Hi, this is our series on how to run a business. We develop it to share with you our experience and put together what we learn studying and meeting best entrepreneurs. Today we talk about 5 mistakes you should avoid running e-commerce business. Let’s go!

Mistake 1. You do not know much about your clients

Your clients are the most important part of your business. The better you understand them, the better you fit their needs. Try to break down who exactly is your customer, what needs do you solve, what other options does the consumer have and why he or she would choose your service? You are not going to sell without user trust. Ask your customers about feedback after they bought your product so you can use that information to improve your service and help if your customers are not satisfied.

Mistake 2. You do not learn from your competitors

You might be better than your competitors but remember that it is the customer who decides which offer is better. Learn how your competition build their brand, network, connections and marketing. Make sure you do not just copy others. Be different, decide what you can do better and learn from them as much as you can.

Mistake 3. You do not build your brand

Your products are not going to sell just by themselves. You need to create a strong message which will build connection to your brand. Define your target audience and adapt your message to your customers. You need to get a logo and brand identity. Create your own unique style to make your customers remember your brand. Get your e-commerce profiles on social media and engage your customers there. Be open and let the world know about what you do.

Mistake 4. You do not appear in search results

One of the best ways to get more traffic into your e-commerce website is to think early of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you increase your visibility in search engines like Google or Yahoo, you will get wider audience. The more links you get to your site – the better you place in search results. SEO involves likes, shares, comments of your posts on social media. Do not use paid link services or robots, unless you want to get blacklisted by search engine. Instead, just learn more about SEO on your own or consult a specialist. Use the same technique for social media, so your customers can easily find your products.

Mistake 5. You do not keep your word

Be honest with your customers. If you make discounts, money-back guarantee, special offer, shipping service – make sure it works in the same way as your customers expect it. Second, stay on good price/quality ratio. Do not set too high prices on products that basically do not worth that amount of money. Respect your customers. Explore how you can build trust with your audience and try to offer them more than they expect.

What was your mistake or problem on the way to e-commerce?  Leave a message and let us know your questions. Thank you for reading. Bye!