There are so many different pieces that must all work together in order to launch a successful eCommerce website. Without careful planning, even an experienced developer can run into trouble. Here are 7 of the most common pitfalls and tips on how planning can help you avoid them:
1. Choose the right platform. It’s tempting to pick the platform that “everyone uses” but everyone isn’t you. Take the time to evaluate the different platforms on the market and find the one that best suits your actual needs. Some platforms have large third-party support that can add to any functionality you need. Use one of the many online comparison tools to determine which software is most powerful, customizable, or easiest for you to learn. Also, keep in mind that it all comes down to the customer experience. If your site doesn’t make their shopping effortless, they’ll probably be less inclined to spend their money with you. Don’t go overboard with shipping and checkout options, keep as few choices as possible within reason. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming them and turning them off from doing business with your company.
2. Lock down your data. Even if you have the most robust and secure eCommerce platform, using it without a dedicated SSL or a digital certificate is like not locking the door to your house. Many smaller web stores don’t think to implement them or use a shared SSL certificate, usually because of cost concerns. Not having an authoritative declaration of security can impact the trust the customer is willing to place in your business. In today’s online economy, third-party digital certificates can be had quickly and well within budget and go a long way in assuring the customer that their data and money is safe.
3. Make it easy to find. Customers will look for the first opportunity to click off your site if they can’t figure out how to navigate it quickly. Make your menus intuitive and minimize the number of clicks your customers need to make to find what they are looking for. Make sure you also include search bar functionality in case your customer isn’t sure in which category the product they need is listed.
4. Make it look nice. Even the best eCommerce sites lack the ability for the customer to physically examine the product they are shopping for. To make up for this, you need excellent imagery that shows multiple angles and any different options that are available. Also make sure that any imagery looks good on a mobile browser or smartphone, which brings us to…
5. Optimize for the road. Every year, a larger and larger percentage of online shopping is being done from smartphones and tablets with mobile browsers. If a shopper has a bad experience using a poorly designed mobile site, they won’t recommend it to other potential customers and are also much more likely to immediately visit a competitor’s site. Keep in mind, though, that optimizing for mobile platforms doesn’t mean making your design look “just ok” on a phone, you need a plan and design that works perfectly within the mobile browser.
6. Content is king. Using stock descriptions from the manufacturer of the products you sell makes it difficult to differentiate yourself from other eCommerce sites that sell the same things. Unique content helps with your SEO ranking as well. Like the use of good imagery, a compelling and comprehensive product description gives your customer another layer of experience and allows them to easily become familiar with the product and much more likely to buy.
7. Tell them who you are. It may seem obvious, but make sure you include contact information so that your customers can reach you if they have any questions or problems with their shopping experience. It can be as simple as a phone number at the top of the site or a robust page with a contact form. If you use email or a voicemail service, make sure someone checks it regularly. It can help you salvage a sale and create a customer for life that you might otherwise lose if they feel like they were left high and dry. And keep your branding consistent. If you don’t have money to invest in a branding package yet, use Hatchful to create one for free, in a matter of minutes, from your phone.

At 216digital, we can help you completely avoid these problems or find a solution for you if you’ve already encountered bumps in the road. Our on-site developers and creative designers have over 15 years of experience in building eCommerce sites and creating custom integrations from the ground up. We use best practices gained from years of experience to craft industry-leading websites with unparalleled usability that convert browsers to buyers for our clients.