5 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Adding New Ecommerce Channels

Expansion into new eCommerce channels provides a great opportunity for business growth.

Statistica says, “E-commerce revenue is expected to show a yearly growth rate of 14.56%, resulting in a projected market volume of $1,365.00 billion by 2025.”

However, this expansion is prone to challenges, such as poorly prepared product listings, inefficient order management, inappropriate listings, etc.

To tackle these threats, you must be aware of them. So, don’t wait. Scroll down till the last:

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Adding New Ecommerce Channels

• Launching With Poorly Prepared Product Listings

Segmentify says, “42% of all sites perform below acceptable on-site search UX performance across the eight eCommerce search query types.”

Launching with poorly prepared product listings of eCommerce SEO services is like opening a store with messy shelves and unclear labels.

It creates a confusing experience for potential customers and hurts your chances of making a sale. Here’s why it’s a critical mistake to avoid:

• Reduced discoverability: 

Search engines and marketplaces rely on product listings to understand what you’re selling. Inaccurate, incomplete, or missing information makes it hard for potential customers to find your products.

Source: INTERACTION DESIGN FOUNDATION

With proper titles, descriptions, and specifications, your offerings get noticed in search results.

• Wasted Customer Time: 

Imagine someone interested in a blue shirt, but your listing only mentions “shirt” with no details.

They’ll have to search elsewhere, wasting their time and your opportunity. Detailed and informative listings allow customers to understand if your product meets their needs quickly.

• Negative First Impression: 

Typos, blurry photos, and unprofessional descriptions create a sense of carelessness, leading customers to question the quality of your products or your overall brand.

A polished listing, with clear information and high-quality visuals, builds trust and encourages further exploration.

• Managing Orders Inefficiently

Here’s how inefficient order management can negatively impact your business:

• Increased Errors: 

Manual processes or outdated systems are prone to human error. This can lead to mistakes like picking the wrong items, shipping to incorrect addresses, or forgetting to update inventory levels.

• Slow Order Processing: 

Baynard Institute revealed that “22% of US online shoppers have abandoned orders in the past quarter solely due to a “too long/complicated checkout process.”

Inefficient systems can cause delays in processing orders. Customers might wait longer than expected, leading to frustration and potentially negative reviews.

Source: Hopstack

• Stock Issues: 

Poor inventory management can result in overselling or stockouts. Overly optimistic projections or inaccurate tracking can lead to orders being placed for items that are only sometimes available, frustrating customers who have to wait for replacements or refunds.

Stockouts create missed sales opportunities and can damage customer trust.

• Not Keeping Your Listings Updated

Having outdated listings on your e-commerce channels is like having a stale price tag in a store; it confuses customers and loses sales. Here’s why keeping your listings updated is crucial:

• Inaccurate information leads to lost sales:

Imagine a customer clicking on a listing for a red jacket in medium size, but upon arrival, it’s blue and large.

Frustrated, they’ll likely return it and potentially write a negative review. Outdated stock levels showing available items that are out of stock can also lead to lost sales opportunities.

• Reduced Customer Trust: 

Gartner says “ 74% of customers expect more from brands, not only in their products and services.”

Inconsistent or incorrect information across platforms creates a sense of unreliability. Customers can only purchase from you if the listing details are accurate.

• Missed Opportunities for Upselling and Cross-Selling: 
• 

Source: Zapier

If your listings don’t reflect your latest product offerings or promotions, you’re missing chances to present customers with additional items they might be interested in.

• Using Different Methods to List Products on Each Channel

You’re right; using different methods to list products on each channel can be a pitfall. While copying and pasting your listings across platforms might seem efficient, it can hurt your reach and sales. Here’s why:

• Channel-Specific Requirements:

Each e-commerce platform has its own quirks and best practices. For instance, character limits for titles and descriptions might differ. Ignoring these variations can lead to truncated information or messy formatting on some platforms.

• Missing Optimization Opportunities: 

Some platforms prioritize listings with specific keywords or high-quality images. Generic listings won’t leverage these optimization features, making it harder for potential customers to find your products on that channel.

Source: SlideTeam

• Inconsistent Customer Experience: 

Customers accustomed to detailed descriptions and high-resolution photos on one platform might need clarification on a basic listing on another. Maintaining consistency in presentation and information builds trust and a smooth brand experience across all channels.

• Ignoring Customer Feedback

• Missed Opportunities for Improvement: 

Customer feedback is a goldmine of insights into what’s working well with your products or services and what areas need improvement. Ignoring this feedback can lead to missed opportunities to address pain points, enhance features, and ultimately create a more satisfying customer experience.

• Decreased Customer Satisfaction: 

Customers who feel unheard are more likely to become frustrated and disloyal. Addressing their concerns and suggestions demonstrates that you value their opinion and are committed to their satisfaction.

Source: Business Wire 

• Negative Brand Perception: 

Unresolved customer issues can fester and spread through online reviews and word-of-mouth. Ignoring feedback can create a negative perception of your brand and deter potential customers.

Conclusion 

Integrating new e-commerce channels requires meticulous planning, strategic execution, and continuous optimization.

Businesses can effectively harness the power of multi-channel strategies by avoiding common mistakes such as neglecting proper research, underestimating the importance of user experience, and overlooking security measures.

Read more: How to Optimize Your Ecommerce Site for Better Indexing.

FAQs:

• What are ECommerce channels?

ECommerce channels are platforms and methods through which businesses sell products online. These include company websites, online marketplaces like Amazon or eBay, social media platforms, and mobile applications.

• What are the common mistakes in using e-commerce in a business?

Common e-commerce mistakes include poor website design, lack of mobile optimization, inadequate customer service, neglect of SEO, ignoring data analytics, and failing to create a seamless and secure checkout process.

• What is the biggest problem with e-commerce?

The biggest problem with e-commerce is cybersecurity. Online businesses face constant threats from hackers seeking to steal customer data and financial information and disrupt operations, making robust security measures essential.

• What are the major threats to e-commerce?

Major threats to e-commerce include cyberattacks (such as phishing and malware), data breaches, fraud, supply chain disruptions, and intellectual property theft. Businesses must implement strong security practices to mitigate these risks.