10 Costly Mistakes Tanking Your eCommerce Conversions
Are visitors browsing, adding products to their cart, then leaving without buying anything? If your eCommerce conversion rate is low, don’t worry; it happens to more businesses than you might think. The average eCommerce conversion rate hovers between 2.5% and 3%, meaning only a small percentage of visitors complete a purchase. However, if your conversion rate is lower than that, or you’re not seeing the growth you expected, perhaps something isn’t clicking with your audience, and we’re here to help you find out what it is.
Basics of eCommerce Conversion Rates
You’re driving traffic to your online store, but the sales numbers don’t match. It’s frustrating, but this isn’t a traffic problem; it’s a conversion problem.
What Is Conversion?
Your conversion rate measures how many visitors complete a purchase compared to your total website traffic. It’s one of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in eCommerce because it tells you whether your website and marketing efforts are turning first-time visitors into paying customers.
Here’s a how to calculate your eCommerce conversion rate:
For example, if 10,000 people visit your website in a month and 300 of them make a purchase, your conversion rate is:
300÷10,000 × 100=3%
That means 97% of visitors leave without buying. Although this number might be discouraging, it’s considerably normal across industries.
Why Do Conversion Rates Matter?
A low conversion rate is a direct hit to your bottom line. Every visitor who leaves without buying is missed revenue. Worse, if you’re paying for traffic through ads, a poor conversion rate means wasted ad spend with little return.
Let’s say you’re running paid ads that bring in 10,000 visitors per month:
- At a 3% conversion rate, that’s 300 sales.
- At a 1% conversion rate, that drops to just 100 sales with the same amount of traffic.
That gap could mean thousands of dollars in lost revenue every month.
Signs Your Conversion Rate Needs Improvement
Not sure if your conversion rate is an issue? Here are some red flags to watch for:
- High bounce rate: Visitors leave after viewing just one page.
- Abandoned carts: Shoppers add items but don’t check out.
- Low average session duration: People don’t stick around long enough to explore.
- Few return visitors: Customers don’t come back after their first visit.
- Lots of traffic, few sales: Your marketing is bringing people in, but your website isn’t closing the deal.
If any of these sound familiar, your conversion rate isn’t where it should be, and it’s time to fix that. Let’s start with pinpointing the causes.
Reasons Why Your eCommerce Conversion Rate Is Low
A low eCommerce conversion rate is usually due to a mix of smaller problems adding friction to the buying process. Slow pages, weak product descriptions, and lengthy checkout steps are some examples of issues that push customers away. Fortunately, every problem has a solution. Below are the most common causes of low conversion rates and how to fix them.
1. Your Website Has Performance Issues
Shoppers expect speed. A slow, clunky website can drive them away before they even see your products. In fact, if a page doesn’t load by the count of three, 53% of visitors leave.
Slow Load Times Cost You Money
Amazon realized that every 100-millisecond delay in page speed cost them 1% in sales. And that was ten years ago. Can you imagine how much money they would lose per millisecond of delay today? Unfortunately, smaller businesses are more vulnerable to losses.
Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix effectively identify speed issues. Compressing images, enabling caching, and using a content delivery network (CDN) can also improve performance.
Mobile Unfriendliness Drives Visitors Away
In 2024, 80% of online shopping happened on mobile. And yet, even in 2025, many eCommerce sites still load poorly on phones. Tiny buttons, unreadable text, and poor navigation push users away. SiteChecker’s Mobile-Friendly Test helps determine if a site meets mobile standards.
Broken Links and Errors Kill Trust
Nothing makes a store look suspicious faster than broken links or error messages. A 404 error on a checkout page frustrates prospects and kills sales, so regularly test site links and pages to catch issues before customers do.
Confusing Navigation Loses Sales
Shoppers won’t dig through a messy menu to find what they need. If they can’t locate a product within a few clicks, they may buy from a competitor instead. Clear categories, a strong search function, and intuitive design keep visitors engaged and moving toward checkout.
2. Weak Product Pages Are Driving People Away
A product page should make people want to buy. If it doesn’t answer questions, build trust, and create excitement, prospective customers will leave. A vague description, low-quality images, or a weak call-to-action can cost sales, too.
Generic Descriptions Don’t Sell
Shoppers want details. A product page that says, “High-quality cotton shirt, available in multiple colors,” isn’t always enough. Think of what makes it special: Is it breathable? Pre-shrunk? Does it fit true to size? A study found that 87% of shoppers consider product content a factor in buying decisions. Clear, benefit-driven descriptions convert better.
Low-Quality Images Hurt Sales
People can’t touch or try products online, so photos do the selling. Blurry images, bad lighting, or a lack of different angles make products look cheap. High-resolution photos, 360-degree views, and zoom features help customers feel confident in their purchase.
No Urgency Means No Action
When there’s no reason to buy now, people delay or forget. Phrases like “Only 3 Left” or “Sale Ends Tonight” create urgency. Countdown timers and low-stock alerts work, but they need to be real. Fake scarcity damages trust.
Weak CTAs Leave Customers Unsure
A button that says “Learn More” doesn’t always encourage action. Shoppers need a clearer next step, such as “Add to Cart,” “Get Yours Now,” or “Limited Stock—Order Today!” Strong, direct language increases conversions.
3. Your Checkout Process Is Too Complicated or Limited
A frustrating checkout experience can push customers away at the last second.
A complicated checkout process is a top reason why more than 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned. If customers have to jump through too many hoops, they leave.
Too Many Steps Slow Things Down
A checkout with four or more pages increases abandonment rates in 17% of U.S. shoppers. Shortening the process can lead to more successful transactions. Apple, for example, simplifies checkout by allowing Apple Pay users to complete purchases with a fingerprint or face scan.
Forcing Account Creation Costs Sales
About 24% of shoppers abandon carts when they need to create an account or can’t check out as a guest. Easy checkout options reduce drop-offs and still allow businesses to collect emails for follow-ups.
Limited Payment Options Can Be Disappointing
Some customers prefer PayPal, while others trust leading credit card brands or Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services like Klarna. Limiting choices can cost sales.
Hidden Fees Kill Conversions
If shipping costs or extra charges pop up at the last minute, shoppers are more likely to leave. At least 55% of abandonments happen because of unexpected costs. Showing all charges upfront prevents sticker shock and builds trust.
4. Lack of High-Quality Visuals
Even great products won’t sell if they look unappealing on the screen.
Online shoppers buy with their eyes. If your website looks cluttered, outdated, or unprofessional, people won’t trust it. A sloppy layout, inconsistent branding, or low-quality visuals can also make products look cheap.
Low-Quality Images Kill Buyer Confidence
High-resolution photos, multiple angles, and zoom features help customers feel confident. In fact, stores that add 360-degree product views see up to a 40% boost in conversion rates.
No Product Videos? You’re Losing Sales
If static images are worth a thousand words, then videos are worth a million. A report found that 73% of shoppers are more likely to complete a purchase after enjoying a product video. Fashion brands can show clothes in motion, smartphone brands can highlight features, and home goods stores can demonstrate products in use. Adding even a short clip improves conversions.
Inconsistent Branding Feels Unprofessional
A website that jumps between colors, fonts, and styles can look unpolished. Apple, for example, keeps a clean, modern aesthetic across all pages. A strong, consistent design builds trust and makes a store feel legitimate.
Cluttered Layouts Confuse Shoppers
Too much text, distracting backgrounds, or scattered product images can overwhelm visitors. White space, clear sections, easy-to-read fonts, and neat product images improve the shopping experience.
5. Not Using Social Proof to Build Trust
Younger consumers are unlikely to buy an item simply because the seller says it’s great. Instead, they trust what other shoppers say.
No Reviews? Less Sales.
As many as 95% of consumers check reviews before buying. If a product page has no feedback, most shoppers assume it’s untested or unreliable. Click here to read our article about How to Get More Reviews.
No User-Generated Content Means Missed Opportunities
As mentioned, consumers trust real people more than polished marketing. Brands that feature user-generated content (UGC) on product pages or social media see conversion rates jump by a whopping 161%. Encouraging customers to tag your brand and products in photos or videos can build credibility.
Lack of Trust Badges Make Customers Hesitate
Shoppers need to know their payment is secure. Displaying SSL certificates, payment security icons, and money-back guarantees reassures them. Research by Baymard Institute found that 18% of cart abandonments happen because buyers are reluctant to surrender their credit card information to eCommerce sites they don’t trust.
6. You’re Not Using Personalization and Retargeting
Throwing ads at people and hoping they buy isn’t a strategy. If marketing feels generic or out of touch, shoppers ignore it. Customers expect brands to understand their interests, recommend relevant products, and follow up in a way that feels helpful, not pushy. Stores that fail at this lose potential sales.
One-Size-Fits-All Marketing Doesn’t Work
Sending the same email or showing the same ad to everyone wastes money. A first-time visitor and a returning customer need different messages. A study concluded that 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% get frustrated when brands don’t deliver. For instance, a shopper who viewed a pair of sneakers last week should see retargeting ads for sneakers, not random clothing.
No Retargeting? You’re Losing Sales
Not every consumer buys on the first visit. In fact, 97% of visitors leave without purchasing (and most of them never return). Retargeting, however, is a chance for you to bring them back to your site. A Facebook ad reminding them of an abandoned cart or an email with a discount code can recover lost sales. Retargeted ads can increase conversion rates by 70% compared to standard display ads.
Weak Email Follow-Ups Let Potential Buyers Slip Away
A single abandoned cart email won’t always work. A well-timed strategy, including an email after one hour, then another the next day with a discount, can bring more buyers back. On that note, while brands that send 2-3 cart recovery emails recover more sales than those that send one, avoid overwhelming or pestering your prospects. Marketing should feel like a helpful nudge, not noise.
No Personalized Recommendations? Expect Lower Conversions
Shoppers appreciate smart suggestions. Showing “You Might Also Like” products based on browsing history helps customers find what they need faster. About 35% of Amazon’s revenue comes from personalized product recommendations.
7. You’re Not Running A/B Tests
If your eCommerce store isn’t testing what works and what doesn’t, it’s closing opportunities for growth. Small tweaks can drive success, but without the numbers, it’s impossible to know which changes actually improve sales.
If You’re Not Testing, You’re Guessing
Changing a headline, tweaking a button color, or adjusting product images might seem minor, but these details affect conversions. A/B testing eliminates the guesswork. Booking.com, for example, runs over 1,000 A/B tests at any given time to optimize everything from page layouts to call-to-action buttons. Even a 1% increase in conversion rate can mean millions in additional revenue for your business.
Ignoring Analytics Equals Missed Opportunities
Heatmaps, session recordings, and analytics tools reveal where shoppers struggle. A heatmap might show that visitors ignore a call-to-action because it’s in the wrong spot. Google Analytics can tell you where visitors drop off. Data directs you to what needs fixing.
Testing Should Be an Ongoing Process
What works today might not work next month. Consumer habits change, and so should a store’s strategy. Amazon, Netflix, and top eCommerce brands constantly test and refine their websites. Smaller businesses that do the same stay ahead of competitors.
8. No Live Chat or Customer Support Options
The majority of new shoppers have questions, and if they can’t get answers fast, they leave. Not everyone wants to dig through a lengthy FAQ page (although it’s a must for any eCommerce store) or wait days for an email response. If your site doesn’t offer quick and accessible customer support, customers move on to a competitor that does.
People Expect Instant Help
Online shopping doesn’t come with a salesperson standing by, so live chat fills that gap. A report found that 53% of online shoppers abandon purchases if they can’t get quick answers. Whether they need details about shipping, sizing, or product specs, a chatbot or live chat agent keeps them engaged.
Slow Response Times Cost Sales
Let’s say a customer sends an email with a simple question: “Does this laptop support external monitors?” If they don’t get an answer within minutes, they’re more likely to buy from a store that gives them immediate information. Live chat and AI chatbots prevent lost sales by handling common questions in real-time.
24/7 Support Builds Trust
Shoppers buy at all hours. If support is only available from 9 to 5, many customers never get help. AI-powered chatbots and automated responses ensure visitors always get assistance, even outside business hours.
Multiple Support Options Keep Customers Happy
Not everyone likes live chat. Some prefer phone calls, while others prefer self-service options. Offering a mix of live chat, email, FAQ page, and phone support ensures every customer gets the help they need in the way they prefer.
9. Poorly Written or Confusing Return Policy
No one likes buying something online and realizing it’s not what they expected. When that happens, shoppers check the return policy. If it’s vague, complicated, or too strict, they won’t risk the purchase.
Uncertainty Kills Sales
A return policy filled with legal jargon or missing essential details makes customers nervous. They need to know how many days they have to return an item, who pays for return shipping, and how refunds are processed. If these details are difficult to find, they assume the worst and leave.
Hassle-Free Returns Increase Conversions
Stores with clear, flexible return policies see higher sales. A study found that 96% of customers would buy again from a retailer with an easy return process. Offering free returns or at least a simple process removes hesitation.
10. Not Localizing for International Shoppers
If your eCommerce shop welcomes global traffic, ensure your store feels local, no matter where the shopper is, to establish trust and drive more sales.
Currency and Payment Issues Stop Transactions
Shoppers prefer to see prices in their local currency. If they have to convert it themselves, they might assume the price is higher than it is. Payment methods matter, too. While U.S. shoppers rely on credit cards, customers in other countries may use digital wallets or region-specific options like Alipay or iDEAL.
Shipping Confusion Leads to Cart Abandonment
If a store doesn’t offer transparent international shipping details, customers assume the worst, such as high costs, long wait times, or no delivery at all. Displaying estimated delivery times, customs fees, and tracking options reassures buyers and increases conversions.
Do You Need Help? Reach Out to Our eCommerce Marketers
Improving eCommerce conversion rates requires continuous testing, adjustments, and a keen understanding of what drives customers to complete purchases. Every element, from site speed to localizing for international consumers, affects whether a visitor buys or leaves.
The strategies above give you a strong starting point for improving your conversion rates. If you need expert guidance, consider hiring us as your digital marketing team. With nearly 30 years of experience in eCommerce marketing, we can optimize your online store for higher conversions and sustainable growth. Contact us now if you need better product pages, smarter and effective retargeting, or a complete eCommerce strategy.
