Starting a business from scratch is an exciting and often momentous occasion in an entrepreneur’s life. However, as any experienced businessperson knows, getting a company off the ground is also one of the toughest tasks anyone could hope to undertake. And one of the biggest aspects of setting up a new business is creating a functional and effective e-commerce store. After all, if your customers are having trouble finding, accessing, or buying your products online –– you’re going to struggle no matter how hard you work to establish your brand. To that end, today we’re going to explore several common mistakes that most businesses make when creating an online store –– and how you can avoid them!
Web Design Faux Pas
One big issue many new business owners face is deciding how they’re going to organize their website. In truth, this affects more than just your ability to draw interested leads to your e-commerce store. Still, making unwise web design choices isn’t likely to help your sales numbers. In addition, web design that favours flash over functionality will likely leave visitors confused or irritated. Remember, people are visiting your online store precisely because it’s supposed to be easy and convenient. Anything that takes away from that will only prove a detriment to your progress.
Broken Pages
Plain and simple you can’t go live with a new website or e-commerce store until you’ve worked out all the kinks. Though you may be tempted to rush to get your website and business on the map, know that unveiling a website that still doesn’t function properly could end up frustrating potential customers to no end, as well as ruining your chances to make a good impression with your consumer base.
Unfulfilled or Backlogged Orders
So far we’ve covered the basics of creating a website that delivers what it promises. Now, we’re going to address physically delivering the goods. The last thing a new company can afford is logistical mistakes in their ordering process. Modern consumers demand fast, efficient, and accurate processing of orders –– and if you screw up even once, they won’t likely opt to return to your business. As such, you may want to consult with a 3PL company to help alleviate your overworked staff. Though having more orders than you can handle may be a “good problem,” it’s still one you need to address before it gets out of hand.
Inability to Track Sales
Unfortunately, many startups neglect to invest in sales tracking technology when they set up a new website and e-commerce store. While it’s understandable to be focused mainly on how your site and store operating, you shouldn’t ignore this vital step. Indeed, if you can’t properly track and analyze the data from your marketing/sales performance, you’ll never be able to form a cogent plan to improve upon it. Though it might not be your number-one priority, you’d do well to set up some sort of system or program to monitor your sales figures.
Lack of Blog Support
The last phase of implementing a dynamite website that fits perfectly with your e-commerce ambitions is creating content that supports your products or services. Millennial shoppers tend to follow sophisticated digital patterns when they make purchases online, and with that in mind, it’s critical that you produce content that they can interact with. Additionally, writing smart blog posts and other related articles will help increase your website’s online presence. Note that this is a long-term project for your company, but if you stick at it, you’ll likely reap substantial returns down the line for your hard work. After all, if no one can find your products online, it won’t really matter how efficiently your website and e-commerce store run.
