Running a website is hard—but running an eCommerce site is on a whole new plane. The web is evolving and consistently providing lucrative opportunities for companies big and small. With an industry as tricky and progressive as eCommerce, it is integral to keep abreast of the latest. Not only that, but it’s also helpful to drop what isn’t working so you could comfortably work with what does. But there are many eCommerce misconceptions that can stray you away from the right path. So, it’s best that you know what to avoid so you don’t cripple your business.

With that said, we give you four of the biggest eCommerce misconceptions you have probably encountered before, namely that:

1. "Revenue is the only metric that matters."
2. "All Ecommerce platforms are equal."
3. "You can stop worrying about SEO once you’ve built your website."
4. "Reviews mean nothing for your site’s SEO."

Misconception 1. “Revenue is the only metric that matters.”

Some brands started with offline physical stores and added an eCommerce site as a way to rack up sales. For some, eCommerce stores are essentially their only platform for reaching people and doing business. Wherever retailers are using their sites, it contends a general argument for eCommerce as a way of generating more sales and raising brand awareness.

However, as much as we crave revenue, it isn’t the only measurable metric we should hanker for. Think of it this way; if the revenue your site is generating is not at par with your goal, would you automatically brand your eCommerce site as a failure? No. Looking at revenue as the end–all–be–all goal of all your online marketing efforts is an incomplete look at a very wide, very colourful picture of eCommerce.

On top of revenue, here are other metrics you can focus on when gauging the success of your eCommerce site:

• Lifetime asset value – tells you exactly how much revenue each of your products is bringing in.
• Session duration – shows you how long potential customers and shoppers are spending on your eCommerce site.
• Bounce rate – gives you an accurate percentage of how many potential customers you’re losing after they view one page from your site.
• Conversion rate – provides a percentage of visitors or traffic that is converting.

You overlook potential data and miss out on chances to optimise your site better when you fixate on revenue. Think of these other metrics as smoke signals that tell you exactly which aspects of your eCommerce site are hurting your chances of making sales.

Misconception 2. “All Ecommerce platforms are equal.”

All too often, eCommerce platforms are lumped together as this gigantic, homogenous ball. And that’s one of the most fatal eCommerce misconceptions that we want to dissect for you. Because, for the record, they are definitely not equal!

There are two types of platforms in the market—hosted and self-hosted. Hosted eCommerce platforms are more expensive than self hosted because with the former, not only do you get access to a support team but another outsourced team manages your website. With self hosted platforms, you get an upper hand in managing and designing your own website.

Start-ups are sometimes prone to making the all too hurried decision of self hosting their website to be more cost-efficient. And while we’re not discouraging you from doing this, there’s a lot to be said about opting for reliable hosting companies, especially when you’re starting out. Hosted platforms are backed up by experts who know what they’re doing. They can optimise websites better, manage them and do regular audits to make sure your site is up and running and ready to manage the influx of customer visits.

Here’s a comparative article we wrote about three of the most common open-source eCommerce platforms in the market.

Misconception 3. “You can stop worrying about SEO once you’ve built your website.”

Here’s another eCommerce misconception that grossly misdirects your SEO efforts: Many business owners tend to fall into the wrong idea that once the website is up, that’s it. That a website with a properly stocked database will run itself. Really if it’s that easy, then we’ve no use for website builders and SEO specialists! But if the rise of digital marketing companies tells you anything, it’s that they’re needed to run the eCommerce industry. No supply without demand, right?

SEO is a huge aspect of every eCommerce endeavour. People won’t magically find you just because you’re on the web. Customers certainly won’t stay if you don‘t keep up with the SEO trends needed to keep them there. Finally, you risk losing them if you commit—consciously or even unconsciously—SEO mistakes that put them off your track.

That’s why continuous updates and optimisations are needed to ensure that your site is ready to take on the demands of an ever-changing market. Take keywords for example: when people think of SEO, most would automatically relate it to keywords. Make it a habit to develop your keyword list by listening to your customers so you could be on trend and remain relevant.

Misconception 4. “Reviews mean nothing for your site’s SEO.”

This is another one of the most common eCommerce misconceptions that many brands tend to fall victim to. Many hesitate to include product reviews on their eCommerce sites because they're scared of bad comments; those who do include reviews, however, tend to filter them out. What they don’t know is that reviews help SEO big time. Shoppers and potential customers tend to trust ratings and reviews and base their purchase decisions on them.

True, even negative reviews are part of the equation. Instead of shying away from it however, you can utilise a “seller response” portion (if your integrated review portion has one) to address them. This way you get to control the narrative and properly clarify your side to everyone who sees it.

In a recent post, we stressed that a review portion is one of the most important eCommerce site features. It basically increases your brands’ credibility, facilitates good user experience, and helps convert lurkers into actual customers.

Believing in and practicing these common eCommerce misconceptions can seriously hurt your business.

We covered some of the most common eCommerce misconceptions and myths that your site can do without. Now you can stop looking at revenues as the most important metric, start treating eCommerce platforms as distinct, being incorporating SEO in your strategies moving forward, and finally stop cowering from reviews.

Still in the dark? Don’t be afraid to seek the aid of digital marketing experts today!