What are the most common mistakes new E-Commerce leaders make and how can you avoid them?

Common mistakes new E-Commerce leaders make include neglecting mobile optimization, underestimating the power of SEO, and ignoring customer reviews. Avoid them by prioritizing mobile-friendliness, investing in SEO strategies, and actively engaging with customer feedback.

Following a cookie-cutter marketing / fulfillment strategy. Every product, category, brand is completely unique. Where you sell your products, and how you promote them, needs to be incredibly customized. Don't always just follow what worked last time.

Start with solving one problem. There are always more things to do and improve upon but analysis paralysis is one of the most common mistakes I see. Stretching your resources/time too thin means you are an expert at nothing. Work to solve one problem and create a game plan and benchmarks to start executing on additional goals for your business

While a clear strategy is important, adhering to it rigidly can be a mistake. The digital market evolves at a rapid pace. Leaders should be flexible enough to pivot their strategy based on market trends, customer feedback, and analytics data. Rigidity can hinder growth and innovation.

So many setup a Shopify store and Facebook ads and expect profit. Unless you’re selling something unique why would a customer buy from you apart from the fact you’re selling it?

Neglecting customer support can lead to customer complaints and loss of trust. Provide timely and helpful customer support through multiple channels, such as email, chat, and phone. Be responsive to inquiries and resolve issues quickly.

The realm of eCommerce has expanded significantly, requiring mastery in UX/CX balance, comprehensive marketing strategies, PPA focus, and customer journey personalization. New entrants often prioritize customer acquisition but neglect retention elements and some of the basic base drivers of the business. Recognizing the importance of customer relationship nurturing, seamless post-purchase experiences, and brand loyalty is crucial for long-term success in digital commerce. A holistic business view, valuing both new customer attraction and existing customer loyalty through continuous engagement and experience improvement, is essential to drive success.

in my experience successful ecom leaders continue to educate themselves on the cutting edge. these are the leaders that get certified when new things come out, they constantly test and learn. those that rest on their laurels and lose the ability to talk the talk end up losing the respect of their internal teams and their customers.

New founders often get overly hyper-focused on building the marketing and acquisition machine, before they have create an elite product and customer experience. The challenge that comes with that mentality is for those customers who make a purchase, a subpar CX will drive them to never come back again. And given that first-purchase profitability is so hard right now with high CAC, that chance at building LTV (and thereby profitability), goes away. Be customer obsessed. After all, retention starts at the moment of acquisition.

Customer service should always be your number 1 priority. It sounds cliché, but it’s a huge part of how your brand is perceived, and it’s also way easier to get quality branding through customer service than “regular” marketing.

E-commerce is rapidly evolving. Just because a tactic or strategy worked a year ago, doesn’t mean it will work today. That’s why you have to analyze the data, and the beauty of ecommerce (as opposed to traditional meeting) is that the numbers typically tell a very compelling story in terms of what is working and what isn’t

In e-commerce, data isn't just numbers—it's the voice of your customer. By analyzing trends and patterns, you unlock insights into what drives your audience. It's about going beyond the surface metrics to understand the 'why' behind each click and conversion, shaping smarter, customer-centric strategies.

We have just begun a golden age in marketing where we have data points for everything. No so long ago, you had to roughly estimate how many people in your target audience saw your TV or newspaper ad. For the past decade or so, we’ve had very precise data with digital marketing. Use it! You’ll leapfrog the dinosaurs that aren’t using this data

Catch myself often resorting to a solution or decision because “that’s what I did before…” That was then, this is now. Whether it’s a different market, consumer, marketplace, timeframe, product, etc… every situation is different and you must adapt to the now based on the data, resources, team and environment in that moment. ECommerce moves too fast, and if you’re constantly looking back to what you did… you’ll miss the opportunity, waste $ and exhaust your team who are more than likely already stretched thin.

Establish a continuous customer feedback loop. Customer insights are invaluable for making data-driven decisions. Listening to customers can uncover pain points, preferences, and emerging trends!

I couldn't agree more with this mistake, and I would make it number 1 actually. This mistake has cost me personally 2 years of non-growth of my company. It's one of the hardest things to learn, but once you dare to delegate, and see that things are working out, you would want to delegate more and more. Nobody would do the job as perfect as you will. But the job will get done, and that should be good enough for you.

Building on the point of micromanaging, it's crucial to recognize that an empowered team is a high-performing team. Leaders should embrace a transformational leadership style that inspires and motivates the team, fostering a culture where innovative thinking and risk-taking are encouraged and celebrated, thereby enabling the business to stay agile and pioneering.

Micromanaging in E-Commerce Teams ???? For new e-commerce leaders, micromanaging is a common pitfall. This approach can also distract leaders from their critical duties. ?? Delegate Effectively: Trust your team with responsibilities. ?? Set Clear Expectations: Provide concise goals and feedback. ???? Empower Decision-Making: Allow your team to handle challenges and make choices. ?? Develop Structured Systems: Implement structured workflows, KPIs, and regulations. Please remember that delegation is a thorough understanding and structuring of processes. Being hands-on initially can help establish the necessary systems for successful delegation later.

Die meisten Führungskr?fte im Digitalmarketing- und eCommerce-Umfeld kommen selbst aus dem operativen Bereich und sind als Experte extrem Zahlen, Daten, Fakten getrieben. Das ist grunds?tzlich gut - schwierig wird es, wenn die menschliche Seite unterentwickelt ist und F?higkeiten wie Empathie, situative Führung, Thought Leadership und ein Verst?ndnis für Kultur und Energie nicht vorhanden sind. Das alles l?sst sich erlernen, erfordert aber die bedingungslose Bereitschaft und Gabe, an sich selbst zu arbeiten, seine Entscheidungen zu reflektieren, dauerhaft zu lernen, Menschen zu m?gen, sich selbst nicht zu wichtig zu nehmen und an einer gemeinsamen Mission mitzuarbeiten. Diese iterative Verbesserung ersetzt auf Dauer jedes Führungs-Seminar!

In the initial stages of an e-commerce venture, a macro perspective might overlook the nuances and finer details crucial for establishing solid foundations. It's often necessary to delve into the minutiae early on to ensure everything is set up correctly. As the business matures, adopting a more macro view can help in strategic planning and scaling efforts.

The velocity of change in e-commerce necessitates perpetual innovation. Engaging with technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in not only customer-facing applications but also in backend processes like inventory management, logistics, and customer service can create a robust ecosystem that is adept at preempting and adapting to shifts in the e-commerce landscape.

Innovation in e-commerce is barely a thing. Every webshop aims for the same UX. Muscle memory wins. That's why the image is on the left and the add-to-cart button is on the right. Besides that, improve your customer experience by serving the content in the way they want to receive it. The product wins, the e-commerce platform is just the enabler…

Not Innovating and Adapting in E-Commerce ???? This fast-paced domain demands continual innovation and flexibility to stay competitive and meet evolving customer needs. Stagnation can lead to loss of market relevance and falling behind competitors. ?? Embrace Continuous Learning: Stay updated with industry trends and research. ?? Experiment Boldly: Test new ideas and embrace change. ?? Valuable Feedback: Use customer and market feedback to guide adaptations. ?? Cultivate Innovation: Foster a culture that values agility and creative thinking. Follow Apple's example: analyze before adopting new technologies to ensure they enhance customer experience. Avoid premature adoption of cutting-edge tech due to associated risks.

Failing to innovate and adapt will be a slow and painful death for your E-Commerce business. Here are some key suggestions on where to focus and how to stay ahead of the curve. ?? Continuously A/B test listing images and content ?? Optimize your packaging to decrease fees ?? Use Video Ads (Stand out in a crowded ad space) ?? Study the practices of other top sellers ?? Always try and add more value to your CX

E-commerce is a whirlwind of change. Leaders who rest on their laurels, banking solely on past successes, often find themselves left behind. Innovation isn't just about technology; it's also about understanding evolving consumer preferences and global trends. Leaders should cultivate a culture of continuous learning, encouraging experimentation and iterative improvement while remaining attuned to broader industry shifts.

Absolutely, the human factor is pivotal in leadership. A leader who is mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy is better equipped to steer the business through turbulent times, making decisions with clarity and foresight. Encouraging a culture of wellbeing across the entire organization ensures sustained productivity and morale, fortifying the business against burnout and attrition.

It's neither rocket science nor a secret. Do your sport, eat purposefully (eat food, not too much, mostly plants), read books and have a sleep you need. Take a day off here and there, and you're good.

Set your boundaries, and go offline from time to time. Take short vacations and prioritize your mental health. If you are mentally burned out, you won't be able to grow in any way, let alone your business.

It is less about taking care of yourself but more about investing in yourself. E-commerce is an opportunity to build an asset of value for your family, but it only grows if you focus on developing core skills, both technical and mental so that you can perform at your best. I've found new comers to e-commerce can forget that most of the success of the business depends on you so you need to focus on developing your mental, physical and technical game so you can perform at your best.

Acknowledge the significance of self-care in the demanding realm of e-commerce leadership, ensuring sustainable performance and well-being. Prioritize physical, mental, and emotional health, establishing a balance between work and personal life, and setting clear boundaries to prevent burnout. Embrace the importance of seeking support and guidance when necessary, fostering a resilient and thriving leadership approach that prioritizes holistic well-being.

Make sure your customer reviews are positive. The best way to influence positive customer feedback is by ensuring (1) you deliver what is promised through the product detail page, (2) price is competitive, (3) you ship the product at the earliest to ensure timely/faster delivery.

From a big CPG standpoint (and speaking from experience) one must strike a delicate balance between overreliance on the offline business legacy strengths vs. ignoring them. What I mean by that is, do not try and replicate online everything that succeeded offline; however, the flipside is, do not try and revolutionize everything just because 'digital is different' (I know it is, but many stakeholders must be brought along the journey, don't 'break glass' for the sake of it, pick your battles deliberately and carefully).

One major mistake newbies make is: Failing to conduct thorough market research before launching a product or store can lead to offering products that have no demand. Invest time in market research, including competitor analysis, customer segmentation, and trend analysis. Make data-driven decisions.

I see a lot of people breaking their ecommerce platforms. The major ecommerce platforms have been put together over many years, teams of product managers have agonised over how features should work, they've conduct thousands of tests and teams of the best engineers in the world have developed the software. You need to think very carefully about ripping all of this up and replacing it. If you really do find yourself fighting against the basic design decisions of the platform then you should probably just use something else or even go bespoke. But most of the time you probably want to reconsider your processes.

Fixing the problems they know how to solve, not what will have most impact. For example you’ve been promoted or moved from a digital ad role. You focus on improving ad performance, but the opportunity to fix customer service or margins will help the business more. I know this because I did it early in my career!