Shopify Dropshipping 20 Most Common Store Mistakes to Avoid
Every day, thousands of Shopify dropshipping stores are set up, but 99% of the stores fail. This is normal especially for beginners, I went through the same issue when I started this business, making common mistakes is difficult to avoid if you just getting started but, this should not stop you from launching your Shopify dropshipping store.
What you should do is know why most people do not make it and learn from their mistakes.
Why is important to avoid these common mistakes?
Whether it’s the first or tenth time you are attempting, you shouldn’t give up. It is possible to overcome obstacles and achieve great success.
1.Assuming People Will Follow Automatically
The internet has more than four billion websites and so assuming people will automatically follow you.
A new dropshipping site is likely to get lost, and the reason every Shopify store should be launched. This gives it maximum exposure to its targeted audience. You can do it through social media or word of mouth.
2.Targeting The Wrong Customers
Not everyone will buy from you. This means you must have targeted customers who you will reach through different marketing strategies. Start by figuring out who you want to sell to and contact them.
3.Lacking a strong marketing plan
There is a unique marketing plan for every audience. Using the wrong one will make your Shopify store fail because you will not get your customers. This translates to little or no sales.
4.Improper Branding
Branding of a Shopify store includes the logo, theme color, and type of font. A logo is the first impression to your customers and should be easy to identify. The logo should let customers know what a brand stands for and make a statement without any description.
The theme color has to be consistent because unique colors speak about your store anytime your potential customers see it. Even when you change settings, make sure your colors and shades remain the same.
The fonts should be proper, and it’s not easy to settle for one because you will find a wide variety to select from. Select the ideal font that matches your products and targeted customers. Stick to the fonts you decide to use, and they give your store a polished and unique look.
5.Non-Optimized Images
According to search engine rules, your images should be optimized to enable fast loading. This means you must choose pictures that load in less than five seconds. Any images taking more time will compromise your website’s loading time and put off potential customers.
Use this tool, it will allow you to compress your image file while keeping the same quality.
Some developers opt for third-party applications when compressing images. The images affect the speed, user quality, and speed of a site. Besides, you have to pay for the compressed images, which elevate the overall cost of operating your store.
6.Empty Web Pages
A Shopify store is not only about selling products; your customers want to connect with you. This is why you should insert information on the “About US page” and “Contact Us pages.” Most people are quick to stuff the product pages fast, giving potential customers hundreds of options. However, they forget to share their brand’s story and business journey.
It is a mistake because customers cannot connect with your services. Including a short story about your business mission makes a huge difference for online investments.
Another thing that makes people not trust a drop shipping company is the lack of an address. When you include an email address or a phone number on the contact page, enable clients to interact with you. This increases your chances of getting business opportunities.
7.Not Customizing SEO Options
For excellent results, you must configure SEO options. Most people leave them as default, which definitely doesn’t suit their content.
Customized meta tags help your website rank high because they inform potential customers about your products.
8.Lack Of Payment Methods
Shopify provides several payment methods, but you require a little fee to use the service. Most people skip this step because they do not spend money before selling anything. But, it ends up putting off buyers. The best thing about the Shopify payment methods is that they are easy to integrate.
However, Shopify allows you to do your dropshipping business with people from various parts of the world. This platform enables you to use other payment options, including PayPal and Stripes. You should incorporate multiple methods of payment to prevent a high rate of abandonment.
9.Website Without Mobile Versions
Today, a big percentage of online users access different websites through smartphones. If you create a Shopify store without a mobile-users-friendly version, you will miss out on many customers. Make sure your website works on desktop and mobile versions. Also, handpick attractive themes usable on mobile phones. This will make it easy for customers to shop using their phones or any other smart gadgets.
10.Lack Of Social Proof
Customers will research and seek to know about your products before buying. You should have a social account and be genuine about your products. However, never forget to impress customers because they connect through social media platforms where they are likely to discuss your business.
To get social proof, you can select a few social media networks to use. You can also use third-party apps to display the store’s social worth. The app gathers data from various social media accounts and integrates them into a Shopify store. The best thing is that you find some apps that will make a few posts for free, but you have to pay for the service later on.
11.Lack of Google Analytics
Google hosts algorithms when potential customers execute their search. If you want to succeed in the Shopify store, adhere to Google rules and create a Google Analytics account while providing meaningful and accurate.
The best thing is that Shopify provides a guide for new users setting up Google analytics.
12.High Delivery Times
Online shopping is not complete without delivery times. If you want to succeed, cut down the time it takes to deliver products. Remember, there are other businesses like Amazon that can ship products within a day. Also, make sure you work with a reliable carrier.
13.Complicated Procedure Of Checking Out
Most people abandon their selected items on a site because of the complicated checkout process. Avoid using a long process and only request essential information such as contact number, name, and address.
14.Not Having A Welcome Message For First-Time Users
Make sure you have a personalized message for first-time users. They are significant and the people who turn in long-term customers. Have email pop-ups in place to enable your customers to engage easily. Ensure that the site is easy to navigate because most new customers will not work with you if they cannot quickly move from one page to another. This is the reason it should have a minimalistic design combined with a consistent theme.
You can also go to the extent of giving them a discount to encourage them to buy from you for the first time. As long as your products or services are excellent, you are assured of return clients and recommendations after the first purchase
15.Poorly Done Newsletters
When you create a drop shipping Shopify store or any other, make sure you start sending newsletters to your customers. Newsletters are used to pass on recent details of your products or services. It is an easy way to communicate with customers, but some store owners ignore it and fail due to poor connections with their clients. Newsletters ensure your customers stay updated with store activities, including news, discounts, and future business expansion plans.
16.Lack Of Value Addition To Customers
Customers are always looking for a business that will add value. Take time to know your customers’ needs and come up with products that will resolve the problems. They may be things such as coupons or free shipping.
17.Lack of proper landing page optimization
An eCommerce store is different from your offline business. You must customize the landing pages to enhance conversion rates. It increases the chances of getting return visitors, and you can eventually convert them into customers.
18.Ignoring The High Rate Of Cart Abandonment
It is easy to ignore cart abandonment but with time, the number of people who do not check out increases. You should act first and ease the checkout process. If left unattended, you will lose many opportunities.
19.Failure To Use Influencer Marketing In The Right Way
Influencer marketing is always the best way to reach many people and ensure online business growth. Get someone who is famous and let your audience target know someone they look up to is using your products or services.
20.Lack Of Proper Accounting
Taking accounting seriously is essential because it helps you track expenses and profits. It is easy to do this at Shopify as the platform provides you with accounting tools. They allow you to break all tasks down and store your accounting records easily. You can use accounting solutions such as QuickBooks in Shopify.
Set up your Shopify store and avoid the mistakes above if you want to leap profits. Learn from others and build your dropshipping business to the highest level possible.
Want to learn more about dropshipping? check out these guides!
