E-commerce sites: mistakes to avoid

Melanie Robin
March 22, 2024
4:23 p.m.
0 comments

Your project is finally starting to take shape and it's time to create your e-commerce site! However, selling on the internet requires deep thought beforehand and a perfect balance between several factors, particularly those that make up your conversion funnel. To get off to a good start, here are common e-commerce site mistakes to avoid to ensure the profitability of your online business.

Not having a clear marketing strategy

Have you defined your business goals? Who is your target audience ? How do you position your brand in the market? Have you carried out a competitive analysis? So many questions that you must be able to answer.

With a tailor-made marketing strategy, you will know who to contact and choose the appropriate communication channels to reach your future customers. You'll also know how to speak to them by tailoring your message to their needs, preferences and purchasing behaviors. This is the very heart of marketing! Because without this roadmap, how are you going to promote your products or services on the web? Standing out from the competition would become a real headache and capturing the attention of your target audience a real challenge. Yet every click, every view counts.

Ignoring the ergonomics of e-commerce sites

To begin, let's dissect them Core Web Vitals with clarity! These criteria are essential not only to provide a smooth user experience on mobile and desktop, but also to align your online sales site with Google's expectations. Here is the trio to master:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): loading speed

C'est le temps que prend votre page à afficher le contenu principal aux yeux des internautes. For e-commerce sites, this means that images, videos and other text content must appear at first glance. A well-structured menu and optimized pages speed up this process and help you gain places in search results!

Interaction to Next Pain (INP): interactivity

On March 12, 2024, Google replaced the First Input Delay (FID) with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) in the Core Web Vitals. Unlike the FID which measured the response time to the first interaction, the INP evaluates the overall responsiveness of a page by considering all user interactions (comme les clics sur des boutons, les tapotements sur des écrans tactiles ou les frappes au clavier). Concrètement, elle évalue combien de temps un utilisateur doit attendre avant que votre page réagisse de manière visible à ses actions. Cette évolution permet une appréciation plus complète de la fluidité d'une page web, offrant ainsi un meilleur reflet de l'expérience utilisateur.

Sources: Wp Engine

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): visual stability

Ce dernier paramètre mesure la stabilité des éléments visuels de votre page. Si les images ou les textes se déplacent alors que la page est en cours de chargement, cela peut déranger les utilisateurs.

Without forgetting overall ergonomics

In addition to these technical aspects, the overall ergonomics of the site must be intuitive. A clear menu with well-defined categories, accessible links, optimal visibility of elements like the shopping cart and action buttons increase the conversion rate and generate more sales. By combining careful ergonomics with the optimization of Core Web Vitals, your e-commerce site will be well positioned to offer an exceptional user experience. You will improve its ranking in search engines! 💡

Create your e-shop without specifications

A well-designed project must necessarily lead to the drafting of precise specifications. This document allows you to bring your ideas to life. It will help you see the workload more clearly, anticipate possible problems and budget the costs to be incurred. This synthesis of your e-commerce project allows you not to forget anything, but also gives all the necessary information to the service provider who will be responsible for creating your site. You make sure they fully understand your goals, needs and branding.

Choosing the wrong web hosting

When it comes to choosing your host, consider specific criteria that ensure the performance, security and reliability of your e-shop. I therefore present to you a table detailing the main criteria to evaluate:

Finally, check reviews and feedback to assess the reputation and reliability of the host.

Opt for a busy graphic design

In today's world of web design, less is often more. Cutting-edge e-commerce sites opt for a minimalist aesthetic, highlighting efficiency and ease of use. An eco-responsible design is even better! Goodbye to overloaded designs and outdated Flash animations, incompatible with many devices (iPhone, iPad, etc.) and harmful to natural referencing (SEO). The objective? Offer a clear navigation and a logical site structure, so your visitors quickly find what they are looking for without getting lost in a maze of pages.

Not adapting your e-commerce site to mobiles

Don't miss the mobile turn! Prioritize a responsive site that shines on all types of screens, ensuring an optimal user experience on desktops, tablets and smartphones. In reality, I advise you to develop the mobile version of your site first (Mobile First), then the desktop version. You will improve the accessibility of your website to as many people as possible, and give it a valuable boost in search results.

Writing low-quality content

Selling online requires good Content Marketing strategy ! Content is king on the internet and you must use it to promote your offers and encourage customers to place orders on your e-commerce site. Content marketing is also an essential ally for your natural referencing. Write unique, well-structured* SEO-friendly product sheets to obtain visibility on the Web and convert your visitors. Finally, also add a blog to your e-commerce in order to:

✔️ Produce fresh blog posts regularly.

✔️ Guide your customers in their purchases (links to your products).

✔️ Manage your e-reputation.

✔️ Show your expertise.

✔️ Humanize your business.

Relay your articles on social networks (Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, etc.) and through your email marketing campaigns.

*Structured content with a clear hierarchy of titles (title, H1, H2, H3, etc.) benefits search engines for indexing and Internet users for navigation. On this subject, I invite you to read my article.

balises H1, H2, H3 pour les sites e-commerce

Neglecting natural referencing (SEO)

Many e-commerce sites still neglect their organic SEO. If you want to succeed, you cannot launch an e-commerce without content designed by and for customers. It is absolutely necessary to do SEO research beforehand, to discover the keywords and queries used by your target. Don't forget to work the long tail*, to then build quality content around the expressions used by your customers on search engines. It is also appropriate to master the basics of natural referencing, to know where to place keywords, how to use them and SEO techniques to attract traffic to your site.

🔎*The long tail refers to expressions of more than 3 words, intended to find specific products. For example: “hiking shoes for men”, “waterproof black organic mascara”, “beginner Fender electronic guitar”…

Not optimizing your product sheets

Lack of time, desire or inspiration, are you ignoring product sheets? However, the product sheet is the only link between your online business and your customers, it is it which plays the role of sales advisor. Internet users want to be assured that they are making the right choice before purchasing.

Take care in writing your product sheets with a detailed and complete description which highlights the characteristics, but above all the benefits of your products. Anticipate your visitors' questions by putting yourself in their shoes (use tips, maintenance tips, etc.). Choose high-quality professional photos, where your products are presented to help future customers imagine themselves. Make an impression! Also mention your additional services like customer service, express delivery, vouchers, etc., and be sure to include customer reviews.

To get a complete idea of what a near-perfect product sheet is, I recommend you to consult the Decathlon product sheets.

Complicating the e-commerce sales funnel

The weak point of many sites e-commerce lies in the complexity of the purchase tunnel, which may lead to cart abandonments. To optimize your purchasing journey : get to the point. For example, only ask your customers for what is necessary to send their order and do not require them to create an account. Believe me, this procedure puts off more than one visitor! Also send the Order summary as quickly as possible (customer purchases, delivery costs, etc.) so that they quickly have all the information. To ensure a smooth shopping experience, consider offering a variety of convenient payment options, such as PayPal. Finally, consider securing your site with the HTTPS protocol to strengthen visitor confidence.

Underestimating customer care (or customer service)

Customer satisfaction must be at the heart of your business. As I often say, it is always less expensive to retain a customer than to prospect a new one. And then, in our era where every opinion counts, responsive and efficient customer service is the guardian of your brand image. Always be there to respond to your emails and closely monitor your social networks (e-reputation). And if ever a small cloud passes over a customer, don't panic! Find the solution that will not only allow you to keep him, but also, who knows, make him one of your biggest fans.

Create your online store alone

If you have no skills in web creation and web marketing, do not embark on the adventure alone. Why waste time and energy unnecessarily? It is better to plan a budget for the creation ofa professional website, which will be profitable in a few months, than having to start all over again. Imagine the dismay: starting from scratch after weeks of work — a situation more common than you might think!

The creation of e-commerce sites requires in-depth reflection beforehand on its structure, but also on all the ancillary services that will be offered. It is advisable to lay everything out using a document, which will be your reminder throughout the development. With a Specifications well designed, a competent service provider will be able to create an e-commerce site that is ergonomic, attractive and optimized for SEO.

FAQs

Now, here are three questions that I get asked regularly:

How to measure and improve Core Web Vitals?

To optimize the performance of your e-commerce site based on metrics, you can use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights, the Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console, and the Core Web Vitals Chrome extension.

What is e-commerce competitive analysis?

Competitive analysis studies what your competitors are doing to understand what works well (and what doesn't) in your industry. To get started, list your main competitors and visit their e-commerce sites. Note their strengths, such as an eye-catching design or well-informed product sheets, but also their weaknesses. Use online tools to gain insights into their site traffic, keywords they rank well for, and more. It’s a great way to hone your strategy and stand out.

Is the GDPR applicable for e-commerce sites?

Yes, absolutely. This is to ensure that you comply with the “General Data Protection Regulation” in Europe. This includes giving users explicit consent before collecting their data, keeping it secure, but also providing them with a clear way to unsubscribe or modify their information. I advise you to consult a legal expert to ensure that your site is in full compliance.

🔵 What to remember

Here is a brief reminder of the essential points to remember to avoid errors in your e-commerce:

✔️ Prioritize the ergonomics of your site for a smooth and Google-friendly user experience.

✔️ Optimize Core Web Vitals to improve the speed, interaction and stability of your pages.

✔️ Write detailed specifications to properly plan your project.

✔️ Choose reliable web hosting.

✔️ Choose a simple, responsive design for easy navigation on all devices.

✔️ Don't neglect SEO and quality content to be visible on search engines.

✔️ Simplify the sales funnel to avoid cart abandonment.

✔️ Provide complete information about your products to guide buyers.

✔️ Provide responsive customer service to retain your customers.

✔️ If you lack skills, call on professionals to create your site.