It took months to work on your online store, and your eCommerce isn't generating the expected profits - this description perfectly depicts a situation you definitely don't want to find yourself in as an up-and-coming B2C eCommerce entrepreneur. What can you do to avoid these types of problems? Before undertaking design work, get an idea of the basic mistakes you can make. Their catalog is open-ended, and due to the continuous development of industries, the number is constantly growing - the wrong choice of platform, unintuitive navigation or lengthy ordering process are just the tip of the iceberg.
Check out our article - discover the top 10 mistakes made when designing B2C online stores, and then avoid them with increased awareness!
1. You don't start with business analysis
According to a report compiled by BLIK in 2021 Poles made 363 million online transactions. Many entrepreneurs entering the virtual market assume that the sheer popularity of online shopping will translate into the expected results delivered by their store, causing them to immediately move on to technical issues (such as choosing a sales platform). Such an action is the first mistake that can be made when designing a B2C online store - it can save one from operating in the dark by starting work on eCommerce with a business analysis.
Business analysis is the first step to be taken in project implementation - it is the basis for deciding what to do next. It includes, among other things, conducting market research, developing customer profiles, drawing conclusions from changes in the economy. These steps are all aimed at understanding the needs of your business audience and taking a cross-sectional review of the current state of affairs in terms of its ability to meet its goals. It will help isolate the desired functionality of the store, as well as determine the necessary time and budget for the project. So don't skip the analysis if you want to avoid fundamental mistakes early on in the eCommerce world.
Advice:
Business analysis is based on an assessment of needs and solutions, and working as part of a large team will certainly help to develop it in the best possible way. Analysts, sales specialists, IT team - the knowledge and experience of each of these groups will help meet the expectations of potential customers.
2. You choose the wrong eCommerce platform
What should you consider when choosing between the B2C platforms available on the market? It is a mistake to assume that only the cost and time spent on implementing a store on the chosen platform are important - it is much more important to find a solution that perfectly meets your individual eCommerce needs. Thus, when making a decision, you should take into account, among other things:
- the anticipated area and scope of the store,
- development prospects,
- key functionalities from the perspective of future operations.
Only after you have adequately defined your needs should you start comparing the solutions available on the market, familiarizing yourself with the features of WooCommerce, Magento, Shopware or Shoper, among others. An article available on our blog on the comparison of two platforms created for medium and large eCommerce - Magento and Shopware - may prove helpful in this aspect.
Advice:
Keep in mind that the decision on the choice of a platform does not necessarily belong to you alone - after all, you are just setting up an online store and the lack of great experience in this area is natural. For this reason, it is advisable to seek advice from a software house - the industry knowledge characteristic of such companies and dozens of projects done on various platforms will certainly help you choose the best solution.
3. You neglect UX design
Are you offering your customers competitive prices, attractive promotions and a wide product catalog, and still not getting the results you want? It's very possible that you are making another mistake in the form of neglecting your users' shopping experience - that is, inadequate UX design. Non-intuitive navigation menus, insufficiently developed filters, aggressive color schemes are just examples of mistakes that reject the use of your online store.
A store designed according to UX principles should not only be practical and intuitive, but also easy to navigate and enjoyable to browse - this can be achieved by taking care of such elements as, among others:
- smart search,
- high-quality photos and specific (but concise) product descriptions,
- thoughtfully structured forms,
- easy access to the shopping cart.
As you can see, improving a B2C customer's shopping experience can be affected by even the smallest details. In spotting them, it can be useful to outsource a UX audit of your online store to an external company. They will professionally analyze and evaluate your site in terms of its adaptation to the expectations and needs of users, which will help eliminate previous mistakes.
Advice:
The visual identity of your brand allows you to build recognition for years to come. Remember, however, that UX design should not be based solely on aesthetics. The user wants to make a purchase efficiently, and an excessive number of visual elements can hinder the process. So design your site according to the principle of "usability over aesthetics."
4. Your store takes too long to load
Strategy developed, platform selected, store designed - is success guaranteed? Not in every situation. Failure can be influenced, for example, by a website that takes too long to load - statistics show that extending this time from 1 to 2 seconds increases the rejection rate by 32%. Why? Because eCommerce users are impatient and expect to receive results in the shortest possible time. Moreover - why wait when it takes a fraction of a second to close the tab and you can look for the products and services you need on other sites?
How to avoid the above mistake? Speeding up the loading of a B2C online store requires performing certain actions on technical aspects. Changing the server, uninstalling unnecessary plug-ins, optimizing graphics are just some of the solutions that will contribute to faster website performance. For more advice on this issue, see our dedicated blog post.
Advice:
Slow loading of an online store not only affects the user experience, but also the positioning of the site in Google search. What's more, low site speed often makes other optimization measures taken so far unsuccessful. Given all the reasons mentioned above, it is worth taking specific optimization measures in your eCommerce.
5. You are not automating processes in your eCommerce
No matter how large a team works on the success of a B2C online store, there will always be areas where you can "take away" the need for individual specialists to perform tasks - not taking advantage of this opportunity is another mistake you can make. In this area, it is worth opting for automation, especially in the area of repetitive, template or very time-consuming activities. Introducing automated solutions into your store design will not only allow you to shift time resources to other areas of operation, but also reduce costs. So consider integrating your store with external systems such as:
- ERP - will guarantee the effective administration of the enterprise,
- PIM - will make it easier to manage product information in each sales channel,
- WMS - will allow you to efficiently manage your warehouse,
- CRM - will make it easier to contact the customer.
Advice:
Automation in eCommerce is possible in many areas - not just strictly technical. A perfect example that brings tangible benefits to your B2C business is marketing automation. You can read more about the possibilities and practical applications of MA on our blog.
6. You only offer traditional payment methods
A study by the Baymard Institute found that as many as 68% of consumers abandon their shopping cart when shopping online, and among the most frequently cited reasons for this behavior is the lack of a comprehensive catalog of payment methods. How can you avoid this mistake and ensure that the shopper not only completes the order on your eCommerce site, but also repeats it in the future?
Transfer and card payment are just the basics nowadays - consumers are increasingly brave enough to reach for modern solutions, which are characterized by high innovation. In 2021, BLIK payment and pay-by-link system (i.e. quick transfer) were the most popular. In 2022, on the other hand, as many as 13% of shoppers chose the "buy now, pay later" model.
Advice:
Modern solutions appear at a dizzying pace in response to the market situation - when analyzing the catalog of available payment methods, never lose vigilance. When introducing new solutions, remember to notify the customer about them. A pop-up with information about the possibility of deferring payment, banners presenting payment methods, social media promotion - emphasize the benefits of your B2C eCommerce at every stage of the purchase path.
7. The order process is getting longer
Imagine standing in a very long line at a stationary store - how do you react to such a situation? It is very likely that this will be your last shopping there, or even that you will give up waiting to reach the checkout. In an online store, abandoning the shopping cart is even easier - just close the browser tab. The eCommerce equivalent of a queue that is too long is a multi-step order finalization process, which is another mistake when designing a B2C store. How can you avoid it?
Simplifying the process will be helped by, among other things, one-step-checkout, thanks to which the customer is able to go through all stages of the order within a single page - from the shopping cart, to the shipping details, to the payment and delivery option. Note, however, that mistakes in the design of the window can contribute to the information it contains becoming unreadable - it is worth entrusting this task to specialists to (as intended) avoid reducing conversions.
Advice:
One-step-checkout is not the only way to shorten the ordering process. Consider also introducing, for example, the possibility to purchase without registration, alternative forms of login (e.g. via social media) or automatic form filling. In a word - create the customer's shopping experience according to the principle "the faster, the better".
8. Sell only in one place
Are you assuming that a perfected website for your store is enough to get the expected results? If so, you are making another mistake. Consumers are everywhere - and this is not just a catchy slogan, but a description of how the modern market works. So don't limit yourself to a single sales venue and adapt your B2C store design to the omnichannel concept, which involves the consistent integration of multiple communication channels to provide the customer with a positive shopping experience. Stationary and online store, marketplaces, social media - run your e-business everywhere.
Advice:
Do you run not only an online store, but also a stationary one? Use it to support your B2C eCommerce (and the other way). Some consumers are finding their way back to the popandemic reality and are reverting to the traditional form of shopping. Allowing you to pick up your order at a stationary store (known as click and collect) is a great way to sell in line with omnichannel and thus increase your group of loyal customers.
9. Your eCommerce is not responsive
Undoubtedly, the era of smartphones has arrived - it's no longer just Generation Z or Millenials who use mobile devices to make online purchases, but 71% of all consumers already use this method. Overlooking such a large audience is a serious mistake - so take care of the mobile version of your B2C online store. Improve the responsiveness of the site, develop a dedicated mobile application, PWA-based solutions - there are many ways to sell according to the idea of mobile first. Choose the one that works best for your eCommerce.
Advice:
The expectations of smartphone and computer users overlap in many respects - however, mobile users sometimes report different needs. Designing your online store for all mobile systems, adapting to different display sizes, simplified navigation - among other features you can't overlook when creating a mobile version of your eCommerce site.
10. You are not constantly updating your online store
Designing a B2C online store is not a one-time activity, but a long-term process. New trends in the industry, innovative usability, changes in legislation enforce the need to constantly adapt eCommerce to market realities. Failure to take note of the above issues can be a serious mistake affecting the functioning of your eCommerce. Remember that systematic development is the easiest way to make your store attractive to users.
Advice:
To stay on top of industry demands and maintain a competitive edge, pay special attention to optimizing your store for technical, content (which will also positively impact SEO results) and design. Remember that updating the platform should always be motivated by the needs of both eCommerce and customers. It is also important not to make all the changes at once - users easily get used to the solutions already in place and need time to accept the new ones. Also, don't forget to test added functionality - after all, there is nothing worse than an update with bugs.
Flawlessly designed B2C store - will you take up the challenge?
It's worth learning from your own mistakes, but it's much better to benefit from the experience of others - especially in such a challenging topic as designing a B2C online store. We hope that reading this article containing the most common mistakes you can make will give you a safe start in the eCommerce market. You already know where to start - the question is: when do you begin your adventure?
