Why isn’t my e-commerce selling? The 20 mistakes to avoid
There can be several reasons why your e-commerce isn’t selling. There could be a site navigability problem, or it could be a matter of insufficient communication or poor visibility. Below is an overview of 20 mistakes to avoid.
Table of Contents
The problems of an e-commerce that isn’t selling
Starting an online business does not mean taking on less risk than someone who launches a traditional business; on the contrary, the range of mistakes you might make or that you are already making and that jeopardize the success of your online business is very wide and insidious. You may have underestimated the technical aspect of the site, for example by not paying enough attention to Design and User Experience (UX Design) or to image quality. More details below.
The 20 mistakes that prevent your e-commerce from selling
Technical mistakes:
1. Underestimating navigability and User Experience
The term navigability refers to how easily users can move around a website; that is, it is something related to the consumer’s experience (“User Experience“). Good navigability includes a logical organization of content, an intuitively structured menu, in short, easy accessibility to information. Users must be able to easily find what they are looking for. Underestimating this aspect is a typical mistake of an e-commerce that isn’t selling.
2. Neglecting graphic design (Using low-quality images)
Another mistake to avoid is neglecting the graphic design of your site. This means designing and arranging visual elements, such as layout, colors and images, in a strategic way. The goal is, once again, to improve the user experience.
Commercial mistakes
3. Listing unappealing or poorly presented products
Listing products that are unappealing or presented in a sloppy and unattractive way can negatively affect users’ perception and the brand’s reputation.
4. Not knowing your target audience
If you don’t know your target audience, you can’t use the appropriate language and the targeted marketing strategy that is the only effective one, that is, the one capable of making your e-commerce’s sales work.
5. Not keeping up with direct competitors
The vastness of the internet is well known, so it goes without saying that every e-commerce online has to deal with a huge number of other competing sites (competitors). A well-thought-out commercial strategy is needed to stand out in the ocean of opportunities, and above all you need to analyze your competitors’ moves in order to keep up with them. Without a strategy, no e-commerce sells enough.
6. Not including related product lists
Related product lists show other products that might be of interest, based on the user’s searches. This measure is very useful to increase the likelihood of a sale and, as usual, to improve the user experience.
7. Not diversifying the versions of each product enough
Adding different colors of the same product, dimensions, sizes, materials or more ensures efficient product management and increases the likelihood of a sale because you satisfy the demands of a wider slice of the audience.
Communication mistakes
8. Not taking care of multichannel visibility
Not being present with social profiles or with a business profile on Google is counterproductive, especially in a landscape where everyone is. An e-commerce does not sell exclusively on the site; often sales start on other channels.
9. Not including the About Us page
Many choose not to include an “About Us” page on their e-commerce, considering it useless; this is a mistake. Introducing yourself and providing information about the brand is essential to convey a sense of reliability and transparency.
10. Not showing contact details
As with the “About Us” page, the “Contacts” page is also a must-have to avoid generating distrust.
11. Underestimating SEO
You must always optimize your content for search engines to attract organic traffic; you should never underestimate SEO. SEO strategies for e-commerce are designed precisely on the basis of the search intents of potential buyers. If you don’t know what your potential customers want, it’s likely that your e-commerce isn’t selling because it doesn’t have the right users.
12. Not having a BLOG
A blog can be really useful for an e-commerce in several ways: both by generating organic traffic and by expanding the available information on the site about the showcased products. The blog can also engage the community by generating discussions and Comment Sharing, actions that foster Brand Awareness.
13. Not investing in live chat
Investing in live chat helps manage the flow of user requests. Perhaps your e-commerce doesn’t sell on the first try, but if a user can ask for help from a chat that knows how to give the right answers, they will probably complete that pending purchase.
14. Lack of feedback from users
User feedback can be essential for detecting and correcting the mistakes that put the business at risk.
Logistical mistakes
15. Lack of an effective return policy
A user who has a clear understanding of what to do if the product they buy does not match their expectations, whether they can make a return and get their money back or not, is a user who buys willingly, driven by a sense of trust and reliability toward the brand.
16. Offering only one payment method
Offering only one payment method, rather than a wide range of options, can contribute to halving the number of conversions.
17. Problems with product delivery
It is inevitable that a user who has made a purchase and does not receive it, or receives it damaged and is not taken care of, is a lost customer.
Relational mistakes
18. Not providing a Loyalty program
Users’ Loyalty to a brand or a product must be cultivated like a garden. It is a key concept in the field of customer relations. In fact, building loyalty leads to an increase in sales and above all in long-term profitability.
19. Problems with the security and privacy of customer data
The security and privacy of customer data online must be managed through the use of encryption, secure password management and regular updating of security software. In addition, it is absolutely essential to educate and clearly inform users about the collection and use of their data.
20. Not taking complaints into account
Not taking complaints into account is a mistake because, in addition to the likelihood of generating unpleasant disputes, you run the risk of falling into the extremely unpleasant phenomenon of the Shitstorm, that is, the rain of negative comments that, in the worst case, can decree the definitive death
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