Shopify Conversion Rate: A Guide to Avoiding Top 10 Mistakes

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Before we explore the most common Shopify conversion rate mistakes, let’s figure out why tackling them is crucial and discover the risks of not doing so.

The Impact of Poor Conversion Rates

  • Lost sales. Low conversion means that many potential customers are slipping away. They may come to your store and even show interest in your products but never complete the desired action (like a purchase). Each lost customer is a lost sale that ultimately impacts your revenue.
  • Reduced revenue. Following on from the previous point, losing sales equals lower profits. Your shop may experience steady traffic. But your income will suffer if your visitors don’t convert into customers.
  • Higher customer acquisition costs. Low conversion rates imply investing more resources in marketing and ads. That makes acquiring each new customer extremely expensive and influences your bottom line.

Let’s now look at some stats that prove the importance of a high Shopify conversion rate:
The average conversion rate among Shopify stores is 1.3%, as per Littledata. Surpassing 3.2% will put you among the top 20% of stores, and exceeding 4.8% would position you in the top 10%.
Conversion rates vary by industry. So don’t despair if you only have 1%. This level is typical, for example, for luxury apparel.

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Common Shopify Conversion Rate Mistakes

Your online store visitors don’t turn into regular shoppers for many reasons. The good news is you can effortlessly avoid most mistakes that kill conversions in Shopify. For that, learn what to fight against first. Here are the top mistakes to watch out for.

1. Poor Shop Design

The first impressions matter. And it’s even more crucial in eCommerce. A poorly designed store can instantly deter potential customers. Intricate navigation, inconsistent color schemes, and outdated and unattractive layouts all cause a higher Shopify bounce rate (when visitors leave your shop without taking the desired actions).

To improve conversions, ensure your store is aesthetically pleasing, user-friendly, and intuitive. Luckily, the ready-made themes from the Shopify Theme Store come with those features.

3. Lack of Trust Signals

Trust is crucial in online shopping. Underestimating its importance is one of the most common and damaging Shopify conversion rate mistakes.

Your shop visitors need to be sure their personal information is safe. Also, they want to know that your products are as good as they appear in your store. To avoid leaving your customers skeptical and hesitant, implement the following trust signals:

  • Customer reviews
  • Testimonials
  • Social media feedback
  • User-generated content
  • Security badges
  • Transparent return policy

Incorporating the above elements will increase your conversions, customer loyalty, and your store’s credibility.

4. Bad page speed

Shoppers are no longer willing to wait for your Shopify store to load. Slow-loading pages quickly frustrate visitors, driving them away. According to Portent, 1-second load websites offer three times higher conversion rates than those loading for 5 seconds.
To make your online store load faster, leverage the following tactics:

  • Use optimized image file formats (like WebP) and compress images without compromising quality.
  • Install only the most necessary apps and plugins.
  • Optimize Shopify for mobile devices.
  • Select a fast and well-suited Shopify theme.

5. Ignoring Mobile Optimization

Neglecting mobile users is a huge mistake. With mobile eCommerce sales accounting for 60% of all global eCommerce sales, mobile optimization is not just a trend but a necessity. Fortunately, Shopify provides mobile-friendly themes for online stores. It removes the hassle of optimizing your shop through custom design and development.

6. Not Utilizing A/B Testing

Staying in the dark about what works and what doesn’t is unacceptable in eCommerce. It potentially leads to a lower conversion rate on Shopify and a poor user experience. A/B testing is your tool for making your shop as convenient for visitors as possible. Experiment with different shop variants and improve your store based on actual user feedback.

7. You don't use personalization and new 3d technologies

Shoppers expect tailored experiences from your Shopify store. It’s evident in the State of Personalization Report 2023, where 56% of consumers stated they plan to become repeat customers after a personalized interaction with a brand.

 

 

To offer personalization, consider the following:

  • Leverage 3d products and 3d customizer’s
  • Create custom email designs with discounts
  • Offer exclusive discounts.

8. No Live Chat

Picture this: you’re in a physical store, looking for purchase assistance. But no one is available to help. The same happens to your customers when they browse your Shopify shop and don’t find the live chat.

Thus, neglecting live chat support is another conversion-impacting mistake you’d better avoid. You need this feature to offer timely assistance with checkout, product selection, and other problems or questions your customers might face.

Solutions and Best Practices for Higher Conversions

Now, let’s recap the possible solutions to the above Shopify conversion rate mistakes. Leverage the following tips:

  1. Optimize your Shopify theme to be fast, responsive, and mobile-friendly. Ensure it’s consistent and uncluttered.
  2. Display customer reviews and other trust signals to establish credibility.
  3. Optimize your page shop speed.
  4. Ensure your online store works appropriately on different devices.
  5. Embrace A/B testing to compare various shop elements and choose the most converting ones.
  6. Leverage tailored recommendations and special offers to personalize the shopping experience.
  7. Integrate the chat in your Shopify store.
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Written by: Ihor Hrybeniuk Founder / Top Rated Shopify Lead Developer

Ihor is a founder of a Shopify CRO agency based in Lisbon, Portugal. He is leading a brilliant team of developers, 3d artists, designers and managers, he loves talking with clients and is best known for being all set to inspire people.

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