Turning Traffic into Sales for a Small Shopify Store.
Mafost Marketing recently partnered with a small ecommerce startup, operating an online store with monthly revenues around $15k-$20k. The client, a niche retailer launching unique handmade accessories, sought to boost conversions after noticing significant traffic but no sales over a 14-day period.
Our goal was to analyze their Shopify data, identify bottlenecks, and implement strategies to turn visitors into buyers.
Key Takeaways from the Case Study
- Conversion Breakthrough: The store went from 0 sales despite high traffic and cart additions to achieving $1,200 in sales within one month, demonstrating the direct impact of conversion funnel optimization.
- Targeted Optimization for Trust & UX: By focusing on simplifying checkout, improving product page UX (high-quality visuals, detailed descriptions), and adding trust signals (Trustpilot widget), the client significantly increased cart additions and checkout progression for key products.
- Data-Driven Iteration: The success stemmed from a multi-faceted approach involving data analysis (identifying drop-off points), A/B testing checkout, implementing cart recovery, and refining traffic quality, highlighting the importance of continuous optimization for small e-commerce stores.
*Client Confidentiality: Data and Brand names are fictionalized in this case study to hide the identity of the business under review.
The Challenge: Added to Cart But No Sales
The store attracted 3,652 online visitors and 3,956 sessions across its top landing pages in the last 14 days. Two standout products emerged: “Delicate Charm” and “Soft Cushion Grip,” which drew the most engagement.
However, despite 33 items added to cart and 21 reaching checkout, the store recorded 0 sales. This indicated a critical issue in the conversion funnel, particularly at checkout.
- Delicate Charm: With 659 visitors and 683 sessions, it saw 10 adds to cart and 4 reached checkout, reflecting a 98.4% drop-off from sessions to checkout.
- Soft Cushion Grip: With 1,459 visitors and 1,599 sessions, it had 9 adds to cart and 5 reached checkout, with a 99.7% drop-off rate.
- Other Pages: The homepage (264 visitors, 298 sessions) and collection pages (e.g., 704 visitors for one collection) showed traffic but minimal progress (e.g., 6 adds to cart for homepage).
User Experience (UX) is critical to Shopify sales. High session counts with low cart additions hinted at navigation difficulties, unclear product details, or lack of trust signals.
Analysis of Checkout Abandonment
The data revealed strong visitor interest, especially for “Delicate Charm” and “Soft Cushion Grip,” but a complete failure to convert. Key findings included:
- Checkout Abandonment: Of the 21 items reaching checkout, none resulted in sales, suggesting issues like unexpected costs, complex forms, or payment failures.
- User Experience (UX): High session counts with low cart additions hinted at navigation difficulties, unclear product details, or lack of trust signals (e.g., no reviews).
- Traffic Quality: The slight increase from 3,652 visitors to 3,956 sessions suggested repeat visits, but the audience may not have been purchase-ready.
Solution for Sales Funnel
Mafost Marketing implemented a multi-faceted strategy to address these challenges.
Checkout Optimization
We audited the checkout process, removing hidden shipping fees, simplifying the form, and adding multiple payment options (e.g., PayPal, credit cards). An A/B test was launched with a streamlined checkout variant.
Why is Checkout Optimization is Crucial?
Checkout optimization is crucial for increasing Shopify sales because it directly addresses the primary reason for cart abandonment—friction in the purchasing process—which can significantly impact revenue, especially for small businesses and startups generating up to ~$20k/month. Based on the case study analysis for the anonymized Shopify store (e.g., with products like “Delicate Charm” and “Soft Cushion Grip”), where 21 items reached checkout but resulted in 0 sales over 14 days, optimizing the checkout process can turn potential losses into profits.
UX Enhancements
Product pages for “Delicate Charm” and “Soft Cushion Grip” were updated with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and a “Trustpilot” review widget to build credibility.
Is Trustpilot the best customer review tool?
Trustpilot is a strong choice for ecommerce SMBs prioritizing global trust and Shopify integration, as demonstrated by the case study’s success. However, it’s not the best for all—Google Reviews may suit local businesses, while Yotpo or ReviewFlowz offer broader functionality for multi-channel management.
Cart Recovery
We set up Shopify’s free email abandonment tool to re-engage the 12 items added but not checked out, offering a 10% discount incentive.
What are the top tools for Cart Recovery on Shopify?
For a small ecommerce store, three recommended top cart recover tools are:
- Shopify’s Built-in Abandoned Cart Recovery: Free with every Shopify plan, this tool automatically sends up to three email reminders to customers who abandon carts after entering an email address.
- Klaviyo: A popular choice for advanced automation, Klaviyo offers free email recovery for up to 250 contacts, with paid plans starting at $16/month for 500 emails and SMS options.
- Omnisend: Known for automating 41% of email conversions, Omnisend includes a free tier (up to 500 emails/month) and paid plans from $16/month.
Traffic Refinement
Analysis of traffic sources (e.g., organic search, social) led to targeted keyword optimization (e.g., “handmade delicate charm”) to attract intent-driven visitors. Note: Some of the highest intent keywords were unavailable due to low search volume. This is a common issue for hyper niche stores.
Results
Within one month of implementation:
- Cart Additions Increased: “Delicate Charm” saw 15 adds to cart (up 50%), and “Soft Cushion Grip” reached 12 (up 33%), reflecting improved UX and trust.
- Checkout Progress: 8 items reached checkout (up from 4 for “Delicate Charm” and 5 for “Soft Cushion Grip”), a 90% increase, due to the optimized funnel.
- First Sales Achieved: The store recorded $1,200 in sales, breaking the zero-sales barrier, with a 5% conversion rate from checkout to purchase after fixing payment issues.
Key Takeaways for SMB Shopify Stores
This case study highlights the power of addressing checkout friction and enhancing user trust for small ecommerce stores. Startups and businesses up to $20k/month in revenue can:
- Prioritize a seamless checkout experience to retain customers.
- Use free tools (e.g., Shopify analytics, review widgets) to boost credibility.
- Test small changes (e.g., discounts, UX tweaks) to find what drives sales.
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