5 Ecommerce Marketing Mistakes That Sabotage Your Sales (And How to Fix Them)

Did you know? E-commerce business has a failure rate of about 80%-90%. Honestly, the Techtio digital marketing specialists know that most of these failures are avoidable with better strategy. So, if you’re wondering why your online store isn’t converting visitors into customers, you’re probably making one (or several) of these classic ecommerce marketing mistakes.

Don’t worry – we’ve all been there. But here’s the thing: recognising these pitfalls is the first step to turning your struggling store into a sales machine.

1. Talking to Everyone (Which Means Talking to No One)

One of the most devastating and common ecommerce mistakes is trying to appeal to everyone. Firing generic content that seems aggressively self-promoting is a big no-no. When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone.

Your 65-year-old grandmother and your 20-year-old cousin don’t shop the same way. They don’t have the same cultural references and don’t hang out on the same platforms. So, stop trying to make them both happy with generic content.

The fix: Create detailed buyer personas and tailor your messages specifically to each segment. Your marketing will be more effective when it speaks directly to someone’s specific needs and desires.

2. Committing SEO Self-Sabotage

Let’s talk about ecommerce SEO mistakes that are costing you organic traffic. Many store owners throw money in the wind on paid advertising. At the same time, they completely neglect their organic search presence. This is like ignoring free money sitting on the table.

Common SEO blunders include:

• Using duplicate product descriptions
• Ignoring meta descriptions and title tags
• Having a terrible site structure
• Forgetting about local SEO (if you have physical locations)

The fix: Let the Techtio digital marketing team handle keyword research, create unique product descriptions, optimise your site structure> We will also look into your technical SEO to improve site speed and mobile responsiveness.

3. Email Marketing Amnesia

In the social media age, ineffective email marketing still tops the list of common ecommerce marketing mistakes. Email marketing has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing channel, if you do it right. Yet many businesses either ignore it completely or do it so poorly that they’re better off not doing it at all.

Sending the same generic newsletter to your entire list or only emailing when you want to sell something is like showing up to a party just to eat and drink – nobody likes that person.

The fix: Segment your email lists, create automated workflows for different customer journeys, and focus on providing value, not just pushing products.

4. Creating a User Experience Nightmare

The checkout process that makes CIA recruitment a breeze, incomplete product information, and byzantine navigation… These common issues will swiftly scare customers away from your site. Your website might look pretty, but if customers can’t find what they’re looking for or get frustrated during checkout, they’ll bounce faster than a rubber ball.

According to Baymard, 83% of websites mix up the “Sales” and “Deals” categories in search filters. Something as simple as poorly organised filters can cost you sales.

The fix: Regularly audit your user experience, simplify your navigation, and make sure your search and filter functions actually work the way customers expect them to.

5. Payment Process Punishment

In 2024, consumers expect an easy purchase and checkout process. According to McKinsey & Company, the consumers’ interest in digital payments continues to grow, including in new areas like “buy now, pay later” and crypto payments.

If your checkout process feels like trying to get out of a labyrinth, you’re in trouble. Long forms, limited payment options, and forced account creation are conversion killers.

The fix: Streamline your checkout process, offer multiple payment options including digital wallets, and always provide a guest checkout option.

Let Techtio Redefine Your Ecommerce Customer Experience!

Most of these ecommerce mistakes to avoid are completely preventable with the right strategy and execution. The key is to stop making assumptions about what your customers want and start using data to make informed decisions.

Remember: your competitors are probably making these same mistakes. Fix them faster than they do, and you’ll have a significant competitive advantage.

Ready to stop sabotaging your own success? Let Techtio develop your ecommerce marketing strategy. Contact us today!