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Shopify Store Conversion Rate Optimization Guide | Friction Studio

If you're selling online and are not making as much as you could be — compared to your competition — you might need to rework on your Shopify store. While a lot of it boils down to how competitive your industry is, the other part lies in how effectively you optimize your store.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the most critical aspect of managing a Shopify store. It will determine your overall success or failure as a seller. Some of the other aspects of running a successful store could include marketing and search engine optimization. But none of that matters if your store is not converting traffic into actual sales. 

This guide provides you with all the information and tips necessary to improve your Shopify conversion rate.

What is conversion rate optimization for Shopify?

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website's ability to persuade customers to take a desired action. In eCommerce, this desired action is usually a purchase. It's a way of driving more people through your site and into your sales funnel—and ultimately into buying something from you.

In simple words, CRO is the process of figuring out what's working on your website—and what isn't—so you can make changes accordingly. If a visitor lands on your site, how likely are they to buy something? Or at least click through to another page on the site?

There are tons of different factors that affect this number - from the copy on your homepage all the way down to the design of individual pages in your store. 

For Shopify store owners, CRO involves optimizing the user experience, product pages, and marketing strategies to increase the likelihood of visitors becoming customers. By focusing on CRO, Shopify store owners can improve their website's conversion rate, which translates into more revenue and profitability. 

Shopify conversion rate optimization typically involves -

  • understanding the target audience, 
  • improving the user experience,
  • implementing conversion-boosting strategies and tactics,
  • measuring and analyzing website performance regularly to continuously optimize and improve the conversion rate.

How to calculate your Shopify conversion rate?

Let’s begin your CRO exercise by figuring out what your conversion rate is. 

You could easily use tools like Shopify Analytics and Google Analytics to fetch this data or also choose to calculate it manually on your own.

Simply divide the number of sales you make in a given period by the number of visitors to your site during that time. For example, if you have 100 visitors and 10 purchases, that gives you a 10% conversion rate.

Number of conversionsnumber of visitors x 100 = conversion rate 

Note: You may notice discrepancies between the information gathered by Shopify and your own research or other sources. This could be due to differences in how Shopify and other parties track customer interactions and purchases, as well as delays in synchronizing data.

What is a good Shopify conversion rate?

Different sources claim different numbers when it comes to defining what a good Shopify conversion rate should be -

  • Unbounce's 2021 Conversion Benchmark Report claims that ideally, conversion rates range from 2.4% to 9.8%.
  • Littledata, an e-commerce data company, discovered that Shopify had an average conversion rate of 1.5%. It also found that if you have a conversion rate of over 4.8%, you would be among the top 10% of Shopify stores.

Why is Shopify conversion rate optimization important?

It’s simple - you want to make as much money as possible. But here are a few reasons explained in detailed -

1. Increases revenue and profitability

While a high online store conversion rate is important for any business, it can be especially vital for e-commerce stores. Higher online store conversion rates mean that you're bringing in more revenue and growing your business. 

While having a great website and product is important, it's not enough to ensure that you'll get people to convert on your Shopify store. You need to do everything you can to optimize your site and increase its conversion rate.

2. Enhances customer experience and reduces bounce rate

Shopify conversion rate optimization (CRO) is all about getting your customers to buy more stuff from you, which means that you're going to need to build trust with them. That's where the ‘enhancement’ part comes in—because if your customers trust you, they'll feel comfortable buying from you, and they won't have any reservations about spending money when they see a product they like.

For example, if your site doesn't load quickly or if it has too many ads, people may just leave without buying anything from you. On the other hand, if it loads quickly and is clean and easy to navigate, they'll have more confidence in the brand and will be more likely to buy something from you!

Did you know that most websites have a bounce rate that is between 26 and 70%?

This is where conversion rate optimization can help.

3. Increases customer acquisition

Conversion rate optimization is a process that involves testing different versions of your website to find the one that drives the highest number of conversions.

When you optimize your site, you're making it as easy as possible for users to convert. This means improving your product descriptions and images so they're more attractive and compelling; making sure that all critical information—such as shipping costs and return policies—is easily accessible; and reducing the number of steps required to complete a purchase.

When you optimize your store, you can expect to see an increase in sales, which means you'll be able to acquire more customers with each new product listing.

4. Maximizes marketing efforts

You want to be able to maximize your marketing efforts, and the best way to do that is by ensuring that every visitor who visits your website ends up buying something from you.

Because if they don’t, then all of those hours spent crafting the perfect ad, designing the perfect email blasts, or building a solid social media presence will have gone to waste.

But when you optimize your store for conversion rates, you can ensure that all of those efforts don’t go unnoticed. You can keep your customers happy and coming back time and time again—and hopefully spending more money with each visit!

5. Provides insights

Shopify store conversion rate optimization is important because it helps you understand what your customers are doing on your site, which helps you make better decisions about how to improve your online store.

For example, if see that people are clicking on a product but not buying it, that could mean that something about the product isn't clear enough—maybe it needs a better description or images. Or maybe people just aren't aware of how much they can save by buying in bulk! Or simply because your prices are too high or there are too many options—you might want to consider creating a less overwhelming shopping experience by offering fewer products at lower price points.

Tips on how to increase conversion rate Shopify 

1. A/B Testing

Testing is the key to improving your Shopify store's conversion rate.

If you're unfamiliar with A/B testing, it's a process in which you run two versions of a single element on your website to see which one performs better.

There are several different ways to run A/B tests, but all of them involve showing each variation to a certain percentage of visitors at random. For example, if you're running an A/B test for a certain product landing, you might show Version A to 50% of your visitors and Version B to the other half. Then you'll monitor how many people buy from each variation after they visit it. If more people buy from Version B than from Version A, then you know that Version B is better at converting traffic into sales.

In fact, it was found that companies can experience a 55% increase in leads when they have 15 or more landing pages! Furthermore, brands that see the best improvements in conversion rates carry out 50% more tests on landing pages.

A/B testing allows you to see the impact of changes that you make on your store's conversion rate. For example, if you change the font size on your landing page, you’ll be able to see whether or not it has an impact on sales.

You can use A/B testing for almost any aspect of your Shopify store - 

  • Product pricing
  • Headlines
  • CTAs
  • Copy on the product page
  • Product recommendations positioning
  • Navigational copy
  • Button size and color, etc.

It's a simple idea - make changes, measure the results, and repeat until you've achieved your goals.

2. Simplify the checkout process

Source: Baymard Institute

One of the main reasons why people abandon their carts is because they get confused by the number of steps required to complete an order. This is especially true when it comes to making purchases on mobile devices, which have smaller screens and less screen real estate than laptops and desktops. 

If you want people to complete their orders, then you need to make sure that your checkout process isn't complicated or confusing. The more steps there are, the more likely it will be that someone will just give up and go somewhere else—and they won't be coming back!

Here are a few tips to simplify your Shopify checkout process -

  • Use a streamlined checkout design: Simplify your checkout process by removing any unnecessary form fields or steps. 
  • Offer guest checkout: Allow customers to checkout as a guest, without requiring them to create an account. This can reduce friction and make the process faster and more convenient for customers.
  • Use auto-fill and address lookup: Use auto-fill and address lookup features to make it easier for customers to enter their shipping and billing information. This can reduce errors and speed up the checkout process.
  • Offer multiple payment options: Offer a variety of payment options to give customers more choices and make the process more convenient. Consider accepting credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or other popular payment methods.
  • Use trust signals: Use trust signals like SSL encryption, security badges, and third-party payment providers to build trust and credibility with your customers. This can help reassure customers that their personal and financial information is safe and secure.
  • Use progress indicators: Use progress indicators to show customers how many steps are left in the checkout process. This can help reduce uncertainty and improve the user experience.
  • Optimize for mobile: Make sure your checkout process is optimized for mobile devices, with a responsive design and mobile-friendly features. This can help make the process more convenient for customers who prefer to shop on their smartphones.

Need help optimizing the checkout page for your Shopify business? Reach out to us!

3. Use social proof and trust signals

Social proof is basically just any sort of visual cue that tells customers, "This product has been bought by other people." Trust signals are similar, but they're more focused on making customers feel confident in their choice.

For instance, if someone is shopping for a new pair of sneakers, they might want to see what other people who have purchased the same sneakers thought about them. That way, they can make sure they're getting a good deal and that people are happy with their purchase!

Social proof and trust signals are effective ways to build trust with your customers—and it's easy to implement in your Shopify store!

There are a few ways to incorporate them into your Shopify store -

  • Add testimonials from your happy customers on your product pages
  • Add a product review and rating section on all product pages
  • Include reviews from other websites and blogs where people have written about their experience with using your product or service
  • Display trust badges and seals from relevant organizations in your industry
  • If you have received endorsements from influencers or industry experts, showcase them on your website to build trust and credibility.

4. Prioritize mobile optimization

Source: Statista

It's no secret that mobile is taking over the world. And if you're not prioritizing your store's mobile optimization, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to improve your Shopify conversion rate.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to make the necessary changes, but you will need to make a few decisions. You can either choose to go with a third-party solution or build your own mobile site. 

The first option is more expensive but has the advantage of being fully customizable and easy to use. The second option is cheaper and easier, but it also requires more work from your side in terms of content creation and maintenance.

You can reach out to the Shopify experts at Friction Studio. We design, build, and optimize Shopify & Shopify Plus websites for D2C brands. Check out some of our work here.

5. Create a sense of urgency 

If you want to work on your conversion rate optimization, you need to create a sense of urgency.

Why? Because we all want what we can't have. And the more we crave something, the more likely we are to purchase it.

So if you have a product that is in high demand, make sure that customers know about it! And don't just put it on your homepage—make sure to include that product as an add-on to other products. That way, when people go to check out and they see the same product being offered at a cheaper price, they'll be more likely to purchase it because they won't want to miss out on such a great deal!

Here are a few ways you can create a sense of urgency in your Shopify store -

  • Use limited-time offers: Use limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to make a purchase. For example, you could offer a discount that expires in 24 hours or a flash sale that lasts for a limited time.
  • Highlight low stock levels: Highlight low stock levels to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to make a purchase before the product runs out. You could display a message like "Only 3 left in stock" to create a sense of urgency.
  • Use countdown timers: Use countdown timers to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to take action before time runs out. You could use a countdown timer to show how much time is left on a limited-time offer or flash sale.
  • Display real-time sales notifications: Display real-time sales notifications to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to make a purchase. You could display a message like "5 people have purchased this product in the last hour" to create a sense of urgency.

6. Leverage retargeting and email marketing 

Retargeting helps you reach people who have already visited your site. You can use this technology to create ads that show up on the sites they visit after leaving your site, which helps them remember what they saw and encourages them to return again.

Email marketing is another great way to boost your Shopify store conversion rate. 

According to Statista,

“Few if any other channels can compare with e-mail marketing’s average return on investment (ROI), and seeing that companies can expect up to 45 U.S. dollars for every ad dollar spent, there is no question as to why e-mail has maintained its claim to fame for decades.”

By sending emails with offers that are relevant to their interests and other information about the products they've viewed or purchased on your site, you can encourage people who have already interacted with you to return again—and tell others about your company!

Here are a few tips to make the most of retargeting and email marketing to boost your Shopify conversion rate -

  • Run retargeting ads: Use retargeting ads to show ads to people who have previously visited your website but didn't make a purchase. It can help remind people about your brand and encourage them to come back and complete their purchase.
  • Segment your email list: Segment your email list based on customer behavior and preferences, and create targeted email campaigns for each segment. Did you know that personalization of emails can increase conversion by over 10%?
  • Send abandoned cart emails: Send automated abandoned cart emails to customers who have left items in their cart but haven't completed their purchase. 
  • Offer exclusive promotions: Use email marketing to offer exclusive promotions to your subscribers, such as discount codes, free shipping, or early access to sales. 
  • Use personalized recommendations: Use email marketing to send personalized product recommendations to customers based on their browsing and purchase history. 
  • Run win-back campaigns: Use email marketing to create win-back campaigns for customers who haven't purchased from your store in a while. Offer a special promotion or incentive to encourage them to come back and make a purchase.

7. Optimize your website speed

Did you know that -

  • For loading speeds between 0-5 seconds, conversion rates can drop by around 4.42% with each additional second
  • For loading speeds between 0-9 seconds, conversion rates can drop by around 2.11% with each additional second

If you're not optimizing your website speed, you might as well not even be in business. 

The faster your website loads, the better your Shopify conversion rate. It's that simple.

A slow-loading store can lead to frustration for users, who may leave before making a purchase, while a fast-loading store can provide a seamless experience that encourages users to stay and explore. Additionally, search engines like Google consider page speed as a ranking factor, meaning that faster stores are generally more likely to appear higher in search results.

The good news is that optimizing your website speed is relatively easy—

  • Compress and optimize images
  • Choose a fast and responsive theme
  • Implement Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
  • Lazy load images
  • Fix broken links
  • Analyze web page performance (with Google PageSpeed)
  • Reduce redirects
  • Minimize the use of unnecessary apps

Conclusion

Conversions are the lifeblood of your store. They're how you make money, and they're how you grow as a business. Without good conversion rates, you'll never be able to attract new customers or keep existing ones coming back for more.

We hope the tips mentioned above helped you kickstart your Shopify conversion rate optimization process.

If you need additional help, reach out to the Shopify experts at Friction Studio. We design, build, and optimize Shopify & Shopify Plus websites for D2C brands. Check out some of our work here.

Schedule a call with us to get started!

FAQs

What is conversion rate optimization?

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the process of improving your website's ability to persuade customers to take a desired action. In eCommerce, this desired action is usually a purchase.

What is an example of conversion rate optimization?

If you're running an A/B test for a certain product landing, you might show Version A to some of your visitors and Version B to others. Then monitor how many people buy from each variation after they visit it.

What is a good conversion rate for a Shopify store?

If you have a conversion rate of over 4.8%, you would be among the top 10% of Shopify stores.

How do I increase my Shopify conversion rate?

You can start by simplifying your checkout process, using social proof on your website, prioritizing mobile optimization, leveraging retargeting and email marketing, and improving website speed.

Hiba Fathima
May 7, 2023

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