Shopify & eCommerce Tips - Weekly Summary: Selling More Subscriptions, Conversion Basics, eCom 2.0

This post is a structured & expanded list of Shopify tips for artists & makers looking to sell better online. Original info from my daily tips Instagram microblog, link at the end.

More daily tips like this on my IG microblog.

PART 1: eCommerce 2.0: How did eCommerce handle COVID, and where is it headed?

- In April 2020 online shopping accounted for 30% of total global retail, growing from 18% over 2019 - although we will see decline once we re-open, we will also see a permanent bump from people who had a great online experience

- This time gave eCommerce a large influx of first time customers = Your online experience needs to seamless on every device, plus have clear & easy to reach Customer Support - "eCommerce shopping used to be done on weekends & evenings. Now the hot times are Mon & Tues mornings... eCommerce is no longer discretionary & recreational, now it’s a must and a priority" - Jay Mayers, Co-Founder, Bold Commerce

Full Insights on eCommerce 2.0, and tips on how to thank your first time customers on my last blog.

PART 2: Weekly Conversion Rate Optimization Tips

eCommerce Conversion Basics: Sell more by getting your site visitors to like, trust, & respect your site. How? Here it is:

Get site visitors to like your brand:

• Show quality product photos (1000x1000px)

• On hover - show lifestyle images of people using your products

• Write on-brand, custom product descriptions

Get site visitors to respect your site design:

• Visitors' desired product can be added to cart in under 5 clicks

• Your collections are organized & filterable

• Your inventory is accurate & available in popular sizes

Get site visitors to trust your business:

• Your refund policy is beside "Add To Cart"

• Product reviews are displayed on Product & Collection pages

• Your shipping rates are visible before checkout

Optimize your Navigation Bar:

• Keep your navigation bar always visible (sticky), and focused on directing site visitors to their desired products quickly

• Having product categories in the nav bar encourages customers to click through on first sight

• Always visible nav bar gives customers control of the purchasing experience & builds trust

• Quick navigation to customers' perfect product improves conversion

Improving Subscription Sales - three key steps:

Here's a great example: Brew Tea Co

For companies that sell consumable products like coffee/tea/healthcare/supplements etc subscriptions account for 30-80% of their total sales. These companies spend their time proportionally on creating a great subscription experience.

1. Great "How it Works" section: Use your Product Description section as a "How It Works", and sell the benefits of signing up for your subscription service as you would a product. Include great photography & benefits of an automated subscription service

2. Advertise Your Subscriptions to Everyone: Make sure that your "Subscribe & Save" program has a link in your navigation bar, and its not buried in a random product collection

3. Remove the most common subscription objection by clearly displaying "cancel anytime" right below you {Add to Cart} button

For more daily Shopify tips for artists & makers looking to sell better online, follow @andriyrudnyk Cheers!