5 Struggles New Ecommerce Sellers Face (And How to Overcome Them)

According to a survey by Mckinsey COVID-19, as the demand for online products is increasing, the supply is also increasing. More and more SMEs are turning to online commerce.

If you are reading this, then you likely have just started or are thinking about starting an eCommerce business.

As a new eCommerce seller, you know that there are a lot of challenges that come with the territory. From visibility to quality website traffic and conversions, to order fulfillment, shipping and returns, and inventory management, it can be tough to stay on top of everything.

But don't despair! In this blog, we'll look at five of the most common eCommerce struggles new sellers face and offer some helpful tips on overcoming them.

1. Visibility

One of the biggest challenges new eCommerce sellers face is visibility. With so many products and businesses out there vying for attention, it can be tough to get your own store noticed.

You can do a few things to improve your visibility and get more eyes on your products, though. Following are some ways to attract more eyeballs to your e-commerce store:

 

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

First, make sure you have a strong SEO strategy in place. This will help ensure that your store comes up in search engine results when potential customers are looking for what you sell.

There are a number of ways to improve your SEO, including:

- Researching and using relevant keywords throughout your website
- Optimising your website for Google
- Creating high-quality, informative content
- Building backlinks to your website

Social Media Marketing

Another great way to drive traffic to your eCommerce store is through social media marketing. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram provide huge opportunities to reach new audiences and promote your products.

When using social media for eCommerce marketing, make sure you:

- Post engaging content that will resonate with your target audience
- Use relevant hashtags
- Take advantage of paid advertising opportunities
- Use attractive visuals
- Run social media giveaways and competitions

 
Google Ads

Google Ads is another great way to improve visibility and attract new customers to your eCommerce store. You can create ads that show up in search results when people are looking for products like yours.

To create effective eCommerce Google Ads, make sure you:

- Target relevant keywords
- Use attractive visuals
- Write compelling ad copy
- Offer a strong call to action
- Link to a relevant landing page

These are just a few of the many ways you can improve visibility for your eCommerce store. By following these tips, you’ll be able to get more eyes on your products and boost sales.

2. Building a sustainable business model

Building a sustainable business model for the long term is a pain for new e-commerce store owners. Many newbie store owners give up soon after starting their stores. Why? Because they have not planned for the long term from the get-go.

They build their businesses without thinking about how to make them sustainable in the long run. In this blog, we will discuss some tips on building a sustainable business model for your e-commerce store.

1) Think about your niche

When starting an e-commerce store, it is important to think about your niche. What are you selling? Who is your target audience? What needs does your target audience have that you can address with your products? Once you have answered these questions, you can start planning your business model around them.

 

2) Build a community around your store

One of the best ways to make your e-commerce store sustainable is to build a community around it. This can be done in various ways, such as social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, etc. By building a community of loyal customers, you will have a built-in base of supporters who will help you promote and grow your business.

 

3) Offer something unique

In order to stand out from the crowd, you need to offer something unique that your competitors do not. This could be in the form of unique products, exceptional customer service, or anything else that sets you apart from the rest. Once you have found your niche and built a community around your store, this will become easier to do.

 

4) Focus on customer retention

Customer retention is key to a sustainable business model. It is more expensive to acquire new customers than it is to keep existing ones. Therefore, you should focus on keeping the customers you have happy and satisfied. This can be done in various ways, such as providing great customer service, offering loyalty programs, etc.

5) Have a long-term vision

When building your e-commerce store, it is important to have a long-term vision. What do you want your business to look like in 5 or 10 years? By planning for the long term, you will be more likely to build a sustainable business model that will last.

By following these tips, you can start building a sustainable business model for your e-commerce store. It may take some time and effort, but it will be worth it in the end.

 

3. Order Fulfillment

Fulfilling orders can be one of the most time-consuming and challenging aspects of running an eCommerce business. From packing and shipping orders to dealing with customer service issues, there's a lot to keep track of.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to outsource order fulfillment so you can focus on other aspects of your business.

One option is to use a dropshipping service. Dropshipping is a type of eCommerce fulfillment where the store owner doesn't keep any inventory in stock. Instead, when a customer places an order, the store owner contacts the supplier, who then ships the products directly to the customer. This can be a great way to save time and money on inventory management and shipping costs.

Another option is to use a third-party fulfillment service. Many companies offer fulfillment services for eCommerce businesses. These companies will pick, pack, and ship orders for you so you don't have to worry about it. This can be a great option if you don't have the time or resources to do fulfillment yourself.

No matter which option you choose, outsourcing order fulfillment can save you a lot of time and hassle. So if you're struggling to keep up with fulfillment, consider using a dropshipping service or third-party fulfillment company.

 

4. Shipping & Returns

Shipping can be one of the biggest headaches for eCommerce sellers. Not only do you have to worry about getting products to customers on time, but you also need to deal with the potential for damaged or lost shipments.

And if you're selling internationally, the shipping process can be even more complicated.

Returns can be just as challenging as shipping out orders. You need to have a returns policy that is fair to both customers and your business, and you need to be able to handle returns efficiently.

Outsourcing order fulfillment can help take some of the pressure off of shipping and returns. Working with a fulfillment partner can help you streamline your shipping process and make it more efficient. And a good fulfillment partner will also have a returns process in place that can save you time and money.

 

5. Inventory Management

Keeping track of inventory levels can be another challenge for eCommerce sellers. If you're not careful, it's easy to oversell items and end up with frustrated customers.

There are a few things you can do to streamline inventory management, though. First, invest in eCommerce software that can help you track inventory levels and reorder products when necessary.

You should also create a system for inventory management that works for your business. This might include color-coding inventory levels, setting up automatic reordering thresholds, or anything else that will help you keep track of what you have in stock.

Finally, don't forget to factor in lead times when you're managing inventory. If it takes two weeks for new inventory to arrive, make sure you account for that in your planning.

With careful planning and execution, inventory management doesn't have to be a struggle. By taking the time to set up a system that works for your business, you can avoid the headaches and stress that come with trying to keep track of everything yourself.

In addition, try to keep a buffer of extra inventory on hand. This way, you'll have some wiggle room if you do happen to oversell an item or two.

What inventory management challenges have you faced in your eCommerce business? Share your tips and advice in the comments below!

Over to You

So, these are the five main struggles that new eCommerce sellers face. Do you agree? Are there any other struggles that you have faced as a new seller? Let us know in the comments below. And don’t forget, if you need help with anything related to your online store, our team is here to support you.