If you have invested time and put effort into every element of your online store, it can be very unpleasant and discouraging when your products are not met with the same desire and attention from consumers. Every online shop owner is familiar with the challenges they face when running an eCommerce business, and one of the most common problems is usually directly related to a lack of sales.
Not bringing enough profit can be very demotivating for any store, especially one that operates solely on the web. Before you completely give up on your business, it’s important to know that there is a very clear reason why your products aren’t selling. And it’s your job to find out where the problem is and figure out a way to solve it.
Why is your eCommerce site not selling?
Selling online is not easy, especially when there are multiple underlying problems. If you want to make your store successful, it is crucial to understand what is missing and adjust accordingly towards fixing the most complicated issues. Here are some of the most common reasons why products in your online store are not selling:
Poor product description and low-quality pictures
One of the biggest advantages of shopping online is that we can do it from the comfort of our homes. But when we shop this way, all we rely on is the information and photos provided by the store in question. The lack of a good description or the selection of inappropriate photos of poor quality can drastically affect the judgment of any customer. That is why your main goal is to provide enough information about your products and show the product from every side to convince the customer that you are the best place to buy this product.
Choose images, or even better, videos that show your product in a good light, aiming to attract more buyers to the item. Showcase your products from different angles, or be more innovative and use a 3D model to show each of your products in detail. Create compelling descriptions that sell, and consumers will benefit from them.
Outdated and impractical web design
When someone visits your website, its design is the one giving the first impression of your business. Thus, it is responsible for how the audience perceives your business. The impression it creates can make them leave your page or become interested in learning more about your business. However, if your website looks unattractive or outdated, visitors will know immediately and leave your page, most likely going to your competitor. This directly affects the sales of your business.
Create a modern website with a pleasant user experience for every visitor, whether they come from a phone or a computer. Aim to provide comfort and convenience to the user without unnecessary effects that may disrupt users’ shopping experience and send them elsewhere. Most users judge a site within seconds, so make sure that what you offer will have a positive impact on your audience.
Lack of trust
Lack of trust is one of the main reasons why people avoid buying products online. If your store is a startup or relatively new online and you don’t have a lot of content on your website and Social Media, trust is one of the main reasons why you’re not getting any sales. Since we live in a world full of scams, it’s understandable that there are skeptical people who you need to win over. But how to do this?
There are many ways to strengthen your business online. You can start by creating and maintaining an active Social Media profile, adding more pages to your website (such as “About Us” and “Our Story”), and encouraging your customers to leave a positive review as proof that your products are bought.
Complicated purchase process
If your store requires too many actions for your customers to complete a purchase or provides a complicated checkout process, a large percentage of your visitors will never buy your products. The consumer today is aware of the standard maintained by large businesses and companies, and this is expected from every online store, regardless of the size of the company behind it.
Eliminate the complicated, multi-step purchase process by creating a short and pleasant checkout process. Give the user choice by not requiring registration for payment. Keep the user coming back by providing a pleasant and easy way to purchase.
No marketing opportunities
The online store opens up many marketing opportunities unknown before. But only if you advertise and target the right audience that will be interested in your offer. Create a strategy that clearly shows how you will use digital tools such as social networks, paid Google ads, or email marketing assistant to achieve the goals and increase the revenue of your store. Without a good strategy and reaching the right group of people, your store will not get any revenue.
Lack of urgency
As a store owner, it’s perfectly normal to do everything in your power to make your store a success. One clever tactic that will get people thinking about your products is creating urgency. It can encourage your customers to take quick action, which will undoubtedly boost your sales.
There are many different ways to create urgency around your products. The most important thing is to find what works for your business model.
Your audience doesn’t understand your message
It’s one thing not to know who your target audience is, but it’s much worse not to be able to connect with them. What if they don’t understand the message you’re sending them, too?
Describe your products, emphasizing their benefits. Your customers want to know how your offer will be useful to them in their daily lives. To make sure they get your message, use photos and videos of your product in use, before/after results, and other creative ways to grab their attention.
When your online store is not performing as expected, the first thing that will come to your mind is that something is wrong with your products. In most cases, however, the products are not the problem, but their presentation and affordability.
There are several reasons that hinder your store. Perhaps your approach is too direct. Or just the opposite. You may be targeting the wrong group of people. Or perhaps you have an unfriendly website that is difficult to navigate. Whatever the problem, it’s your job to identify and fix it.
Feeling confused? Don’t know where to start?
Contact Sitelab and our e-commerce experts will help you start improving your store. If you are looking for help with website development, contact us today!
