Today we prepared a list of the 10 most common mistakes made by beginners in the e-commerce industry. Treat it as your benchmark when checking what is missing in your store missing and what to improve. Let’s start with a list!

1. Trying to build an online store on your own

Instead of using one of the eCommerce building platforms, many marketers try to be self-sufficient. On the one hand, it gives them complete freedom, but on the other hand, there is so much more work to be done in this scenario. When starting an eCommerce business, we recommend that you use one of the eCommerce building platforms, to save time and money. Choosing the right platform for business is also crucial.

2. Extremely wide range of products

It is best to start with a few types of products but of high quality. It is easier to run a shop with fewer products at first. This way a shop owner can learn the whole process and control the demand in the market. If the business goes well, it can always be expanded later.

3. Poor product descriptions

A thorough yet precise product description and a suitable photo are a must. Customers need to know exactly what they are buying as this is an online business we are talking about. There is no way to see and touch the product before purchasing it. A good description is therefore a basis for customer confidence.

4. Ignoring mobile users

Mobile phones are an inherent part of people’s lives today. Therefore, an online store that is not mobile-friendly loses a significant number of customers. And by optimized for mobile devices we mean simplifying the navigation of the store on a mobile phone, allowing the adaptation of the screen size, etc.

5. Forgetting about customer service

Even though we are talking about an online store here, it still requires contact with customers. It takes a lot more effort, but it should not be overlooked. What are the options for getting in touch with buyers? There is a little. A dedicated “Contact” page is essential. Customers should be able to easily find an email address and phone number or contact form to fill out. Other options include a support chat or a newsletter.

6. Skipping the testing phase

We highly recommend testing your e-commerce store before going live. It can be tested on your own, but we encourage you to ask others to do so as well. Just go to the website, check if all pages are responsive, go through the purchase, and test if the navigation is intuitive and clear. The testing phase helps merchants understand customer preferences and improve their shopping experience.

7. Overcomplicating the purchase process

Nobody wants to click ten pages before they can purchase an item. Many customers simply give up halfway. The payment process must be simple and effective to reduce the number of cart abandonments. It is recommended that you put as much information as possible on a page to limit the need to redirect customers to different sites.

8. No “About Us” page

It’s surprising how many eCommerce stores forget about this page. This shouldn’t be the case, as the About Us page is one of the most powerful tools for building a trusting relationship with a customer. Companies have the opportunity to tell their story and remind customers that while this is an online store, there are real people behind it, who work hard to make it successful.

9. Lack of social proof

Social proof is another way to earn customer trust. It is an undeniable fact that people are more willing to buy something if they see other people’s product reviews. The comment section is one of the most important parts of an online store.

10. Missing SEO and marketing strategy

SEO, which stands for search engine optimization, is one of the marketing tools. Its goal is to increase the visibility of a website (in this case, an e-commerce store) in search engine results. It focuses on free and organic search results. Combined with paid advertising like Google Shopping Ads, it is a perfect combination that helps drive traffic to the store and increase sales.

These are the most common mistakes in the e-commerce store building process. Avoiding them will definitely increase your chances of a successful and thriving online business! If you need some additional help on any of the points above or in building an online store in general, feel free to contact us.

Feel free to reach out to me if you need help with what is right for you, using this link.

Cheers!