4 E-commerce Store Mistakes to Avoid

2018

28

Sep
E-commerce-Store-Mistakes-to-avoid

An effective e-commerce store can be an absolute money machine. However, in order to get the best out of your web design, you’ll need to avoid some of the main pitfalls many online shops fall into.

Here are a few of the key e-commerce mistakes you’ll need to steer clear of:


1. Not having a clear customer service platform


Too many modern stores are run as ‘side projects’, and as a result, they only offer a bare minimum of customer service - an e-mail address, for instance. Many sites don’t even have a phone number.

If you can offer full customer service - a phone number, an e-mail address, live chat and a genuine address - users will trust you more than they will the fly-by-night operators.


2. Poor product images


You might be surprised just how many websites use low-quality, stock photos. This is another error you find in less-professionals stores, and if you do the same, customers will mentally put you into the same group.

Use a good camera, take shots from multiple viewpoints and ensure that, if customers want to, they can zoom into the image for more detail.


3. Bad product descriptions


Another common mistake websites make is to copy and paste their product descriptions from manufacturer instructions. There are two main reasons this is a bigger error than people think.

Firstly, your search engine rankings will suffer, as Google will see your site as having duplicate content. Secondly, you’ll look like a fly-by-night firm that simply doesn’t want to put the effort in. You’ll be seen as unprofessional, and customers will be less likely to trust you. 


4. Overdoing the checkout process


If a customer comes to your site knowing exactly what they want to buy, you don’t want it to take ten clicks for them to complete the checkout process.

There’s a reason Amazon has a 1-click option on many of its products: it’s because they know that for every step in the buying process, customers will drop out.

It might not be possible to give new customers a 1-click option, but you still don’t want to over-complicate things: all you need is a 'buy now' button, a delivery option and billing page, and a 'pay now' button. If you want to collect their e-mail address, include it on the second page.
 

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