4 Common Mistakes Made When Creating an Ecommerce Shop

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The ecommerce industry promises a stable revenue stream and, as such, it is very attractive to entrepreneurs. But there is one important thing that a majority of people who enter this industry overlook – it takes hard work and dedication before you can enjoy a profitable ecommerce store.

There are a lot of pitfalls that await you on your journey, and staying informed and on top of your game is the only way for you to avoid falling into them and risking failure.

This is why we have compiled a list of the four common mistakes people make when creating an ecommerce shop.

List of the four common mistakes made when creating an eCommerce shop

Using Free Website Builders and Hosts

When it comes to running any business, you have to do everything in your power to be the master of your own fate. This especially applies to the ecommerce industry.

Free website builders and free hosting might seem like an attractive option, especially if you are starting with a small budget, but trust us, your online shop is your most important asset in this line of business and you don’t want to try and cut any corners.

Some of the problems you might experience are way too frequent downtimes of your online shop, poor website speed, and, ultimately, the inability to choose a custom domain name.

The three best ecommerce hosting providers on the market are Inmotion Hosting, Hub, and SiteGround. Carefully review what each one of these offers before you make your final pick.

For instance, SiteGround has limited bandwidth and a 10GB limit in terms of disk space, while Inmotio and Hub do not. It might be smarter to choose an option with fewer limits as it will come really handy once your online shop starts to grow and attract more customers.

Read Also: Best CMS for Ecommerce Website

Choosing the Wrong Ecommerce Platform

There are many different ecommerce platforms out there to choose from. This choice is hard because it will determine how well your store works and grows, as well as other aspects of your operations. Basically, the platform you choose will dictate the functionality of your online store.

If you make a wrong choice, you will have to pay extra to move your webshop to another platform or pay the developers to implement advanced modules.

The best way to choose the right ecommerce platform for your online shop is to take a look at your business plan and write down your business goals and needs.

The best ecommerce platforms are PrestaShop, Magento, WooCommerce, and Shopify. You should review the pros and cons of each one of these before you reach your final decision.

Read Also: Drive more sales using these 5 best Magento Extensions

Only One Shipping Option

Shipping Option

Customers love to have options when it comes to how they want their product to be shipped. You have to do your best to satisfy their need.

For instance, what if someone wants to purchase your products or services as a present. This is just one of the problems you’ll have to address.

Does your online shop have the functionality that supports the billing and shipping address? Do you also ship internationally? Who are your carriers going to be?

To find the answers to all these questions, you have two options. First, you can dig into the researches done in your target market, so that you can learn what your future customers expect.

And second, a more budget-friendly option, visit your competitors’ online stores and see what they are doing.

These are the top ecommerce shipping options:

  • Free in-store pickup – this is the best option for retailers with a physical store.
  • Free shipping is a great way to lure customers to buy more products to qualify for free shipping.
  • Same-day delivery – if you are dealing with perishable goods, this your only option. On the other hand, you can delight your customers who are willing to pay extra for ultra-fast delivery.
  • LTL freight carriers – you should consider this option only if you are sailing in B2B trading waters.

Not Addressing Bad Customer Experiences

Entrepreneurs entering the ecommerce industry tend to forget about the most important aspect of the shopping experience – customer service. This is something you absolutely have to focus on. Bad reviews lead to a bad reputation, thus slowly shutting the door of your operations.

What can you do to make yourself available to frustrated customers? A viable and inexpensive solution is live chat software. Something you can find on almost all online shop websites.

Live chat tools offer an amazing opportunity to be there for your customers 24/7/365. You can use it to address their frustrations in real-time as well as to help them reach an informed purchasing decision.

Read Also: Top eCommerce Web Design Trends 2021

If you avoid these four common mistakes when creating an ecommerce shop, you will significantly increase your chances of success.

Additionally, with paid hosting, a quality domain name, and the right ecommerce platform, you will be able to scale your business to the market’s needs and custom-tailor your website to meet the specific needs of your customers.

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