Every business has competitors, and achieving and maintaining a fair market share is tough. To gain an advantage over your competitors, you need to understand them.
That’s why competitor research matters in ecommerce. But what if your analysis isn’t giving you the insights you need to perform better?
Sometimes the issue isn’t the lack of data, but how you approach it. Many businesses gather surface-level information but fail to translate it into meaningful action. Strong competitor research is less about collecting more data and more about asking better questions and digging deeper into what actually drives customer decisions.
Below are practical ways to sharpen your approach and uncover insights that genuinely move the needle.
Looking through your competitors’ websites for keywords, backlinks, and other key elements is an important research technique. But a major part of an ecommerce business’s success is the customer experience.
If a visitor finds a website clunky to use or too slow, they may leave before converting. One survey found that 72% of Australian shoppers abandoned a brand because the website’s search facility was weak. More than 50% of shoppers would pay more on a competitor’s site for a stronger search experience.
To understand the quality of experience a competitor provides, use their website like a customer. Sign up, make a purchase, subscribe to a service – do everything a visitor from their target audience would do.
By completing this process, you’ll get a first-hand insight into how competitors guide users through the customer journey. You can spot opportunities to improve your own website and customer experience. Try it on different devices, since the experience often differs.
Take it a step further by documenting the process. How long does it take to complete a purchase? Note where friction appears, like confusing navigation or unnecessary steps at checkout. Pay attention to the tone of their messaging. Does it feel helpful or pushy?
Small details matter here. For example, how easy is it to find return policies? Are payment options flexible? These are the kinds of things customers notice, even if they don’t consciously think about them.
Online reviews give customers a voice. Whether a customer has a bad experience or a good one, they can share it with the rest of the world. Reviews make businesses more accountable. And negative reviews can prompt potential new customers to look elsewhere.
Poor reviews also give you a chance to learn about your competitors. Reviewers may mention:
When you analyse competitor reviews, you can find inspiration to improve your service and fill market gaps. While audience research (e.g., interviews and surveys) is fundamental, looking into reviews will present practical opportunities. Pay closer attention to the issues that get mentioned multiple times. One angry review may show a problem that appeared once or was unfair.
It also helps to group feedback into patterns. If multiple customers complain about slow delivery, that’s not just a logistics issue; it’s a trust issue. If people mention confusing product descriptions, that points to a communication gap.
On the flip side, don’t ignore positive reviews. They show what competitors are doing right. If customers consistently praise fast support or easy returns, that’s a benchmark you should at least match.
Many ecommerce businesses adjust product pricing, availability, and promotions by region. Customers in one country may see different items and quantities from those in another.
A VPN can help – it will connect you to the site through a server located in another country.
Researching the best VPN software for your needs is worth the time, as you’ll be able to find out what customers in other markets see on a competitor’s website.
The main benefit of the comparison is learning how competitors are reaching customers around the world. If you want to expand into other countries and continents, you can find out what may work for you. You might see that entering a specific region puts you in direct competition, or you are able to fill in a gap in the market.
Compare how promotions, pricing, and product types differ across markets. You can then tailor your product catalogue, rates, shipping, and offers for specific audiences.
Look closely at how messaging changes, too. A product positioned as “premium” in one country might be marketed as “affordable” in another. Cultural differences, purchasing power, and local trends all play a role.
This kind of insight helps you avoid costly assumptions when entering a new market.
Research competitors that address the same customer pain points in different ways. Unlike the businesses you may have already explored, these competitors operate outside your industry.
But they help customers achieve the same goals as you.
For example, you may run an online video platform that allows users to upload, edit, and publish content. But while your main competitors would be YouTube and TikTok, your audience also spends their time on mobile games and streaming services. These businesses compete for the same thing you do: your customers’ leisure time.
Study how a streaming service structures its recommendation algorithm or how a gaming app keeps users engaged, and you might find strategies you can adapt for your own business.
This kind of cross-industry thinking often leads to the most interesting ideas. Loyalty programs, onboarding flows, and retention tactics are rarely unique to one industry.
For instance, a fitness app might teach you more about user motivation than a direct competitor ever could. The key is to focus on the underlying problem your customers are trying to solve, not just the product category.
Even with under-16s banned from social media in Australia, businesses can reach millions of potential customers on Facebook, X, or Instagram. That’s why you should explore your competitors’ activity across social channels.
Some businesses invest more time and money into social media marketing than others. Larger brands tend to have a large presence on multiple platforms, sharing user-generated content and their own material.
But for smaller businesses with a smaller budget, social media marketing is more challenging and limited. Whatever level your competitors operate at, analyse their social media activity and find ways to strengthen your own.
Look into:
Also, pay attention to what actually gets traction. A competitor might post daily, but only a few posts generate meaningful engagement. That tells you more than the posting frequency alone.
Check the comments section too. That’s where you’ll find unfiltered customer opinions, questions, and even complaints. It’s a goldmine for understanding what your shared audience cares about.
Competitor research is a time-consuming, complex process. But even if you run a tiny business, you have more research tools and capabilities at your fingertips than ever. Take full advantage, and you’ll build up your business to a stronger market position.
The key is consistency. One-off research might give you a snapshot, but regular analysis shows trends. Set aside time each month or quarter to revisit your competitors and update your findings.
Over time, you’ll start to notice patterns. You’ll see where competitors are improving, where they’re falling behind, and where new opportunities are opening up.
That’s when competitor research stops being a task and starts becoming a real advantage.
Want to take your online business to the next level? Get the tips and insights that matter.