Most e-commerce brands don’t fail because of bad products – they fail because of bad copy.
It doesn’t matter how precise your targeting is. If your messaging doesn’t convert, your ads will bleed money – and you’ll burn out long before hitting your first $10K month.
Most first-time Shopify founders don’t realize this until it’s too late. They think the problem is their product, or their pricing, or the algorithm. But in reality, it’s the five invisible copywriting mistakes they make every time they launch a new ad or product page. These aren’t rookie errors – they’re common traps that even seasoned founders fall into.
The good news? They’re fixable – if you know what to look for.
Here are the 5 most dangerous copy mistakes I’ve seen Shopify founders make – and how to fix each one before your brand flatlines.
1. You’re writing product descriptions like a catalog, not a conversation.
Most e-com founders describe their products like they’re filling out a spec sheet. They list dimensions, materials, shipping time – and call it a day. But buyers don’t make emotional decisions from bullet points.
Copy should sound like a real person talking to their best friend.
One founder I chatted with had a gorgeous landing page – but it read like a warehouse listing. Once we rewrote it using the way customers actually talked in reviews, their conversion rate jumped 40%. Good copy isn’t formal – it’s familiar.
Emotion builds connection. Conversation drives conversion.
2. You’re assuming the product is the hero – but it’s the customer.
You love your product. You built it. You obsessed over the details. But when your copy centers on you, your customer tunes out. They’re not looking for a hero – they’re looking for help.
Make the customer the main character, and the sale becomes inevitable.
Think of your copy like a movie: your customer is Luke Skywalker. Your product is the lightsaber. It helps them win – but the story’s about them, not your tech stack.
Nobody buys features. They buy the version of themselves your product creates.
3. You’re ignoring objections instead of addressing them.
Most e-com pages assume buyers will just “get it.” But customers always have friction: price, sizing, shipping, trust. If you don’t address those fears upfront, they’ll silently kill conversions.
Unanswered objections are invisible sales killers.
Smart brands treat objections like invisible sales reps – handling doubts before the customer has to ask. “If it doesn’t fit, we’ll exchange it for free.” “Try it for 30 days or your money back.” You’re not convincing – you’re removing resistance.
Confidence converts faster than persuasion ever will.
4. You’re overcomplicating your messaging.
You’re trying to sound smart – and that’s the problem. When you stuff your copy with industry jargon or clever phrasing, you lose people. Clear beats clever, always.
If a 12-year-old can’t explain it back to you, it’s too complex.
Think of your product page like a dating profile. If it’s just stats, you get ghosted. If it tells a story, you get a swipe. Simple, human, direct messaging is what sells.
The sharper your copy, the less you have to shout.
5. You’re selling the “what,” not the “why.”
You say what it is – but not why it matters. “This is a self-cleaning water bottle.” Cool. So what? People buy from belief, identity, and transformation – not just cool tech.
If you want loyal customers, sell the meaning behind the product.
One of the best-performing Shopify brands I know sells journals. Not “notebooks with dotted pages” – but tools for reclaiming mental clarity. Their “what” is paper. Their “why” is peace of mind.
Features inform. Emotion converts.
Final Thought
Most Shopify founders don’t fail because they chose the wrong product. They fail because their copy never gave their product a chance to succeed.
Fixing these five mistakes isn’t just about improving your conversion rate – it’s about giving your brand a fighting shot. Because when the words finally click, everything else stops bleeding.
Let’s stop letting great products die from bad messaging.
If this resonated, here’s what to do next:
→ If you’re tired of content that fills space instead of driving sales, let’s talk. Schedule a quick demo.
→ If you’re ready to turn product pages, email flows, landing copy, and more into silent salespeople for your brand, subscribe to either our Unlimited Standard Plan or Unlimited Professional Plan to get started.
Your story deserves better than generic copy.
We make it unforgettable.