Jewellers: Avoid these Top 20 eCommerce Mistakes

Are you an offline Jeweller planning to sell online? Below is a list of top 20 eCommerce mistakes that will help you avoid bad expenses and reach your goals faster.

Top 20 eCommerce Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not having a business plan

Launching an eCommerce store is similar to launching a physical store and it requires meticulous planning. You need to define your eCommerce objectives, assess the market opportunity, set clear eCommerce goals, and accordingly decide investment budgets. Don’t expect to generate profits within few months. Give your eCommerce store atleast a year to break-even

2. Choosing a wrong eCommerce platform

Start with a simple eCommerce platform (Shopify) if you are a small or medium enterprise. It is easy and cost-effective. You can go for a more scalable and customizable eCommerce platform (Magento) if you are a large Jeweller and have big investment budgets

3. Not defining the target audience

Not everyone wants to buy what you are selling. If you target a wrong or a broad customer segment, your marketing ROI will be lower. Initially focus more on existing offline customer base to see quick traction and slowly expand into focused customer segments

4. No brand USP

Not having a clear USP (unique selling proposition) will make your brand appear as a me-too brand. You need to give a compelling and unique reason for customers to buy from you

5. High website load time

53% of consumers will abandon a site that takes longer than three seconds to load. In the online world, competitors are just a click away

6. Website not optimized for mobile browsing

Most customers visit the website using a mobile device. The website needs to be designed keeping mobile-first in mind

7. Complex navigation

Customers would soon leave the site if they don’t find what they are looking for. Categorize your products and use better filters to help customers find what they want in a few clicks

8. Poor product images

Customers make the buying decision by looking at the product image. Use high-quality images, multiple angles, model shoots, and preferably product videos

9. Incomplete product descriptions

Not providing all the details about the product that customers need to make a buying decision will lead to poor sales conversion. Ask yourself if you were a customer, would you make a purchase looking at the product description

10. High pricing

It is easy to compare prices online. If your product is not unique, you have to price it competitively. Attractive offers and discounts encourage initial trials by customers

11. No Social proof

Use positive customer reviews, testimonials, and social endorsements to build trust

12. Missing About us or Contact us page

 Tell your brand story to build a connection with the audience. Showcase your offline store images, team pictures, and contact details to build credibility and trust.

13. No real-time customer service

If customers have queries and want assistance in completing the transaction, they want real-time customer service. A delayed response on chat or phone may kill their excitement and result in a loss of sale

14. Complicated check-out process

If you are seeking too much information, or adding too many steps before check-out, customers will drop off before completing the purchase. Absence of multiple payment options or error while making payments can also lead to cart abandonments

15. Out of stock or cancellation

Customers don’t like to be told that the product is out of stock after the payment was done. If the inventory is not updated, it leads to order cancellation and poor customer experience

16. Delayed delivery

Customers don’t want to wait long for the product to arrive after making the payment in advance. Delayed delivery is one of the top reasons why customers never come back to a brand’s website

17. Image and actual product difference

This is the most common grievance of online customers. They often find the actual product to be much smaller than the image, more delicate than the image, or even the finishing not as good as shown in the image

18. Unfriendly return policies

Customers are buying without physically trying the product. There could be a genuine reason that customers don’t like the product after purchasing. Free and no questions asked returns and friendly exchange, refund or buyback policies are a must to drive online conversion

19. Delayed customer service

If customer support agent is not trained or empowered to resolve the customer issues faster, customers will vent their anger on social media

20. Not seeking customer feedback

“96% of unhappy customers don’t complain, however, 91% of those will simply leave and never come back.” Use customer feedback to continuously improve your products and services

It is advisable to take guidance from someone with prior eCommerce experience to avoid expensive eCommerce mistakes.

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