When running an e-commerce business, avoiding 3 common e-commerce mistakes can make all the difference in building trust and increasing conversions. A smooth shopping experience reassures customers that your store is professional and reliable. However, simple yet critical errors can damage their confidence and cause them to abandon their purchase.
Here are three common online store mistakes that can make customers hesitate and how to fix them.
1. Uncustomized Checkout Page
Your checkout page is where customers finalize their purchase, so it should look and feel like the rest of your store. Many online store owners overlook this crucial step and leave the checkout page with generic branding or, worse, the default settings from their e-commerce platform.
Why it’s a problem:
•A checkout page that looks different from the rest of your site can make customers question its legitimacy.
•Generic pages don’t reinforce your brand identity, which weakens the shopping experience.
•Missing trust signals (like security badges and clear refund policies) can lead to checkout abandonment.
How to fix it:
•Add your store’s logo and brand colors to the checkout page for consistency.
•Include secure payment icons, a trust badge, and a short reassurance message like “Your payment is secure.”
•Simplify the checkout process with autofill options and guest checkout availability to reduce friction.
2. Incorrect or Unlinked Social Media Icons
Your website’s footer or header likely includes social media icons to encourage customers to follow and engage with your brand. However, many businesses either forget to link these icons to their actual accounts or display the wrong platforms entirely.
Why it’s a problem:
•Clicking on a social icon that leads to a broken or incorrect page can frustrate visitors and make your site seem unprofessional.
•Customers who want to check your legitimacy on social media may lose confidence if they can’t find your real accounts.
•Incorrect icons (like showing a Twitter logo on X or when you’re only active on Instagram and Facebook) can mislead shoppers about where to engage with you.
How to fix it:
•Regularly check that all social icons are correctly linked to your active accounts.
•Only display icons for platforms where you are active—don’t add unnecessary links.
•If you change social media handles or platforms, update your site immediately to reflect those changes.
3. Forgetting to Update Your Copyright Date
Forgetting to update your copyright date may seem minor, but it’s one of the 3 common e-commerce mistakes that can make your business appear outdated. When customers visit your site and see an old copyright year in the footer, they may wonder if your store is still active or if your products and policies are up to date.
Why it’s a problem:
•Customers may assume your store isn’t being maintained, raising doubts about order fulfillment or customer support.
•Search engines may also interpret outdated information as a sign of a neglected website, affecting SEO rankings.
•It’s a simple fix that, when ignored, signals a lack of attention to detail.
How to fix it:
•Set a reminder to update your copyright date at the start of each new year.
•Automate the copyright year with a dynamic script that updates it automatically.
•While updating, check for other outdated information like old promotions, staff details, or policies.
Final Thoughts
Small details can make a big difference in building customer confidence and trust in your online store. By customizing your checkout page, ensuring your social icons are correctly linked, and keeping your copyright date up to date, you create a seamless, professional, and reliable shopping experience.
Need help optimizing your online store? Contact WMD today to ensure your website builds trust, converts visitors, and drives sales!
