Why Some Ecommerce Websites Are Doomed To Fail?
There are virtually millions of websites competing for attention online and with billions of dollars in revenue at stake it is easy to understand why. But simply throwing up an e-commerce website expecting an instant rush of visitors anxious to buy your products is probably not going to happen. Unfortunately for some, many entrepreneurs do just that.
According to eMarketer, online revenue from Australian ecommerce websites is expected to top $10B this year, a 14.4% increase from the previous year. There is plenty of potential revenue to go around; good news for anyone venturing into the world of ecommerce today. However, in order for an online store to succeed, it is important to understand the three fundamental reasons why some ecommerce websites are doomed to fail.
Lack of a brand identity
Many ecommerce websites pop up with a logo and tons of products mistakenly believing they just created a brand. A logo is not the brand. It is a design or symbol that represents the brand. This lack of a brand identity or a failure to distinguish oneself among competitors is a common reason why many e-commerce websites fail. For instance, if you have an online ecommerce store that sells the same products as another online establishment you have to give potential customers a better reason to buy from your store. In other words, if you sell mobile phones, why should they buy it from your store when they can just as easily buy it somewhere else? That’s why you need to establish a brand identity that you’re target market can identify with and is willing to accept.
Lack of focus
Another common reason for failure is a lack of focus. With so much online competition it is nearly impossible to be everything to everyone. It is important to ensure that the products and services you provide actually belong together. It is often better to specialize with a few really strong products then offering thousands of product choices. If you focus on what you do best you will be able to please most of your customers most of the time which will increase the chances for repeat business and referrals.
Ineffective website design
Many e-commerce websites are simply not designed with the visitor in mind. They may have very little product information, are not regularly updated and make it difficult for shoppers to find and purchase the products and services they want to buy.
To be effective, online stores should have a clean professional design, offer high quality images with clear and concise content. It also needs a modern shopping cart that is integrated with a secured payment gateway that allows customers to pay for goods and services with their preferred method of payment such as PayPal and debit and credit cards, for instance.
Also, ecommerce websites that go the extra mile and offer a variety of support options including online chat, click-to-call and visible telephone numbers make it easy for shoppers to have their queries answered quickly making it more likely that they will make a purchase and return again in the future.
