E-commerce can be very difficult. There are a thousand and one things you have to keep track of, stay ahead of and prepare for, yet any of them could start dragging your business down while your attention is elsewhere. These all too common and easily preventable mistakes are no laughing matter, says comedian and copywriter Lianna Patch, who wants to make sure your Shopify store doesn't turn into a bad joke.

Here are her top 4 most irritating Shopify mistakes eager new business owners make and how to avoid them.

1. Ad traffic driving customers to your home page

You're not trying to sell your Shopify store, you're trying to move product. Don't waste money on ads that just bring people to your front door and expect them to find their way around from there. Keep it simple and make it easy for your users. Link your ads directly to the product the promote, and bring your customers as close as you can to making that purchase

2.  Choosing aesthetics over information

A stripped down and bare product page may be fashionable and design-forward, but it's not so helpful for the curious customer who may have some questions. Lianna  suggests a few key details that should always be included:

Brief and pithy copy to draw the customer in and compel them to include the product in their lifeA list of the top 3-5 things every customer should know about the product, with clear reasons given for whyAdditional information such as shipping and return policies, reviews and contact information

3. Using default boilerplate emails

Inject a little personality into your brand during any one-on-one customer engagement. Instead of using the default welcome or order confirmation emails available through your e-commerce platform, show a little creativity and draw the customer in with some humourous and amusing copy

4.  Having a boring 'About Us' page

When a customer clicks on your 'About' page, they don't want to hear how committed you are to making the best darn product you can, they want to hear about why you, the person who founded the company, sunk all of their time and money into doing this.  Be open, be honest, be raw and be witty, just whatever you do don't be boring.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Triple Whale - Whale Mail