Running an e-commerce business can simplify things for you because you don’t need to think about maintaining a physical store. But operating through the online sphere doesn’t mean that the sales will come flowing in automatically. Gain awareness of these barriers to e-commerce business growth so that you don’t become stuck.
Generating Low Site Traffic
Despite having a working website that people can order from, you may have trouble generating lots of traffic. If you face this problem, you should spend time making your site look attractive and fitting for your target demographic. You might add more images or clean up some messy details here and there. You should also try gaining more exposure by being active on social media and including keywords relevant to your product with SEO practices. SEO stands for search engine optimization, and you can learn the basics by doing research online. Its main goal is to boost your sales by allowing your website to show up when people search for the types of products that you sell. SEO companies can also help make your site more authoritative in the eyes of search engines.
Blending in With Competitors
You don’t want to blend in with your competitors because customers won’t have a reason to go to your business over theirs. Offering generic products and having a bland style can cause your business to stagnate. Carve out your own niche by paying attention to the voice you use in writing on your website and the messages you convey with your visuals. These changes can help you connect with people so that they’re more likely to buy your products. Look at your products as well and try to make them unique when compared to the competition. There should be some characteristic, whether in price or design, that people can’t get elsewhere.
Having Slow Shipping
One of the core barriers to e-commerce business growth is having slow shipping. Many people choose to order online because it’s more convenient for them. Long shipping times will turn away many potential customers. Although you can process, pack, and transport goods in bulk to reduce shipping times, getting last mile delivery right is challenging. This is because that portion of the journey means the package must travel to a particular customer address. The specificity of this step slows things down and drives up costs for businesses. You can work with delivery services or third-party fulfillment providers. They have more warehouse facilities to ship from and they make delivery routes more efficient as well.