For the most part, running an e-commerce store is exciting, isn’t it? Seriously, there’s nothing quite like seeing those sales notifications pop up, watching your store grow, learning about global shipping, and so on. But at the same time, there’s a lot to juggle. And while you’re busy focusing on big goals, some small mistakes could quietly be working against you.
These aren’t the obvious ones either, like having bad photos or forgetting to market your products. Those are pretty much just low-hanging fruit that you should probably even know way before you even decide to start up a business. Actually, it’s those sneaky mistakes that you want to look out for. It’s the ones that could hurt your growth, frustrate your customers, and chip away at your profits over time.
You don’t really notice them until it’s too late or unless someone just points it out and tells you. But what exactly are they? Well, here’s exactly what you need to know!
Doing Your Bookkeeping Manually
If you’re still manually tracking your business finances, it might be time to reconsider. Sure, maybe in the early 2000s, that was totally normal and acceptable, but nowadays, using spreadsheets or scribbling numbers in a notebook might feel like you’re saving money, but it’s costing you in other ways.
For starters, it’s ridiculously time-consuming. You’ve already got a million things to do, so why add hours of tedious calculations to the mix? Worse, manual bookkeeping is a breeding ground for mistakes, and people think they’ll be fine, but they’re usually not fine.
So, you’re really better off looking for some help when it comes to ecommerce accounting. It’s up to you whether or not you want to use AI-powered software, but at the end of the day, you’re probably still going to have to get a human on your side to help (and outsourcing isn’t that price, either).
Using Generic Product Photos and Descriptions
You just know for a fact when a business is drop shipping. For starters, you could always reverse image search, but even if you don’t do that, you’ve probably seen the same product image hundreds of times. For some reason, this is what drop shippers do; they all always use the same product pictures.
Sure, they’re convenient, but they’re also the fastest way to make your store blend into the crowd. But here’s the problem: if your product looks exactly the same as every other store’s, why would a customer choose you? No, really, why?
And it’s not just about the photos. However, using the same generic descriptions provided by suppliers doesn’t just make you look lazy; it can hurt your SEO. It can’t be stressed enough, but search engines love originality, and duplicate content is a big no-no.
So, it’s going to be for the best to just go ahead and take the time to create your own product photos, even if they’re simple. You should even write descriptions that speak to your audience and showcase what makes your product unique. These small touches go a long way in making your store memorable and trustworthy.
Overlooking Inventory Management
Managing inventory might sound boring, but ignoring it can cause major headaches, especially if you’re drop shipping. Actually, for all you drop shippers out there, this is something you really need to keep in mind, too! So, here’s how it happens: you list a product as “in stock” because that’s what your supplier told you. A customer places an order only to find out the supplier is out of stock. Now you’re left scrambling, your customer is disappointed, and your store’s reputation takes a hit.
But why is this even a big deal for drop shippers out there? Well, even though drop shipping takes the hassle of holding stock off your plate, it doesn’t mean you can ignore inventory entirely. In fact, you should regularly check in with your suppliers to make sure stock levels are accurate. Better yet, use tools that sync inventory in real-time (if that’s even an option).
Being Inconsistent with Payment Options
So, just imagine browsing an online store and you’re thinking about buying an item. You notice they advertise Klarna, PayPal, Shop Pay, and maybe some other type of payment other than credit card. So, all of this is in the footer, like most ecommerce websites—great, right? Well, then, when you go to check out, none of those options are available. All you see isa “credit card.” Frustrating, isn’t it?
Now, this is a common issue in e-commerce, and it’s a fast way to lose trust (and sales). Customers expect the payment options you advertise to actually be available at checkout. When they’re not, it feels deceptive, even if it’s unintentional. Make sure your payment methods are consistent across your site. Seriously, it’s as simple as that!
Failing to Diversify Your Revenue Streams
Relying too heavily on one platform or product might feel easy at first, but overall, it’s a risky game. Say you’re selling exclusively on Amazon. What happens if Amazon changes its policies or suspends your account? Or if your best-selling product falls out of favour? Well, without a backup plan, your income could take a serious hit.
A great example would be Etsy right now because so many sellers are randomly getting banned, or their sales are suffering due to some awful algorithm that Etsy has put up that’s specifically meant to benefit larger soulless brands on there. That’s why you need to have your own website, but you also need to use at least a couple of third-party platforms.
Ignoring Shipping Times and Expectations
Shipping might not be the most glamorous part of e-commerce, but it’s one of the most important. Drop shipper or not, you need to keep this in mind. By now, you should know that customers expect fast, reliable shipping. If your supplier is overseas and orders take weeks to arrive, you need to be upfront about it. Besides, few things irritate customers more than thinking their package is around the corner, only to find out it’s still on a boat somewhere.
Not Prioritising Trust Signals
Would you buy from a site that looks sketchy? Well, neither would your customers. Trust signals are the little things that make people feel secure shopping on your site. For example, SSL certificates for secure browsing, visible customer reviews, Trustpilot profile, active social media profiles, clear return policies, and security badges at checkout. If your site is missing these, well, you’re pretty much leaving money on the table.