Creating a successful e-commerce website or mobile application can be tricky, with plenty of hurdles along the way. Whether it’s nailing down clear goals, syncing with your current systems, or ensuring everything runs smoothly across different platforms, it’s a lot to juggle. Want to prepare yourself for what’s ahead? Preview eight common challenges business owners face here, along with some tips on how to tackle them. Let’s get into it.
1. Defining Clear Objectives
One of the first steps you should take in the creation of your website or mobile app is setting clear goals. This helps to shape its direction and purpose, ensuring everything from structure to content is on point. Consider the primary aim of your platform — is it to promote, sell, or provide information? — and ensure that the features, functionalities and content match these goals and resonate with your user interests. If you have poorly defined goals, your website or app can end up being underused and falling short of its potential.
2. Integration with Existing Systems
Building a website or mobile app that works seamlessly with your existing inventory, payment, CMS or CRM systems can definitely be a headache. But the effort pays off — when your systems are fully integrated, they talk to each other without you having to manually transfer data, which speeds things up and cuts down on mistakes. Plus, it helps you get a better grasp of your customers and optimise your business operations. Choosing not to integrate and using separate systems can lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Application programming interfaces (APIs) and middleware (“software glue”) can help with data sharing and transfer.
3. Cross-Platform Compatibility
As business owners, we often realise just how much goes into compatibility. Beyond development challenges, testing can uncover that websites and apps might look or work differently across various browsers, or encounter issues on different operating systems like Windows and macOS. Mobile apps are no exception — they might appear off or function poorly on different devices. Developers need to employ various testing strategies to pinpoint and fix compatibility issues, from cross-browser testing to checking across devices and operating systems for responsive design.
4. Scalability and Performance
Selecting the right tech and platform is key to making sure your business scales and performs well. If you bungle this from the start, you could end up wasting a lot of time and money — so make sure to research and see how your options will hold up as things change. For instance, is your website or mobile application equipped to handle more traffic and transactions as you grow? Can it have automation features to make your life easier when things get busy? E-commerce success comes down to being able to adapt to customer needs and market trends, and your tech has a big part to play in it.
5. Security Concerns
As an e-commerce business owner, you’re responsible for both your data and your customers’ information. The exponential growth of e-commerce means that the risk of cyberattacks is only rising. Protecting your customers’ personal data becomes even more crucial and urgent, especially since nearly 40% of small businesses report losing vital data from attacks, and 75% of SMBs couldn’t recover from ransomware. Implement strong encryption practices and use secure payment gateways when developing your website or app to stay clear of this costly mistake. Security audits may also help to safeguard against potential breaches by evaluating how well security practices are integrated into the development process.
6. Competitive Differentiation
Standing out in the busy world of e-commerce isn’t easy, even if you’ve got a groundbreaking product and an amazing team. That’s where your website or app comes in as a brand-differentiating game-changer. For websites especially, it’s often the first place people check to learn more about your company. To really define your brand, focus on your unique value proposition and keep things like your logo, colour scheme, typography and overall style consistent. Alongside engaging content, custom designs and high-quality visuals, your website or application can create an experience that really connects with your audience.
7. User Experience (UX)
Focus on delivering a clear, direct message rather than getting caught up in flashy designs. UX is all about creating easy, intuitive experiences that meet or even exceed what your audience needs. A good user experience can make a big difference for your business, whether it’s on a website or a mobile app. It covers everything from how people navigate your site to how accessible and visually appealing it is. Even though e-commerce user journeys can get complicated, making the whole process smooth is imperative — from customer support to managing your product catalogue, a well-executed user experience can pay off in a remarkable way if you get it right.
8. Customisation and Personalisation
Many brands find it tough to deliver a customised shopping experience because of the sheer amount of work involved. Personalising experiences means collecting and analysing a significant amount of data, like purchase history and browsing patterns, which is time-consuming and can sometimes clash with customer concerns about privacy. Plus, it often requires integrating multiple platforms and advanced technologies. Despite these challenges, the investment can be worth it. High levels of customisation lead to a more relevant and satisfying shopping experience, which can boost conversion and retention rates. Tailored recommendations, for example, are known to provide a competitive edge, helping brands distinguish themselves in a saturated market.
Final Thoughts
Conquering the complexities of e-commerce website and mobile app development can be daunting, but understanding these challenges can put you in the right mindset to tackle them. The potential issues highlighted in this article help by steering you towards building a platform that not only meets your business needs but also enhances your customer’s satisfaction.
At IXEN Interactive, we know the ins and outs of creating e-commerce websites and mobile apps with both customers and business owners at the heart of development and design. If, like many others in our portfolio, you’ve got a website or app in the works, get in touch. With our years of expertise and commitment to innovation, we’re here to help turn your digital storefront into physical success.
