By Marina Sala, on 28 January 2025
Nobody's perfect, but in the world of ecommerce, every detail matters. That’s why it’s crucial to regularly review your online store to make sure everything runs smoothly and fix any issues that might arise.
5 Common Friction Points in Ecommerce and How to Solve Them
In this article, we’ve outlined the most common friction points in ecommerce—those pesky obstacles that prevent customers from successfully completing their purchases—and how to overcome them. Chances are, at least one of these issues exists in your online store, so here are some actionable solutions.
1. I Want to Contact You, But I Can’t!
According to a Statista survey from 2020, 58% of customers in the US contacted customer service for any reason within the past month. Also, phone calls are the most preferred contact method. Even today, many customers prefer speaking with a human, even if it means getting slower responses.
So, making it easy for customers to contact you is critical. Yet, many brands still neglect their contact options across online platforms.
How to Fix It:
Offer multiple contact channels (e.g., phone, email, WhatsApp, social media) so customers can choose their preferred method.
Use tools like chatbots to handle basic queries and reduce your team’s workload. That being said, always allow customers to escalate issues to a human representative when needed.
Create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section on your website to resolve common issues without requiring direct customer support. This saves time for both your customers and your support team.
2. Returns: A Customer Nightmare?
The post-sale experience, including return policies, is critical for customer retention. According to Forbes, 62% of consumers will probably buy a product with free returns. This is an important metric to consider given that only 46% of merchants offer them.
How to Fix It:
Dedicate a clear and straightforward section of your website to explain your return policy. Include it in your FAQ section for easy access.
Understand that many consumers are interested in free return policies and are forming purchasing decisions based on the policies.
3. Late Deliveries: Testing Your Customers’ Patience
Fast shipping is one of the most valued aspects of online shopping. Moreover, delays in delivery times are a major turn-off for customers. Even more important than quick delivery is delivering on the promised date.
How to Fix It:
Partner with reliable shipping providers to minimize delays.
Offer real-time order tracking.
Customers prefer receiving updates via SMS, email, or app notifications, respectively.
4. Online Fraud Concerns
Data breaches and other cyberattacks can severely damage your company’s finances, reputation, and legal standing. In fact, a large portion of American consumers actively worried about the security of their personal data when shopping online.
How to Fix It:
Use secure payment gateways with encrypted processing that meets the highest security standards.
Store customer data securely and comply with data protection regulations.
Require strong passwords for user accounts and offer two-factor authentication for added security.
5. Low Traffic: Nobody Knows My Store Exists
The competition in online retail is intense, and new brands often struggle to get noticed.
How to Fix It:
Focus heavily on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies to rank higher in search results.
Build a strong social media presence. Choose platforms that align with your target audience and niche.
Invest in paid advertising campaigns (e.g., Google Ads, social media ads). You can also explore programmatic advertising and influencer marketing.
Small Improvements, Big Impact
Success in ecommerce isn’t determined by a single factor. Instead, it is the result of multiple elements working together. Even if you have great products at competitive prices, poor customer experiences (like difficult returns or delayed deliveries) can hurt your long-term success.
Making small improvements in your ecommerce store can significantly enhance its performance and competitiveness. While they may seem miniscule individually, collectively, they can create a powerful impact.
Think of your ecommerce store as a house where every brick matters. Addressing just one friction point isn’t enough. You have to address as many as possible in order to deliver an optimal experience for your customers.