Running a Shopify store isn’t as simple as it looks. Many store owners learn the hard way, spending countless hours and dollars on trial and error. But the right advice, straight from experienced store owners, can save you both time and money. That’s why we’ve compiled insights from experts who’ve been through it all.
In this guide, we talk about practical strategies that are proven to work. You will find tips for marketing, product design, customer retention, and more. Every tip you read in this guide comes from a real, vetted successful store owner.
No theory here—just real-world tactics that drive results. Learn from those who’ve made the mistakes and found the solutions. Take their experience, apply it, and watch your Shopify store grow.
3 Business Strategy Tips for Shopify Stores
Shopify store success isn’t about doing everything all at once. You need to focus on doing the right things the right way. Focus your efforts on key strategic activities, and results will follow.
1. Focus your time on key marketing channels
Overcomplicating your marketing can be a costly mistake. “Store owners often spread themselves too thin by trying to be on every platform, using every tool, and chasing every trend,” says John Butterworth of Mint SEO. Instead, he suggests focusing on a few key channels where your audience is most active and refining your efforts there. It’s about quality over quantity.
Mark Ainsworth of Maxweb Solutions agrees, adding, “start by mastering one or two marketing channels, and once those are optimized, expand your efforts.” Vukasin Ilic from Linkter emphasizes this point: “It’s better to focus on one or two platforms and excel there. Spreading yourself too thin can lead to mediocre results and burnout.”
2. Avoid unnecessary spending
Anthony Barone of StudioHawk UK sees a common problem among new store owners—overspending on tech and flashy tools. “Everyone gets sucked into so many tools, tech solutions and flashy things which suck money from the budget and your P/L,” he explains.
“When you are bootstrapped, you can’t flush money down the toilet on every little thing,” says Barone. “Find solutions that are free and will do the job for what you are doing now and what you want to do in the next 6-12 months, not what you’d like in 5 years when you think you’ll be the next ASOS”.
Keeping costs in check now lays the foundation for growth later. Just because this advice is simple doesn’t make it any less important.
3. Stock recession-proof products
In uncertain times, stocking essential products can allow your business to continue to succeed even when other product categories are underperforming. “Recession-proof products can be any item that people need to survive in its most literal sense,” says Nate Banks of Crazy Compression. He lists consumer staples like food, hygiene items, and pet necessities as examples. “These items are critical to the survival of consumers; they’re non-discretionary,” he adds.
Brandon Hartman of BeyWarehouse echoes this sentiment, classifying recession-proof products into two categories: necessities and niche items with dedicated fanbases. “[These products] will continue to get patronage, even as purchasers of upper-tier products slide down the price scale to save expenses,” he notes. In challenging economic periods, choosing the right products can make all the difference.
3 Customer Acquisition Tips for Shopify
If you want to acquire customers for your Shopify store, you need strategies that bring customers directly to you. But you don’t want to waste your time chasing every trend. Your time is better spent finding what works and doing it well. Here are some tips to help know where to focus your attention.
4. Use SEO to increase sales
Ignoring SEO is a costly mistake for any Shopify store owner. “Well-crafted online stores receive significantly more free organic traffic from search engines,” explains Justin Christopher of Klatch Coffee. Tools like Google Search Console and SEMRush can help track and monitor progress, showing which strategies yield the best results.
Ben Duffy from Quirky Digital adds, “SEO-friendly product descriptions not only improve search visibility but also enhance the user experience, increasing the likelihood of conversions.” It’s not enough to just have products; you need to ensure your site is optimized to rank for valuable search terms.
As Vukasin Ilic of Linkter puts it, “[Search] is fully intent-based—when I rank my Shopify store for linen dresses, for example, people coming on my website through search are shoppers who have their wallets ready.”
5. Get on Google Shopping
Google Shopping is an underused goldmine for small brands. “Shopify easily integrates with most social platforms, and for many small brands, there is a real opportunity to grow with Google Shopping,” says David Mason of Fortunata. Unlike major retailers, independent brands have an advantage on Google, as the platform builds its shopping results to feature unique brands over big-box names. “They don’t need another Walmart, Costco, or ASOS,” Mason emphasizes.
By using this tool, your store can show up when buyers are actively looking for products like yours. Thankfully, getting started is easy since you can add the Google & YouTube app on Shopify with minimal effort.
6. Run Facebook & Google ads
Paid advertising is a powerful way to drive targeted traffic. Ben Duffy from Quirky Digital highlights that channels like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram are ideal for paid traffic because they “[allow for highly targeted advertising], which can be very useful when trying to reach niche markets.”
But it’s not just about ads. Email marketing remains a powerful and terribly underrated tool. Anthony Barone of StudioHawk UK explains that “emails are an oldie but a goodie—having direct contact into people’s inboxes can build another long list of customers [which helps] to warm people up, build loyalty, run offers, [and] engagement campaigns.”
For those willing to invest time and money, these strategies pay great dividends when it comes to customer acquisition and retention.
2 Tips to Increase Customer Lifetime Value for Your Shopify Store
Getting new customers is just one part of the puzzle. The real value lies in keeping them coming back. To do that, you need the right strategies—ones that build loyalty and drive repeat sales.
7. Start an email list
Too many store owners overlook one of their most powerful assets—owned media like an email list. Unlike social platforms such as Facebook or TikTok, where you have no control over changes, your email list is yours. Justin Christopher of Klatch Coffee explains, “[It’s a mistake] to not start capturing and building an email list on day one.” He recommends tools like Klaviyo for both email and SMS marketing, especially for its seamless integration with Shopify.
Email marketing isn’t just about sending messages. Vukasin Ilic of Linkter notes that “sending out newsletters, special offers, or personalized recommendations can boost repeat purchases and significantly increase lifetime customer value.” The sooner you start, the sooner you build a loyal customer base that’s ready to engage with your brand.
8. Connect TikTok Shop
TikTok isn’t just for dancing videos—it’s a serious sales tool for Shopify stores. Ben Duffy from Quirky Digital highlights that TikTok Shop is becoming increasingly effective, especially for brands using short, dynamic videos to engage audiences. “Creating engaging, authentic videos that showcase products can lead to instant sales,” he explains, especially when users can buy directly within the app.
Connecting your Shopify store to TikTok Shop streamlines the customer journey. “Linking your Shopify store directly creates an easy customer journey, turning engagement into conversions,” Duffy adds. By collaborating with TikTok influencers or running targeted ads, you can quickly build brand awareness and drive sales.
3 Product Design Tips for Your Shopify Store
The best products don’t happen by accident. They are built through careful planning, testing, and refinement. Approach your design process with precision, and your efforts will pay off.
9. Start small & iterate
Prototyping isn’t about progress over perfection. “Start small with your prototypes to keep costs down and iterate quickly based on feedback,” advises Jorge Argota. By engaging users early, you can gather insights that shape the design to better fit customer needs.
Valentin Radu of Omniconvert expands on this, saying they “leverage customer feedback and data to inform design choices,” creating preliminary models and using A/B testing and user interviews to refine products. He adds that tracking key performance indicators helps ensure each iteration aligns with market demands.
Jason Wingate of Emerald Ocean Ltd. shares his experience: “Know your customers.” Wingate further clarifies by sharing a story of what this looked like practice, saying “a few years ago we released the Rotary Thread tool, a thread filing tool that was revolutionary and nothing was like it on the market. It could file threads quicker and faster than anything. We sold (and still sell) to Lowe’s and Home Depot in the USA, and Canadian Tire in Canada. But sales were not as good as we expected. Why? Because the customers of most retail chains don’t need a thread filing tool most of the time. If a nut or bolt comes loose, they just buy a new one for a few cents.”
Ultimately, as a result of the learning process, his team found success when they identified the right market for their Rotary Thread tool, selling to industrial clients instead of retail. “If the customer doesn’t have a problem or need your product, you need to reflect on that and find out what they do need.”
10. Research suppliers carefully
Finding the right supplier is a crucial step that can save you time and money. “To get quotes I reached out to several manufacturers with detailed specifications of the product,” says Argota. He clarifies that his communication “[included] drawings or CAD files, material requirements and expected quantities. Comparing these quotes helped me understand the market rates and negotiate better terms. Having all the info ready upfront made the process smoother.”
Jason Wingate recommends using a broker in the manufacturing country to navigate customs, culture, and time zones efficiently. “They would also know manufacturers beforehand as well,” he explains, which speeds up the process. Jorge Argota reflects on his own experience, stating that “having all the info ready upfront made the process smoother.”
But mistakes happen. Argota admits he “underestimated costs early on, didn’t vet some manufacturers well enough,” leading to miscommunication and costly setbacks. Ryan McDonald of Resell Calendar stresses the importance of detailed quotes, advising brands to “request quotations breaking out labor, material, and any additional fees” for clarity. He also cautions that the lowest bid is not always the best choice—quality and communication matter.
11. Design attractive packaging
Don’t underestimate the power of good packaging. “Early consideration of these elements can significantly impact the perceived value of your product,” says Ryan McDonald from Resell Calendar.
Well-designed packaging can elevate a product, making it more appealing and boosting its resale value. McDonald’s team has found that investing time and effort in packaging during the prototyping phase pays off, transforming how customers perceive and interact with their products.
3 Web Design Tips for Shopify Stores
Good web design goes far beyond look and feel. You need to create a fast, seamless experience for every user. The right adjustments can transform how your store performs—and how customers spend their money.
12. Optimize your images
A slow website is a lost sale. Jose Gomez of Summit Metals points out that “websites generally load slowly because images are not optimized in size.” A common mistake is uploading large JPEG files, which can take up to 3MB each. Multiply that by 20 images, and you’ve got a site that drags on any mobile device.
The solution, according to Gomez, is to “convert images to WEBP format.” This technique reduces file size by up to 70% while maintaining high quality. For Shopify store owners, every second counts. Optimizing images speeds up load time, keeping customers engaged and ready to buy.
13. Remove unnecessary apps
Apps can be a double-edged sword. While they add functionality, too many can slow down your store. “Carefully choose the apps that you add to your store, and remove any that aren’t needed,” advises Justin Christopher from Klatch Coffee. But removing the app isn’t enough—make sure it deletes all the code it installed.
Old code left behind can still affect your site speed. Christopher recommends using tools like Google Lighthouse to run before-and-after tests, ensuring your store stays optimized. Regular maintenance keeps your site clean and efficient.
14. Familiarize yourself with Lighthouse scores
Understanding store performance metrics is complex, but you need to be able to do it. Shopify provides a Web Performance dashboard, where users can track loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. But Shopify’s built-in dashboard is limited in scope, so many Shopify store owners prefer to use Lighthouse Scores (Google PageSpeed Insights) instead.
Windy Pierre highlights the importance of the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) score—your site’s loading speed over time. For best results, he says “don’t make the main picture load lazily.” Use Shopify’s automatic lazy loading or section index for better control.
JavaScript is another area where store owners often slip up. “Too much JavaScript makes your site slow,” says Pierre. Simplify your code and eliminate unused scripts to boost your Interaction with Next Paint (INP) score. Lastly, set dimensions for images and videos with Shopify’s Liquid image_tag to prevent layout shifts. This will help keep your Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) score low and reduce the risk of elements “jumping around” as the pages load.
If you want to research this further, check out Google PageSpeed Insights and GTMetrix. Both are free tools that you can use to measure your website’s performance.
4 Shipping Tips for Shopify Stores
Shipping is more than just getting a package from point A to point B. You need to make sure the process is smooth, efficient, and customer-friendly. Good shipping experiences keep customers coming back for more.
15. Validate addresses
Getting the address right is crucial. Shawn Zar from Superior Seating suggests using automated address verification to prevent costly mistakes. This makes perfect sense because their business is based on laborious custom furniture design. Shipping to wrong address would be terribly expensive.
Lou Haverty of Tank Retailer takes it a step further. “I process orders through Shopify, but I also double-check everything,” he explains. Haverty contacts customers to confirm shipment details, especially for larger orders requiring special handling like liftgates. “The biggest risk is if you ship an expensive product blindly,” he warns, highlighting the importance of verifying that customers can accept delivery before sending out high-value items.
16. Develop a clear returns process
A transparent and simple return policy can build trust and boost customer satisfaction. For many Shopify store owners, it makes sense to have a 30- or 60-day return window, no questions asked. But for some items like those described below (custom furniture and heavy tanks), it makes sense to take a different approach.
At Superior Seating, Shawn Zar states that they “handle returns on a case-by-case basis,” ensuring any issues are resolved quickly while staying within their policies for custom items. Lou Haverty of Tank Retailer shares his approach: “We offer a 30-day return window for all customer sales. If the customer decides to return the product during that window, [the customer also has to pay return shipping unless there is a defect].”
No matter what policy you ultimately implement, you want to make sure you set clear expectations upfront. This will allow you to maintain control of the returns process while showing customers that you value their business.
17. Practice good inventory management
Managing inventory is an art. You want to always have enough inventory to never stock out but not so much that it inflates storage fees. Much of this comes down to demand estimation and the willingness to run sales when inventory levels get too high.
Dan Jones of Terrarium Tribe has an interesting perspective here since many of his products are live. He explains that keeping “a relatively small product range” allows them to “monitor stock levels closely,” ensuring that sales don’t spread too thinly.
Overstock issues can still arise, especially with perishable or live products like those sold by Terrarium Tribe. In those cases, Jones suggests running flash sales or offering excess items as free gifts with purchases. This strategy helps maintain a balanced inventory while keeping customers engaged.
18. Find a trustworthy fulfillment partner
Shipping can be one of the most frustrating and time-consuming aspects of running a Shopify store. You have to manage inventory and find the time to pack orders. So it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s where partnering with a fulfillment center can make all the difference.
Fulfillment centers like Fulfillrite help solve common shipping issues by streamlining the entire process. That includes everything from inventory management to real-time tracking. For Shopify store owners, the end result is fewer shipping errors and delays. Plus, most fulfillment centers integrate directly with Shopify, automating order processing, and ultimately saving time and reducing manual labor.
Choosing a fulfillment center becomes more useful as your business grows. The less time you spend packing boxes and licking stamps, the more time you can spend marketing and sales. Centers like Fulfillrite benefit from economies of scale, meaning their clients (store owners) benefit from lower shipping rates due to bulk discounts with major carriers.
When your business reaches a point where managing shipping in-house becomes too costly or time-consuming, working with a fulfillment partner can be the best step forward.
Final Thoughts
Running a Shopify store is all about balance—balancing costs, marketing efforts, and the customer experience. You’ve learned strategies here to make that balancing act easier. From fine-tuning your marketing channels to optimizing your shipping, the key is focusing on what truly drives results. Your goal shouldn’t be to do everything all at once. You want to focus on doing the right things well.
Remember, building a successful Shopify store takes planning. It’s not just about getting new customers but also keeping them engaged with strong customer retention tactics, like email marketing and fast, reliable shipping. Every system you put in place today, from inventory management to fulfillment processes, builds a foundation for the future.
As you implement these strategies, keep learning and adjusting. The eCommerce world is always changing, and staying flexible is how you stay ahead. Take these expert tips, tweak your approach, and you’ll find that success isn’t just achievable—it’s within your control.
