Marketing mistakes in e-commerce: find out what they are and how to reverse them

The outlook for Brazilian e-commerce is quite interesting. Online shopping has fallen in love with the population, which, since the pandemic, has only increased the volume of purchases made digitally. So much so that the Brazilian Electronic Commerce Association (ABComm) expects the sector's growth curve to continue for the next four years. By 2024, turnover is expected to increase by 10.45% compared to last year, totaling R$ 205.11 billion.

The data is extremely positive, but there are a good number of online stores that face huge challenges in achieving satisfactory results. There are countless reasons why players in the sector can get into difficulties. They can start with poorly executed planning, problems with the look of the store, technical issues, incorrect pricing, technical problems that prevent consumers from navigating easily, logistical challenges, and even issues involving e-commerce marketing.

I believe that one of the worst mistakes that can be made by an online store has to do with advertising, which often happens without planning and in many cases is done incorrectly. Defining a good marketing strategy is essential and the first step, of course, should be to think about the type of consumer you want to reach with your communications. The same goes for the development of the buying journey and the experience offered to the consumer from the start of the process right through to after-sales. An important ally is e-mail marketing, a means by which you can stay in touch with your customers, send them information about launches, promotions, special and customized actions that foster customer loyalty, etc.

Another serious flaw is linked to customer service. It may seem obvious that offering good customer service is essential, but many online stores still neglect to do this. It is essential to have a functioning and effective chat room that can answer any questions the customer may have at the time of purchase. Likewise, it is essential to communicate with the customer about the progress of each order placed, with clear, fast and accurate communications.

In addition to an appropriate and well-structured marketing plan, online stores need tools that can speed up the process of interacting with customers in an intelligent and direct way. Marketing automation and personalization are efficient ways of achieving these goals. After all, as well as optimizing processes, these measures help to improve the customer experience and, consequently, contribute directly to increased sales and customer loyalty.

Other advantages related to marketing automation for online stores are linked to operational efficiency, since the time spent on repetitive tasks is reduced, allowing the team to focus on more strategic aspects of the business. In addition, automation makes it possible to send segmented communications, based on the customer's browsing behavior. This increases the chances of conversion significantly.

Finally, by using marketing automation, e-commerce companies gain access to valuable data that allows them to make relevant adjustments to the strategies adopted by the online store in real time, including personalizing the messages sent to the consumer, so that a much stronger and more appropriate connection is established. If customers feel that their needs have been understood, they are more likely to return to the e-commerce store that has provided them with a positive experience. Not to mention the possibility of increasing the average ticket by adding to the personalized service a recommendation for a product or service associated with the item that was purchased or by reminding them that it's time to purchase a product that they use on a recurring basis. As a result, you end up building customer loyalty.

Together, these strategies not only optimize resources, but also create a unique experience for the consumer, which is essential for the growth and sustainability of the business. In an increasingly dynamic market, investing in these areas is a smart decision for any e-commerce looking to stand out.