Setting up an online eCommerce store is sometimes misunderstood as a straightforward activity that yields immediate results. While on the other hand, when designing a website the actual problem that comes after developing an eCommerce site is to attract the audience as this sector is highly competitive. The other obstacle to overcome is ensuring that all logistical and fulfillment concerns are foreseen and planned for.

So, if you don’t want your new eCommerce firm to struggle in a competitive market, you’ll need to know what typical eCommerce mistakes to avoid while launching or revamping your store, as well as how to avoid them.

So, let’s dive into the most common eCommerce Mistakes:

1. Selecting the Incorrect eCommerce Platform:

Between eCommerce platforms, there are substantial variances. Some provide the most basic functionality, with no possibility to improve.

Others may appear attractive initially, but you will be surprised by hidden expenses, making it more expensive than using a platform with an upfront fee. Primary eCommerce platforms are less likely to include native customization possibilities, relying on third-party solutions or lacking such features altogether.

There can be outcomes at the initial stage you may focus on B2C but further, plan out to expand into B2Bwell.

So, spend some time studying the best eCommerce platform if you’re just getting started and avoid common eCommerce mistakes. Talk to other store owners, read reviews, analyze, compare and then make a decision. If you already have an online store and you want to revamp it, you should consider shifting to a more appropriate forum.

2. Ignoring eCommerce Security:

While eCommerce development has benefited online transactions, it has also attracted the attention of hackers. This is why businesses should obtain an SSL Certificate to promote transparency and avoid difficulties.

SSL Certificates are used to encrypt sensitive data that is exchanged across the internet. It ensures that only the designated recipient receives the information. This is a critical step because all data supplied will pass through numerous computers before reaching the destination server.

Any electronic device between the sender and the server can access sensitive information if SSL certificate encryption is not present. Hackers can exploit your exposed passwords, usernames, credit card numbers, and other information to commit identity theft. As a result, the SSL certificate will help you by preventing undesired users from seeing your data.

3. Not Doing Market Research:

One of the common eCommerce mistakes is to avoid market research. Many companies forget to take into consideration the potential customer. Further, why the product is special, what needs it will fulfil and the competition all get ignored leading to product failure. Not only this, sometimes if businesses have properly identified who their customer is then they forget to understand when their customer is active or on through channels they will be able to sell more.

So, it is advisable to do proper market research including product pricing, marketing, on-going market share and much more. You can also make use of social media for identifying the market and capturing it in a strategic and economical way leading to fewer mistakes.

4. Compromise on High-quality Product Images:

The convenience of modern online shopping experiences is paramount. Customers will not be able to physically hold a product they are interested in throughout this experience. Businesses should fill this gap with high-quality product images from numerous angles. Moreover, when it’s about increasing the website speed then image optimization is the key. Saving the file type as PNG, JPEG, or GIF is the optimization hack.

5. Lack of UI/UX:

There are many businesses struggling with getting their website visitors converted successfully into customers. They often experience a high bounce rate and an increased cart abandonment rate. This can be due to low site speed or the complex menus.

To tackle these problems, one needs to work on their UI/UX. A complicated checkout procedure, large headers, light and thin fonts, text legibility issues on the majority of devices, and many more are common eCommerce mistakes that need to be avoided. So, before launching the eCommerce site a website usability test should be done. However, a mix of usability, efficiency, and aesthetics should be implemented.

6. Not Including Detailed Production Description:

Customers are far more likely to return for more when they can readily acquire the information they need. Furthermore, they lead to the highest possible return on investment. Customers desire more information about a product as they approach closer to making a buying decision, especially at higher price points. Product information that is both useful and informative encourages customers to buy and builds trust in your business.

7. Non-standard Navigation Style:

Everything crucial about your website is linked to the navigation, from content to URLs. The most typical blunder is using a non-standard navigation style. Visitors expect horizontal navigation over the top and vertical navigation along the left side.

Your site will be easier to use if your navigation is placed in conventional locations. This translates to a decreased bounce rate, more pages per visit, and increased conversions. Expect the unexpected. Yes, distinctiveness is essential in marketing, but your navigation style isn’t where to do it.

Your purpose is to assist visitors in finding your content, not to demonstrate a new way to navigate a website. Your navigation is also a great way to show search engines that you’re relevant. Because your audience isn’t looking for “items” or “services,” using popular terms to navigate won’t help you rank. As a general rule, the navigation within the site and the site’s structure should be optimized for search engines.

Reinvent the wheel!

What works for your business will be significantly influenced by your target audience’s interests and behaviors, the offers you’re pushing, the design of your website, and so much more. If you want to succeed in the competitive eCommerce sector, you must know which eCommerce mistakes need to be avoided then only you’ll be able to beat the competition and hit the break-even point.

Author Bio: Vishal Lakhani: CEO and Magento Solution Specialist at Rock Technolabs with over 10+ years of experience in eCommerce. Apart from blogging and playing with Magento, he loves to read, travel, and learn new technologies that help make the development process easier and more appealing to our clients.