Starting an Online Store? Avoid These Big Mistakes

Launching an online store with the help of an ecommerce SEO agency can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor for entrepreneurs. With low start-up costs and global reach, ecommerce offers enticing opportunities. However, it also comes with significant risks and pitfalls if not approached carefully. Avoid making these common big mistakes when starting your online store.

Choosing the Wrong Ecommerce Platform

Your ecommerce platform acts as the foundation for your entire online store. The wrong choice here can set you up for failure down the road. When evaluating platforms, consider:

• Features—Make sure the platform provides all the functionality and tools you need not just for launch but also for future growth. This includes SEO optimization, marketing capabilities, payment processing, shipping calculators, etc.

• Scalability - Your store needs a platform that can readily scale up or down to accommodate changes in traffic and sales volume.

• Ease of use - Look for an intuitive user interface and back-end dashboard. The platform should not have a steep learning curve.

• Cost—Beware of hidden fees and transaction charges that can reduce profitability. Only pay for features you actually need.

• Support - Good customer service and technical support will be critical, especially during the launch phase.

Don't simply choose the cheapest or most popular platform. Take your time to evaluate options thoroughly against your specific business needs.

Neglecting Branding

Many ecommerce sellers focus exclusively on selecting products and setting up their online infrastructure. But branding is equally important for positioning your store in the market and connecting with customers. Here are the branding elements you need to address upfront:

• Company Name—Choose a name that reflects your products, values, and buyer persona. Register the domain before someone else does.

• Logo - A professionally designed logo builds recognition and trust. Could you keep it simple and scalable?

• Tagline - Summarize what makes your brand unique in a catchy tagline.

• Messaging - Develop consistent messaging and voice that communicates your brand identity across platforms.

• Visual Elements - Images, color schemes, fonts, and other visual components should all coordinate to reinforce branding.

Don't open your online store until you've created a thoughtful brand strategy. This is your foundation for attracting and engaging customers.

Not Photography Products Well

High-quality product photography is one of the most important elements for ecommerce success. Compelling images inspire trust in potential buyers and reduce product returns. For the best results:

• Invest in a quality camera and use professional lighting. Avoid dark, blurry cell phone shots.

• Take pictures on a white, solid background to avoid distractions.

• Capture multiple angles - front, back, sides, and perspectives. Include detailed shots.

• Show product scale by photographing next to familiar objects.

• For clothing, show garment details with model shots.

• Optimize file size without losing image quality. Keep load times fast.

• Name image files with relevant keywords for better SEO.

• Remove the background and adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation to make products pop.

• Photograph products in real-life settings for lifestyle shots.

• Update images regularly to feature new products.

Pro photography seems like a major undertaking but pays dividends through higher conversions and sales.

Not Developing an Email Strategy

Email marketing and email list building need to be cornerstones of your ecommerce marketing strategy. Email enables you to:

• Promote new products and sales to engaged subscribers

• Retarget customers who abandoned carts with incentive offers

• Provide order updates and shipping confirmations

• Survey customers for feedback to improve

• Build loyalty through special offers and exclusive content

Yet many ecommerce sellers neglect this powerful channel by not actively capturing emails or nurturing their lists. Avoid this mistake by:

• Offering opt-in incentives like discount codes or free gifts

• Placing email sign-up forms prominently throughout your site

• Sending regular newsletters and promotions, not just sales blasts

• Personalizing subject lines and content

• Tracking metrics like open, click, and unsubscribe rates

• Cleaning your list by removing inactive subscribers

Invest dedicated time into growing and engaging an email list. This provides a free and effective way to boost repeat business.

Avoiding Social Media

Social media is an extra marketing channel for many ecommerce sellers. But dismissing its importance can be a huge mistake. Social media enables you to:

• Research your target audience and explore competitors

• Raise brand awareness and establish expertise

• Engage followers with behind-the-scenes content

• Promote products visually to a wide audience

• Drive referral traffic to your online store

• Provide responsive customer service at scale

Set concrete social media goals and have a thoughtful posting strategy for each platform. Measure performance through follower growth, engagement rate, clicks, and sales. Social media, done right, will become a critical ecommerce sales driver.

Not Shipping Products Quickly

Shipping speed is a key driver of customer satisfaction and retention for online stores. According to surveys, 60% of consumers expect same-day shipping from retailers. While meeting this bar may not be realistic, you need to set clear expectations around order processing and fulfillment times. Strategies to ship faster include:

• Choosing a location close to your supplier or fulfillment center

• Integrating automation rules and workflows

• Preparing orders for fulfillment as soon as they are placed

• Working with reliable carriers that offer fast shipping options

• Sending shipping confirmations and tracking info to customers promptly

• Managing returns quickly so inventory is available to ship

• Providing estimated ship dates and setting realistic expectations

By consistently meeting or exceeding your shipping promises, you will gain loyal repeat customers.

Ignoring SEO Fundamentals

Many ecommerce entrepreneurs think flashy marketing and paid ads alone will drive traffic to their online store. However, ignoring foundational on-site SEO is a big mistake. SEO best practices include:

• Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions for each product/category

• Including keyword-rich content on pages that target searcher intent

• Structuring URLs and navigation intuitively

• Adding alt text to images and videos

• Creating site maps and enabling crawling through robots.txt

• Building high-quality backlinks from relevant sites

• Monitoring speed and mobile optimization

• Creating unique meta titles and descriptions across the site

Focusing on customer experience and technical SEO components can improve organic rankings and traffic quality over time. SEO should never be an afterthought.

Overlooking Site Security

Security vulnerabilities like data breaches can devastate small ecommerce businesses. Implement these measures to keep your site and customer data safe:

• Install an SSL certificate to enable HTTPS across the site

• Choose an ecommerce platform with robust security protections

• Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication

• Regularly update software and plug vulnerabilities

• Limit admin access only to trusted staff

• Avoid storing customer payment information

• Contract with a PCI-compliant payment gateway

• Develop a disaster recovery and backup plan

• Comply with privacy laws and be transparent

• Monitor for suspicious activity with site analytics

While security may seem complex, start with simple steps like enabling HTTPS and strong passwords to avoid obvious pitfalls. Partner with a web developer to tackle more advanced protections. Protecting your business and customers needs to be a priority from day one.

Starting an online store comes with challenges, but avoiding these common big mistakes will help set you up for success. Focus on strong branding, quality content, solid ecommerce fundamentals, and stellar customer service as the foundations to build upon. By learning from other sellers' errors, you can develop an intelligent growth strategy. Use other successful stores as guides, but craft a unique path that matches your specific vision. With persistence and resilience, your ecommerce dreams can thrive into a rewarding reality.

Final Thoughts

Launching a successful online store requires careful planning and execution. By avoiding these common pitfalls—choosing the wrong platform, neglecting branding, overlooking SEO, and more—you set the foundation for long-term growth. Partnering with experienced ecommerce experts, like IoVista Inc., can help streamline the process, ensuring your store is optimized for performance, security, and scalability. With the right strategy and support, your ecommerce business can thrive in a competitive market. Stay proactive, keep learning, and refine your approach to build a profitable online store.

Name: IoVista, Inc.

Address: 5220 Spring Valley Rd Suite 568, Dallas, TX, 75254

Phone no: 214-239-0143