Jay Myers, co-founder of Bold Commerce and seasoned Shopify expert, joins the discussion to reveal critical mistakes that could be undermining your sales. He elaborates on the crucial role of an optimized checkout process in building trust. The duo discusses the pitfalls of subscription models and offers insights for enhancing product pages to boost add-to-cart rates. They also share tips on improving navigation and emphasize the importance of storytelling in e-commerce, urging merchants to foster genuine customer relationships.
Styling your checkout page enhances customer trust and significantly impacts their willingness to complete purchases, making it crucial for sales.
To succeed with subscriptions, brands must frame them as exclusive membership experiences rather than just discounts to boost customer engagement.
A well-structured main menu focused on intuitive navigation can enhance the shopping experience and drive customers directly to revenue-generating pages.
Deep dives
Styling the Checkout
A common mistake made by Shopify store owners is neglecting to style the checkout page, which is crucial for ensuring a seamless customer experience. Many stores invest heavily in their website design and product pages, yet the checkout often remains plain and unbranded. Styling the checkout can be a simple fix, such as uploading a logo or adding engaging elements that make the process feel more personal and trustworthy. This attention to detail can significantly influence a customer's perception and willingness to complete their purchase.
Understanding Subscription Models
Many businesses mistakenly believe that customers inherently desire subscriptions for their products. However, subscriptions have evolved from being a competitive advantage to a standard offering expected by consumers. To successfully implement a subscription model, brands need to frame it as a membership experience that offers additional benefits, such as exclusive pricing or special events, rather than simply a discount for repeat purchases. This shift in perspective is essential for creating lasting customer engagement and reducing churn rates.
Optimizing the Main Menu
Store owners often struggle with their main menu, either by having it overloaded with options or too simplistic, which can hinder user navigation. A well-structured main menu should focus on products, collections, and promotions that lead potential buyers straight to what they’re interested in. It is vital to ensure that the menu is intuitive and does not require customers to dig through layers of subcategories, as a clear, clean navigation can significantly enhance the shopping experience. As a best practice, every element in the main menu should ideally lead to revenue-generating pages.
Focusing on Core Customers
Many merchants fail to identify and nurture their top customers, who significantly contribute to their revenue stream. Implementing strategies aimed at this core group, often identified as the top 1% or 20% of customers, can lead to increased loyalty and repeat purchases. Instead of diluting marketing efforts across a broad audience, businesses should focus on creating personalized experiences and communications for these identified customers. This targeted approach not only boosts customer satisfaction but ultimately enhances profitability and lifetime value.
Maximizing International Opportunities
Despite the vast potential for growth, many Shopify store owners overlook the opportunities that come with selling internationally. Expanding into foreign markets can provide new revenue streams, especially for those who feel saturated in their home territory. Leveraging tools like Shopify Markets makes this process more manageable, ensuring that businesses can tailor their offerings to meet the needs of international customers. This strategic move can help brands diversify their customer base and reduce reliance on a single market, thus enhancing stability and growth prospects.
Are you making one of these Shopify mistakes? If so, you’re losing sales. In this episode, The Unofficial Shopify Podcast host Kurt Elster teams up with Bold Commerce co-founder Jay Myers to reveal the top 10 mistakes that Shopify merchants make—some of which even big brands get wrong. From neglected checkouts to bloated main menus, they share simple, actionable fixes that can boost conversions and keep customers coming back.
What You’ll Learn:
The #1 checkout mistake that kills trust (and how to fix it in 60 seconds)
Why most subscription models fail—and the secret to making them work
The overlooked product page changes that increase add-to-cart rates
Why your main menu is confusing customers (and how to fix it)
How to stop relying on paid ads and build a business that lasts
Links & Resources:
Bold Commerce – Shopify apps for subscriptions, upsells, and more
