10 common mistakes when launching an online store

Online business requires no less effort than offline, and sometimes even more. There is higher competition in the network, and the rules of the game (algorithms, advertising, consumer habits) are constantly changing. Only a lazy person does not talk about easy money ‘on the net’. Yes, quick earnings are possible, but it is more a matter of chance. Without a systematic approach, competent marketing, niche testing, setting up logistics and constant work on improving the service online shop, business will not survive.

TON OP Bulgaria marketers consider this mistake to be the most common and most often fatal. Wanting to save money, entrepreneurs often choose a platform for their online shop without thinking about the fact that it is the basis of their business. Trouble awaits an online shop when it turns out that the platform doesn't scale, or supports a limited number of products, or doesn't handle traffic growth well. Some platforms are closed-source, making it difficult to rework, while others require complex integration with payment systems, software solutions (such as TONOP analytics tools) and logistics services. Before choosing an engine, it is important to consider not only the starting needs, but also the prospects for growth: the possibility of adding new product categories, the speed of page loading, the convenience of updating the catalogue and compatibility with marketing tools.

Often sellers choose products based on their tastes or the advice of friends, but do not analyse what customers really need. Thus, if you sell expensive items to middle-income people, demand will be low, simply because most of the target audience can't afford them. Many entrepreneurs start with a product that they find interesting or promising. However, without analysing demand, competition and margins, this approach is a ticket to nowhere.

Competitor analysis is a routine process that cannot be stopped. Which competitors have left the market? Who has just arrived and is trying to occupy a profitable niche? You need to know about it. A simple SWOT-analysis will show you what mistakes the business is making and what risks you need to prepare for. It will allow you to determine the position of the company in relation to its competitors. Study what range of products other sellers offer, at what prices, how customers evaluate these products. Pay attention to related products that can also be offered. Evaluate the quality of the products you offer - this will help you determine the standards you will need to maintain or raise to attract the attention of your audience.

Dropshipping and working with wholesale suppliers may seem simple, but without careful checking of partners, you may face long delivery times, low-quality goods and problems with returns. Always test suppliers, check the terms of co-operation and monitor product quality.

A product of poor quality is a point of no return. You need to evaluate the product, its quality, the time of delivery by the supplier and how it will be packaged. Pay attention to the product photos on the supplier's website. They should be clear and the product should be visible from all sides and well lit.

Focusing on one segment - this approach seems attractive. But in most cases, such segments, and therefore the trading platform, have extremely low coverage. If there are too few consumers in the chosen niche or the demand for the product is insignificant, sales will be small and income will be minimal.

Often newcomers try to minimise costs, so they choose cheap variants of goods. This can lead to the fact that the goods do not pass the test on the platform or get negative feedback from buyers. And bad reviews not only reduce the rating of the product, but also negatively affect the reputation of the shop.

Too high a price can scare away customers, too low a price can cause distrust. It is important to understand what price segment your product belongs to and position it correctly so that customers consider it a good deal.

High shipping costs, long order processing and inconvenient return process can kill sales even in the most promising shop. Convenient and transparent logistics, cooperation with trusted transport companies and a clear system of returns are the key to customer confidence.

Some entrepreneurs hope that customers will find them on their own. But without investing in SEO, advertising and content marketing, sales will not grow. It is important to think about a promotion strategy in advance: from contextual advertising and targeting to blogging and working with social networks.

So, you've invested money, found suppliers, launched advertising, but sales are stagnant. It seems that everything is done correctly, but customers are leaving, orders are not coming in, and the business is treading water. Yes, mistakes are inevitable. But the difference between failure and success is the ability to notice and correct them in time. The sooner you analyse the weaknesses, the more chances you have to build a profitable online shop.

The work of the online shop is assessed, first of all, by the quality of the goods supplied, speed of delivery, guarantees. All this can only be ensured in partnership with trusted suppliers. Without the ‘right’ suppliers, any good business idea is doomed to failure. TON OP doo ltd offers digital sourcing technology and tools for dropshipping business. TON OP software measures the effectiveness of all marketing campaigns with inbuilt analytics, reports and dashboards.