Starting a Shopify store is an exciting journey, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Many new store owners make common mistakes that can hinder their success.
While the road to building a successful e-commerce business can be full of twists and turns, knowing what mistakes to avoid can help you succeed fast as a beginner.
As professional Shopify experts, we’ve gathered a list of 10 most frequent mistakes we’ve seen new Shopify store owners make, along with our professional and practical tips on how to avoid them.
Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your existing store, these insights will help set you up for long-term success!
1. Failing to Validate Your Idea
Many new store owners start their Shopify journey with great enthusiasm, but without validating their product or niche idea first. This can result in launching a store that lacks real demand, or they end up creating a store that targets an oversaturated market.
Without proper validation, it’s hard to tell if people will actually buy your product or if you’re investing too much time and money into something that won’t work out.
How to Avoid It:
Make sure to properly validate your product idea by conducting surveys, running small ads, or testing with a minimum viable product (MVP).
See if people are interested in your product or not before you scale up. This will help you to avoid investing in something that won’t sell. Always do your homework first!
2. Ignoring Mobile Optimization
Over 70% of E-commerce sales comes from mobile devices. Many newbie store owners focus only on desktop optimization, which leaves mobile users with a poor experience.
If your Shopify store isn’t mobile-friendly, customers will ditch it in favor of a competitor with a smoother mobile shopping experience. Slow load times, hard-to-click buttons, and difficult navigation can easily drive customers away.
How to Avoid It:
Select a responsive Shopify theme that automatically adjusts to any screen size. Always ensure that images and buttons are optimized for mobile devices.
Your site should load fast and your buttons should be clickable. Pro tip: Enable features like easy one-click payment options, and keep the checkout process as simple as possible to minimize friction for mobile users.
3. Using Poor-Quality Product Images and Descriptions
Your customers can’t physically touch or try products in your online store, but what they CAN see is the product image and description. Always make sure that you upload the highest quality product images and description.
Low-quality photos or vague descriptions lower trust, and reduce the likelihood of them making a purchase. Images should showcase the product from multiple angles and demonstrate its use in real-life situations. Meanwhile, descriptions should emphasize the benefits of your product and why it’s valuable.
How to Avoid It:
Invest in high-resolution images that show your products clearly. Take photos of your product from various angles, and include close-ups to highlight important details. If possible,
You can also include lifestyle shots that show the product being used. Write detailed descriptions that highlight the benefits and tell a story that connects with the customer.
Bonus tip: Use storytelling to explain how the product solves a problem or improves the customer’s life. Be clear and specific, avoiding using jargon in descriptions that might confuse your audience.
4. Not Optimizing for SEO
Many Shopify store owners rely only on paid ads to drive traffic to their stores. Paid ads can be effective, no doubt, but neglecting SEO (Search Engine Optimization) means you're missing out on the long-term benefits of organic traffic.
Without proper SEO, your product pages, blog posts, and other content won't rank in search engines. People should be able to find your store when they search for it.
How to Avoid It:
Focus on both on-page and off-page SEO. Start by optimizing your product pages with the right keywords. Use descriptive meta titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images.
Don’t forget about blog posts—they’re an excellent way to rank for relevant keywords and provide valuable content to your customers. Also, build backlinks to improve your store’s authority and search engine ranking.
The more your site is optimized for search engines, the more likely you are to attract organic traffic. We know it’s a lot of work and the results aren't instant but it’s worth it in the long term.
5. Overcomplicating the Checkout Process
Would you end up buying a product if it makes you go through hundreds of interfaces just to reach that one page which does not have a COD option?
A complicated or lengthy checkout process is one of the main reasons why people abandon carts.
Hidden fees, too many form fields, and forced account creation can frustrate customers and cause them to leave before completing their purchase. The simpler the checkout process, the higher the conversion rate.
How to Avoid It:
Aim for a quick, user-friendly checkout process. Enable guest checkout, so customers don’t have to create an account to buy. Offer multiple payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and even alternative payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Try to keep the number of steps to a minimum, and provide clear information on shipping costs, taxes, and estimated delivery dates upfront. Ensure that your checkout is mobile-optimized to maintain the same seamless experience for mobile shoppers.
6. Neglecting Customer Support
Customer service is often overlooked by new store owners who focus heavily on sales, but neglecting it can damage your reputation and customer loyalty. Imagine paying for a T-shirt that you never received, and there is no one to complain to.
Delayed responses, lack of contact options, and poor problem resolution can frustrate customers, leading to negative reviews and decreased sales.
How to Avoid It:
Offer multiple channels for customer support. Include live chat, email, and phone support. If possible, Implement chatbots that can provide immediate answers to simple questions, and make sure your response times are fast and your responses helpful.
Aim to resolve customer issues promptly and efficiently—This will ensure that those happy customers return.
Bonus tip: Add an FAQ section to your website to address common queries.
7. Not Having a Clear Brand Identity
A generic-looking website with no distinct branding will blend into the background, making it impossible for customers to remember and trust your store.
Customers will only remember you for what makes you different from the rest of the brands. So, Build a strong brand identity which will build customer loyalty and help differentiate your business from the competition.
How to Avoid It:
Develop a unique brand identity. Use a recognizable logo, color scheme, and consistent messaging.
Make sure that your brand voice resonates with your target audience—whether it’s playful, professional, or luxury-focused, it should be consistent across your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Let your brand tell a story and reflect your values, creating a deeper connection with customers.
8. Pricing Products Incorrectly
Pricing is one of the most delicate aspects of running an online store. Setting prices too high can scare away customers, while pricing too low can hurt your profitability or devalue your brand.
Many newbie store owners fail to account for hidden costs like shipping fees, product returns, and marketing expenses when setting prices.
How to Avoid It:
Always conduct a thorough market research to understand what your competitors are charging. Factor in all your costs, including production, shipping, and overheads.
Test different price points to see what maximizes your sales and margins without compromising your brand’s value.
Bonus tip: Consider experimenting with different pricing strategies like offering bundles, using psychological pricing (e.g., $9.99 instead of $10), or using discount offers to entice customers
9. Not Leveraging Social Proof
Trust is a major barrier for new Shopify store owners. Without any proof that your products work or that you’re a legitimate business, customers may hesitate to buy.
Social proof such as reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content can help fill that gap and build trust.
How to Avoid It:
Encourage customers to leave reviews after their purchase, and display these prominently on your product pages. If you don’t have many reviews yet, offering incentives like discounts for leaving feedback might help you fish for more reviews.
Leverage social media platforms to showcase user-generated content, such as photos or videos from customers using your product. The more positive feedback you gather, the more likely new customers will trust your brand.
10. Ignoring Marketing & Advertising
Many store owners think that once their store is live, customers will automatically find it (We wish that was the case.) Without proper marketing,
your store will remain invisible. Marketing is essential to driving traffic to your store, whether through paid ads, content marketing, email campaigns, or influencer partnerships.
How to Avoid It:
Invest in developing a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes a mix of tactics such as paid advertising on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads to reach your target audience quickly.
Use email marketing to build relationships and nurture customers over time. Create valuable content, such as blog posts or videos, that attract organic traffic.
Collaborate with influencers in your niche to increase brand visibility. Keep testing and refining your marketing strategies to find the best mix for your store.
Final Thoughts
Starting a Shopify store is exciting, but without avoiding these common mistakes it’s impossible to stay ahead of the competition. Following the tips in this guide will set you up for long-term success. It may seem like a lot of work but it’s all worth it in the long run.
Feeling overwhelmed? Need expert help setting up or optimizing your Shopify store? Our Expert Shopify service is one click away!
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