Shopify is an amazing platform to use. It is user-friendly and allows for nice, themed pages even if you’re not a web developer or web designer. With just a few clicks, Shopify lets you launch your very own online store. It also allows for app integrations that help you in operating and scaling your business.
There are some pitfalls that you’ll want to avoid when you run your e-commerce store, as these may ruin your business:
Having Unclear or Incomplete Product Cards
Some sellers overlook their product files and end up posting product images that don’t have a high-quality resolution. Some sellers also miss the opportunity to optimize the accompanying text for product searches.
Take the time to take great quality product photos to upload to your site. Some even hire photographers to get the job done. After all, we want to catch the attention of our consumers and inspire them to purchase the product.
Curate the content of your product technical sheet so that it clearly tells us what the item is for, what it is made of, and what it looks like. You’ll want to set the right expectations for your customers regarding your product. Equally important is determining targeted keywords that you can use for SEO purposes.
Marketing Online Without a Clear Strategy
You’ll find that this marketplace has many merchants selling the same products that you’re selling. Price differential may even be really low, if it exists at all, as most sellers price their products competitively. How do you bring consumers to your store and convert these site visits?
This is what an effective marketing plan does – builds brand awareness, increases traffic from the targeted audience, and improves your conversion rate. A strategic marketing campaign is key in accelerating revenue.
Well-thought-out and fully optimized PPC ads have shown to provide a significant increase in site traffic. You’ll want to use targeted keywords, an optimized landing page that converts, and ads that grab attention.
Since most people are glued to their social media accounts, you’ll want to be highly visible there as well. You can also utilize a Facebook shop to display your Shopify items.
Other sellers expand to other platforms as well so that they can cast a wider net. To help you get started, it is important to check if there are fees involved. If you want to sell your Shopify products on Amazon or other channels, you can download an app on the Shopify app store that allows this. You might want to utilize an Amazon calculator to help make this a profitable venture.
Not Defining Your Audience
Target marketing works efficiently with an audience that has been properly defined. Segmenting your audience helps improve your customer engagement rates because you’re able to curate your newsletters or sales letters accordingly. Customers tend to engage when the emails resonate strongly. If your target market is the Gen Z crowd, you’ll want to send them emails that they can relate with, such as trends and activities that people in that segment enjoy. If your target customers are homemakers, then you’ll want to send them an email that focuses on their craft. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all marketing email.
Having a Landing Page that Doesn’t Prioritize Conversion
A landing page that fails to convert is an opportunity and a sales loss. There are things that you need to check when you set up your landing page. A good landing page converts site visits. The content has to grab your visitors’ attention and entice them to click your CTA buttons.
It starts with good design. A great theme can help with that, and Shopify offers free and premium themes to work with. Keep your customers engaged by having relevant content on your page that inspires action. It’s helpful to also make sure your contact information and CTA buttons are visible on every page.
Since most people use their phones to browse and purchase, you’ll want to make sure that your landing page is responsive and that all links are working.
Not Choosing Your Apps Wisely
Shopify offers many apps, and you might be tempted to use them all. Do take note that these apps may slow down your website. Site latency may cause your bounce rate to rise, and we don’t want that. Download only those apps that are essential for your shop.
Not Tracking Accurately
Performing real-time manual tracking can be hard, but this is important. By knowing your numbers, you reduce the risk of losing money plus you’ll be able to make sound business decisions. There are calculators and apps available across different platforms. You can access the Shopify app store to look for apps that can help you monitor your numbers.
Having a Complicated Payment Process
Customers want things done right and fast, and having a complicated payment process may turn them away. Aside from this, if your store does not offer their preferred payment method, they might take their business elsewhere. You’ll want to give them as many options as possible and it’s also important that you check your payment process to make sure it’s convenient for them.
Not Running Retention Programs
This is often overlooked, but there is a strong need to implement retention programs to keep your customers coming back and to make them want to keep doing business with you, not with your competitors. If this sounds like a handful, you can download the loyalty app from Shopify.
Ignoring Your Cart Abandonment Rate
There are reasons that are beyond our control, but studies have pointed out some of the main reasons why customers abandon carts. Among them are the hidden fees and steep shipping costs, complicated payment processes, and payment security issues. These reasons are things you can resolve, so you’ll want to find a workaround, so they won’t cancel their purchase.
Having a Poor Delivery Strategy
Customers typically want affordable prices and fast shipping or delivery. If your competition can offer faster shipping, you might lose your competitive edge. Allowing your customers to select their preferred delivery method will work to your advantage. If pickup is possible, then include that in the list.
E-commerce success doesn’t happen overnight. If you make mistakes, use that as a learning experience. It may not be a fun one, but what’s important is that you learn from it. Even the biggest online sellers have had their fair share.
