Ecommerce Mistakes #4: Customer Experience Mistakes [Infographic]

Now that you have a business plan that is destined for success, and have figured out how to attract your target shoppers to your online store (which works properly), you'd want to ensure that they have an enjoyable time shopping in it.

In the fourth part of our infographic series, we list out common ecommerce store design mistakes that can make your customers' shopping experience unpleasant (painful, even). Take note!

1: Not earning trust

"Just because you are trustworthy does not mean customers will believe you." – Gregory Ciotti, Help Scout

2: Looks amateurish

"Overall the web is pretty sloppy, but an online store can't afford to be. An online store is trying to convince people to buy." – Paul Graham, YCombinator

3: Too many things

"Heard of information overload? Don't bury your broducts in a sea of links and banners and widgets and feeds." – Lyn Peyok, Dowitcher Designs

4: Confusing navigation and no visual heirarchy

"If customers can't find the product they're looking for in a few clicks, you may have lost a sale."

5: Not putting focus on products

"The goal of an ecommerce site is to sell products. If your site puts more focus on bells and whistles or the design itself, it's not achieving the primary goal." – Cameron Chapman, web designer

6: Misguided product description

"Do they care mostly about how it looks, or about what it's capable of? Adjust your image use and product descriptions based on this need." – Gregory Ciotti, Help Scout

Further Reading: See how to write product descriptions that sell here.

7: Lack of detailed product information and images

"If a customer is left wondering about the spcifics of a product, they're more likely to go look for the information elsewhere." – Cameron Chapman, web designer

8: No stock availability update

"According to Quibit, consumers frequently complain when items that are no longer in stock or discontinued are still displayed on the site." – Max Knoblauch, Mashable

9: No related product information

"Look at the displays in any brick-and-mortar store and you'll see related products grouped together to increase the chances of add-on purchases." – Omar Kattan, Sandstorm Digital

10: No product update

"Shopfronts need to be interesting, evolving, and exciting to keep our attention." Carmen, The Website Store

11: Too many steps involved

"The more steps you put between them placing an item in their cart and actually paying for it, the more opportunities you give them to leave your site without completing their purchase." – Cameron Chapman, web designer

Here's how to ensure your online store provides a pleasant shopping experience:

Store design

• Make sure your site is secure + includes trust indicators
• Use large, high quality images and consistent, legible fonts
• Carefully plan your navigational structure and visual hierarchy
• Minimize steps for product finding and ordering process
• Sort information by priority and minimize clutter

Product presentation

• Provide as much well-crafted product information as you can
• Place emphasis on products in best possible light
• Constantly refresh your product range and update existing product information
• Adjust image and description based on what customers will care about
• Include 'related products' recommendations

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Read more:

The Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Mistakes series

• Intro: What's the best way to develop a good understanding of ecommerce?
• Part 1: Critical Business Mistakes
• Part 2: Marketing Mistakes
• Part 3: Common Website Mistakes
• Part 4: Customer Experience Mistakes (You are here)
• Part 5: Closing Sale Mistakes
• Part 6: Post-Purchase Mistakes