eCommerce has become very normal and used. Plenty of companies have opted for this option and have no physical stores; they sell everything through their website, and that is how they reach their customers. Even though it has become quite common, many new sellers are still making mistakes that could be avoided in order to help their brand succeed. A few of those mistakes go beyond specific sellers and are usual among the newest of them. But those errors can be easily corrected if you pay attention and know how to work around them.
1. Low-quality website design
The design of your website should be your number one priority when setting up your eCommerce store, since it is the first impression customers will get of your brand. You need to make sure it looks like a trustworthy site with a modern and appealing design. If you can afford it, you should invest in graphic designers and website designers; they will help you attract a bigger number of customers. Make sure your texts are not all caps and that you have more than one image.
Aside from being attractive, your site needs to be user-friendly, so that everyone can navigate through it easily. Keeping this in mind, it must work on multiple devices, so that customers can access it from their smartphones, laptops, or tablets, as well as being able to make purchases on all of them. This will guarantee your customers keep coming back, scrolling through your site, and purchasing items.
2. Bad customer service
One of the key elements for your eCommerce store to succeed is having great customer service. If you forget about this, you risk losing buyers. People are looking for a website that listens to them and pays attention to what their needs are. The feeling of being cared for will create customer loyalty that will allow your eCommerce store to succeed in the long run.
What is it that they are looking for? Everyone wants their issues to be solved quickly. To achieve this, you should make sure they are not put on hold or passed around having to speak to multiple people. Make sure their conflicts can be resolved by speaking directly to one person as soon as they reach out asking for help. In addition, they should have a dedicated US phone number they can call to speak to customer service. This will show that you are committed to them and that you want to help them in any way possible. Having a real person they can speak to will help to build trust and customer loyalty.
3. Not having a social media presence
Just having your website will not be enough for people to get to know you and for you to reach the broad audience you would want. You need to have a social media presence that will allow many to get to know your brand and your vision. Plus, it is a great marketing tool that you can take advantage of for free by simply creating attractive content.
Customers will be able to like and share your posts with others, increasing your sales. You can invest in a social media expert who will make your accounts stand out.
4. Lack of payment and delivery options
We live in a time and age where people expect to pay for things and immediately have them at their doorstep. To achieve this goal, you need to have multiple options for them to pay and receive their products. You should do research to find out which payment and delivery options customers prefer, so you can offer them; this will guarantee they keep coming back.
When it comes to payment, do not stay with the typical credit card option like PayPal and Shopify payments. Those may be the easiest go-to options, but they are not the most eCommerce-friendly solutions. When it comes to accepting payment to your eCommerce store, I highly suggest you find a payment provider that specializes in eCommerce that will allow you to process major banks and credit cards and that understands the whole online business industry. Having the wrong payment provider could put your business on hold for either scaling too quickly or not understanding your shipping times.
And when it comes to delivery, you should offer several methods at different prices. Some people want what they bought as soon as possible, no matter the cost. Others are willing to wait however long it takes, if there is free shipping. And, many of your customers will want to have a say in when, where, and how their product is delivered. You need to be able to guarantee whatever option works best for them.
5. Undefined target audience
One of the most important parts of setting up an eCommerce store is establishing a target audience. You need to have a clear idea of who your audience is and work towards attracting them. For that purpose, you need to create the ideal customer profile with their interests, the culture(s) they may be a part of, the values that are important to them, and what kind of needs they have. Once you have this, your brand should work around that profile.
These five typical mistakes new eCommerce sellers make can be avoided from the very beginning. If you know your brand and pay attention to the kind of customer you want, you will be able to have a successful business. Notice that these errors come from not paying attention to details, which is key when having your eCommerce store. Make sure you stick to your plan and know exactly the kind of customers you want to attract; they will help you reach your company’s goals.
