11 Reasons Why Your Ecommerce Site isn’t Converting | Ecommerce Website Mistakes to Avoid

It is safe to say that ecommerce has taken over the world, creating some truly amazing opportunities for budding entrepreneurs in the process. Online sales in the UK equated to £44.97 billion alone, and are predicted to increase another 16.2% over the course of 2015.

Research by Ofcom found that the UK also spends the most online per head, beating all other developed countries. The average Brit spends around £2,000 online per year with 59% using online shopping to buy products online at least once a week.

Internet shopping is fast becoming the norm and as distribution networks grow stronger (online retail giants Amazon’s Prime service can deliver products next morning after only being ordered the previous evening) the Ecommerce industry is only set to continue its growth. In terms of percentage of population using online shopping, only China and Germany beat the UK for usage so if you currently run or are looking to start an Ecommerce website in the UK then now really is the time.

However with this booming market also comes limitations: consumer expectations rise and competition becomes more cut-throat. It is more difficult to catch a share of the market when the number of outlets you are competing with keeps growing. Knowing how to get it right and convince potential customers to embrace your online store is key to increasing your conversion.

There are many ways you can improve your online sales, including PPC campaigns and advertising through social media. However as useful as digital marketing can be, if your website isn’t user friendly, no-one is going to buy from you. Running an audit of your website can help find potential pitfalls you are overlooking. Improving these will help improve your conversion and improve your business.

Here are 11 reasons why your website conversions aren’t what you hoped they’d be.

1. Uninspiring Visuals

Humans are visual creatures, so if you do not make an effort to entice them with exciting images and photographs of your products, they are unlikely to make a purchase. Steer clear of stock photos when possible and consider hiring a professional photographer instead – fresh, original images are guaranteed to make a long lasting impression and will help to convince your customers you are a legitimate vendor. Better yet, if you have the resources to do so, adding videos of the product in use can be a great way to translate the benefits and convince the customer to commit to a purchase.

2. Poor Functionality

User-friendliness and reliable functionality are two essential components of any website. If your site does not work as it should, you can be certain that people are going to look, and convert, elsewhere. Simple elements such as broken links and slow loading times are a red flag for any website, so take time to go through each page on your site and check everything works the way it should. Visiting your website as if you are a customer is helpful to understand what works and what doesn’t. It is also useful to get friends, family or the public to try out your website to understand what an outsider likes and doesn’t like.

3. Lack of Reviews

It is a good idea for you to allow your customers to review your products and quality of service. Good reviews help to build a sense of trust between your brand and any new potential customers. Lots of gold stars next to a product has proven to be a great way of enticing customers. Some larger e commerce websites also include a ‘top rate’ or ‘bestselling’ products page.

4. Not Following SEO Best Practice

What is the point of having a website if it cannot be found? SEO is extremely important, so be sure to understand best practice for ensuring a good relationship with Google. If your budget permits it can also be a good idea to work with a digital marketing team to boost your website’s online presence.

5. Not Having a Mobile-Responsive Site

Thanks to the development of Smartphones, a large number of people are doing their product research, and making their online purchases, using their mobiles. It is because of this that having a mobile-responsive site is of the utmost importance. Mcommerce is a growing sector and being able to harness this can be a great way to push ahead of competitors.

6. Not Embracing the Power of Video

Ensuring that there are plenty of informative videos on your website will undoubtedly increase your conversion rate. Think about filming videos that describe your products, or that give a demonstration on how to use them. This can also be another way to create content which can be shared, benefiting your SEO and brand awareness.

7. Not Giving a Clear Value Proposition

It is important for you to communicate to potential customers why your products will benefit them and why it is a good idea to purchase these products from your website in particular. Finding your USP is key to standing out.

8. No Strong Calls to Action

Having a gorgeous, fully functional website is all well and good, but, ultimately, it doesn’t mean anything if visitors leave without doing anything. Encourage them to interact by strategically inserting calls to action. ‘Get a free quote’ or ‘Download our brand new e-book’ are great examples of this. If you have the knowledge and resources to do so, carrying out A/B testing on landing pages can also help you to develop best practice that can aid future marketing plans

9. Your Website is Not Target-Market Specific

If you are selling children’s toys – for example – a simple, clinical-looking website is not going to do you any favours. Ensure that the design of your website appeals to the group of people to which you are planning on selling. What many entrepreneurs and companies don’t realise is that the overall design of their ecommerce site is just as important as its functionality. A good place to start is to look at competitors and find out if there is an industry norm you can emulate on your design.

10. Poor Quality Content

When it comes to achieving conversion, content is key. Your content should stimulate and speak to your target market. It should be relevant and interesting and, most importantly, it should inspire trust in your brand.

11. Not Paying Enough Attention to Key Pages

Did you know that your ‘Contact Us’ and ‘About Us’ pages are two of the most important when it comes to making sales? Various heat-map studies tracking visitors to a website show higher click rates on these pages. Ensure that they have been properly updated, that they are easy to find, and that they are 100% accurate. An accurate delivery and returns page can also be helpful in improving conversion. If delivery rates are acceptable and you have a strong and eay to use returns policy, customers will be more likely to convert.

Ultimately, the success of your website lies in your ability to engage, inspire and provide potential customers with exactly what they are looking for. Website maintenance should be an on-going effort, improving your site with best practice as it develops.

Feeling Confused? Contact Adeo Group Website Designers Glasgow to Help

If you are looking to open an e-commerce website or currently have one that is failing to convert and don’t know where to begin to improve it then Adeo Group e-commerce Website Design can help. We have experience in designing and building eCommerce websites from a variety of industries and have the technical knowledge and experience to help you build the most efficient store possible. If you would like some design help or a site audit, contact us today for an informal chat about your site.