Are you into e-commerce? Or perhaps you are considering starting a professional journey in this industry? Regardless of where you currently stand, there are several challenges that may hinder your path to success. In the following guide, we present the most enduring challenges and provide suggestions on how to overcome them quickly.
From this article, you will learn:
- The greatest challenges in the eCommerce industry.
- Which hosting is the best for your business?
- Why fast loading times are crucial for an online store?
- When to prioritize cybersecurity?
- How to take care of the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) of your website?
- Is lack of personalization truly a mistake?
- How to manage data and which software to choose?
The biggest challenges in the eCommerce industry: what to expect and how to handle them?
It is undeniable that in the modern world, the eCommerce industry is one of the fastest-growing. That's why it requires entrepreneurs to be agile and adapt to changes.
However, efficient implementation of innovations is not everything. There are several aspects to consider when starting a new online store or expanding an existing business.
Below, you will find a brief guide that presents the greatest challenges in the eCommerce industry and provides suggestions on how to successfully overcome them.
Choosing the Right Hosting
Hosting is the space where your eCommerce store's data will be stored. If you choose the right hosting, you can ensure that your website functions smoothly and meets user expectations.
Currently, cloud hosting is the most popular choice due to its strong features, such as:
- Unlimited storage space.
- Easy access to data.
- No risk of losing stored materials.
Cloud hosting is an incredibly flexible and scalable solution that is not as restricted as physical servers. Therefore, it is worth considering this option to handle multiple requests simultaneously when necessary.
Website Speed
Imagine wanting to make a quick online purchase, but the website you're using takes annoyingly long to load. What would you do? Most likely, you would choose another store because waiting tests your patience, right?
Your customers will react in the same way if you don't prioritize the speed of your website.
Not only do users dislike slow-loading websites, but search engine algorithms also favour fast-loading pages, leading to better search engine rankings.
A good eCommerce store should load within a few seconds. Remember that capturing users' attention online is a significant challenge, especially in an era where websites are not read but merely scanned.
The speed of your website depends on picking the right software and compressing images (such as product photos) to ensure they load quickly.
The proper functioning of your eCommerce store also relies on SEO. If your website is well-optimized in this aspect, you will undoubtedly attract more regular visitors.
To meet customer needs, regularly check your store's page speed and select solutions that improve website performance. Effective online sales are efficient and seamless for users.
Cybersecurity
eCommerce is one of those business sectors where data security plays a crucial role.
Every day, hundreds of thousands of cybercriminals are hunting for the information you process and store in your online store.
When establishing an online business, you are responsible for protecting your company's data and the information entrusted to you by your customers. It is essential to:
- Choose secure hosting.
- Use a trusted e-commerce platform.
- Employ specialists who know how to protect sensitive data.
- Online security also involves regularly updating software and monitoring the state of your website. By staying vigilant, you will have more time to react in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Proper UX/UI
UI is like the saddle, stirrups, and reins. UX is the feeling that allows you to ride a horse. - Dain Miller, Web Developer
The above quote using a metaphor captures perfectly the relationship between UI and UX. Neither can exist without the other because eCommerce requires both a well-thought-out design that considers real users and an attractive visual layer.
User Experience (UX) is a discipline that involves studying user needs and creating solutions that directly address them.
A good eCommerce store should be based on customer expectations. Even if you offer the highest quality services or products, you won't be able to sell them solely based on a visually appealing website.
An online store should not only be visually pleasing. It should be a place where users can quickly make online purchases and easily find what they are looking for. Therefore, ensure that your website is user-friendly and intuitive to navigate.
User Experience also involves proper nomenclature and categorization. If your store is equipped with effective filters and search options, customers are more likely to find what they require and make a purchase.
The appearance of your store's website is also important. However, remember that an excellent UI is not just about aesthetics; it should also prioritize accessibility so that people with various limitations can confidently make purchases.
Don't forget about using appropriate colours, sufficient contrast, legible fonts, and information architecture. It's essential to organize the elements in your eCommerce store in a way that most users are already familiar with.
While novelty may be tempting, it's worth emphasizing that users prefer to feel secure and follow established patterns. When users have encountered specific mechanisms before, they are more likely to choose a particular service or product.
Responsiveness
When discussing good UX and UI, it is essential to address responsiveness. An eCommerce store should display correctly on both desktop and mobile devices.
How a website behaves on a particular device depends on the quality of the prepared design. A good and experienced designer will ensure that the store has versions that adapt to different conditions.
It is worth noting that, according to DataReportal 2023, over half of consumers make online purchases via smartphones at least once a week. That's why it's crucial for your mobile version to be just as impressive as the one designed for larger screens.
Personalization
Effective operation in eCommerce is practically impossible without personalization. Why? Because only by tracking and analysing user behaviour can you create an online store that meets their true expectations.
When opting for an online store, plan an effective personalization strategy. Through this approach, you have the opportunity to gain satisfied and loyal users who will return to you, even if they have made a purchase before.
Personalization can make customers who have previously visited your store feel appreciated. Whether you address them directly in an email or prepare personalized sales offers, you increase the likelihood that they will become loyal consumers and may even recommend your services to others.
Personalized data also allows for creating recommendations in eCommerce, based on which users can choose products of interest without spending time on additional searches. It's also a practical solution for those who struggle with indecision.
In summary, good personalization leads to more satisfied customers and a significant increase in conversions in your online store.
Data Management
One of the significant challenges in eCommerce is finding a way to manage vast databases effectively.
In such situations, data management software and concepts such as product taxonomy come to the rescue. Their combination can bring many benefits to your business.
Product taxonomy is a discipline that guides how merchandise should be managed. It helps users of online stores know where to find specific items, even if their requirements are not fully specified.
To ensure effective taxonomy in your case, it's important to consider:
- Appropriate nomenclature
- Advanced search filters
- Well-thought-out categorization
- Clear information architecture
When these aspects are implemented in your store, users will gladly make purchases because when they arrive, they can easily find the specific product they are looking for.
With larger online businesses, databases can become enormous. It is advisable to choose reliable software like Pimcore to manage them. With Pimcore, you can:
- Integrate various systems
- Manage multiple databases from one place
Using Pimcore, you can also manage the content in your online store through an intuitive Content Management System (CMS). This solution allows you to easily create and modify product descriptions, personalize categories and filters, and customize messages to meet consumer expectations.
The software also provides a behavioural targeting engine, which enables you to track your customers' behaviour and create the most suitable shopping paths for them. It's a great option to consider for personalization as well.
As you can see, the mentioned software is valuable for various aspects of running a sophisticated online business. Automating data management allows you to work faster and save time that you can allocate to other, more creative tasks.
Summary
Now you are aware of the many challenges presented by the rapidly growing eCommerce industry. Fortunately, there are several actions you can take to overcome these constant difficulties.
From experience, we know that a good online store consists not only of the right hosting or fast-loading pages, but also of solutions tailored directly to consumer needs.
Modern eCommerce requires the latest technologies and proven frameworks that enable the creation of a high-quality Customer Experience - fast and secure shopping tailored to your customers' expectations.
If you are operating in the eCommerce industry and want to expand your business or start an entirely new online store, feel free to reach out to us.
We would be happy to collaborate with you and find solutions that will lead to success in your online business.
