Online Merchandising

Effective online merchandising is essential to drive sales and enhance customer experience. By strategically showcasing products, personalizing the shopping experience, and optimizing product positioning, you can significantly boost your Shopify store's revenue.

Implementing best practices in online merchandising not only attracts new customers but also fosters loyalty among existing ones. A well-organized and visually appealing online store makes it easier for shoppers to find what they need, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and increased average order values.

» Enhance your online merchandising by automating key features in your Shopify store, allowing for a smoother customer experience

Benefits of Online Merchandising

• Increased sales: Effective online merchandising is a powerful tool for driving sales and boosting revenue. By ensuring products are prominently displayed and easily accessible, you can attract more customers and encourage purchases.
• Improved customer satisfaction: By prioritizing customer satisfaction, you can build loyalty, encourage repeat purchases, and improve your brand's reputation.
• Enhanced brand reputation: A visually appealing and well-organized online store significantly boosts your brand's reputation and credibility. A positive online shopping experience leaves a lasting impression and encourages recommendations.
• Higher average order value: By suggesting complementary or premium products, you can increase the average value of customer purchases. This can significantly increase your overall revenue without bringing in more customers.
• Reduced cart abandonment: Cart abandonment is a common problem in e-commerce, but it can be mitigated through effective online merchandising. By creating a user-friendly and seamless shopping experience, you can reduce the number of customers who abandon their carts before completing a purchase.
• Data-driven decision-making: Online merchandising analytics provide valuable insights into customer behavior, enabling you to make informed decisions and optimize strategies.

» Looking for other ways to improve online merchandising? Consider using sub-collections

7 Best Practices for Online Merchandising



1. Product Categorization and Navigation

• Clear product organization: Implement clear and intuitive categorization, utilizing breadcrumbs for easy navigation and robust search functionality to enhance user experience.
• Descriptive content: Provide clear and concise product descriptions that highlight key features and benefits, along with effective product titles that include relevant keywords and essential information.
• Visual appeal: Use high-quality images that are visually appealing, well-lit, and accurately represent the product, ensuring customers can view items from multiple angles.
• User-friendly website: Ensure clear navigation and intuitive categorization so customers can quickly find what they’re looking for.

2. Product Images and Descriptions

• High-quality images: Use professional-quality images that showcase products from multiple angles.
• Detailed descriptions: Provide informative descriptions that highlight key features and benefits.
• Customer reviews: Encourage customer reviews to build trust and provide social proof.
• Consistent brand identity: Maintain a cohesive brand identity across your site, from logos to messaging, to reinforce brand recognition.

3. Product Pricing and Promotions

• Price competitiveness: Conduct market research to determine competitive price points.
• Clear and transparent pricing: Display prices clearly and prominently.
• Effective promotions: Combine discounts in Shopify to create even more incentive to buy by encouraging customers to purchase additional items or higher-value products.

» Read here: How to create one-time discount codes in Shopify

4. Product Placement and Recommendations

• Strategic product placement: Use factors like product popularity, seasonality, and customer behavior for arranging products. Bestsellers reSort by Egnition automates merchandising with precise sorting rules based on real revenue, sales, and tags for better accuracy.
• Cross-selling and upselling: Cross-selling is a key online merchandising strategy as it encourages customers to explore related products, driving higher purchase values. Similarly, upselling helps maximize revenue by promoting premium or higher-priced versions, enhancing the overall shopping experience and increasing the average order value.

5. Mobile Optimization

• Responsive design: Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices to provide a seamless user experience, allowing customers to easily navigate and shop regardless of the device they are using.
• Fast load times: Optimize your website for speed to improve user experience.

» Here are 4 methods to increase your Shopify website speed

6. A/B Testing and Analytics

• Purpose of A/B testing: A/B testing, or split testing, involves comparing two or more variations of a merchandising element to determine which one performs better. This method allows you to make data-driven decisions and optimize your online store for maximum effectiveness.

• Identify key elements to test: Focus on critical components of your merchandising strategy, such as product images, descriptions, pricing, promotional banners, or layout designs. By testing different versions of these elements, you can gauge customer preferences and improve engagement.

• Analytics: Track key metrics like conversion rate, average order value, and customer lifetime value to measure performance.

7. Streamline the Checkout Process

• Clear and concise checkout process: Design a user-friendly checkout interface that minimizes distractions and presents information clearly. Break the process into manageable steps, guiding customers seamlessly from cart to payment confirmation. Include checkout disclaimers in your Shopify store to enhance transparency and build trust.
• Guest checkout options: Allow customers to complete their purchases without creating an account, reducing perceived effort and encouraging conversions. This option caters to first-time buyers who may be hesitant to share personal information.
• Multiple secure payment methods: Offer a variety of secure payment options, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and bank transfers, to instill confidence in customers.

» Here are more online merchandising tips and tricks for your Shopify store

Maximizing Your Online Merchandising Potential

Optimizing your store’s online merchandising is a crucial step toward improving customer satisfaction and driving conversions. By implementing the strategies outlined here, you can create a more engaging shopping experience and encourage repeat business. In upcoming posts, we’ll explore more advanced merchandising techniques, such as dynamic product displays, personalized shopping experiences, and data-driven optimization strategies.

» Learn more about EGNITION's other Shopify apps to enhance your online merchandising strategies