Most online stores don't lose sales because of one big problem. They lose them through lots of small frictions: a menu that's hard to use, a size chart that's missing, a checkout that asks for too much. Each one nudges a few more people to leave. Here are the twelve we see most often.

1. Shipping costs revealed at the last step

The classic. Show shipping costs or your free-shipping threshold early, on product pages and in the cart.

2. A cluttered homepage

Ten sections competing for attention means nothing stands out. Lead with a clear message and your key categories. See homepage design that converts.

3. Navigation built for the business, not the customer

Menus named after internal collections ("Drop 4") instead of what people are looking for ("Earrings", "Gifts under Rs 1,500").

4. Search that doesn't work

On larger catalogues, many shoppers go straight to search. If it returns nothing for common misspellings or synonyms, they leave.

5. Tiny tap targets on mobile

Variant buttons, filters and close icons that are too small to tap accurately. Most of your shoppers are on phones; design for thumbs.

6. Missing product information

No size guide, vague materials, no delivery estimate. Every unanswered question is a reason to leave. Our product page checklist covers what to include.

7. Poor or inconsistent photos

One photo per product, or images of all different shapes and styles. See our product photography tips.

8. Popups on arrival

A full-screen discount popup the second someone lands, before they've seen a single product. Delay it, or show it only to engaged visitors.

9. Forced account creation

Let people check out as guests. Offer account creation after purchase.

10. Hidden contact details

For a new brand, visible phone, email or WhatsApp contact builds trust, even if few people use it.

11. Slow pages

Heavy images, too many apps and autoplaying videos. Speed affects every other metric. Start with why Shopify stores slow down.

12. No reassurance near the buy button

Returns, delivery time, secure payment and reviews all belong close to where people decide.

How to find your own UX problems

• Watch a friend who's never used your site try to buy something, without helping.
• Check your GA4 funnel for the biggest drop-off.
• Read customer questions on WhatsApp; they reveal what the site isn't answering.
• Use a free heatmap or session recording tool for a week.

Fix one issue at a time and measure the result. Small improvements add up quickly.

Want a fresh pair of eyes on your store? Send us your link or see our Shopify packages.