Sales, advertising and networking territory - this is how the virtual world can be described, drawing attention to the benefits that the online presence brings to companies. It should not be forgotten that the Internet is also a front for rivalry (more or less intense, depending on the industry) - companies are constantly striving to outdo their competition in various elements (with offers, advertising campaigns, loyalty programs, etc.). Hindering the achievement of this goal are serious mistakes, small errors or visible shortcomings that could have been avoided - the eCommerce pain points we have described. Your e-shop is not selling? This article will tell you why!
1. Lack of SEO, SEM and content strategy in social media
Belief that eCommerce will generate profits without online marketing activities can only be called naive. The assumption that for the success and effective sales it is enough to set up an online store, launch it and put goods on display is completely wrong, but unfortunately it should be considered as a common affliction of Polish eCommerce. However, in order to achieve the expected effect, the key factors are:
- building the position of the site in the search engine, which should be seen as a long-term process, not to be achieved within a month,
- advertising activity - both in the form of creations in Google Ads and in others (e.g. display),
- social media managed on the basis of a well-thought-out concept, which does not assume only self-advertising of products or services.
Still a large number of e-shops forget what elements are necessary to achieve success in the virtual world. The effect is similar to the one you get if you set up your stand at the market, do not take care of proper exposition, do not encourage customers to use the offer and, in addition, appear in a given place only on holidays. Surprised that sales are negligible?
2. Website that does not attract
It's not just one problem - it's a whole tsunami of problems flooding in! Good eCommerce doesn't have to be built onPWA technology (though it could). It doesn't have to amaze with custom-coded (and therefore extremely expensive) functionalities (although it could). It doesn't have to feature a graphic design created by the world's best specialists (although it could). However, it shouldn't miss out on the basics that influence a user to enter and stay on a particular website. You should remember about technical issues (SSL certificate, purchased domain, properly formulated title tags and meta description, etc.), usability (UX and UI, which allow you to make purchases in an intuitive way), visual (graphic design that does not hurt your eyes) or content (valuable content - quality is more important than quantity). To ensure that a website sells, it is important to include such elements as:
- specific and comprehensive descriptions of the company and its offer,
- product photography or video made with attention to visual effect,
- providing the necessary information: contact details, methods of delivery, payment, returns, technical issues, etc.
- will be attracted to your offer, place an order and wait for the shipment. For any eCommerce business, this is undoubtedly the most important news of the day, which is why they immediately get down to completing the order to ensure it is delivered as soon as possible;
- for some reason an order is not completed even though the goods are already in the shopping cart - this may be due to a non-intuitive ordering process, lack of time or just plain thoughtlessness.
- design your website in the right way,
- ensure that a variety of activities are undertaken using internet marketing tools,
- take care of the best logistics solutions,
- apply modern technological solutions to basic e-business processes (e.g. customer service).,
- remember to analyze the data,
3. Customer service from ancient (non-technological) times
Is a phone the main tool for a customer to contact you? Few Internet users will be happy to receive such a message. Entering your website, a potential customer will expect to choose a form through which he can get answers to his questions. Of course, the phone can still remain, but a user will appreciate the option to contact you by email, send a message via social media or fill out a contact form without having to close the tab with your website. What is the fastest way to do this? A chat supported during your store's opening hours, so you get a response in the shortest possible time - everyone dreams of such efficient customer service. Naturally, you can also opt for a bot that generates answers to the most basic questions, saving your staff time.
It's also worth remembering that customer service is not only about personal contact, it is equally about efficient order processing. Automated emails to let you know what's going on with your order are the present, not the future of eCommerce.
4. Lack of goods in stock and inadequate storage space
Running a stationary store is easier - you won't sell what you don't have in stock at the moment. Moreover, you can always tell your customer: "I will place the order, it will be ready in 2 days". - and everyone is satisfied. However, the customer who placed an order (because he could), paid (because he had to) and is waiting for the goods to be shipped (because that's how it works) and gets an email from you saying that those goods are out of stock. Why - asks the customer - was it possible to order it on the website? And he will have full right to ask such question. Moreover, he will not come back - because what for, if he can contact another company offering exactly the same goods. Automatic blocking of sales opportunities and constant control over stock refilling must be a standard in customer service in the virtual world.
At this point, it is worth highlighting another problem faced by the eCommerce industry: storage space that is inadequate to its needs and capabilities. Too small will no longer be enough as sales increase. Too big will generate unnecessary expenses. Warehousing needs must be continuously monitored to adjust to the real demand and pace of business growth.
5. Poorly designed logistics in eCommerce
Customers expect not only goods that meet their requirements, but also delivery methods and timing that suit their needs. Nowadays you do not offer the possibility of own pick-up or delivery to a parcel machine? Do you immediately put information that the order takes more than a week to complete? Are you constantly surprised by the cost of delivery of some products, refusal of a courier or rejection of an order due to errors in the preparation of the pallet? Basic logistic processes are not black magic and it is worth to make them not only refined, but also constantly improved. It is one way to stay ahead of your competition.
6. Forgetting about relationships
When a customer browses your website with an intention to buy, the following two situations may occur:
In both situations, it may seem that the relationship with the (potential) customer ends there, which is a completely wrong assumption, and therefore has been mentioned as one of the pains of eCommerce. The principle is simple: we nurture a relationship to get a customer to place another order, and we rescue abandoned shopping carts to get the next customer. How to do it? The best way is to use possibilities offered by marketing automation systems.
Marketing automation systems, which companies increasingly decide to implement, are equipped with tools that make it easier to take care of customer relationships. Have you ever received an email reminder about your abandoned shopping cart with a purchase incentive? Have you received a birthday text message with a personalized promo code? Have you noticed the "Chosen for You" sections on a website? It's all marketing automation - and you have to admit that it works (or at least increases your satisfaction with interacting with the company).
7. No data analysis
Data! Data! Data! - Already Sherlock Holmes, the iconic detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle, knew that he couldn't do without data collection and analysis. And the data that can be collected is countless - as are the tools created for this purpose. We should start with Google Analytics, which will tell us how many users visited our website, which pages they went to, how much time they spent on a given subpage and what their characteristics are (demographic data, interests, devices they use, new and returning status and many, many others) - and this is just basic data. You can also find out how (organic search, paid search, social media, etc.) they reached your website. Finally, we move smoothly to the analysis of data extracted from Business Site social media.
Events resulting from paid advertising campaigns, remarketing results, newsletter openings are other data that can be analyzed. After the analysis comes conclusions and changes to previously implemented practices or tools. Then we collect and analyze data again to evaluate the decisions made. And so the circle must go on and on, because business cannot stand still. And data... Data is at hand!
Of course, these are not all the eCommerce pain points you should know about. It's also clear that when running an e-business, you're going to make mistakes for various reasons - because you lack experience and knowledge, because you're still learning, because reality is constantly changing, because competition in the industry is intense. However, when you:
then you will give your business the best possible start. And that's what you want, right?
