The eCommerce sector experienced a considerable shift after the global pandemic in 2020; however, it is considered a positive change due to the transformation towards digitalization. In 2020 over two billion people purchased goods or services online, and during the same year, e-retail sales surpassed 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide.
Therefore, it is the optimum time for any business owner to grow online, and start selling using an online store. Businesses that are new to eCommerce struggle in the beginning, so if you are thinking about getting yours online, here are seven common business mistakes to avoid.
#1 NEGLECT MARKET RESEARCH
The market is precarious, changing fast, and has dynamic business activity. Therefore it is important to dig into research to study the location, the target audience, and your business idea before launching your eCommerce business. Additionally, try to find similar eCommerce businesses and compare your business to your competition. Market research helps you understand and identify the changes in your target market. Enhancing your market awareness minimizes the risk factor, and most importantly, gives you a holistic picture of market trends.
#2 POOR PAYMENT GATEWAY
Not only is the customer searching for a great product on your website, but also, they are looking for a professional service such as a simple and secure payment process. The payment gateway you pick for your eCommerce site ought to build a trustworthy experience for your customers as they purchase.
In 2018, a report published by cybersecurity firm Shape Security stated that 80% to 90% of the login attempts made online by a retailer’s eCommerce are by hackers using stolen data.
#3 NEGLECTING OPTIMIZING YOUR WEBSITE FOR MOBILE USERS
According to Cyber Monday ($9.2 billion in online revenue in 2019), 54% of visitors came from mobile devices, while around 33% purchased on their mobile devices, up over 40% from the year before. Therefore, not only is creating a mobile-friendly website design extremely essential for driving more sales, but also helps your business SEO-ranking improvement.
#4 LACK OF A BRAND IDENTITY
One of the most common business mistakes is starting an eCommerce website without paying attention to brand identity or message. The quality of the product must be united with a strong identity which makes it unique and one of a kind in the market. To create a booming eCommerce business, you must construct a strong brand identity.
As mentioned above, if you conduct sufficient market research, you should have a firm idea of the needs of your target audience. Accordingly, you know how to approach them. Focus on matching your logo to the business idea, pay attention to the tone of the content, and never belittle the importance of your email address format.
Having a solid brand identity increments client dependability and your potential for broad brand awareness.
#5 NOT SECURE WARNING
Last, but not least, the “Not Secure” warning pop-up message is a red flag for any new customer visiting your eCommerce website.
One of the most crucial elements in any eCommerce website is securing the transactions and the process of collecting sensitive data, such as banking data and personal information. Google formally endorses securing websites with HTTPS, since it is not only significant for business owners, who need their websites to perform sufficiently but also to increase traffic.
You can do that in two-step steps:
- First, make sure that you have an SSL certificate properly installed on your website.
- Second, confirm that your pages are being forced to HTTPS versions of the URL.
READY TO START SELLING ONLINE?
Any successful eCommerce business is built upon satisfying its customers. This article will help you identify the most common eCommerce business mistakes and how to avoid them, so that you ensure providing your customers with the best online shopping experience.
And always remember to…
GROW WITH GROW DIGITAL
