such as Google and Bing provide an excellent opportunity for targeting people who are already interested in your products. The different types of ads they offer, including text ads, image ads, product listings, and voice search marketing, make it easier to reach potential customers who are actively searching for what you’re offering. Optimizing your eCommerce website’s SEO can help you rank for relevant search terms, increasing your website’s organic traffic.
- Online Marketplaces are also a great way to reach actively searching shoppers who can easily browse through many products from different categories. Amazon and eBay are popular marketplaces that can provide exposure to many shoppers but can also be very competitive. Smaller niche or local marketplaces might offer more visibility and generate sales at a lower cost.
- Online Marketplaces are an ideal way to access shoppers looking to purchase items. Popular marketplaces like Amazon and eBay may be intense competition, but smaller niche or local marketplaces can provide more visible opportunities with less expense.
- Email Marketing is an effective tool for reaching shoppers with high conversion potential. This involves contacting previous customers who have already purchased from you or those who are interested in your business and willingly gave you their email addresses, thereby increasing the chances of them buying something from you in the future.
- Retargeting enables you to focus on customers who visit your site. Even though numerous buyers leave their carts, they are generally still interested and easier to convert. You can activate remarketing through systems like Google Ads and Facebook Ads by placing a unique tracking code on your website so visitors can be served ads in the future. Establishing automated emails for deserted carts to remind customers about the items they looked at from your store is essential.
- Social networks can help you reach potential customers who may not be actively seeking out products but might be open to viewing new ideas or content. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are all popular platforms utilized by hundreds of millions of people worldwide daily. These platforms also offer precise targeting options based on lifestyle, demographics, and behavior.
Not Investing in Your Product Pages
Potential customers can only touch and feel your products after purchasing them, but they will engage with the product pages. Your product pages must convince shoppers to buy from you over another vendor.
Create appealing product pages that attract customers
- Ensure that your product descriptions are precise and attractive, including features, specifications, and advantages.
- Showcase your products using high-quality images or videos. Incorporate customer reviews and endorsements, as these significantly influence conversion rates – but make sure the reviews seem genuine.
- Enhance the SEO of your product pages by incorporating all pertinent keywords and avoid copying descriptions from manufacturers or suppliers, as this could lead to search engine penalties.
Creating Poor Shopping Experiences
Once customers reach the end of your sales process, it’s time to finalize the transaction. Unfortunately, many eCommerce websites experience a high rate of abandoned shopping carts at this stage. To help shoppers complete their purchase, ensure they can do so quickly.
Simplify your Shopping Cart
- Streamline your Shopping Cart and make the checkout process smoother for customers. Big buttons, small text, and fewer steps are crucial to making the experience easier and more efficient. Remove any unnecessary fields from the checkout page to ensure shoppers don’t give up before purchasing. Simplifying the shopping cart will help boost conversions.
Allow shoppers to purchase a product without creating an account
- Offer customers a quick and easy checkout process to purchase their desired product and pay. After that, you can focus on adding them to your mailing list or loyalty program.
Be transparent with shoppers and let them know ahead of time about any potential fees
- Shoppers are more likely to trust a transparent business about all charges associated with their purchase. Make sure to disclose any taxes or shipping fees before customers reach the checkout page so they know exactly what to expect when they finish their transaction. Doing this helps build trust with shoppers and prevents them from being surprised by unexpected fees. You don’t have to cover the cost of tax and shipping yourself; be upfront about it!
Provide shoppers with multiple payment options
- You don’t want to drive away potential customers just because they can’t pay you in their preferred method. There are many online payment options like credit cards, digital wallets, and mobile payment solutions – find out which ones your target customers use and focus on those. This way, you will retain potential revenue due to a lack of payment options.
Providing Poor Customer Care
Your customers are essential for the success of your business. Keeping an existing customer is simpler and more profitable than acquiring a new one, and they may even refer additional business to you if your customer service is outstanding.
On the other hand, poor customer care, such as slow response time or showing impatience, not offering refunds, etc., can lead to losing existing customers and hinder you from gaining new ones.
Customer care encompasses many different aspects, such as how you:
- Respond to customer inquiries on your website,
- Answer queries and comments on social media platforms,
- Address grievances over the phone or through email.
Be present when your clients require assistance and give them your complete focus and help.
Gain Insight from These eCommerce Mistakes to Increase Your Sales and Expand Your Online Presence
Understanding and being aware of the mistakes common by both beginner and experienced eCommerce entrepreneurs is critical to success. Not only will you be better prepared to dodge these pitfalls, but you’ll also realize that making errors isn’t necessarily fatal. Your venture can still thrive if you identify the misstep and take corrective action. When your eCommerce website is running smoothly, you’ll enjoy a loyal customer base that is eager to purchase from you over and over.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q: What is one way to simplify a shopping cart?
A: Allow shoppers to purchase a product without creating an account and provide a quick and easy checkout process.
Q: Why should businesses be transparent about fees?
A: Businesses should be transparent about fees, so shoppers know exactly what to expect when they finish their transaction. This helps build trust with shoppers and prevents them from being surprised by unexpected expenditures.
Q: What kind of payment options should businesses provide?
A: Businesses should provide shoppers multiple payment options, including credit cards, digital wallets, and mobile payment solutions. This way, they will retain potential revenue due to a lack of payment options.
Q: Why is customer care important for eCommerce businesses?
A: Customer care is essential for eCommerce businesses because it can help keep existing customers and attract new ones. Good customer service includes responding to inquiries quickly, addressing grievances properly, being present when clients require assistance and offering refunds when necessary.
Q: What are some digital marketing strategies for eCommerce success?
A: Digital marketing strategies for eCommerce success include optimizing website content and images for SEO, providing engaging content on social media, creating attractive email campaigns, and offering discounts and incentives to encourage purchases.
Q: How can Shopiroller help businesses reach more customers?
A: Shopiroller can help businesses reach more customers by providing tools for creating professional online stores and digital marketing services to promote products effectively. With Shopiroller, companies can increase their visibility in the marketplace and attract more customers.
CONCLUSION
By avoiding these common eCommerce mistakes, shopiroller can ensure a steady flow of customers and maintain their trust. With the right combination of digital marketing strategies and excellent customer service, shopiroller is sure to see success in the marketplace. Get started today by creating your store with Shopiroller – let us help you reach more customers and grow your business!
