Debunking 6 eCommerce Conversion Rate Optimization Myths

When it comes to an eCommerce growth strategy, the techniques found in eCommerce conversion rate optimization — or CRO — certainly provide value to organizations seeking to increase their digital presence and attract more site visitors. 

However, as with any sales approach, it is vital to separate the hype from the core actions that will genuinely make a positive difference in your visitors and, more importantly, real visitor engagement.  Listed below are six CRO myths that sometimes lead organizations astray.

Myth 1 – Just use the “perfect” color scheme.

Are all popular websites using the same color scheme? No! Popular websites come in all colors and themes, so there is no perfect blend of colors that will guarantee increased traffic to your site. A website should be pleasing to the eye, well-organized, and easy to navigate, but there are countless ways of accomplishing this.  

Red vs. Green call-to-actions

Although these things are essential, offering your visitors a great product or service after the sale will keep your customers coming back for more.

Myth 2 – Users don’t read or scroll.

This myth assumes that internet users are only interested in superficial eye-catching “flash” rather than the actual content.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Long copy does work if you use it to provide natural substance to the visitor rather than stringing them along to click page after page until finally “treating” them to a solid nugget of information.  Users will read and scroll if you have something of real value to offer them.

Myth 3 – Your conversion rate is the only metric that counts.

While it certainly is encouraging to see large numbers of users coming to your site, it is only the starting point.  Are you building a long-term relationship with them? Do they come back? Are they pleased with your product or service?  More important is how many visitors were happy about interacting with your site because they will most likely return for repeat business and tell their friends about you.  This is one area where surveys can help you determine how satisfied they were with their overall experience.

Myth 4 – Poor CRO stats?  Finding solutions takes guesswork.

Intuition or hunches might work for other scenarios, but playing a guessing game about why your CRO stats are decreasing does not work well.  You need honest feedback in testing and surveys to determine what is working for your visitors and what isn’t.

A/B testing

Myth 5 – Want success? Copy someone else’s site.

There is a mistaken belief that what works for other sites will work for you. Even if it is a direct competitor, many factors can influence success. Merely copying the look and feel of another site without adding any compelling original content will leave you worse off than before.

Myth 6 – A/B testing = CRO

Split testing is a component of CRO, as it can help you find leaky funnels; however, a mature CRO campaign also includes looking at the big picture. Is the overall messaging and branding effective? Is the price point working?

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