Store conversion is dropping – this is one of the most common alarm signals that store owners bring to specialists. The problem is heterogeneous: the same phenomenon can have a dozen different causes, and diagnosis without access to data is impossible. Below I describe the most common causes and how to tell them apart.
Is it definitely a store problem?
Before you start looking for technical bugs, check whether the nature of traffic has changed. More visits from ads that do not convert, a seasonal change, an increase in mobile traffic on a store not optimised for mobile – all of these can cause a conversion rate drop without any change in the store. Google Analytics and campaign data are the first place to check.
Performance – the silent conversion killer
Each second of load time delay statistically means a few percent fewer conversions. If the store started loading more slowly after an update, hosting change or adding a new module – that is where diagnosis starts. Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console show historical trends and can pinpoint when performance degraded.
Problems in the purchase path
The purchase funnel (add to cart, cart, checkout, payment) is a sequence of steps where each can have a problem. Session recording tools (Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity) show where users stop, what they click and where they drop off. Often the problem is very specific: a button that does not work on a particular device, a form validation error that is not readable, a missing preferred payment method.
External changes
A competitor lowered prices or launched a promotion. Negative reviews appeared on Google. Google’s algorithm changed and the store lost positions for important keywords. These are external factors that have nothing to do with store technicalities but affect conversion.
If any of the signals described sound familiar, it is worth analysing before the problem grows. I offer a free initial consultation – write to biuro@tews.pl or visit tews.pl.
