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10 Mistakes to Avoid When Promoting Goods on Marketplaces


In this article, we will review the common mistakes sellers make when advertising their products and discuss how to avoid them.


Mistake No. 1: Advertising Poor-Quality Goods


Advertising a poor-quality product may have a short-term effect, boosting visibility until the customer receives it. However, once buyers realize the product is of low quality, returns will start, orders will be canceled, and negative reviews will flood in. This will cause the product listing to drop from its previous rankings.

What to do: Control product quality. Inspect new batches and partner with suppliers who have a low return rate for defective items.


Mistake No. 2: Neglecting Marketplace Advertising Tools

It’s unwise to invest in external advertising, like billboards or social media, without fully leveraging the internal advertising resources provided by the marketplace. Unlike external campaigns, marketplace tools offer detailed analytics that help optimize advertising efforts.

What to do: Start with the advertising options available within the marketplace. These tools are more effective for increasing sales and gathering insights to develop your store.


Mistake No. 3: Advertising an Unoptimized Product Card

Only advertise well-prepared product listings. When users click on an ad, they should see a clear description, high-quality images of the product from multiple angles, usage instructions, materials, and detailed specifications. The fewer doubts a buyer has, the more likely they are to purchase.

What to do: Before advertising, review and enhance your product descriptions, update photos, add videos or rich content, and collect positive reviews. Only then should you run a paid campaign.


Mistake No. 4: Using Irrelevant Keywords in Product Cards

SEO is a key tool for organic growth, driving traffic to product listings. However, stuffing a product card with unnecessary or irrelevant keywords can backfire, leaving customers disappointed when expectations don’t match reality.

What to do: Use only relevant keywords that align with your product’s features. Avoid including unrelated terms, even if they are trending.


Mistake No. 5: Advertising Seasonal Products Too Early

Seasonal products, such as skis and Christmas decorations in winter or swimsuits in summer, sell best during their peak season. Advertising these items too early can lead to wasted efforts and poor results.

What to do: Begin advertising seasonal goods just before or during their season. While this approach might cost slightly more, it yields far better results.


Mistake No. 6: Collaborating with the Wrong Influencers

Partnering with influencers or bloggers can be an effective way to promote products. However, choosing someone outside your product niche may lead to poor engagement and wasted resources.

What to do: Research the blogger’s content before collaboration. Ensure they are knowledgeable about your product category and have an audience that aligns with your target demographic. Prior experience advertising similar products is a bonus.


Mistake No. 7: Failing to Track Advertising Performance

It’s crucial to monitor and analyze ad performance on marketplaces. What worked yesterday may not work today. A lack of tracking leads to missed opportunities and inefficient use of advertising budgets.

What to do: Track metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and product card performance during the ad campaign. Compare this data to previous periods to identify the most effective strategies and adjust budgets accordingly.


Mistake No. 8: Pricing Higher Than the Market Average

To recover advertising costs, some sellers raise prices after launching campaigns. This strategy often backfires, as marketplaces frequently display prices for similar products directly on the listing page. If your price is noticeably higher, customers are likely to choose a competitor.

What to do: Maintain competitive pricing to build trust and avoid driving customers away. Avoid prices that are too low or too high compared to similar items.


Mistake No. 9: Ignoring Unit-Economy Calculations

Understanding the profitability of each product is critical for effective advertising. Sellers who don’t calculate unit-economy may overspend on ads for low-margin items and underinvest in promoting profitable ones.

What to do: Always calculate the unit-economy of your products. This helps optimize ad spend, increase sales, and plan campaigns more effectively.


Mistake No. 10: Poor Stock Management

Product availability and delivery speed significantly impact sales. Advertising a product that isn’t readily available in the target location can frustrate customers, especially if competitors offer faster delivery.

What to do: Before running ads, ensure inventory is distributed across warehouses near your target audience. This reduces delivery times and increases the likelihood of sales.

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