The eCommerce industry is rapidly growing, bringing more and more retail stores online. The success of web stores inspires merchants to acquire a website and make their products available for online shoppers. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs think that their revenue will skyrocket within a week or month and get disappointed when it doesn’t. To avoid such situations, it’s essential to research the topic to understand what expectation is realistic and what a common myth is. Here are five well-known misconceptions about eCommerce and the truth about them.
Expectation 1: “I Don’t Need a Developer to Create a Website”
A prerequisite for the success of any eCommerce business is the availability of a website. There are several famous eCommerce platforms like Shopify and Magento that have user-friendly editors. They allow creating hundreds of pages without writing a single code.
At first glance, it’s convenient, and the services of a developer aren’t required. But every business has unique requirements that these eCommerce platforms cannot cover. For example, it’s impossible to modify the website or integrate it with CRM, ERP, and payment systems unless you are a developer. Hence, if you initiate to build an eCommerce web store, consider hiring an experienced web developer to help you with this task. Many companies provide quality Shopify or Magento development services.
Expectation 2: “I’ll Make a Fortune from Day 1”
The very first day after launching their eCommerce website, some online retailers expect to sell like crazy. They even start fantasizing about the mountains of money they can earn already in the first or second month.
The reality is that no matter how famous a store you are, no one knows you online yet. It takes time to acquire an audience and spread awareness about your eCommerce web store. It would help if you started running online ads and aggressive marketing campaigns. Google ads and social media ads are the two most effective options to send traffic to your website. People will start noticing your online presence in a relatively short time, following your social media accounts, and making the first purchases.
Expectation 3: “My Website Doesn’t Need Support”
There is a common misconception among online merchants that all the work with the website is over once it has gone online.
The truth is that after the launch, additional requirements arise. For example, one day, you may want to add another payment method, fix a bug, or change the design. Moreover, the eCommerce platform may ask for an update, a plug-in may stop working, or other technical issues happen.
To avoid any interruption in the site’s operation, it should be maintained by experts. They’ll make sure that the web store works smoothly and fix issues in a short time. You can get more info on website support and maintenance services on the official websites of development companies.
Expectation 4: “I’ll Bring Lots of Traffic to Web Store, and It’ll Guarantee Sales”
There are two extremes. Some online store owners think that a website can sell itself without marketing. Others find that bringing huge traffic to the website will guarantee successful sales. Both approaches are wrong. The user-friendliness, design, and ease of navigation play a huge role. If visitors cannot use the search option to find the product of their interest or find payment options, they won’t be able to buy anything. Hence, it’s essential to pay attention to the user experience on your eCommerce website.
Expectation 5: “If Someone Buys Once, They’ll Buy Again”
Customer retention is an art. Few entrepreneurs know that it takes effort to bring customers back and make them loyal. Most people are one-time buyers. The chance of them coming back to you when they need to buy something is low unless you offer them something interesting.
-
Launch promotional campaigns
-
Offer discounts and bonuses for their 2nd or 3rd purchase
-
Send them emails about your new arrivals
-
Provide them with superior customer support
Final Thoughts
eCommerce is a profitable business but won’t make you a billionaire overnight. So it would be best if you temper your expectations about sales, we store development and maintenance. Unrealistic anticipations may lead to disappointment which is dangerous for business.
