The Most Common eCommerce Mistakes Online Businesses Make

If you're ready to start selling online, you should know a few things about the eCommerce landscape.

We've put together a list of the most common eCommerce mistakes that people make—and what you can do to avoid them.

The Most Common eCommerce Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Not having a business plan in place

You may think planning for success is all about what you're selling and how much money it will make. However, to avoid common mistakes, your eCommerce business plan should also include how you'll manage your finances and keep track of inventory. After all, you're looking to make money over the long term, not just right now.

You should also consider where to manufacture your product, how to ship it, and what marketing strategies to use to help grow your business over time.

Mistake #2: Not understanding who your customers are

One of the most common eCommerce mistakes is not knowing who your target audience is before launching an eCommerce campaign.

Knowing your target audience allows you to tailor everything, from your website design to social media posts, to reach the right people and generate positive customer reviews. You must also understand what motivates these people—what are their biggest frustrations? What do they want most from life?

If you don't know these things about them, you can't offer them anything meaningful or valuable when it comes time to make a sale.

Understanding your customer personas can help you build high performing funnels which will make your advertising that much more effective. Too many eCommerce businesses advertise without knowing how to effectively communicate to their audience at the various points in the customer journey.

Mistake #3: eCommerce SEO mistakes

eCommerce SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the most crucial things to get right in your eCommerce business. Using the right keywords in your content is essential to getting it ranked well in search engines like Google and Bing and making it easier for people to find you online. You can do this by using relevant keywords related to what you're selling on each page.

Some common eCommerce mistakes for SEO include:

1. Duplicate content across multiple pages

2. Keyword stuffing or over-optimizing your content

3. Forgetting to add images and videos

3. Slow site speed

3. Not optimizing your site for mobile

Mistake #4: A badly-designed website with Poor UX and complex navigation

The first thing customers see when they visit your site is the homepage, so make sure it's compelling! Add a video or animation that tells the story of your brand and why people should buy from you. This can hook visitors and encourage them to browse your offerings and purchase something.

Not only do you want your website to look good, but you want it to convert users into paying customers. Have easy-to-find content and a simple checkout process to avoid frustrating potential customers who decide to shop elsewhere. This is one of the main mistakes to avoid when building a new eCommerce website.

Mistake #5: Nothing in place to drive repeat customers

According to the Adobe Digital Index, most online retailers dedicate approximately 80% of their digital marketing budgets to customer acquisition efforts. However, it is very important to remember that the customer journey does not end at the sale. You need to have a strong post-purchase sms or email workflow in place to drive repeat customers

The post purchase stage in the customer experience is when the brand can cultivate an ongoing relationship with the customer. According to Business.com, repeat customers spend 67% more on average than those who are new to your business.

Timing is key - make sure to not hit them too soon or too late. Some popular post-purchase strategies include: 

• Offer cross-sells after a purchase. We have some great AI driven tools to ensure the best product recommendations are being served to the right customers.
• Offer a subscriptions or replenishment option for products that require it.
• Build in a referral program so your customers can bring in friends and family.

Get In Touch to Learn More About eCommerce Business Success Strategies

If you're looking to improve your eCommerce business, we'd love to help.

At Ecommerce Quarterback in Canada, we've been helping eCommerce business owners establish and scale beyond their wildest dreams for over 20 years.

Contact us today at (877) 326-6360 for a free consultation on how to improve your business by avoiding these common eCommerce mistakes.

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