In 2024, Brazilian e-commerce grew 10.5% compared to the previous year, totaling R$ 204.3 billion in revenue. Overall, the number of online shoppers in the country reached 91.3 million, according to data from the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (ABComm). This scenario shows us that online sales are an expanding market, with opportunities for growth in various segments. However, adopting the wrong strategy can compromise e-commerce sales results. Hygor Roque, Director of Brands and Partnerships at Uappi, a company specialized in e-commerce, explains the main mistakes made by companies and how to avoid them.
Main mistakes in e-commerce
A survey by Baymard Institute indicates that the average cart abandonment rate in e-commerce is 69.57%, with the main reasons including high extra costs (49%), the need to create an account (24%), and a complex checkout process (18%). Check out the main factors that can frustrate online sales strategies, according to Roque.
Treating the website as a parallel sales channel:This is the most common mistake among companies. ‘Many treat e-commerce as a parallel channel rather than a real business, leading to strategic failures such as lack of investment in traffic, little attention to user experience, and the absence of a clear brand positioning,’ he explains.
Wrong technology:When making the investment, some companies opt for cheaper platforms, which end up costing more in the medium term: ‘They turn out to be limited and require dozens of additional integrations, increasing the real cost of operations,’ Hygor evaluates.
Lack of audience investment:Many brands build a digital trajectory entirely dependent on paid media, without investing in audience and recurrence, which weakens the business and makes it unsustainable. ‘The truth is that selling online requires a professional approach, with a customer acquisition strategy, a well-planned structure, and an efficient shopping experience. Those who ignore these factors end up turning e-commerce into a problem rather than a solution for brand growth,’ concludes the expert.
Hiding extra costs:This is the main reason for cart abandonment. Unexpected extra costs, such as high shipping or additional fees, should be present from the beginning of the customer journey. ‘The ideal is to be transparent from the start, informing the total cost on the product page or offering shipping simulation before checkout,’ Hygor adds.
Requiring an account to purchase:This deters many consumers. The checkout process should be quick and fluid. ‘Consider offering a guest checkout option, as this can significantly improve conversion,’ he explains. Additionally, complicating the payment process can also lead to cart abandonment. ‘Simplifying forms, reducing the number of mandatory fields, and offering multiple payment options are effective ways to reverse this scenario,’ the expert evaluates.
Lack of well-crafted product information: ‘Online consumers cannot touch the product, try it on, or ask the seller questions at the time of purchase. All they have to make their decision are the descriptions and images on the website. If this information is vague, generic, or incomplete, the chance of abandonment increases considerably,’ he explains. It’s important to invest in detailed descriptions that answer common customer questions and highlight the product’s unique features. Images should be high-quality and show the product from different angles. If possible, include videos. In the descriptive part, the company should provide all relevant technical information. ‘The more information the brand provides, the fewer objections the consumer will have and the higher the conversion rate will be,’ he concludes.
Evaluations to be made before investing in e-commerce
Although most companies aim to expand their business through online sales, not all businesses are ready for this step. Before launching an e-commerce platform, it’s important to assess whether there is demand for online purchases of the brand’s products, if the company has the structure to handle inventory logistics and real-time customer service, and to evaluate the remaining profit margin if investments are needed for e-commerce sales. Even after analyzing all these points, many companies make mistakes after starting that can compromise results and profitability if not well calculated.
