So, you just set up your Shopify storefront. Congrats! You’re halfway through the battle. You’ve probably heard of all of the success stories on the internet. Impressive statistics about how e-commerce companies have been able to profit using the platform and obtain higher-than-average conversion rates. The stats don’t lie. Shopify’s easy-to-use platform benefits the shoppers and the sellers, creating a high-quality user experience that’s unlike other e-commerce solutions on the market.

However, you can’t just set up your Shopify store and hope for the best. There are steps you need to take if you want to turn your e-commerce into a success story.

We’re here to walk you through why Shopify was the best choice you could make for your business and the actions you’ll need to take to see success on this platform.

Let’s dive in:

Why choose Shopify?

There’s a reason Shopify is the most popular e-commerce option in the United States. Shopify has an intuitive, user friendly platform with over 3,200+ market-tested third-party apps to help you create a custom experience. With the help of plug + play apps, you can sell on different channels, like Amazon and Etsy, to expand your reach and tap into new markets.

The platform is also cheaper to set up and maintain than other competing e-commerce solutions like Magento.

The best part is e-commerce of all kinds can see results. Shopify has an average order value of $85, and the top 10% of Shopify storefronts have an average 4.7% conversion rate. While the top 20% see a 3.2%  CVR, which is significantly higher than the industry average of 2.5%.

Steps for running a successful Shopify store

You’ve heard that old saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. The same rules apply to Shopify. You may have a great search engine optimization strategy and PPC ads that are helping you bring more traffic to your website, but it’s not enough. You’ll need to start prioritizing Shopify website development and the user experience.

Here’s how you can start doing that today:

Build out your product pages with quality content

Whether you’re starting from scratch or using a template in Shopify, optimizing your product pages should be a top priority. With the help of high-quality and relevant content, you can show your customers exactly what they’re shopping for and increase your conversions.

Start with quality product images that appeal to the customer. All product pictures should be crisp, professional, and have a clean background. Avoid adding any text or your company logo to the images. If you have a clothing brand, you may want to take photos from a few angles to ensure they get the complete picture. You can consider adding lifestyle images into the mix to entice the customer to make a purchase.

Next, you’ll need quality and relevant content. Your descriptions should be easy to understand and accurately represent your brand voice. Never be afraid to add some personality to the product descriptions, especially if this is what you’re used to doing in your marketing materials. Staying consistent with your brand voice and tone will help you maintain your brand image across all platforms and improve the customer experience.

Lastly, don’t forget the specifics. Include product sizes, colors, and any additional details the customer will need to know before making a purchase. If everything they need is on the product page and in the description, you’ll ensure there are no disruptions in the shopping experience.

Focus on developing for mobile first

Did you know that 92.1% of internet users access the internet using a mobile device? That’s a pretty significant amount of people. If your Shopify storefront doesn’t take a mobile-first approach, you risk pushing your prospects to your competitors.

We get it. You want everything to look great on the computer. Especially if you’re working on building your site from your computer, your only focus may be to optimize for a desktop experience. To be the next Shopify success story, you need to think about all your customers, not just the ones visiting from a desktop.

Once everything is built out and looks the way you want it to, you’ll want to grab your phone and shop as your customer would. Take some time looking at all of the different web pages, and make sure it’s a smooth, seamless experience for the mobile device visitor. While most of Shopify is mobile responsive, you may want to work with a Shopify website developer to help you work out the kinks and perfect your mobile experience.

Add a customer review section

Customer reviews help you build credibility and are social proof that can influence individuals to make a purchase. When a consumer visits your website, they want to know that you’re established and your products are well-liked in the community. These reviews help individuals make informed purchasing decisions they feel confident about.

Once you have a review section set up and the orders start flowing in, consider setting up email communications asking individuals to add a review after they make a purchase. This will ensure you have a steady flow of new, relevant reviews being added to your site.

Add simple email and newsletter forms

Shopify has simple, easy-to-set emails and newsletter forms that you can have up and running on your site in no time. These forms are designed to help you appeal to interested customers and add them into the top of the funnel, so you can start sending them email marketing.

Once you have a newsletter form on your page, you’ll want a customer journey set up working in the background, so you can nurture the lead into a buyer. Set up a welcome series that introduces what you have to offer and continues to keep your brand top of mind, (and at the top of their inbox!) You can also add discounts, special offers, and new products to push them closer to making a purchase.

It’s all about the user experience

Always consider the customer experience when building out your Shopify store. If you feel like something isn’t working or you aren’t seeing enough conversions, it’s time to look at your website from your customer’s perspective. When you shop on your site as if you were a customer, you’re more likely to find flaws and ways to improve.

When you work with a Shopify website developer or Shopify ecommerce agency, they can help you with cross-browsing testing and provide post-launch support. They’ll identify opportunities and tackle UX design challenges, so you don’t have to. They’ll also recommend different Shopify 2.0 themes with custom designs and help you build wireframes and high-fidelity mockups.

Improve your customer retention

The truth is: A returning customer is much more valuable than a one-time purchaser. Think about it. You went through all of the trouble trying to gain a new customer. You sent them promotions and emails and set up a customer review section to prove you’re the real deal. Why wouldn’t you put the same effort into retaining the customers that already shop with your brand?

To create customer loyalty and keep your customers coming back for more, you’ll need to keep them engaged, offer incentives, and continue to find new and innovative ways to enhance the customer experience. Use personalization in your email marketing, send them deals on their birthday, and build a customer loyalty program that helps you see results.

Abandoned cart emails

The average abandoned cart email has a 41.8% open rate. This is significantly higher than the industry average of 21.33%. Think of these emails as a gentle nudge. They remind your customers to continue their shopping experience when they’re ready and help you grab the low-hanging fruit.

These are shoppers who are already interested in purchasing from your site. To push them to make a purchase consider throwing in a discount or free shipping offer. You may also add a sense of urgency, by warning the customer the product is close to selling out.

See results with a Shopify ecommerce agency

In some ways, a Shopify storefront is just like any other online store. It takes time, dedication, and continuous optimization to see results. Don’t let this discourage you! Every Shopify successful story had to start somewhere, and so does yours.

If you’re ready to streamline your success and start seeing results, consider connecting with a Shopify ecommerce agency like Brandastic. We offer award-winning Shopify website development services and are passionate about helping you build an intuitive, user-friendly website. Contact us today to get started