Written by Gatsby guest writer, Victoria Green of VictoriaEcommerce
Looking to take your Shopify store to the next level in 2018? Then this article is for you. Online shopping is here to stay, and if one thing’s for sure, it’s that staying competitive is the only way to keep your head above water. Whether it’s addressing your product pricing, investing in better content or providing an interactive experience, there are lots of ways to make the most of your Shopify store this year.
Master your pricing strategy
How you price your products and services can significantly impact the success of your online store. In doing so, there are a number of things to consider. You need to cover your running costs for sure — but you also need to factor in the psychology of numbers and purchasing behavior.
It may seem sensible to price cheaply, but this can lead people to question the quality of your product. Likewise, if you go too high, you may find yourself thwarted by competitors. So you want to aim for somewhere in the middle. Top tip: $9.99 will always seem more appealing than $10.
A little strategic placement can help. If you’re trying to shift a high-cost item, for example, try placing it next to other products that are more expensive. Bear in mind that generally, people aren’t looking for the cheapest product. They’re looking for a sensible middle ground — not too cheap, not too expensive.
“Generally, people aren’t looking for the cheapest product. They’re looking for a sensible middle ground”
Grouping products together in bundles is also a great way to shift more items. Sure, you’ll need to offer a discount, but you’ll make a better profit overall. Consider which products you can realistically bundle together to bring up your average order value.
Make mobile shopping easier
Your online store’s mobile experience has a huge impact on sign-ups and conversions. It pays to remember that US consumers now spend around 5 hours per day on mobile devices. Shopify stores are automatically optimized for mobile, but you can take it one step further by creating an iOS mobile app for your website.
The Shopify App Store offers a tool called TapCart that turns your Shopify store into a custom iPhone app instantly. Alternatively, with Shopify Plus’ native app builder, you can create your own store app — even if you don’t know the first thing about coding.
- 78% of users would rather access a store via mobile app
- Customers spend 3–4 times longer in mobile apps than on desktop and mobile sites
- There’s a 50% greater chance that ecommerce app users will return to an online store within 30 days
What are the benefits of having a store app? According to rubygarage.org:
Add more high quality content
Unless you have a pro photographer on hand, keeping your store looking fresh with original photography can be challenging. However, this is no reason to start delving into the realms of cheesy stock photos. It’s not so hard to take professional-looking product photos yourself.
There are lots of ways to add more value for your customers with visual content, from all-angles imagery to product demonstration videos. Some websites even use 360 degree images that allow you to get a sense of a product from every angle. Others use simple GIFs to show how a product operates.
Say you sell camping equipment, you might use a GIF to show the stages of putting up a tent. If you sell party dresses, a 360 degree image would nicely flaunt every aspect.
Useful free Shopify apps and tools
- KIT — An app designed to help you run your store better. It is essentially a free virtual employee. Using SMS or Facebook Messenger, KIT will automatically recommend and carry out marketing activities on your behalf.
- Recover Cart Pusher — This free app improves your chances of recovering the lost sales from abandoned carts using targeted push notifications.
- Auto Currency Switcher — If you sell products internationally, this is an important one to consider. This app helps to increase international sales by automatically converting to the user’s preferred currency.
- Swell Rewards- Essentially a loyalty and referral program. By rewarding customers, they become more loyal and more likely to shop with you again.
- Facebook Shop — Does exactly what it says on the tin — allows you to sell products directly on Facebook. This app adds a Shop tab to your Facebook page, meaning customers can check out quickly without leaving Facebook.
- Fomo (free trial) — Show how active your store is, and create that “fear of missing out” feeling. Lots of integrations.
- Gatsby — Supercharge your store’s social kudos and influencer marketing — connect quickly with your authentic brand advocates. Easy to install and manage.
There are all sorts of gems within the Shopify App Store. Here are some you may not have discovered yet:
Create a personalized experience
Your customers have a lot of things competing for their attention, so they appreciate when brands provide an experience that’s swift and convenient. Personalization is no longer something ambitious store owners can afford to ignore. Luckily, it’s not so hard to achieve.
First off, try using interactive chatbots. There are plenty to be found in the App Store — the Gobot Shopify app is a good one, or you may want to try Ako, the Facebook customer chat plugin. Second, look to personalize your product recommendations. You’re more likely to generate future sales if you can accurately predict what the individual might like. Once again, free personalization apps such as Personalized Recommendations make this super easy.
Don’t underestimate the power of a good retargeting campaign. Kit, the app mentioned above, can help to run these for you. You want to base these on each customer’s personal browsing and purchase history. Personalized emails with offers and product suggestions bring many of these aspects together and can be very effective.
That’s it — but it’s not all! We’d love to hear how you’re preparing for success in 2018. Let us know what tips and techniques you’ve tried with in the comments below.
Remember, good marketing is all about authenticity.
Victoria Greene is a branding consultant and freelance writer. On her blog, VictoriaEcommerce, she shares tips on ecommerce and how companies can improve the way they represent their brand. She is passionate about using her experience to help brands improve their reach.
Originally published at https://www.gatsby.ai.
