5 Blunders to Avoid When Developing an eCommerce Website

Wednesday, January 26th, 2022

If you’re a small online business owner, the fact that you have a website should help boost your confidence in the market. Your site’s presence on the Internet can be a vital marketing tool used to attract more customers.

The trouble is; some things can go wrong and put your site in danger of being taken down by hackers or banned by search engines. If that happens, it could spell disaster for your business. That’s why it pays to know the risks and do everything possible to avoid them.

5 Risks to Avoid When Building a Website

Here are some things you need to avoid if you want to make sure your e-commerce website is safe:

1. Lack of Product Research and Planning

The first step in successful eCommerce is research. You need to understand what’s already out there, how your competitors are positioned and where there’s space for new products or services in the market.

This information will help you create a plan for your store, product line or service offerings. It will also allow you to skip the guesswork and focus on bringing something genuinely original to the market. 

2. Payment Security

When developing an e-commerce website, it’s crucial to ensure that customers feel safe when doing business with you. Consider using the most secure payment methods available, such as PayPal or credit cards. 

If you are using a third-party payment processor, make sure it is PCI compliant and takes the necessary precautions to protect client data from hackers and other cybercriminals. 

A PCI-compliant payment processor will give your customers peace of mind, knowing that their sensitive information is protected.

3. Warehouse & Logistics

When making an online purchase, most customers want quick delivery and a good return policy– if they do not like the product or it does not fit properly. 

If the customer orders an item and it arrives damaged or late, this will reflect poorly on your company.

For these reasons, it is essential to have a warehouse with adequate staffing and good logistical planning in place before setting up your online store.

4. Weak authentication

The inability to verify customer credentials is a common problem with e-commerce websites. 

If customers can access your site without providing details about themselves, then the platform is prone to fraudulent activities. 

This is why it is essential to implement robust authentication methods that only allow authenticated users access to sensitive data on your platform.

5. Shopper disputes

As with any retail operation, customer disputes are an unfortunate part of doing business. 

However, e-commerce stores face the added risk of chargebacks or disputes. A well-thought-out dispute process reduces customer churn while protecting your business’s reputation. 

6. Regulatory compliance 

If you sell products on your e-commerce platform, you are obliged to comply with the relevant regulations, which require reporting suspicious activities or transactions by your users. 

Failure to comply will result in penalties and fines from regulators.

Last Words

Before launching your website, remember to double-check these 6 risks. That way, you’ll enjoy a smooth ride once you hit the ground running.