If you are the owner of an online business, you will surely experience or will sometimes experience lower sales than usual. But what to do? Low sales over a long period of time indicate underlying problems with your offering, marketing efforts, or system. It is critical to get to the root cause of low sales as soon as possible because you may be jeopardizing future profits and customer retention.
The most important reasons for the decrease in online store sales
If you are not sure why your sales are low, check the things that we will mention below, because one of these may be the main reason for the decrease in sales of your online store.
Failure to update the website
Probably, this is one of the things that is given less attention by online stores. Having an excellent and full-fledged website will help to increase sales even more. Most online stores think that just sharing a photo and a brief description about it with the same old formats is enough, and the customer will be forced to buy just by seeing the photo of the product. But according to experience, although product photos and descriptions are very important for the buyer, the general atmosphere of the site is also important, and not updating the available information will sometimes discourage the buyer from choosing a product or service. So by forming a professional team and having a proper schedule, update the website at regular intervals.
Old and inappropriate content
Online customers want to get information about the product they are buying. Few customers buy products from an online store based on just one image. If you’re having trouble getting customers for your online business, you may need to take a hard look at how you describe what you have for sale. It’s important to match your products with detailed descriptions that highlight the product’s benefits.
The product description on your site should attract visitors and make them interested in your product. Each product in your online store should have a unique and up-to-date description that applies only to that particular item. An online store with an unprofessional appearance will not attract customers. If your design is outdated, cluttered, images are scattered, buttons are not placed in the right place, customers will not want to interact with your site.
Inefficient website design
The online customer wants to browse the internet and often does so with a tablet or mobile phone. Hence, it is very important that your website is mobile friendly. A clean and well-designed site will not only attract customers, but also increase their loyalty. Your store site should meet all the needs of the customer when shopping, in fact, the use of the site should be so convenient and effortless that the customer does not have any problems while choosing. When the design of your website is ineffective and the customer is confused during the purchase process, it will definitely turn into a bad experience from your store and will reduce the possibility of his return to zero. Finally, the amount of sales of your online store will decrease significantly.
Inappropriate user experience
Having a bad user experience when buying from a website has several causes. Sometimes the principles of the website are not compatible with the device you are using, one of these cases. As mentioned, most of the audience use mobile phones for online shopping. Therefore, the design principles of your website must be compatible with mobile software.
The next thing is the large number of pop-up ads, which, in addition to not being related to the overall theme of the site, make the customer in trouble when making a purchase. In general, the sales offer and promotion should have a standard limit, otherwise it will discourage the customer from buying.
Complexity of the purchasing process
Over the years, nearly all research into the causes of cart abandonment when shopping online has shown that the third most common reason, after high/unexpected prices and forced account creation, is that the checkout process is too complicated. It’s a fact: people are only willing to go through a complicated process when the perceived value of the product they want to buy is very high. For complex products where the customer spends a lot of time researching, comparing prices, finding the most suitable solution, a complex review makes perfect sense and can act as a catalyst in itself. But if they want to buy small appliances, food, clothes or other relatively low-value everyday products, they expect a very simple and very fast checkout.
Slow website loading speed
One of the problems that often reduces the sales percentage of online stores is the low speed of the site when shopping. According to statistics, 73% of mobile users are familiar with websites with slow loading speed, and 53% of visitors leave a page that takes more than 3 seconds to load. In general, a website needs between 8 and 11 seconds to load completely. So, you must have encouraged the customer to buy so much that he accepts to spend this amount of time waiting for loading.
Inadequate provision of product information
In addition to the product photo, the description is also required. Although the photo of the product has the greatest impact on the choice of the audience, it is also necessary to provide sufficient explanations to get to know the product as much as possible and get to know its details.
Few and insufficient explanations
When pitching a product to your prospects, divide the information into two main categories: product features and product benefits.
Product features include all general information about how the product works, looks, size, speed, warranty, etc. According to statistics in the United States, 45% of customers abandon a purchase if they cannot find an answer to their question immediately. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to what your customers are asking via chat, phone or other methods. Make sure all the features you show are clear and understandable: the correct spelling of the values is easy to understand and measure.
In addition to numbers and features, buyers want to know more about the product they are considering buying: will it give me more free time, reduce pain, help me feel better. They want to know how the product makes them feel and why your product is better than other products on other sites. Why should they buy from you?
Messy and low quality photos
Even if your online store is well designed, potential customers may not be interested in the products you sell because of poor quality images. One of the disadvantages of online shopping is that consumers cannot physically touch the product for closer inspection. As such, the images you use for your online products should include the needs of the visitor. Your product images should help encourage potential buyers to make a purchase. Take high-resolution photos from different angles when showcasing your products. At all costs, you should avoid blurry images on your site.
High prices compared to competitors
One of the most important factors for selling a product is probably its price. If the price of a product is high, all the right marketing principles in the world will not be enough to increase sales, regardless of the niche in which your brand operates. However, it’s important to strike the right balance when determining the best price for the product you’re selling.
If you price items too low, your customers may perceive it as poor quality. On the other hand, a high price may lead to a shock reaction that makes the customer decide to leave your site and shop at another store. Keep in mind that shipping and taxes must be factored into your online product price. Although choosing the right price for a product requires trial and error, market research can also help. This is an important step, so don’t hesitate to take the time to get it right. Choose a suitable price that, in addition to balancing the market, does not lower the value of your product or service.
Negative customer reviews
Another reason for the decrease in the sales rate in the online store is negative criticism of your business. Audiences have many tastes and opinions, and certainly not all of them will like each and every one of your products. In most cases, the customer writes his negative opinion about the product. A successful business must have the capacity to accept these criticisms and use them for the benefit of its growth.
Failure to manage and respond to reviews
You should address criticisms after receiving them. Not paying attention to the customer’s criticism will prevent his permanent attraction and loyalty. Designate a specific section on your website for comments and suggestions and read and review them at regular intervals. As much as possible, advance the work process according to the taste and opinion of the audience and always try to consider the opinion of the customers in making work plans.
Non-validation of reviews
A business that does not reflect the opposite opinion of the customer will definitely not be successful in sales. Of course, not every criticism is constructive or desirable. An expert has been hired to validate the existing criticisms, so that after reviewing them, necessary actions will be taken to cover the correct and logical cases. Note that not paying attention to constructive criticism will reduce your sales percentage day by day.
Problems with shipping and delivery
One of the main concerns of online customers is the problem of sending a product purchased online. In fact, the problem in sending and delivering the product is one of the reasons for the decrease in online store sales. When creating the right strategy for your online business, keep shipping in mind as one of the essentials.
Delayed delivery
The customer should know how many days after the purchase, the product will reach him. This will not only bring you trust and credibility, but will also increase customer loyalty. After you receive the product order, inform the customer of the minimum and maximum delivery time. It is better to use the best and most reliable package delivery method to provide your services. Of course, the customer is free to choose the shipping method based on his budget. Do whatever you can to avoid delay in sending the package. Because this will prevent the customer from buying again.
Improper and damaged packaging
According to statistics, one of the causes of customer dissatisfaction with an online store is improper packaging and product damage during shipping. As a business owner, you must choose the best type of packaging suitable for the product so that it does not get damaged during shipping. This event has a significant effect on reducing the sales of your online store.
fierce competition
Increasing competition is an important factor in reducing online sales. The emergence of online marketplaces has created a highly competitive landscape. This increased competition makes it more difficult for businesses to attract and retain customers. To combat this, companies can focus on differentiating themselves through unique value propositions, innovative product offerings, and superior customer service. They can also invest in targeted marketing campaigns to effectively reach their target audience. Additionally, fostering brand loyalty through personalized experiences and building strong customer relationships can help businesses stay ahead in the face of intense competition.
Unstable quality of products
Unstable product quality is one of the most common problems that customers face when shopping online. When buying products online, you often don’t know what you’re getting in terms of quality. Reviews are not necessarily reliable and research cannot give you 100% assurance of the quality of a good product.
Failure to provide quality assurance
Customers believe that products are of high quality based on clear approval marks granted by foreign companies. Therefore, you can ensure the reliability of your online store by inspecting the products. Make sure to include the quality assurance certificate if any and also try to provide all the details about your product accurately.
As a retailer, make sure you don’t compromise on product quality. Quality is important at every stage of the production line. If you produce higher quality products, you will end up selling more products and making more profit later. Also, encourage customer feedback and ask them to share their detailed reviews along with some images or videos so that other customers can easily check their opinions on the products and decide to buy.
Failure to update marketing strategy
Even if you know your audience well, you may still make mistakes in choosing the right strategy. Marketing campaigns created for your online store should include various elements that allow you to reach a wide range of people. For example, every online store must be present in social networks. Social media websites like Facebook and Instagram are some of the biggest platforms in the world, giving businesses access to millions of potential customers.
Additionally, depending on your budget, you may want to plan to enter the world of paid advertising. Facebook and Google are among the most popular platforms for pay-per-click advertising for an e-commerce business. You should also use SEO for your website to improve your ranking in search engines like Google and increase organic traffic to your store. To get higher conversion rates, make sure your business uses retargeting to send ads to people who have already visited your website.
Failure to adapt to market changes
One of the main reasons for the decrease in online store sales is the failure to adapt policies to market changes. The business world is expanding and changing day by day. Advances in technology have also fueled the rapid change in online businesses. Therefore, you should update your sales strategies regularly, in line with market changes, to accommodate new possibilities and opportunities.
Not using modern marketing methods
A significant percentage of online stores are old businesses that have recently added online sales to their operations. This is a positive point among businesses. But note that in the online world, you cannot advertise with old marketing methods. In fact, one of the reasons for the decrease in sales of online stores is that they do not use modern methods for marketing. If you don’t even have expertise in this field, you should definitely consider hiring a marketing specialist and work as much as possible with the latest modern marketing principles in the online space.
Lack of an effective marketing plan
The owners of any business, both physical and online, must design an effective and efficient marketing plan before any action. When the members of a group are not familiar with their duties in marketing, success in this matter will definitely not be achieved. Not having an effective marketing plan will greatly reduce the sales of online stores. Knowing your target audience and planning based on their needs and interests will help your business grow.
Failure to set a clear goal and strategy
Whether your store is big or small, you need to set a specific goal before anything else. Determine the purpose and identity of the collection and plan effective strategies accordingly. Aimless activity will not have a specific result. Goal setting also has its own principles. You should set a specific goal according to your abilities, capacities and existing facilities and plan marketing based on this goal.
Failure to measure and continuously improve marketing performance
A business that does not analyze its performance in sales will face a decrease in sales in the long run. A successful manager should check his sales strategies every once in a while to find out how effective they are. Failure to pay attention to this issue will cause you to neglect the growth process and the effectiveness of the applied policies. If the activities carried out were not fruitful, the strategies should be changed or improved.
conclusion
Providing a better user and customer experience is the key to increasing sales volume and revenue. In order to provide a good experience to the customer, it is enough to put yourself in his place. You don’t even need to put in much effort, just look at your site statistics and the messages and inquiries you receive directly from customers. With a little effort you will have a complete picture of their needs, problems and expectations.
Gelavizh, as a leading marketing and advertising company, offers a full suite of specialized services that help businesses stand out in the digital space. Our services include Brand Marketing, which helps to strengthen brand recognition and identity, and Personal Branding, which focuses on enhancing the brand’s individual and unique identity. In addition, we improve the ranking and visibility of your website in search engines by providing SEO services. Web design and development is also a part of our services that provides a better user experience for your website visitors. Also, logo design and other digital marketing services are among our efforts to help brands achieve greater success in today’s competitive market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How can the URL structure of an online store be optimized for SEO?
The URL structure should be short, descriptive, and include the main keywords related to the product or category. Avoid excessive use of dynamic parameters and use meaningful, SEO-friendly English slugs with hyphens instead of underscores.
2. What factors contribute to a drop in product page rankings on Google?
Duplicate content, images without ALT tags, incomplete or copied product descriptions, slow page speed, poor user experience, and lack of mobile responsiveness are key reasons for ranking drops. Regular auditing and fixing of these issues is essential.
3. How can the click-through rate (CTR) of store pages in search results be improved?
Use compelling, keyword-rich titles, clear and persuasive meta descriptions, implement product schema to display prices and user ratings, and run A/B tests on title tags to determine what drives higher engagement.
4. What type of content should be added to category pages to enhance SEO?
Category pages should feature unique text descriptions that include relevant keywords. Adding related FAQs, internal links to product pages, and using well-structured headings (H2 and H3) can significantly improve SEO performance.
5. What is the difference between technical SEO and content SEO for an e-commerce website?
Technical SEO involves aspects such as site speed, code optimization, XML sitemaps, URL structure, and crawler accessibility. Content SEO focuses on creating valuable, optimized content for users and search engines. Both are essential for online store success.
6. How should out-of-stock or discontinued product pages be managed from an SEO perspective?
If the product is temporarily unavailable, keep the page active and display similar product suggestions. If it’s permanently discontinued, use a 301 redirect to the most relevant product or category. If no alternative exists, consider a 410 HTTP status code to signal permanent removal.
