Mistakes to avoid when setting up your E-commerce platform

A world of possibilities — that’s what you have thanks to the digital age. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or someone looking to expand their business online, creating your digital store is quite easy nowadays. With E-commerce Automation, you can now develop your online presence, reach more customers, manage daily tasks, and even offer Cash on Delivery here in the Philippines right from your computer.

In creating your own E-commerce platform, the key to attracting more shoppers and driving more sales to your store is the online shopping experience of your customers. Here are some mistakes that you need to avoid to keep your online shoppers happy and your business thriving.

Desktop view only

When you set up your own E-commerce platform, you need to start with its overall design. This includes how online shoppers can navigate your store. Almost everyone is on mobile now, and that means your platform’s design should not only cater to desktop users, but also to those who are on their smartphones.

A smooth user experience on desktop may not necessarily translate well on mobile. Once you’ve perfected your store on desktop view, reflect its capabilities on a smaller screen and in portrait view. This way, potential mobile customers can comfortably explore your store without having to worry about the site being difficult to navigate.

Low quality images and inaccurate product descriptions

Apart from the overall design, the content of your platform can potentially turn customers away.

Keep in mind that an online store must reflect the same experience as a physical one. Online shoppers must be able to visualize and examine your products as if they are doing it in person. Upload the best photos (and in varying angles and settings) of your products, and develop accurate and precise descriptions. These can help them better appreciate what you’re selling and make an actual purchase.

Absence of a review section

Before being a business owner, you are a customer first. As a customer, you don’t just take the word of the seller. You also rely on the recommendations of other shoppers because they have already tried some products from the store. In the digital space, feedback is just as important to online shoppers, and the absence of this section may leave an impression about your products’ quality or effectiveness.

Having a review section is a great way for customers to rave about your products and services. Since reviews are visible to other potential customers, this also increases the odds of them availing your product and also leaving honest feedback.

Ineffective customer support

A common mistake of online businesses is not being reachable to customers who have questions or concerns. Remaining inaccessible or unresponsive would push customers to simply exit your platform and just go to another shop. This can also give your business a high Return-to-Sender (RTS) rate, which may also impact your future sales.

Regardless of the numerous photos and descriptions you have, always assume that online shoppers will have more questions about your products, services, shipping, exchange policies, and your business in general. Having effective and efficient customer support can definitely work to your advantage because it lets customers inquire and discuss any concerns that they may have.

Complicated checkout process

After scanning through your store, the next step is checking out and making an actual purchase. Filling out forms with numerous fields can be intimidating, especially for first-time buyers, and may cause them to abandon their cart.

To remedy this, see how you can make the checkout process simple and easy to navigate. Allow them to view what’s in their cart before proceeding to checkout, gather only necessary customer information, and leave a section where they can add in special requests. The easier it is for them to understand, the better the chances are of them completing their purchase.

Limited payment options

Not having various payment options on your E-commerce platform isn’t ideal because online shoppers have different means of paying. Some may opt for digital payments like credit and debit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers. But there are customers who would prefer Cash on Delivery here in the Philippines because they aren’t as familiar with digital payments, are buying time to save up, or they simply want to see the actual product first before paying for it.

Having multiple payment options highlights the flexibility of your online business. Whether it’s online or cash payment, remember that you are catering to a wide range of customers with different preferences.

Now that you know some of these common mistakes, you can optimize your online selling platform. Need help with that? Then choose Payo!

Payo is all about helping merchants sell their products in the Philippines. By taking advantage of E-commerce Automation, and by providing solutions like Warehousing, Fulfillment, and Live Customer Support, Payo ensures that your business thrives.

Need assistance in building your online business and E-commerce platform? You can sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. We are more than happy to assist you!