The way you start your business greatly determines its future. Mistakes are there to teach, but make too many of them and you soon have to think of new business ideas to start. Ecommerce is on the rise, as more and more people choose to make their purchases online instead in brick-and-mortar stores. Consumers simply don’t want to stand in queues, find it easier to compare prices, access to stores remotely, have a lot more choices, and can purchase at any time. This is also why many young entrepreneurs decide to launch their own online stores.

It has never been easier to create an online store, thanks to many accessible, economical, and customizable platforms. Even with established marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay which provide their own supply of traffic and vendors. However, there are certain details that can hold your eCommerce business back. Everyone starts their business with big dreams and expectations, and by avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll increase your chances to prosper.

1. Not knowing your niche

Trying to sell to many different kinds of products to many different profiles of customers is one of the biggest causes of failure for eCommerce retailers. You need to offer a unique product or serve needs that are still unmet in order to give people a reason to buy just from you. This will set your online store apart and give you a strong competitive edge.

2. Not know where to find your ideal customers

Every business has a profile of their ideal customer, but they need to be sought in the right places. If you make handcrafted goods, Etsy and Cratejoy are great places to make some money. However, if you’re selling custom made exhausts for motorbikes, those places are not for you. This means that not every channel will make sense for every type of business. Before you start your eCommerce business, do your research, and find out if people will want to buy the products you sell. Look for similar products online to see if there are any competitors and which marketplaces they use.

3. Not leveraging the power of social media

Social media is free (although you’d have to pay for promoting your business with targeted ads), so it’s important to master all the important platforms such as Google, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Social media can be an invaluable tool for brand building, so make your brand accessible, pull your target audience into your store with some behind-the-scenes-photos or new offerings, communicated with them, and build your online community.

4. Not securing your website

There are different ways for you to ensure maximum protection for your eCommerce website. Instead of shared hosting, opt for a dedicated hosting so you won’t share your IP address with unknown users. Also, keep your software updated, perform regular backups, and use secure connection for online checkout. It is also important to choose the best possible domain name which includes relevant keywords (to improve your search rankings), and protect it from identity thieves with an SSL certificate.

5. Losing focus

There’s a multitude of details to deal with when launching an online store. And as tasks just continue to add up, keep your business healthy by keeping your focus on the customers, and by prioritize their experience. Instead of fixing photos or product descriptions on your website, it’s much more critical to get your products in your customer’s hands. If you remain preoccupied with menial tasks, it will cost you time and opportunities. Automate as much of menial tasks as you can, organize, and prioritize.

6. Not having a content plan

A business owner needs to put enough effort into content marketing, because it’s what helps to get social and organic traffic. More traffic means more visits to your website and increased conversions. Write content that’s interesting, engaging, and relevant to your niche. Design your content marketing strategy according to your customers, not according to a product. Another reason why you should have an ideal customer is to know around whom to build your content marketing strategy. Once you know this, there will be more inspiration to write and more ways to connect with your audience.

The life of your eCommerce business depends on the ability to increase sales from existing customers and acquire new ones. You need to find the right balance in money, time, and energy, and in order to do that you must avoid the common eCommerce pitfalls.