Five mistakes that sink an online shop

Because e-commerce made starting a business cheaper than ever, plenty of people jumped in without accounting for a few factors that decide whether it works. The most common mistake of all is believing that once the shop is designed the money starts arriving, and that Google will rank you simply because you exist. That assumption closes shops.

1. Not enough investment

Many people go into e-commerce thinking a thousand euros will get the business up and generating profit quickly. But an online shop costs more than the site itself: you have to add the monthly cost of advertising and promotion to make anyone aware it exists. Budget for the year, not for the launch.

2. No promotion budget after launch

Related, and just as fatal. A shop with no marketing behind it is a warehouse with no door. Assume the site is the beginning of the spending, not the end of it.

3. Thin product pages

One small photo and two lines of description will not sell anything, and gives search engines nothing to index. The product page is the shop.

4. Ignoring customer service

Online, trust is the product. Slow replies, an invisible returns policy or no phone number anywhere will cost you more sales than any design flaw.

5. Expecting results too soon

Search visibility takes months. The shops that succeed are the ones still investing in month eight, when the ones that failed had already given up in month three.