Scaling your eCommerce store is no small feat—and who better to guide the way than those who’ve done it themselves? We reached out to a variety of experienced eCommerce experts to find the strategies that work in the real world.

In this article, we share their insights, drawn from real-world experience. Then we turn their thoughts into clear steps you can follow so you can scale efficiently and sustainably.

This guide covers everything from streamlining operations to fostering long-term customer loyalty. Along the way, we’ll also talk about important metrics you can watch so you can make smarter decisions.

Whether you’re trying to optimize a successful business or grow your brand into something much bigger, this advice can help you as you grow.

How do I make eCommerce scalable?

Scaling an eCommerce store means you have to think like a civil engineer. Let’s say you’re building a skyscraper. You know that if the foundation isn’t rock-solid, everything is going to end up being unstable under the weight of every extra pound of girders and beams.

That means your goal is to create systems that grow with your business. That means streamlined operations, efficient logistics, and scalable technology.

Try to scale without these, and you’ll find that scaling just means multiplying problems. Efficiency is the name of the game.

Below are specific steps to make eCommerce scalable, broken down into actionable tips.

1. Tighten your backend systems.

Matthew Engelage, founder of Chin Mounts, emphasizes that “scaling a broken system just increases frustration.” Your inventory management, shipping processes, and customer support need to operate seamlessly. Without these foundations, every new order risks becoming a headache. He also warns to “keep an eye on your margins. Growing quickly doesn’t mean much if you’re not profitable.”

Tip: Either use software or make better use of existing software to manage your inventory and order fulfillment. The less manual work involved, the more room you have to grow.

2. Find your bottlenecks.

“Scaling effectively is all about efficiency,” says David Taylor, founder of Academized.com. Take time to analyze where your business slows down. Is your team underperforming? Is your customer acquisition cost (CAC) unsustainable?

Put another way, you need to focus on “solving the right problem in the right way,” to borrow words from Olivia Tapper, Co-founder & COO of PetPortraits.com.

Tip: Review your figures, not just your feelings. Taking a hard look at your key business data will help you find the actual underlying issues that are holding you back the most, whether they’re in your marketing, pricing strategy, or operations.

3. Build the right team.

At the heart of operations is people. “If they’re not performing, their role and contribution might be unclear,” says Tapper.

Keeping underperformers for too long can drag down growth. Instead, invest in talent aligned with your values and goals.

Tip: With any new hires you make, follow a checklist that you develop before interviewing begins. That way you have a better chance of making sure every role contributes directly to scalability.

4. Automate and optimize.

“Focus on automating like a pro,” advises Kumar Vaibhav Tanwar, Founder of Clickworthy Digital Marketing. Automation is your best friend when scaling. Tools for inventory, customer relationship management, and order processing will help you cut down on manual errors and free up time.

Muhammad Imran Khan of Brand Ignite highlights platforms like Shopify Plus for their scalability, stating that “improving website performance and user experience ensures that increased traffic can be managed without hiccups.”

Tip: Use platforms that grow with you. Automate repetitive tasks to handle higher volumes without sacrificing quality.

5. Strengthen supplier relationships.

Strong supplier relationships are critical, says Brandon Hartman of BeyWarehouse. “Ensuring that you have a great working and professional relationship with the suppliers you work with means that you can expect consistent high-quality items and timely delivery.”

The opposite is also true: a rocky supply chain can derail growth.

Tip: Treat suppliers like partners. Clear communication and reliability build the trust needed for scaling.

6. Master financial planning.

Andy Gartland of Fitstraps UK stresses the importance of managing overhead costs during growth. “Think new employees, expanded warehousing, and fulfillment costs. Always make double sure that these costs are factored into your scaling plan to avoid unsustainable growth.”

Tip: Track media spend efficiency holistically, not just through platform metrics. Make sure every dollar works toward sustainable revenue growth.

7. Scale marketing effectively.

Before you spend a lot of time and money building systems to scale, you need to have compelling reasons to believe your marketing systems can help you bring in leads. Otherwise, you risk ballooning operating costs and not having the revenues to make up for it.

Tapper highlights the importance of understanding your customer acquisition costs and lifetime value (LTV). “What’s your ratio between LTV and CAC? Understand if you can scale the current ads or need to improve the marketing.”

Tip: Benchmark your CAC against industry standards. Test higher price points or adjust marketing strategies to maximize ROI.

8. Optimize customer experience.

Brian Lim of iHeartRaves points out that “maintaining proper coordination between inventory, order service, and online customer service” is key to managing larger volumes without sacrificing satisfaction.

His logic makes perfect intuitive sense, too. If you win a bunch of new business and you find yourself unable to fill orders, process returns, or answer questions in a timely manner, that new business is not likely to stick around for long.

Tip: Streamline logistics and focus on a seamless customer journey. Use scalable tech to ensure consistency across every touchpoint.

What’s the formula for eCommerce business success?

The formula for success in eCommerce isn’t a one-size-fits-all recipe. Rather, it’s more useful to think of it like a balance of strategies tailored to your brand, customers, and goals.

At its core, success hinges on attracting the right audience, converting them into customers, and nurturing those relationships for the long term.

Combining sustainable channels like SEO and content marketing with high-intent strategies like paid ads and email campaigns will help you create a growth engine that’s both effective in the short run and adaptable in the long run.

Here’s how to build your formula for success.

1. Prioritize high-intent traffic.

“Focus on what brings in real customers, not just traffic,” says Matthew Engelage of Chin Mounts. He highlights the value of search ads, organic SEO, and email marketing. Social media might generate awareness, but higher intent platforms drive conversions. “Retargeting is also a must—remind people why they clicked in the first place.”

Tip: Focus ad spend on platforms where users actively search for products, like Google Ads, and combine it with retargeting campaigns to recapture interest.

2. Leverage the long-term power of SEO.

SEO is often overlooked by eCommerce businesses, but Olivia Tapper calls it the “[backbone traffic]” for sustainable growth. “When your potential customers are searching for your product or service, they find you]” SEO’s ROI grows over time as consistent investments lead to compounding results.

Tip: Conduct keyword research to target what customers are actively searching for. Optimize your site to rank higher, and let SEO reduce reliance on paid traffic.

3. Use content marketing to engage and educate.

“Creating engaging and educational content is a great way to bring in organic traffic,” says Brandon Hartman of BeyWarehouse. “Organic traffic is high-value traffic since these people [are likely searching] with intent to buy.”

Tip: Publish blog posts, tutorials, and product guides that answer customer questions and establish your brand as an authority in your niche.

4. Blend digital channels for sustainable growth.

David Taylor stresses the importance of combining “content your readers will like, SEO to boost your visibility, personalized targeted ads, and automated email campaigns.”

Muhammad Imran Khan echoes this sentiment, suggesting a mix of SEO, content, and paid campaigns, complemented by “retargeting ads and personalized product recommendations.”

Tip: Use SEO for organic visibility, email campaigns for retention, and paid ads for instant results. Layer retargeting ads and product recommendations to boost ROI.

5. Build trust with user-generated content and influencers.

For brands in beauty and personal care, Khan has seen “influencer partnerships and UGC” build trust and engagement. “It’s been a game-changer for the brands I’ve worked with.”

Tip: Encourage customers to share reviews and photos of your products on social media. Partner with influencers who resonate with your target audience for added credibility.

6. Diversify your acquisition strategies.

Andy Gartland recommends a “balanced mix between many channels” to scale effectively. “Google Ads provides high-intent traffic, SEO reduces reliance on paid channels, and email marketing helps retain customers longer.” Social media ads on Meta and TikTok drive retargeting and keep the brand top-of-mind.

Tip: Avoid over-reliance on any single channel. Use a combination of Google Ads, SEO, email, and social media for a more resilient growth strategy.

7. Balance acquisition and retention.

Brian Lim reminds us to “balance acquisition efforts with nurturing existing customers for steady growth.” Retaining loyal customers is often more cost-effective than constantly finding new ones.

Tip: Use automated email flows to keep customers engaged post-purchase. Personalized campaigns can upsell, cross-sell, or simply remind them of their next purchase.

8. Test, measure, and refine.

No formula is perfect out of the gate. “Think holistically,” says Gartland, “[because] in-platform metrics tend to be inflated.” Reviewing data from all campaigns will help you make sure your approach stays efficient.

Tip: Regularly audit your marketing efforts to identify what works best. Adjust ad spend, refine content strategies, and experiment with new tools to improve results.

What’s a good eCommerce conversion rate? And what other KPIs should I be tracking?

Scaling your eCommerce store is not just about growth—it’s about sustainable growth. To make smart decisions, you need to rely on certain specific key metrics that provide meaningful information about the health of your business.

Metrics like customer acquisition cost (CAC), lifetime value (LTV), and conversion rates reveal whether you’re attracting the right customers and converting them profitably. These metrics, paired with insights like cart abandonment rates and average order value (AOV), form the foundation of a data-driven approach to scaling.

1. Lifetime value (LTV) vs. customer acquisition cost (CAC).

The relationship between LTV and CAC is a cornerstone of scaling decisions. “If LTV is at least 3x your CAC, you’re on the right path to sustainable scaling,” says Oun Art, Founder & Chief Link Strategist at LinkEmpire.io.

“If CAC is creeping up and LTV isn’t keeping pace, you’ve got a problem,” warns Matthew Engelage. Increasing LTV ensures long-term profitability, even as you grow.

Tip: To increase LTV, focus on upselling, cross-selling, and building loyalty programs. Reduce CAC by targeting high-intent customers through optimized marketing strategies like retargeting and SEO.

2. Conversion rate optimization.

Your conversion rate indicates how effectively you’re turning visitors into customers. “Conversion rates ensure decisions are backed by actionable insights,” explains Muhammad Imran Khan. A low conversion rate can highlight issues in your product pages, checkout process, or pricing.

Tip: Use A/B testing to refine page designs and calls to action. Review your checkout process to make sure it’s easy to use, has minimal steps, and no surprise fees.

3. Cart abandonment.

A high cart abandonment rate signals potential friction in your checkout process. “Cart abandonment signals that something’s off with your checkout process or pricing,” says Engelage. Customers abandoning carts means you’re losing sales at the final step.

Tip: Simplify the checkout experience, offer incentives like free shipping, and send automated cart recovery emails to recapture lost sales.

4. Average order value (AOV).

A higher AOV allows you to generate more revenue without acquiring more customers. “I prioritize AOV and [LTV]” says Brandon Hartman. By encouraging customers to spend more per purchase, you boost profitability without increasing CAC.

Tip: Offer product bundles, volume discounts, or recommendations for complementary items at checkout to increase AOV.

5. Return on ad spend (ROAS) and marketing efficiency ratio (MER).

ROAS and MER help you measure the effectiveness of your ad spend. Return on ad spend can be calculated by sales made through ad by spending on ads. Marketing efficiency ratio, on the other hand, is calculated by dividing total revenue by spending on ads.

“MER gives a much clearer, more objective view of your growth potential,” explains Andy Gartland, especially when platform-reported metrics inflate results.

Tip: Evaluate MER to assess your total ad efficiency relative to revenue, and use ROAS to fine-tune individual campaigns.

6. SEO metrics, various.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) metrics guide decisions on organic growth potential. “[Keyword volume, competitiveness, clickthrough rates, and conversion rates] show whether SEO is a good investment,” says Olivia Tapper.

Tip: Analyze keyword data to understand market demand and prioritize ranking for terms with high intent. A well-optimized site will help reduce your reliance on paid ads.

What is the key to customer retention?

Customer loyalty is earned, not given. It’s built on a foundation of trust, consistency, and meaningful engagement.

To foster loyalty, you need to prioritize delivering value—through high-quality products, exceptional customer service, and personalized experiences.

Loyalty programs, thoughtful gestures, and consistent follow-ups go a long way in keeping your customers happy and engaged.

Ultimately, the secret to loyalty is making your customers feel valued at every touchpoint. Here is how you do that.

1. Prioritize product quality.

“All you really have to do is consistently provide great, high-quality products]” says Brandon Hartman. Customers are discerning and won’t hesitate to seek alternatives. “If you’re able to consistently release and sell high-quality products, it builds trust.”

Tip: Invest in product development to guarantee quality. Regularly survey your customers for feedback and act on it to meet their expectations.

2. Deliver exceptional customer service.

Matthew Engelage advises making returns “hassle-free” and answering questions quickly. Olivia Tapper highlights the importance of “a customer support team that really cares.” She further clarifies, saying that “our own brands have an amazing person who constantly gets praise in feedback from customers.”

Tip: Train support teams to handle issues empathetically and efficiently. Offer multiple channels for support, like live chat, email, and phone, and ensure quick response times.

3. Create personalized experiences.

“Treat customers like VIPs,” suggests Kumar Vaibhav Tanwar. “Remember their names (and their cart items), and send discounts before they wander to competitors.” Personalized interactions show customers that you see them as individuals, not just transactions.

Tip: Use CRM tools to track customer behavior and preferences. Send tailored product recommendations and exclusive offers based on their purchase history.

4. Leverage loyalty programs.

Loyalty thrives on appreciation. “[Loyalty programs, personalized email campaigns, and exclusive offers for repeat customers] work well,” says Muhammad Imran Khan. “Gamified points systems and unannounced rewards” can add a fun, engaging layer to loyalty-building, suggests Brian Lim.

Tip: Implement tiered rewards programs with benefits like discounts, early access to products, and special gifts. Use gamification elements like point challenges or badges to encourage engagement.

5. Use small gestures to build trust.

Oun Art stresses the power of “small surprises—like a thank-you note or bonus gift.” These gestures may seem minor, but they create positive emotional connections with your brand.

Tip: Include personalized thank-you notes in orders. Occasionally surprise loyal customers with bonus gifts or exclusive perks.

6. Engage through social media.

“We build loyalty through active social engagement,” says Andy Gartland. Staying visible and interactive on platforms like TikTok, Meta, and YouTube nurtures a sense of community and keeps your brand top of mind.

Tip: Respond to comments and messages promptly. Share user-generated content and highlight loyal customers in your posts to foster a stronger bond.

7. Optimize email marketing.

Targeted email campaigns are another powerful tool. “Segment your emails based on customer click rates and tailor them to each subscriber’s engagement level,” suggests Gartland. “Automated follow-ups and exclusive offers keep customers engaged.”

Tip: Use email automation tools to send personalized messages at key moments—welcome emails, post-purchase follow-ups, and re-engagement campaigns.

8. Deliver consistently.

“Consistency is key—both in product quality and communication,” emphasizes Khan. Customers stay loyal to brands that meet their expectations time and again.

Tip: Maintain reliable shipping times, and ensure your messaging aligns across channels. Consistency builds trust and reinforces your brand’s credibility.

9. Build a community.

Brian Lim highlights how “social sharing tools and gamified engagement foster stronger emotional ties to the brand.” Communities provide customers with a sense of belonging, making them more likely to return.

Tip: Create forums, Facebook groups, or branded hashtags where customers can interact with each other and your team. Foster an inclusive and supportive environment.

Final Thoughts

Success in eCommerce isn’t about doing one thing perfectly—it’s about combining the right strategies consistently. You need to try certain strategies and observe how they work, ideally with empirical metrics like CAC, LTV, and conversion rates. This test-and-observe approach will help guide you toward smart and battle-tested decisions.

You need a strong foundation of your business and a plan for fostering long-term relationships with your customers. You must focus your attention on the essentials like streamlined systems, high-quality products, and personalized customer experiences. That is how you set yourself on the path to create a business built for growth.

One of the most common bits of advice in eCommerce is to make landing pages.

But what do you put on those landing pages? And how do landing pages impact other marketing tasks you take on, such as running ads?

These are complex questions, but important ones to answer. That’s why we reached out Ro Patel from Starbound, a company that specializes in improving eCommerce conversion rates.

We sent him a bunch of questions by email, and he was kind enough to send responses back. We will now share those responses with you with only minimal editing for clarity and flow.

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Why do store owners need landing pages? 

This is a great question, and a pretty common one we hear from store owners.

As you likely know, most e-com businesses spend a ton of money on paid advertising, as it’s a critical part of most growing brands’ marketing strategy.

But most of that traffic is sent directly to templated, generic product pages or collections pages.

And that’s a real problem, because sending visitors to a simple product page is like handing them a catalog.

Sure, it lists the features, prices, and technical details to give you a general idea of what the product does.

But that’s not why visitors came to your site.

They came to your site because they want to know if your product is the solution to their problem.

And your job is to guide the visitor towards understanding that what you’re selling is for them.

And that’s where landing pages come in.

Landing pages are standalone web pages designed specifically to convert visitors towards some targeted and specific goal (like purchases or signups).

It’s like having a personal salesperson that deeply understands your visitors.

It doesn’t just show them the product, it tells them why they need it, addresses their concerns, and guides them to make a confident purchase without any distractions or confusion.

So that’s why landing pages are critical, especially for stores that are spending money on paid ads:

• Provide Clear Direction – Landing pages remove all distractions and make it extremely obvious what next step the visitor should take, making it much more likely they’ll continue down the customer journey.
• Address Objections – A landing page anticipates questions like, “Is this worth the price?” or “Will this really work for me?” and answers them right there, removing barriers that would otherwise keep the visitor from purchasing.
• They Tell the Story – Product pages list features, but landing pages frame those features as benefits that solve your customers’ problems, and give your offers context to drive more sales (i.e. landing page for a limited time holiday bundle)
• Seamless Customer Journey – A landing page aligns perfectly with the ad or email that brought them there, creating trust and consistency to leads to higher likelihood of conversion.
• They Boost Conversions – By guiding your visitors with hyper-targeted copy, engaging visuals, and a structured user experience, landing pages turn more visitors into customers.

When you’re running traffic to a product page, you’re relying on your visitors to sell themselves. A landing page gives you the ability to overcome all your visitors’ objections and get (way) more of them to actually buy.

How do conversion rates matter in the larger picture of marketing and sales? 

Your conversion rates are one of the biggest levers you can influence that have an outsized impact to your:

• ROI
• Customer Acquisition Costs
• Scalability
• Long-term Growth

Here’s a quick example of a business that gets 50,000 visitors to their site every month, with a product they sell for $50:

Notice that the only thing changing is the conversion rate, and only by a few tenths of a percentage. But it results in huge growth in revenue.

Having higher conversion rates mean you get more value out of every dollar spent on ads, emails, or any other traffic source.

And the best part? These are permanent gains, not one-time quick wins. When all this comes together, you end up with:

• lower customer acquisition costs
• higher profit margins
• revenue growth

Bottom line: improving your conversion rates is amongst the highest-ROI things you can do to dramatically grow your business in a relatively short time period.

How do the key elements of a landing page (e.g., design, copy, and CTAs) influence ad conversion rates? 

Ads will drive traffic to your website all day long, all you need to do is throw money at it.

But whether or not that traffic actually turns into paying customers is the main job for your landing pages.

There are quite a few different components that make up a conversion-optimized landing page, and each one impacts visitor behavior directly.

Site Speed 

There’s been multiple studies done that show a direct correlation between page load time and conversion rate impact.

And it should come as no surprise that the faster your page loads, the higher your conversion rate will be.

According to a recent Portent study, an e-commerce site that loads in 1 second will have conversion rates 2.5x higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds.

We’re not talking about small differences, we’re talking about double and triple revenue, just due to site speed.

Page Structure 

All landing pages don’t follow the same formula, and how they’re structured depends on the purpose of the page.

Some take the form of advertorials that blend informative, editorial-style content with promotional elements to subtly promote products.

Others take the form of hero pages that are designed to immediately capture visitors’ attention and convey the core message or value proposition, without requiring the visitor to read too far down a page.

There are many other ways to structure a landing page, and sending visitors to the right ones based on where they are in their customer journey has a direct impact to conversion rates.

Headlines & Copywriting

Without a doubt, your headlines are one of the only things that you can be reasonably sure that most page visitors will read.

We’ve seen over and over again, through using heatmaps to identify on-page behavior, that almost everything else is likely to be skimmed, or even skipped entirely.

That’s why writing engaging headlines that immediately hook visitors to continue reading down the page is the most influential component of any landing page, when it comes to conversion rate impact.

Design 

Design is not just about making things look pretty.

It’s about trust.

When your landing pages are organized and designed to engage the visitor, they’re way more likely to continue consuming the content on the page.

And the more they consume, the more “bought-in” they become to your story, your products, and their benefits. And that ultimately leads to more conversions.

Social Proof 

Social proof is one of the most important elements of any landing page, and again, comes down to trust.

Nowadays, people don’t buy anything without first reading and watching reviews.

According to Capital One Shopping, 84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, with nearly 70% of online shoppers reading between 1-6 reviews before deciding to buy (Statista).

That means your landing pages must include real proof of what your customers are saying about your products.

Offer 

Most businesses think their “offer” is simply the product(s) they sell.

But the reality is, it’s actually how they package what they sell. And this matters a ton for landing pages.

Let’s use planners as an example.

The product might be a quarterly habit tracking planner.

An offer, however, would be an discounted annual subscription for the planner (where the buyer gets 4 to cover them for the year).

Notice the difference?

How you position what you sell is your offer. And the more compelling your offer is on your landing page, the better your conversion rates will be.

What common mistakes do you see on landing pages that harm conversion rates, especially for eCommerce businesses? 

While there are quite a few, I’ll limit it to the top 6 that I generally see:

1. Templated product pages as landing pages – Particularly for e-commerce businesses, so many rely on their site’s default product to do all the selling for them, which leaves a lot of money on the table
2. Slow load times – As we discussed earlier, even a 1-second delay can have huge negative impacts to conversion rates (one study shows every second results in a ~6% drop in conversion rates)
3. No social proof – Nowadays, people don’t buy without getting the opinions of others first (even from strangers on the internet). If you don’t share what your customers love about your products, you’ll have a hard time converting new customers, since they won’t trust that you can actually provide what you say you will.
4. Overwhelming information – So many landing pages try to cram as much text as possible into page section, thinking that getting as much information out as possible will help the visitor make a decision. It doesn’t, it only confuses people.
5. Lack of mobile optimization – Even in 2024, you’d be surprised to see how many businesses still have barely useable mobile landing pages, where core elements end up being covered by popups and text becomes illegible. Nowadays, the majority of many business’ traffic is mobile, so this is critical.
6. Generic copywriting – So much page copy simply describes features and technical specs, without targeting the reasons people actually buy: benefits.

How can landing pages be optimized specifically for eCommerce clients to align better with ad campaigns? 

Iteratively testing and improving any/all of the components can immediately improve conversion rates for most landing pages.

But if you want to get even more granular, you can do things like:

• Make sure your headline and visuals on your landing page mirror the ad’s promise, so visitors know they’re in the right place
• Promote ONLY the product(s) that you promote in your ads, and nothing else, to keep the landing page distraction-free
• Ensure your mobile pages are optimized, since the majority of e-commerce traffic is mobile now
• Incorporate urgency (”this offer ends in 12 hours!”) and scarcity (”Only 8 left in stock!”) into your landing pages, to drive people towards a purchase decision faster
• Build landing pages that target the specific demographics that your ad campaigns are targeting
• Write your landing page copy such that the headline references back to the copy used in the ad campaigns they are tied to
• Incorporate as many trust elements as you can, including social proof (reviews, testimonials, user generated content), certifications, security badges, and clear return policies

What metrics should eCommerce businesses track to evaluate the success of their landing pages in ad campaigns? 

While the importance of each metric listed here may differ depending on the intent of the landing page, at a high level, these are the 7 core metrics that are most important to track:

1. Conversion Rate – The percentage of visitors who complete the desired action, whether it’s a purchase, sign-up, or other goal. This is your north star.
2. Bounce Rate – The percentage of visitors who leave without interacting with anything on your page. A high bounce rate usually means that the page isn’t meeting expectations, and there’s a disconnect between your ad traffic and your landing page content.
3. Average Order Value (AOV) – Measures how much customers are spending on average per transaction, indicating whether upsells and bundles are working. While improving conversion rates alone has huge impacts, when you combine that with increasing AOV through better offers, you can truly explode your business.
4. Revenue Per Visitor (RPV) – Tracks the average revenue generated by each visitor to your landing page. This metric helps us more easily determine profitability, as we can compare this number against how much it costs to bring a visitor to the page.
5. Click-Through Rate (CTR) – CTR shows how many visitors move to the next step, which is mainly an important metric to track ad performance, but also important for landing pages if there’s multiple steps in your sales process.
6. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Calculates the revenue generated from your ads relative to their cost, tying ad performance to landing page effectiveness.
7. Page Load Time – A slow page can drive visitors away, so keep an eye on this metric to avoid losing sales to technical issues.

How can A/B testing improve the performance of landing pages for eCommerce ads? 

A/B testing is an amazing way to guarantee revenue (and profit) growth.

Buying habits change over time, and the interests and behaviors of your audience will also change.

What that means is, there’s always going to be ways to increase the number of site visitors that actually become your customers.

And the only way to find those ways is by running experiments (or A/B tests) on your landing pages.

After all, you can never really be 100% sure what changes to your pages are going to result in measurable improvements to conversions.

Sure, we can make educated guesses and rely on best practices based on experience. But that still doesn’t guarantee that the changes you make will perform better than what you already have.

With A/B testing, e-commerce brands can easily split their traffic between multiple versions of a landing page, allowing you to find “winners” quickly and with less risk.

E-commerce brands with experimentation programs essentially run multiple A/B tests constantly, across their entire user experience. This allows them to consistently increase conversions, without increasing ad spend.

How do landing pages differ in their impact on paid search versus paid social ad performance? 

In general, the impact is the same to any type of traffic source. The better the conversion rates on the landing pages, the lower the cost of conversion, which ultimately means better performing ad campaigns.

There is a difference, however, in the audiences that come from search traffic vs paid social ads. And that influences how the landing page needs to be built.

You can get very specific with targeting your audience on landing pages that are tied to paid ad campaigns, because modern paid ad platforms tend to have very detailed targeting options. This makes it much easier to know exactly who will be coming to your landing pages, and tailor your copy and design to be super detailed and targeted.

For search ads, you have less knowledge about the exact characteristics of the people that are clicking through to your landing pages. They came to your page due to searching for topics that your ads show up for, so these landing pages would need to be designed to target a topic/search phrase.

Can you share any examples or case studies of how a landing page overhaul improved ad ROI for an eCommerce client? 

I can give an example from my own e-commerce brand called Code&Quill, where we sold premium planners, notebooks, and writing tools for creative professionals.

We had launched a new productivity planner on a crowdfunding platform called Kickstarter, where we taking pre-orders of the product. It ended up doing well, so we knew we wanted to start selling it directly from our own store once we got inventory.

We put up a standard product page on our Shopify store, so we could take direct orders for the new product, and filled out the information that the template asked for. We figured that the a few paragraphs describing what the product did were good enough, and that the pictures would tell the rest of the story.

So, we started running Facebook and Instagram paid ads to the product page. After a couple weeks of testing tons of ads, we ended up with a ~1.8% conversion rate.

The planners were barely profitable at that rate, so we decided to test a dedicated landing page that included:

• a big hero section with a benefit-driven headline
• social proof throughout the page
• a visual representation of end benefits
• diagrams for how the planner worked, and how it should be used
• calls-to-action to buy either 1 at full price, or a discounted annual subscription (4 planners, 30% off)
• a couple videos of user generated content walking through their planners

The results from this were crazy. Not only did conversion rates increase, but we also increased our average order value:

Conversion rate went from 1.8% → 3.3%

83% increase

Average order value went from $35 → $46

31% increase

This allowed us to have significantly more profitable ads, which meant we could spend more to get more customers, fast.

We ended up selling 4500+ of those planners within the first 9 months of their launch.

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Final Thoughts

Landing pages are a huge part of eCommerce. They don’t just convert visitors—they tell a story, answer doubts, and build trust.

Yet, their power is often overlooked. Too many brands rely on default product pages, missing out on what landing pages can do for their marketing campaigns.

Landing pages guide, persuade, and drive action with purpose. If you’re investing in ads, you can stretch your budget further by pairing them with pages designed to win.

Take the time to refine them, test them, and let data shape your approach. You’ll be glad you did!

Building an eCommerce empire requires a lot of steps. You need to sell amazing products, create a great website, and set up shop with all the right marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart Marketplace.

But even if you do all of these things well, you won’t get far without an eCommerce marketing plan. There are a million ways you can market an eCommerce store, so sometimes it helps to look at your options and pick ones that feel like the right fit.

To help you do that, we’ve compiled this list of eCommerce marketing tips. These tips will help you avoid common mistakes, build a brand, retain customers, and grow your customer base.

20 tips to avoid common eCommerce mistakes

Sometimes, the easiest way to make a great marketing plan is to consider all the ways that marketing typically goes wrong. Seemingly small mistakes can derail otherwise great marketing plans. That’s why we’ve started with these first 20 tips to help you avoid the kinds of problems that tank your sales from day 1.

#1: Sell products that meet an existing market need

You can’t sell products unless there’s a real market need. Make sure every single product you sell has real product-market fit. If you can’t tell who a given product is supposed to be targeting, don’t sell it!

#2: Develop a clear marketing funnel

Your eCommerce operation needs to be optimized from the start to turn visitors into buyers. According to the classic AIDA model, there are four steps in the marketing funnel: attention, interest, desire, and action. You need to know how your store will draw attention, create interest, build desire, and encourage action.

#3: Keep customer acquisition cost (CAC) in check

Your average customer will spend a certain amount of money on your store. That’s your average order volume (AOV). The amount of money you spend to win new customers needs to be much cheaper than that. Otherwise, high customer acquisition costs (CAC) will destroy your profits.

#4: Define your target market clearly

Who are you selling to? You need to be able to answer that question at length and in a great amount of detail. Everything you sell needs to be something that someone in your target market would plausibly want to buy.

If you’re not sure how to do this, consider creating a buyer persona. This can help you imagine your target audience as individuals and not abstractions.

#5: Use content and social media marketing

Content and social media help increase your visibility in search engines and on social media platforms. This can be a good way for people to discover your brand and start a relationship.

The trick: create valuable content on a regular basis. That way, everything you do is useful and that will help you attract and retain your audience.

If you’re looking for content ideas, SEO Consultant, Jase Rodley, suggests that “BuzzSumo is [an] underutilized tool that allows you to see what content performs well in your niche and create more engaging marketing materials.”

“Create a mix of evergreen and seasonal content to maintain steady traffic year-round while capitalizing on holiday trends,” says Paul Jozsef of Digital Practice. “This dual approach ensures you’re prepared for peak and quiet seasons.”

#6: Write effective and engaging product descriptions

Clear, specific product descriptions improve sales. Longer descriptions are generally better, since details can help handle customers’ potential objections and convince them to buy.

Highlight key features and benefits. That can help potential buyers make their decision. For apparel and similar products, provide clear sizing charts to help smooth out the buying process.

Over time, make a habit of testing different descriptions to find what works best with your audience.

This is a big topic, so check out our guide on eCommerce copywriting for even more specific tips.

#7: Organize product categories clearly

Your store needs to be easy to navigate. Clear product categories help tremendously with this. Use simple, intuitive labels to help shoppers find what they need quickly. This will increase their odds of making a purchase.

#8: Use high-quality product photos

Buying online is an act of trust. High-quality photos will boost buyer confidence, making it more likely that they click the buy button. Good photos can also help reduce returns since customers know what they’re buying.

In general, use photos that are clear, honest, and effectively show off the product. You want your customers making informed decisions.

#9: Simplify website navigation

This is a simple tip, but it’s important. Make your navigation menu simple. Every word needs to be crystal clear and you should avoid using too many submenus.

#10: Avoid a crowded website design

A clean, uncluttered website will help sales. Shoppers will be more easily able to find what they need. It will be more visually appealing. Plus, it will likely load faster as well.

When in doubt, simplify the layout to make it easy for customers to find and purchase products.

#11: Make sure your website works on phones

Responsive websites work well on all devices. This is key for setting a good user experience. More people shop on mobile devices than desktops and laptops, so you can’t skip this step.

#12: Optimize your website for search engines

SEO improves your site’s visibility in search engine results. Make sure you optimize your content, use relevant keywords, and improve site speed. This helps attract more organic traffic and increases your chances of converting visitors into customers. One free tool you can use to help with this is SEO Site Checkup.

“SEO is a constant task to be practiced 12 months a year,” says Michelle Symonds, Founder & CEO at Ditto Digital. This is the case “even if you are working on ranking keywords that will be used in holiday seasons. Outcomes are not quick or easy, so you can’t just ‘turn on’ Black Friday SEO in early October. That’s all. Your email, paid ads, and other channels should increase during peak seasons.”

#13: Simplify the shopping cart process

It needs to be easy to check out. Make sure your shopping cart allows checkout in the fewest amount of steps.

Above all, make sure users do not have to create an account in order to make a purchase. (No one wants to make an account.)

#14: Avoid surprising customers with hidden fees

Hidden fees can scare off customers and lead to cart abandonment. Be transparent about all costs upfront. If additional charges – particularly shipping charges – are necessary, clearly display them early in the checkout process to maintain trust and reduce drop-offs.

#15: Provide clear return policies and details

Clear return policies build customer trust. According to Ecommerce Fastlane, over 60% of individuals will examine the return policy before purchasing.

Make sure your return policy is clear, easy to find, and in line with customer expectations. This can help increase the amount of purchases completed.

#16: Invest in a professional logo

A professional logo enhances your brand’s credibility and memorability. Invest in a well-designed logo that reflects your brand’s identity.

A strong logo can make your site look more professional and help customers remember your store.

If nothing else, follow this tip because it’s weird when companies don’t have logos.

#17: Prioritize customer privacy and security

With data breaches becoming more common, customers are starting to worry more about their data. Preempt their concerns by keeping your store secure and personal information private.

Make sure your privacy policy is easy to find as well. This may not increase sales in the short run, but it can help reduce the risk of catastrophic problems in the long run.

#18: Offer excellent customer service

Good customer service is absolutely essential for customer retention. Be responsive to inquiries and resolve issues promptly. Remember: 89% of consumers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience according to Salesforce Research.

This extends to the experience provided by your website as well. “User experience is at the core of eCommerce sites’ operations,” says Brandon Schroth at Reporter Outreach, “therefore, it should be a priority among eCommerce businesses, especially during peak seasons.”

#19: Showcase reviews and testimonials

When asked about SEO best practices, Paul DeMott at Helium SEO said that “I’d also recommend leveraging social proof, like reviews or user-generated content, to enhance trust [especially during the holidays].”

Reviews and testimonials provide social proof, helping potential customers trust your products. When you get a positive review, put it on your product pages to help increase the odds of customers making a purchase!

It’s also a good idea to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. That way, you can increase the material you have available to act as social proof.

If you want to put this into practice, set up an automated email to ask for reviews a few weeks after a purchase. It won’t be long before you have plenty of reviews to choose from.

#20: Ensure a smooth shipping and fulfillment experience

Fast and reliable shipping is key. Customers expect quick delivery times and intact products. According to Ipsos, “85% of online shoppers say that a poor delivery experience would prevent them from ordering from that online retailer again.”

Work with reliable fulfillment partners to ensure a seamless shipping process. If you can provide two-day shipping to most of your customers, even better!

6 tips to build your ecommerce brand

If you sell online, it’s easy for your brand to be overlooked. Customers might say “I bought this on Amazon” or “I bought this on eBay.”

However, if you’re proactive, you can increase the odds that people remember your brand name. A strong brand helps you stand out among your competitors. Once you do that, your commitment to consistency, quality, and real relationships will help carry customer retention.

Below are some tips on how you can build a memorable brand.

#21: Pick a consistent style and stick to it

Consistency in branding helps build recognition. Choose a style for your logo, colors, and typography, and use it across all marketing channels.

Yes, this is a simple tip. But consistency is the bedrock foundation that makes brands memorable and trustworthy. You can’t skip this part!

#22: Build real relationships with customers

Real relationships go a long way online. When possible, personalize your communication and provide great service. Show your customers that you value their business, and they will be more likely to shop with you again.

#23: Focus on product quality

It’s hard to build a brand if your products are not high quality. Make sure your regularly review and improve your products to meet or exceed customer expectations. That way, you can keep customers happy and count on their repeat business.

#24: Test and refine your brand messages

You need to regularly test your brand messages to make sure they still work with your audience. Use A/B testing, surveys, and focus groups to see what works best.

If you’re not sure how to do this, PickFu is a good tool to start with.

#25: Customize your packaging

Even if you sell on Amazon where your brand is not readily visible, you can always use packaging to your advantage. Customizing your packaging is an easy way to get customers to see your brand name and make a good impression.

Plus, if you customize your packaging, you have a chance to control the unboxing experience. That can help increase your visibility online as well.

#26: Use shipping as a branding opportunity

Fast and reliable shipping boosts your brand’s reputation. Make sure packages arrive quickly and in good condition.

If possible, you may even want to add personalized touches during the shipping process. For example, a handwritten note slipped into the box before mailing can go a long way!

13 tips to retain ecommerce customers

According to Harvard Business School, a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits by anywhere from 25 to 95%. Customer loyalty is that important!

For this reason, much of your eCommerce marketing needs to be based on maximizing customer retention. Below are some tips on how you can do that.

#27: Develop a strong brand presence

A strong brand presence dramatically increases your odds of high customer loyalty. Reread the branding section if you haven’t already and make sure that you routinely carve out time to improve your brand messaging.

If nothing else, be consistent across all channels. You need your brand to be something people easily remember. If you do this correctly, people will remember to shop with you even without prompting.

#28: Understand the entire customer lifecycle

A customer who just found your store has different needs than a customer whose first purchase was four years ago. Think about what customers need at each stage: first contact, first purchase, one year after first purchase and so on.

This is very unique to your business and is worth thinking about so you can build a long-term strategy. To help explain this concept further, we’ve included a longer video below.

#29: Track and analyze customer behavior

Tracking customer behavior will tell you a lot about their preferences and buying habits. At a minimum, set up Google Analytics so you can gather data and understand your users’ shopping habits.

#30: Personalize the customer experience

The more personal you can make your eCommerce store, the better. You can use data to tailor recommendations and offers, as well as what kind of communication you send and when.

Personalizing eCommerce makes customers feel like you are reaching out for good reason and with their best interests in mind. And who wouldn’t want to shop with a store like that?

#31: Allow guest checkout

Guest checkout reduces friction in the purchasing process. According to Pymnts, three quarters of eCommerce shoppers pay via guest checkout. It’s better not to go against the grain on this.

#32: Roll out a loyalty program

Offer points, discounts, or exclusive deals to loyal customers. This can help reward repeat purchases and encourage customers to return. When done well, this is a neat way to increase customer retention and overall lifetime value.

#33: Offer freebies and coupons

Freebies and coupons often lead to purchases and repeat business. If you offer limited-time discounts or free gifts with purchases, you’ll find that you can motivate customers to buy more often. After all, it’s harder to procrastinate when you have a coupon that is about to expire!

#34: Cross-sell related products

Suggest related products during the shopping process. For example, recommend accessories or complementary items to enhance the customer’s main purchase. This is an easy way to increase sales.

Plus, you don’t need fancy technology to do this. You can manually set recommendations so that Product B always shows up when customers buy Product A.

#35: Use email marketing

Email marketing is an effective way to engage with customers. Send personalized emails with special offers, updates, and product recommendations. Regular communication keeps your brand top-of-mind and encourages repeat purchases.

Done properly, email marketing can have an ROI of 40 or greater. The reason is very simple. If you can send the right people the right offer at the right time, it’s very easy to make a sale. Email lets you do that and the underlying tech is not expensive to use.

If you have a large mailing list ready to go, the immediacy of email marketing, compared to longer-term efforts like SEO can be highly compelling. To that effect, Tom Jauncey of Nautilus Marketing recommends eCommerce sites balance “their long-term SEO efforts with more immediate marketing tactics like paid ads, email marketing, and social media campaigns.”

He clarifies that “SEO is crucial for organic traffic, but paid and social can give you the immediate results you need when time-sensitive promotions are running.”

#36: Implement a referral program

Referral programs encourage customers to recommend your store to others. You can offer incentives like discounts or rewards for successful referrals. This can expand your customer base and increase sales through trusted recommendations.

There’s nothing better than word of mouth. That’s because marketers can’t force word of mouth to happen. But that doesn’t mean you can’t ask politely!

#37: Consider a subscription-based model

It’s not right for every business, but it might be worth it depending on what you sell. Subscription models provide steady revenue and increase customer retention.

Consider offering products or services on a subscription basis. This will, by definition, keep customers on your books for longer.

#38: Implement a repurchase/replenish model

For consumable products, offer automatic repurchase or replenishment options. This convenience ensures customers always have what they need and encourages repeat orders, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.

#39: Exceed customer expectations consistently

It’s a simple rule, but it works – underpromise, over-deliver. If you exceed expectations on a regular basis, it will make customers more loyal.

Deliver outstanding products and exceptional service. Go the extra mile to surprise and delight your customers. That way, you can encourage positive reviews and repeat business.

9 tips to grow your eCommerce business

If you want to grow your eCommerce store, you need to be strategic. Customer retention is extremely important, so many of the following tips focus on how you can increase customer lifetime value. Other tips focus on making it easier to acquire new customers by getting rid of common obstacles.

#40: Implement a generous return policy

Most customers read return policies before they make a purchase. For that reason, you need to make sure that returns are easy and hassle-free. It’s also likely a good idea to have a long returns window. While 30 days is generally considered standard, one easy way to go above and beyond is to extend the window to 90 days.

#41: Ensure fast shipping

Fast shipping meets customer expectations and enhances satisfaction. According to Forbes, 90% expect 2- or 3-day shipping to be the standard.

Work with reliable carriers and streamline your fulfillment process to ensure quick delivery. Fast shipping can set your store apart and increase repeat purchases.

#42: Reduce the number of choices for customers

Decision fatigue is a real problem. Too many choices can lead to customers not making any choice at all!

Simplify their decision-making process by curating a selection of top products. This reduces decision fatigue and helps customers make quicker, more confident purchases.

#43: Identify and fix sources of cart abandonment

Cart abandonment is a major issue. One of the most important things you can do from a strategy standpoint is figure out why customers add items to their cart and don’t purchase.

You can use analytics to identify where customers drop off and address these pain points. When in doubt, simplify checkout, offer multiple payment options, and make sure you’re not adding surprise shipping fees late in the process.

#44: Increase payment options

Some customers want to pay by credit card, others by PayPal or Venmo. They more payment options you provide, the better. It’s a small detail but it’s so important because it improves the checkout process.

#45: Use lookalike audiences on Facebook

Lookalike audiences on Facebook help target potential customers who are similar to your existing ones. You use existing customer data to create these audiences. That will help you improve the effectiveness of your ad campaigns and increase conversions.

#46: Address customer questions and objections in your copy

The best copywriting answers questions before customers pose them. Make note of the kinds of things your customers often ask about, and see if you can proactively provide information in your copy.

Clear, informative copy helps customers feel good about their purchase. That helps ward off doubts and increase the odds of making a sale.

#47: Have real conversations on social media

This is a simple suggestion, but worth implementing. Have real conversations with your customers and your prospects on social media. Respond to comments and direct messages.

Be genuine in your interactions, and it will help build trust and true relationships.

#48: Separate your SEO and PPC focuses

“Don’t expect one approach to be able to do everything,” says John White of Complete White Label. “Make sure you’re planning in advance to see where one strategy ends and another begins. For example, plugging gaps in your SEO campaign and how that can assist your PPC landing pages, but also putting a line in the sand of where SEO is going to cover what PPC may not.”

He continues, saying “this could be your SEO strategy covering buyers’ guides and informational content, whereas PPC could be more focused on commercial keywords only (e.g. products and categories).”

7 tips to use AI in eCommerce marketing

There was a massive increase in available AI tools around late 2022 and early 2023. While much of the hype has receded, AI is still incredibly useful for cutting down on unnecessary work.

Below, you can find some tips on how to use the recent advances in AI to eliminate the grunt work associated with running an online store.

#49: Implement chatbots for customer service

Chatbots provide instant customer support, answering common queries and guiding users through the buying process. Setting up chatbots can be a simple way to improve response times and reduce workload on your team.

#50: Use AI for inventory optimization

AI can analyze past sales patterns and help predict demand and manage inventory levels effectively. Used correctly, AI-driven inventory management systems can cut down on stockouts and overstock situations, meaning you have the right products available when needed.

One example of this is Intellify’s AI-Powered Inventory Management AWS Solutions.

#51: Implement AI for fraud detection

AI can identify and prevent fraudulent activities. You can use AI tools to monitor transactions and detect suspicious behavior. Fraud detection existed prior to the explosion in available AI tools, but recent advances in AI have shown potential to further improve.

One example is NoFraud Fraud Protection for Shopify.

#52: Analyze customer feedback with AI

AI tools such as ChatGPT are good at analyzing large volumes of text and summarizing them. If you have a lot of customer feedback and want to get a feel for the general “vibe” quickly, you can copy and paste it into an AI tool of your choice and ask it for a sentiment analysis.

#53: Optimize SEO with AI tools

SEO tools such as SEMRush are starting to implement more AI. You can use these AI tools to help identify relevant keywords and analyze traffic patterns. This can help you boost your store’s search engine ranking and attract more organic traffic.

#54: Use AI for copywriting assistance

AI tools like ChatGPT are good at creating first draft copy for many types of writing. If you describe your product and provide photos, AI can create rough copy for your product descriptions. You can then take that, fact check it and change some words for tone and style. The end result will be better descriptions made in less time!

#55: Leverage AI for predictive sales and demand forecasting

Estimating your own sales can be tricky. But AI tools are getting better at this every day. AI forecasting can help you make smarter decisions about inventory, marketing strategy, cash flow, and overall profitability. For example, Salesforce has been piloting this type of AI within their CRM software.

Final Thoughts

Ecommerce success requires you to juggle a lot of different responsibilities. While that can be stressful, the positive side of this is that there are a ton of things you can do in order to improve your odds of success.

You don’t need to follow every tip in this guide. Pick a few that work for you and do your best to implement them. In doing so, you can build up your brand, improve your store’s performance, keep customers loyal, and ultimately, increase sales.

People don’t spend long on web pages. A 2021 report by Contentsquare says the average time users spend on a web page is 54 seconds. That means if you want to succeed in eCommerce, you need to make every element on every page count. In this guide, we’ll give you eCommerce website tips and tricks to help you do exactly that.

Setting up an eCommerce shop looks easy because of tools like Shopify and WooCommerce, as well as sales channels like Amazon. In many ways, it is easier than before. But then again, so is getting lost in the crowd.

To really stand out, you need to be able to develop an excellent eCommerce strategy. Then you need to make sure your site is set up for optimum performance at every step of the way.

In this guide, we’ll focus on three areas: strategic excellence, website optimization, and apps to help you grow your store.

You don’t need to do everything in this guide. Just pick a few tips and really focus on doing them well!

Tips to Start Selling Online Now

Starting an online store is a multi-step process. In order to succeed, you need to define a clear target audience. Then you need to choose the right products and set up a seamless supply chain to get them shipped. Along the way, you’ll also need to configure all the bells and whistles in your chosen eCommerce software.

These tips will help you lay a strong foundation for your online business.

#1: Figure out who to sell to and what to sell

You can’t just sell anything you want. To make sales, you need to identify a target audience and research their online behavior. Every product you sell needs to meet some existing need that your target audience wants.

Ecommerce success starts with having a solid understanding of what your market wants. Not all products that sell well offline will perform equally well online.

You need to be able to understand your target audience so well that you can describe their wants and needs in your sleep. To get started, consider making a buyer persona. (Hubspot has a free tool to help with this.)

Once you do that, conduct thorough market research to determine what your target audience needs and wants. Make sure your product fills an existing demand and stands out from competitors.

#2: Validate the market

It’s tempting to design a product, order tons of units, and then start selling afterward. But this can be a huge mistake if you don’t go about it the right way.

Think about your ideal customers. Every product you sell needs to meet one of their needs. But you shouldn’t just take it on faith that what you want to sell will do that.

Before you commit to ordering a lot of inventory, try selling a small amount first. You want to see if there is a market for what you want to sell. If you can’t sell a small amount first, try collecting information with surveys or small-dollar advertising campaigns.

If you do this, it will help you avoid the mistake of ordering a lot of products that no one wants to buy.

You can apply a similar principle to your store’s branding as well. Make sure that the way your website is presented lines up with customer expectations. Show it to members of your target audience and ask them for their feedback. Then you implement that feedback as often as you can.

#3: Figure out the supply chain

According to a recent study with Voxware, of 500 surveyed consumers, almost 70% say they are “much less likely to shop with a retailer in the future if an item they purchased is not delivered within two days of the date promised.”

Translation: ship on-time or else.

To succeed in eCommerce, you need to be able to:

• Plan for demand
• Manage materials, inventory, and manufacturing
• Set up efficient warehousing and order fulfillment
• Process returns quickly

This is more complicated than we can cover in this article. But suffice it to say, if you plan on making it big in eCommerce, you also have to have a clear plan to ship orders to customers.

#4: Build your brand

Customer retention is incredibly important to long-term eCommerce success. According to Bain & Company, a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25-95% increase in profitability.

A big part of customer retention is being memorable. For that, you need to build up a brand. It’s not just about having a good-looking logo, though that is valuable. You want to have clear brand values that line up with what your target audience cares about. Then you need to have all your brand elements – from logo and colors to brand voice – reinforce those values.

This is a far more complicated subject than we cover in this guide, so here is an additional resource to help you define your company’s brand identity.

#5: Choose your eCommerce software

When it comes to setting up an eCommerce site, you have a lot of different software options. Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce are some of the most common ones in use today.

Shopify is known for its ease of use and wide range of features. It’s a great all-purpose tool and ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. 

BigCommerce focuses on scalability and has a variety of built-in features suitable for growing businesses.

WooCommerce is an open-source solution that can be installed right on top of WordPress, a powerful advantage, given that WordPress is the most common website management software in use today.

Choosing eCommerce software is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make in your business. It’s not easy to switch once you start with one. Think about which of these platforms – or others not listed – is going to be the best fit for your needs.

#6: Configure your eCommerce store

Don’t launch your eCommerce store until it is set up correctly. You want to make sure you’re providing a smooth shopping experience.

You need to make sure all the backend details are handled. That means setting up payment gateways, shipping options, and tax calculations, among other things.

Make several test orders. Add different things to your cart. Try inputting different addresses to see how it affects shipping prices and availability.

Do this until you feel completely comfortable in saying that your store is in working order. The last thing you want to do is spend a ton of money driving traffic to your store, only to have errors stop people from making purchases.

#7: Drive traffic to your eCommerce store

Think about how you want to get people to find your eCommerce store. Then develop a plan accordingly. There are a lot of ways you can do this, such as:

• Search engine optimization. That includes optimizing your website for keywords to pull in organic traffic.
• Advertising. This might include using Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Google, YouTube, or TikTok to put your products in front of people and entice them to buy.
• Content marketing. That will mean creating blog posts, videos, or other forms of content that people will want to see and that will refer people to your store (such as gift guides).
• Email marketing. This can be used to keep in touch with potential customers as well as repeat ones. You can also use it to educate potential customers about your products or send coupon codes.

“Use Google Search Console to see how your site performs in search results and identify issues that need to be fixed,” says SEO Consultant, Jase Rodley. “BuzzSumo is another underutilized tool that allows you to see what content performs well in your niche and create more engaging marketing materials.”

Paul DeMott at Helium SEO also mentions that “one tool I think deserves more attention is AnswerThePublic. It’s fantastic for finding questions that real people are asking, which you can then turn into content.”

Creating a marketing and promotion plan for your store is incredibly nuanced. There are so many ways that you can do this. But the most important thing is to figure out what you want to try and come up with a plan.

#8: Focus on improving user experience

You want to make sure your store is pleasant to use. Start by installing Google Analytics so you can gather data on user behavior. This will help you see where they are from, how long they spend on the site, and which pages they are interested in.

You can use data that you gather to run retargeting ads and send follow-up emails to users that abandon their shopping carts. This will encourage them to return and complete their purchases.

Beyond that, there are some aspects of user experience that are common sense and can be implemented almost immediately. For example, make sure your checkout process is easy. Eliminate surprise shipping fees and make sure you don’t have to create an account to make a purchase. These two things alone can make a huge difference!

Tips to Optimize Your eCommerce Website

Slow websites don’t make sales. Neither do difficult to use ones.

Time spent optimizing your eCommerce site for speed and usability is time well spent. Here are some specific tips on how you can do that well.

#9: Remove unused apps

It’s been years since most tech users have had to seriously think about deleting files and programs to clear up space on their devices. But this is still an issue you need to pay attention to when it comes to website management.

Unused apps can slow down your site, affecting load times and user experience. Regularly review the apps installed on your eCommerce platform and delete those that are not essential.

This simple step can significantly improve your site’s load times. You would be shocked!

#10: Optimize images

Using high-quality images is really important in eCommerce. Showing people what they are going to be buying is a great way to build trust.

But at the same time, large images can slow down your site, leading to a poor user experience. So you need to find the right balance.

To do this, use the smallest images you can without compromising quality. When in doubt, favor WEBP and JPG formats over others for faster loading times.

Compress images to reduce their file size and ensure they are optimized for the web. This will help your pages load faster, improve overall site performance, and enhance user satisfaction.

You can always use tools like Pingdom and GTMetrix to see how long it takes your web pages to load.

#11: Optimize fonts

Using fancy fonts is a great way to improve your store’s branding. But you need to make sure you use them correctly.

This point is a bit technical, but it’s important – incorrectly installed fonts can block other parts of web pages from rendering. This can slow down your overall website time, despite it seeming like a small detail.

When in doubt, use GTMetrix or PageSpeed Insights and make sure you’re not running into font-related errors.

#12: Install a lazy loader

Lazy loading helps load images and assets only when they are needed. This helps improve perceived loading times. Lazy loading helps your site appear to load faster, even if all elements are not fully loaded immediately.

Implementing a lazy loader is an easy way to create a smoother, more efficient user experience. As a result, you can more easily keep visitors engaged and cut down on bounce rates.

#13: Make sure your theme isn’t slowing you down

Most eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce are, by their nature, pretty fast. But all of them use themes in order to give sellers the opportunity to customize their sites. This is where things can start to go wrong.

Not every theme is made well. Before you commit to using one, you need to make sure that your theme loads quickly. Otherwise, you might end up spending a lot of time configuring one that’s going to ultimately slow down your site in a way that you cannot easily fix.

If you’re already committed to a theme that slows down your site, you should consider swapping to another one. It’s a pain to switch, but this is one of the most valuable things you can do to speed up your site and likely increase sales.

#14: Eliminate pop-ups and lightboxes

Overuse of pop-ups and lightboxes can slow down your site and annoy users. Use these features sparingly to balance user experience and performance.

Focus on essential pop-ups that provide real value to your visitors. Eliminate those that are unnecessary. This will help you maintain a fast, smooth browsing experience.

When in doubt, keep it as simple as possible.

#15: Find a good CDN

A CDN (Content Delivery Network) distributes content delivery load across multiple servers, speeding up your site. Or, more simply, files don’t have to travel as far to get to your users. That makes your site faster.

This is an easy way to speed up your site and increase the odds of making sales. If you’re a Shopify user, Shopify has a built-in CDN as long as you are on Shopify Plus. Otherwise, look for a good CDN for your eCommerce software solution. It’s worth it to help keep your loading times in check.

#16: Use schema markup for increased search visibility

“Make use of schema markups to provide additional information to search engines,” suggests Nikola Baldikov, Founder of Inbound Blogging. “This will improve your chances of being featured in rich snippets. You can do it by using structured data tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper or by adding it manually to your website’s HTML. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento also offer plugins that simplify this process.”

#17: Use A/B testing to improve conversion rates

“Testing different versions of landing pages, product descriptions, or promotional offers is underused by many eCommerce stores,” states Michelle Symonds, Founder & CEO of Ditto Digital. “A/B testing tools…help improve conversion rates by optimizing the user experience based on data.”

Prior to its sunset in 2023, Google Optimize was a go-to choice for many store owners to run A/B tests. Now, VWO seems to be winning the hearts of conversion optimization professionals.

#18: Submit coupons through Google Merchant Center

Google Shopping is known for its ability to drive traffic to stores, particularly smaller ones. To that end, Lana Phillips from Planet of the Vapes recommends “Google Merchant Center’s coupon submission feature, which is a powerful way to showcase deals directly in search results.”

She goes on to say that many eCommerce sites overlook it. There’s no reason for you to make the same mistake!

Apps to Add to Your Store

Adding the right apps to your eCommerce store can help you enhance functionality and improve customer experience.

Now to clarify – no amount of apps can replace smart strategic planning or basic website optimization. But they can make it a lot easier to handle certain aspects of marketing, customer retention, and store management.

Here is a list of some of our favorites.

#19: Smile

One way to retain customers is to implement a loyalty program. After all, giving one-time customers an incentive to return is a pretty good way of getting them back onto your website. The trick is finding a system that will let you do that with minimal hassle.

That’s where Smile comes in. This app lets customers earn points for actions like creating accounts, placing orders, and leaving reviews. It also features a referral program and provides analytics to monitor performance.

#20: Printful

Printful enables you to create custom products and connect directly to Shopify. This app is suitable for dropshippers and custom product creators, allowing you to design and sell items like t-shirts, posters, and more. Printful handles manufacturing and shipping, making it easier to manage your eCommerce store.

#21: ReferralCandy

If you’re looking for a way to make customer referrals easier to manage, start with ReferralCandy. This app allows you to create email and pop-up campaigns to encourage customers to refer their friends. You can reward customers with cash, coupon codes, or gifts for successful referrals.

#22: Plug in SEO

Plug In SEO makes it easier to improve your search engine rankings. This app includes tools for structured data, keyword optimization, and fixing broken links. It’s also pretty easy to use overall.

SEO is complicated. This often scares people away from focusing on it. But this tool makes it a lot easier to manage.

#23: Yotpo

Yotpo calls itself a customer retention platform, which is a pretty good summary of what it does. Describing it succinctly is tough because it simply does a lot!

Among its many features, you can collect reviews, ratings, and user-generated content. This app helps improve conversion rates by showcasing customer feedback prominently.

In short, if you’re thinking about “social proof” but don’t have a process for gathering it yet, look into Yotpo. It might make your life easier!

#24: Growave

Growave does a little bit of everything. You can use it to set up loyalty programs, incentivize referrals and reviews, and also manage social media.

If you’re looking to keep it simple with an all-in-one tool, Growave is a great option. You won’t have to juggle a whole lot of different apps. That will make it easier to handle the administrative responsibilities that would otherwise be frustratingly hard to manage.

After all – you know how important it is to encourage customer retention, gather reviews, encourage referrals, and show off user-generated content. As always, though, the real obstacle is finding a way to do this that doesn’t take up too much time!

#25: Glew.io

For data-driven insights, Brandon Schroth at Reporter Outreach recommends Glew.io, a powerful analytics tool designed for eCommerce.

About the tool, Schroth states that it is “built especially for eCommerce merchants, providing detailed reports on customer activities including how much they buy, how often they shop, and the items they buy. Thus, by centralizing information from different sources, it allows companies to develop better SEO tactics and improve marketing campaigns.”

Final Thoughts

Running a successful eCommerce store is not easy. But if you get the foundational parts right, including overall business strategy and technical website optimization, it’s a lot easier. Then, once you get the basics right, you can use the right apps to help you turbocharge your marketing efforts.

Over time, you can build up a loyal customer base and boost your sales. Just remember: eCommerce success comes down to three basic principles. Know who you’re selling to, sell something they want, and make it easy to buy.

Follow these three rules and you’ll be well on your way to lasting success.

The holidays are a great time to acquire new eCommerce customers. They’re also a great time to ship late, run out of stock, and generally derail your eCommerce business. The key difference between the two outcomes: making sure your eCommerce store is holiday-ready.

But how do you do that? There are a lot of things that you need to consider. There is planning and preparation and supply chain management. There’s marketing, promotion, and sales. Then you need to have a plan for after the holidays too!

It’s a lot to take in. So in this guide, we’ve covered every single way we can think of to get your store ready for the holidays. That way, you can plan and prepare your business and have happier holidays as a result!

Planning and Preparation

Effective planning and preparation are the backbone of a successful holiday season. So here is a list of all the things you need to plan out while it’s still warm outside.

#1: Know the holiday shipping deadlines

Get a handle on the shipping deadlines for different carriers to guarantee deliveries land before December 25. Each carrier and shipping method has its own cut-off dates, so staying in the loop on these deadlines helps you plan your shipping schedule. You can then pass this information along to your customers and set accurate delivery expectations.

#2: Review your supply chain

Dissect every part of your supply chain to avoid bottlenecks during the holiday rush. Make sure you have enough inventory on hand and dependable suppliers in case you need more. Your logistics need to be efficient as well, including order fulfillment and replenishment.

Here’s a quick list of what this entails:

• Planning for demand
• Managing materials
• Optimizing inventory
• Lining up transportation
• Coordinating with your warehouse team

Preparing in advance can make your supply chain run like clockwork. That way, you’re not awake three days before Black Friday wondering when your shipment is coming in.

#3: Identify your customers’ pain points

Think about common issues that customers face during the holidays and tackle them head-on. Typical pain points include late shipping, out-of-stock products, and slow customer service response times.

If you spot and smooth out these issues earlier, you’ll keep your customers satisfied and cut down on potential Grinchiness.

#4: Identify your business’s pain points

Think about your business as a whole before you head into the busy season. Are there problems in marketing, accounting, and other departments? It’s easier to deal with problems in August and September than it is in Q4.

The holiday season can stretch every part of your business thin. Solve problems ahead of time so you can stay focused when it counts. It’s easier to run a marathon if you take pebbles out of your shoes first.

#5: Map your returns process

Plan your reverse logistics to handle the uptick in returns during the holidays. You need to have:

• Clear return policies
• Simple return procedures
• A plan to handle those returns when they come in

Doing this helps you plan for returns, which you’ll probably see a lot of in January. But this also helps keep customer trust and satisfaction high, even when returns are necessary.

#6: Plan link exchanges

“It baffles me every year that more eCom businesses don’t participate in link exchanges with non-competitive but similarly ranked websites,” says Joy Youell at Winsome Marketing.

She goes on to explain her logic, saying that “by late October it’s way too late to be posting SEO content that will support much holiday traffic, but link exchanges start working immediately. Site owners should tap into their business networks, as well as a shortlist of good sites, and get their teams to do the outreach and earn this reciprocally beneficial link juice.”

Inventory and Order Management

You don’t want to run out of inventory during peak sales season. You also don’t want to find yourself unable to fulfill those orders when it counts.

Here are some things you need to make sure you take care of before the holidays.

#7: Estimate your order volume

It’s hard to know how much you will sell during the holidays, but you still need to make your best guess. If you can manage to come up with an accurate prediction, you can dodge both stockouts and overstock scenarios. That way, you can meet customer demand without having a warehouse full of clearance items you’re still trying to get rid of in March.

#8: Stock up on critical supplies

Stockpile packing materials, shipping supplies, and other essentials. Running out of crucial supplies during the holiday frenzy can spell disaster, causing delays and frustration. Prep in advance to avoid last-minute panic trips to overcrowded Costcos.

#9: Hire seasonal workers for holiday shipping

Increase your workforce to handle the higher volume of orders. Seasonal hires can help manage the increased demand without the long-term commitment of permanent staff. Many hands makes light work, after all!

#10: Automate and outsource before you need to

Roll out automation tools and consider outsourcing fulfillment to handle the holiday spike.

You can start with inventory management software like Quickbooks Commerce or Cin7 to automatically track stock levels and reorder supplies. If you ship your own orders, consider using tools such as ShipStation to automate the printing of shipping labels and updating of order statuses.

Outsourcing can also help a ton. Partner with third-party logistics providers like Fulfillrite for warehousing and shipping needs. You can also outsource customer support to agencies like Zendesk to manage inquiries and returns efficiently.

#11: Check all your timetables

Verify all shipment schedules to avoid delays and ensure timely delivery. If you double-check your logistics schedules, then you can rest easy knowing your products will reach customers as expected. That means one less thing to stress about.

Marketing and Promotion

Strategic marketing can skyrocket your visibility and sales. Smartly crafted marketing and promotion plans can help you acquire customers during the holidays while people are open to shopping new places. Then that means you have a whole new base of customers to potentially retain in the new year!

With that in mind, here are some tips on how to handle marketing and promotion.

#12: Ramp up your marketing efforts

“[Run] early campaigns to build buzz,” advises Deepak Shukla at Digital Marketing Group, “along with offering limited-time promotions.”

The holidays are a good time to increase brand awareness, acquire customers, and encourage repeat purchases. Whatever your standard marketing priorities are, give them extra attention during the holidays.

“Revisit your past campaigns for what has worked well and build on these wins,” says Colton De Vos from Resolute Technology Solutions. “Engage your audience on social media, email newsletters, and wherever else you have an online presence. Ask what they want to see this most this holiday season. Then, when your holiday promotion is ready, send it to customers thanking them for their contribution!”

As a rule, you should expect to generally spend more time and money on marketing during the holidays. And when in doubt, start early!

#13: Plan for gift shipping

Offer gift wrapping services and streamline gift shipping processes. This not only adds value for customers wanting to send gifts directly to recipients but also can significantly boost your sales.

#14: Create custom holiday packaging

The holidays are the perfect excuse to roll out festive packaging! That’s why Starbucks always rolls out the holiday cups as soon as they have a chance.

Design your own festive packaging this year. It will improve customer experience and encourage them to share their experiences online. Attractive packaging stands out in people’s feeds when they’re scrolling and can increase your odds of making a sale!

#15: Promote early shopping

Encourage customers to shop early to avoid last-minute rushes. Early promotions and incentives can help spread out demand. This, in turn, can reduce strain on your fulfillment processes.

#16: Use email marketing campaigns

Send targeted emails to keep customers informed about holiday promotions and deadlines. The goal is to send the right people the right incentive at the right time. Email is one of the best ways to do that, and it’s also inexpensive.

Of all the ways to keep in touch with customers, email is one of the most cost-effective ones.

#17: Create custom landing pages

“Creating dedicated pages to capture traffic from seasonal keywords such as ‘Top Gifts for Christmas 2024’ or ‘Summer Sale Must-Haves,’ will generate sales from customers researching gifts,” says John Butterworth from Mint SEO. “The trick to this type of content is to only write about products your store stocks and to include buttons that add the product to the shoppers cart straight from the post.”

Customer Experience

The holidays are going to bring a lot of first-time shoppers to your site. You want to make sure you are providing the best possible experience so they remember to come back later!

A stellar shopping experience can increase conversions and foster repeat business, ultimately boosting overall sales. Here are some tips on how you can do that.

#18: Optimize your website’s performance

A fast, responsive website enhances the shopping experience and can prevent lost sales due to slow load times. Supercharge your site for speed and ensure it can handle increased holiday traffic. For best results, use GTMetrix to spot problems that might be slowing your site down.

#19: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly

Make sure your website is fully functional and easy to navigate on mobile devices. Many customers shop on their phones, so a mobile-friendly site is square one for capturing these sales.

#20: Improve site search functionality

Upgrade your site’s search features to help customers find products quickly and easily. Efficient search functionality reduces frustration and boosts conversion rates. After all, who likes a store that makes it hard to check out? (IKEA being the exception, of course.)

#21: Personalize customer experiences

Use advanced personalization tools to tailor the shopping experience based on individual customer behavior. Personalization creates a sense of connection and relevance, making customers feel valued and understood.

“Capitalize on personalized marketing and strategic partnerships to stand out during the holiday rush,” says Brandon Schroth, Reporter Outreach. “Segment your audience and tailor the marketing strategy accordingly to suit their buying habits and preferences better. This makes the shopping experience more enjoyable and subsequently improves sales.”

Here are a few examples of what that might look like:

• Personalized product recommendations
• Tailored email campaigns
• Customized promotions
• Behavior-triggered messages (like pop-ups or chatbots offering assistance based on time spend on a page)

Similar to email, the goal is to give the right person the right incentive at the right time.

#22: Implement a loyalty program

The holidays will probably bring new customers to your store. If you can retain them after the new year, you stand to make a lot of money. And loyalty programs can help you do that.

Reward loyal customers with special offers and discounts. This can encourage repeat purchases and increase customer retention.

Sales and Promotions

Offering attractive sales and promotions can drive holiday sales. Here are a few tips and tricks that you can apply to your website to improve your conversion rates and drive sales.

#23: Offer free shipping

Provide free shipping to attract more customers and increase sales. Free shipping is a popular incentive that can boost conversion rates and overall sales.

Think of this way: when you see a shipping upcharge added to items right before you purchase, what do you do? Most people click away and don’t make the purchase.

Don’t do that to your customers!

Free shipping is the easiest way to remove this barrier.

#24: Use influencer marketing

Team up with influencers to tap into their vast audiences and build credibility. Influencers can showcase your products to their followers, amplifying brand awareness and driving sales. Plus, it may be a better deal than buying advertising which tends to be more expensive during the holidays.

“Run interactive campaigns like contests or giveaways on social media,” says SEO Consultant, Jase Rodley. “[This can] engage your audience and encourage sharing to amplify your reach during this busy time.”

Keep in mind that influencers are not just people with a lot of social media followers. Reporters are also influencers, as are reviewers, bloggers, thought leaders, community leaders, and so on. In fact, any well-connected person is a type of influencer.

#25: Set up retargeting ads

Don’t let potential customers slip away—use retargeting ads to reel back those who visited your site but didn’t make a purchase. Because when these reminders come at the right time, they can nudge customers to complete their transaction.

“Many shoppers abandon their carts,” says Paul DeMott at Helium SEO. “A well-timed reminder can bring them back to complete their purchase.”

#26: Offer limited-time discounts

“Creating a sense of urgency can boost conversion rates,” says Michelle Symonds at Ditto Digital. “Countdown timers, banners, and pop-ups can be used to highlight festive sales, limited-time deals, or shipping cut-off dates, encouraging prompt purchases.”

Paul Jozsef at Digital Practice echoes this sentiment, saying “highlight seasonal offers and discounts prominently on your site using relevant keywords like ‘holiday sale’ or ‘festive discounts.’ This helps attract traffic specifically looking for holiday deals.”

The bottom line is that you want to eliminate procrastination as much as possible.

#27: Bundle products

Boost your average order value by offering product bundles. Bundling complementary items adds value for customers and encourages them to spend more. This is one of the easiest ways to increase revenues and profitability.

#28: Create a gift guide

“To stand out during the holiday season, create a gift guide for different demographics or interests,” says SEO Consultant, Jase Rodley. “This will help customers find gifts easily and improve their shopping experience.”

The goal in doing this is to make shopping easy for newcomers. Because people often have a lot of gifts to buy for a lot of people, the information you put in your gift guide can be really helpful. On your end, the gift guide is a handy tool that can highlight popular or unique products.

“To stand out in the holiday rush, we focus on providing users with comparison guides, gift guides, and product reviews in both written and video (YT & Shorts) formats,” says Lana Phillips from Planet of the Vapes. “This ensures that shoppers have all the information they need to make confident buying decisions, boosting trust and increasing conversions.”

Do this right and you can make it easier for customers and boost your sales too.

Customer Support

Exceptional customer support is non-negotiable during the holiday chaos. Top-notch support can turn first-time buyers into loyal customers. Here are some tips on how to handle the human element of the holiday rush.

#29: Extend customer support hours

Provide extended customer support to assist with increased inquiries during the holidays. Longer support hours ensure that customer questions and issues are addressed promptly.

Because people are so busy during the holidays, being able to quickly reach a support rep is a breath of fresh air.

#30: Provide exceptional customer service

Make sure your customer service team is well-trained and prepared for the holiday rush. Give your staff the power to set things right without having to go through bureaucratic hurdles.

Great customer service makes a big difference during the holidays. Remember that people are busy, but not so busy they won’t notice if you handle their problems well.

It’s simple but true – if the shopping experience is a good one, then they’ll be more likely to come back later.

#31: Streamline the return process

Make it easy for customers to return products. And make sure you can handle those returns easily too.

Returns are extremely common in eCommerce. This is even more true around the holidays, when people tend to get gifts they may or may not want.

For that reason, a simple, efficient returns process can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. And who knows – a gift recipient may return an item, only to be impressed and buy something more expensive. It happens sometimes!

#32: Use the return process as a chance to provide great customer service

Returns are not, in fact, the end of the world. Smart store owners use them to try to retain new customers.

When returns comes in, offer exchanges or suggest alternative products. This can transform a potentially negative experience into a positive one that keeps customers coming back.

#33: Balance customer service with expense management

Fine-tune your returns policy to strike a balance between satisfying customers while also managing costs. Before the holidays, make sure your returns process is efficient and cost-effective while still providing top-notch service.

Post-Holiday Strategies

After the holiday hustle, it’s time to review and refine. These post-holiday strategies can turn the chaos of the holidays into actionable improvements, preparing you for the next season.

#34: When the holidays are over, revisit your processes

Conduct a thorough audit of your holiday operations. Identifying strengths and weaknesses in your performance can help you prepare better for the next busy season, guaranteeing you learn from every experience.

#35: Use returns to ask customers for feedback

Returns are the perfect time to gather feedback. Customers and their opinions can reveal issues with products or processes, helping you make necessary adjustments to improve future offerings and overall customer satisfaction.

#36: Figure out what to do with returned merchandise

If you make a lot of sales over the holidays, you’ll see a lot of returns too. You need to figure out what to do with them in advance.

Decide whether to restock, recycle, or donate returned items. Managing your returns properly can save costs and help you position your company as eco-friendly.

#37: Offer gift cards

Gift cards are a versatile option for customers and a boon for business. They cater to last-minute shoppers and drive future sales, making them an excellent addition to your post-holiday strategy.

Security and Optimization

If your website is slow before the holidays, it’s going to dramatically lower your sales potential. You will want to make sure that’s not an issue before the sales start coming in.

And while you’re doing technical work, it’s a good idea to beef up your security anyway. Santa knows if hackers are being naughty or nice, but it’s better to keep your site from being breached in the first place. That will keep you safe while you’re waiting on him to deliver a payload of coal to the bad guys.

#38: Secure your website

The eCommerce holiday season is a great time to be a cybercriminal. That’s why you should implement solid security measures to protect customer data and transactions.

If nothing else, make sure your passwords are secure and you have two-factor authentication turned on. These are among the most common vulnerabilities sites have and they take five minutes to fix.

#39: Proofread meticulously

It’s a pain, but you need to do it. Proofread all your pages and make sure there are no mistakes.

Your content needs to be error-free to maintain credibility. Remember: high-quality, accurate content will increase the odds that people trust you. (Who wants to give credit card info to a store riddled with typos?)

#40: Hire a professional editor

Proofreading on your own is good. Having a professional do it is better.

If you can afford it, consider hiring an editor to polish up your website and campaign materials. Not only will they catch typos, they may be able to generally tighten up your copywriting as a whole. That can dramatically improve your conversion rates.

#41: Optimize checkout process

Simplify your checkout process to reduce cart abandonment. You want it to be as easy as possible to make that first purchase.

If nothing else – make sure people don’t have to make an account to make a purchase. (No one will bother to do that!)

#42: Use analytics to track sales

Make sure you have a sales analytics system set up before the holiday. The sales data you gather this season will help you make smart decision in the long run. For example, your sales data might make it easier for you to upsell or cross-sell in the future.

#43: Test your processes

You don’t want your website to break on Black Friday. Nor do you want your shipping operations to fall apart on December 22.

Test all aspects of your operations to make sure they’re running smoothly. Preventative maintenance is easier than troubleshooting under pressure!

Final Thoughts

When you run an eCommerce store, planning for the holidays requires a lot of work ahead of time. You need your inventory management and supply chain to be all figured out. Customer support needs to be trained and ready to go. And your sales and marketing both need to be on point.

It’s a lot to take in. But by thinking in advance, you can dramatically increase your odds of having a successful holiday season.

These tips should help get your eCommerce store holiday-ready. That way, you can confidently deal with increased demand, deliver great experiences, and retain customers for the years to follow.

Want to get organic traffic to your store so you can make some sales? Ecommerce search engine optimization, or SEO, is how you do that.

Optimizing your website for search engines will help increase visibility, attract potential customers, and improve your chances of turning those visitors into buyers.

SEO can be broken down into a bunch of smaller disciplines. There’s technical SEO, which is about your site’s speed, structure, and security. Then there’s on-page SEO which is focused on making individual pages more searchable. Then there is content marketing and link building, which is about making pages people want to read and then getting those pages in front of readers.

It’s a lot to take in, especially if you don’t have a technical background. It’s for that reason that we compiled this guide to give you some actionable tips to help you get started.

So let’s begin with a quick definition of eCommerce SEO.

What is Ecommerce SEO?

Ecommerce SEO is all about optimizing your online store to rank higher in search engine results. Unlike general SEO, eCommerce SEO zeroes in on product and category pages, optimizing for relevant keywords, and enhancing the user experience to turn visitors into customers. It targets specific search terms to attract shoppers actively looking for the products you sell.

Good SEO impacts your store’s visibility, making it easier for customers to find your products. High search rankings lead to increased organic traffic and better conversion rates. Effective SEO strategies also boost your online presence, helping you attract and retain customers, which ultimately drives sales and growth.

In this guide, we’ll provide tips on how exactly you can optimize for SEO.

Technical SEO Tips

Optimizing the technical aspects of your site is crucial for better search engine rankings. But technical SEO can get complex if you research it online.

To help you get started, here are some concrete steps to help you optimize your technical ESO.

#1: Optimize your site structure.

A well-organized site structure is a must for SEO. As Nikola Baldikov, CEO of Inbound Blogging, suggests, “start with defining your categories. They should be logical and intuitive, so both users and search engines can browse the website easily.”

He continues, saying, that “if you don’t know where to start, try checking what your competitors are doing and gathering some ideas. Simply uploading products without considering the organization can cause your visitors to get confused and hurt your sales.”

#2: Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.

Mobile optimization is key since search engines prioritize mobile-friendly sites. After all, 45% of web users shop through their phones.

Brandon Schroth, Founder at Reporter Outreach, emphasizes that “mobile phones are the most popular form of devices used to perform online shopping.” He goes on to say that “if a website is not mobile optimized, user experiences may be imperiled, in addition to search rankings being affected.”

Make sure your site is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes. This is because a mobile-friendly site enhances user experience, reduces bounce rates, and boosts search performance. Or, put in a less technical way, people stay on your site for longer and are more likely to buy.

#3: Improve site speed.

Fast-loading websites rank higher and offer a better user experience. “Speed matters more than you think,” says Nathaniel Miller at The SEO Marketing Dad. “Make sure your site loads fast and looks great on mobile. Customers expect quick, seamless experiences, and Google rewards it too.”

If you want to improve your site’s load time, then optimize images, turn on browser caching, and minimize HTTP requests to improve loading times. Use tools like GTMetrix to find and fix speed issues.

#4: Secure your site with HTTPS.

Security is a ranking factor, and HTTPS ensures that data exchanged between your site and users is encrypted. Make sure you have a valid SSL certificate to secure your site. Additionally, HTTPS improves user trust and can lead to better search engine rankings, as search engines prefer secure sites.

If you have trouble doing this, use Why No Padlock to troubleshoot.

On-Page SEO Strategies

On-page SEO is all about optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and attract more relevant traffic from search engines. Here are some specific tips you can apply today to improve your on-page SEO.

#5: Optimize product pages with targeted keywords.

Make sure to incorporate relevant keywords naturally in your product titles and descriptions. Use keywords that your potential customers are likely to search for. Be sure to also include them in headings, subheadings, and bullet points. This helps search engines understand your content and rank your pages higher for those specific terms.

But that said, avoid the temptation to stuff keywords into product titles and descriptions. You instead want to incorporate relevant keywords naturally. Tom Jauncey of Nautilus Marketing advises that you “optimize product pages with unique, keyword-rich descriptions and high-quality images. Too many eCommerce sites rely on manufacturer descriptions, which can hurt rankings. Make sure each product page offers value in terms of content.”

#6: Use high-quality images and optimize alt text.

“The first SEO tip for an eCommerce site is image optimization,” says SEO consultant, Jase Rodley. “Since eCommerce is all about visuals, make sure all product images are high quality and have descriptive alt text with relevant keywords. This helps with SEO and accessibility.” He also recommends using user-generated content like customer reviews and testimonials, which he says, “adds fresh unique content to your product pages and builds trust with potential buyers.”

#7: Create compelling meta descriptions.

Meta descriptions are short descriptions of your page that can be sent to search engines. Usually, they are 160 characters at most.

You need to write concise and compelling meta descriptions for each page. This will involve summarizing the page content and including targeted keywords.

Now you should know – meta descriptions not always appear in search results. It depends on the search terms used and, frankly, whether or not Google feels like using your meta descriptions.

But all the same, well-written meta descriptions increase the odds that searchers turn into visitors.

#8: Optimize URL structures for clarity and keywords.

Create clear, concise URLs with relevant keywords. Avoid long, complex URLs. Google, and other search engines, tend to dislike long URLs or ones that contain irrelevant information like random numbers.

Additionally, as Ross Kernez from SEO Meetup suggests, building links from trustworthy websites in your industry can further enhance your site’s rankings by signaling credibility and relevance to search engines. “Aim to get links from well-known, trustworthy websites in your industry,” says Kernez. “These good links help boost your site’s ranking in search engines.”

Content Marketing for SEO

Creating valuable content is a good way to improve your search rankings. Sometimes, this means improving the quality of your product pages with reviews or FAQs. Other times, it means creating blog posts, videos, and other forms of content to help answer questions that your customers may have.

No matter how you choose to go about it, content marketing is a proven way to help boost your SEO.

#9: Start a blog related to your niche.

It’s not relevant for every niche, but it works like a charm when it is! Regular blog posts can improve your search rankings and also help you establish your site as an authority in your industry.

Blogging allows you to create keyword-rich content that attracts organic traffic. In order to do this, write about topics relevant to your niche, addressing common questions and sharing useful knowledge.

#10: Use user-generated content.

Encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials on your site. User-generated content (UGC) adds credibility and naturally incorporates relevant keywords.

“Feedback and reviews from your existing customers offers social proof and helps to convince and convert new customers,” says Michelle Symonds, CEO of Ditto Digital.

It’s not hard to understand why search engines like UGC. Much like human beings, search engine bots like seeing proof that your brand is as good as you say it is!

Positive reviews can also improve your search rankings and attract more visitors by showing that you have satisfied customers.

Building up UGC takes time. But one way you can speed up the process is by remembering to ask customers to leave reviews. Many will if you remember to ask!

#11: Build a keyword-rich FAQ page.

Create an FAQ page that addresses common questions and concerns related to your products. As you answer questions, you will naturally use keywords in the questions and answers.

“I would recommend that sites prioritize their product descriptions,” says Kim Butler from Online Optimism, “being sure to answer any potential questions their customers might ask. You could also include this in frequently asked questions after descriptions to add more value.”

In addition to being good for SEO, adding FAQs improves user experience, on top of simply driving organic traffic to your site.

Link Building Techniques

Search engines tend to favor websites that other sites link to. When other sites link to your website, these are called backlinks. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the better your website will rank.

So here are some tips on how you can build up your backlinks.

#12: Implement a link-building strategy.

“Link building, [such as] building links to the root of your domain via brand mentions, is not only important but is one of the most natural ways to obtain backlinks over time,” says John White from Complete White Label. “I recommend doing this via expert commentary campaigns.”

That’s just one technique you can employ though, as there are a lot of ways you can get backlinks. Many of them boil down to networking.

To acquire quality backlinks, reach out to the owners of larger sites. Offer to create guest blog posts or strike up a partnership. A lot of this will come down to outreach, often cold outreach, done via email or social media.

Another good way to build up your link profile is by getting mentioned in the media. You may also consider using websites like Qwoted or HARO to get in touch with reporters.

#13: Partner with influencers for content outreach.

Collaborate with influencers to create and share content that includes links to your site. Influencers can reach a wider audience and provide high-quality backlinks. This not only improves your link equity but also drives targeted traffic.

“Apart from increasing your credibility,” says Brandon Schroth from Reporter Outreach, “this will also help expand your brand’s reach. Moreover, these collaborations help in producing creative and original content that can be published on social networks and other digital media, thus generating quality backlinks and increasing the visibility of your website.”

Overall, this is a smart way to increase brand awareness. This is especially true in some niche markets such as cosmetics.

It’s also useful to remember that influencers aren’t just people with big Instagram or TikTok followings. Reporters, reviewers, bloggers, and even community organizers are all influencers in the broader sense of the term. Don’t overlook them because of all the people talking into ring lights!

#14: Use internal linking wisely.

“Don’t skip out on the importance of internal linking,” advises Nathaniel Miller from The SEO Marketing Dad. “Internal linking is a powerful way to guide users and spread link equity. Don’t overlook it.”

Internal linking helps distribute page authority throughout your site and improves navigation. Link related products, blog posts, and category pages to enhance user experience and SEO. Be sure your most important pages receive the most internal links.

You will also want to make sure you use descriptive anchor text. That means avoiding turning words like “here” into links. The linked text itself needs to tell you something about the page that is being linked to.

Advanced SEO Tips

SEO advice can become very complex. If you follow all of the previous tips but are still looking for further ways to improve, here are a few more things you can do.

#15: Use schema markup for rich snippets.

Schema markup helps search engines understand your content. When you use schema markup, it can improve search result visibility with rich snippets.

Rich snippets include additional information below the meta description in the search result. That might include a product rating, number of reviews, price, delivery cost, returns policy, and similar information.

Paul DeMott, CTO at Helium SEO, explains that using it for “highlights like stock, ratings, and pricing can boost your presence on search engine result pages by offering rich snippets.”

In order to add rich snippets, you need to implement schema markup. This can get complex, so here is a guide on how you can do this in Shopify.

While complex, it is often worth it. That’s because rich snippets improve click-through rates by making your listings more attractive.

#16: Optimize for voice search.

Voice search is becoming more common. So think about the kinds of keywords people will use when using Siri for search.

Think about how you can get your pages to rank when using natural spoken language. Think about the kind of long-tail keywords that reflect how people speak.

Truthfully, this is very hard to do. But if you answer common questions directly in your content, such as descriptions, you will improve your odds of appearing in the voice search results. This is because of the conversational nature of copywritten text online.

For more information, check out this post by Design Rush on voice search best practices.

#17: Focus on local SEO if applicable.

You might also consider optimizing your eCommerce site for local search if you have a physical store or target a specific region. Include your business address, phone number, and operating hours on your site. Use local keywords.

If nothing else, create a Google My Business listing to improve your visibility in local search results.

#18: Use comparison pages.

“Comparison pages targeting keywords like ‘Product A vs. Product B,’ are perfect for capturing bottom-of-funnel shoppers who are ready to buy but need that final push,” says John Butterworth of Mint SEO.

“They’re searching for specific product comparisons, so give them a clear breakdown of features, benefits, and pricing to help them decide. If your page has a clear winner, it’s likely the customer will purchase that product straight after reading.”

#19: Make gift guides for seasonal SEO.

Another underrated tip, advocated for by Hemapriya Natesan is creating seasonal guides. She says that you can “create blogs centered around popular themes, like holiday gift guides, that incorporate long-tail keywords.”

On those pages, you can “showcase your products with high-quality images, customer experiences, and descriptions that illustrate why they’d make thoughtful gifts.”

It should be noted this can be a solid way to acquire first-time customers since shoppers tend to be more open to new brands during the holidays.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to SEO, there is one animating principle. Make a site that people want to find!

In practice, that means creating a site that is easy to use, secure, and loads quickly. That’s where technical SEO comes in. Every single page needs to be useful, which is where on-page SEO is handy.

The best sites make content that users want to find and distribute it to other websites where it can be found. To accomplish that, you need content marketing and link-building.

Take a few of these tips and think about how you can apply them to your site. There’s a good chance that they’ll help you improve your eCommerce SEO game!

Further Resources

For further learning and implementation of advanced SEO techniques, consider the following tools and resources:

• Google Search Console: Monitor and maintain your site’s presence in Google search results.
• Ahrefs: Comprehensive SEO toolset for keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audits.
• Moz: Offers tools and resources for SEO learning, including keyword explorer and link-building strategies.
• SEMRush: An all-in-one marketing toolkit for SEO, including competitive analysis and site audits.
• Yoast SEO: A popular WordPress plugin to optimize on-page SEO.
• Neil Patel’s Blog: Extensive resources and guides on SEO best practices and strategies.

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.

If you’ve browsed Kickstarter, Indiegogo or other crowdfunding sites lately, you may have noticed that the gaming category has been growing and growing in popularity. Crowdfunding has become a viable way for game designers to turn their ideas into reality.

Catacombs, the award-winning dexterity fantasy board game, was first published in 2010, followed by a sold-out second edition. When it came time for their third edition redesign, the creators did something a little out of the box, so to speak – they turned to Kickstarter.

We talked with Elzra Games cofounder Aron West about why Elzra turned to Kickstarter, what they learned and how they knocked their campaign out of the park.

This interview was originally published on November 11, 2015. We’ve updated the formatting for more recent devices, but have otherwise left the interview unchanged.

Elzra Games has continued to expand the Catacombs franchise since the publication of this interview and continues to be successful in crowdfunding!

What is your background? How did you become interested in designing games?

At a high level, I have a background in software development, enterprise systems, cloud computing etc., so designing board games enables me to ship “physical bits” as opposed to “digital bits.” It’s a nice change.

How did Elzra Games come about? How did the game Catacombs come to be – the idea, concept and design?

Catacombs as a product happened by accident. Approximately five years ago, Ryan Amos, Marc Kelsey, and myself were involved in designing and manufacturing the first edition of Catacombs. Given our exposure to a wide variety of board games, we had a feeling for some ideas that we thought could work. We discussed some initial designs and ultimately focused on the idea of a exploring a dungeon by flicking a wooden disc as most dexterity games involved sports or racing cars.

The first edition of Catacombs was released in 2010. From humble beginnings and word of mouth it took off under the Sands of Time Games brand. Elzra Corp. took over the assets of Sands of Time at the beginning of 2014 (before the Kickstarter). I am now responsible for the creative and operational aspects of the company and the Catacombs Third Edition product line.

The first two editions of Catacombs were very successful and in fact, sold out. Why turn to Kickstarter for the third edition?

We wanted to test the market demand for a new version that implemented some improvements that customers had suggested. Kickstarter seemed like a perfect way to accomplish this.

What sorts of research and preparations did you make before launching?

We reviewed other Kickstarter campaigns and devoted time and resources to creating an engaging video. We also paid close attention to our reward and stretch goal setup, which any serious campaign will do as a matter of course. Kickstarter had not been available in Canada for very long, so it felt like we were a trailblazing project.

Having a strong following from editions one and two must have made things a little easier. Did you find them to be supportive?

There was a great deal of controversy about the new artwork direction in the Catacombs Third Edition product line. Some of our existing fans felt that we had abandoned them. This is definitely not the case! However, the new artwork by the talented artist, Kwanchai Moriya, is much more colourful and accessible expanding the game’s appeal. As they have become accustomed to the new artwork and the many fan driven improvements in the Third Edition, people are becoming more accepting of the changes. Overall, the response to Catacombs Third Edition has been fantastic!

What were the biggest challenges you encountered while running your Kickstarter campaign? What would you do differently next time?

We would ensure we had currency-hedging instruments in place. The drop in the Canadian dollar from 2014 through this year really hurt us. Simultaneously launching with a German language version in conjunction with a third party publisher proved logistically challenging as well. Finally, we have a much better sense about the costs involved in shipping to certain countries and would raise the shipping rates accordingly. Who would have thought that shipping from Germany to Serbia was as expensive as shipping to Australia?

Really good point! Is this what led you to bring in help for your fulfillment?

Yes, because as a new company with low shipping volumes, it is very expensive to ship packages from Canada internationally. Instead, we shipped packages to European and international backers from a fulfillment company located near the printer in the Netherlands where our games were produced. We had Fulfillrite handle shipping packages to the backers in the US and we took care of sending out packages to domestic backers based in Canada ourselves.

Were you ready for the incredible response to the campaign, having raised over $200k of your $40k goal? How did you handle it?

No, it was a nice surprise. We knew how much work was ahead of us, so there were no celebrations or anything like that. We immediately got started. We also incorporated many suggestions from fans, for example, the “chicken hero” and the “bee familiar” were included in Catacombs Third Edition as direct result of comments received during the campaign.

What’s next, are you working on any new games?

Yes, three new titles set in the Catacombs universe. One is a card game being designed by one of the original Catacombs designers, Ryan Amos, another is a direct expansion to Catacombs and the third takes Elzra’s Dexterity Game System and turns it into a competitive experience. The Catacombs Third Edition product line looks set to become available in additional languages as well.

Finally, the Catacombs Third Edition base game and the Cavern of Soloth expansion will be available at retail before the end of 2015.

To learn more about Catacombs, the Cavern of Soloth and Elzra Games, please visit them at Elzra.com

After running 10 successful Kickstarters, we think it’s pretty safe to say that Don Moyer of Calamityware is something of an expert in running a crowdfunding campaign or two. Don and his partner Lynnette Kelley were recently featured on Kickstarter’s Google+ Creators Hangout and shared quite a bit of useful, real-life experiences they encountered on their crowdfunding travels.

This interview was originally posted on October 7, 2015. We added an AI-generated transcript on October 4, 2024.

Calamityware is still a client of Fulfillrite. To date, they have launched over seventy Kickstarter campaigns!

Start of Interview

Julio Terra: All right. Welcome everybody to this week’s Creators Hangout here at Kickstarter. My name is Julio Terra. I’m an outreach lead for design and technology at Kickstarter, and I’m going to be your host today. I’m really happy that we have Don Moyer and Lynette Kelley joining us. They are prolific creators, having completed 12 projects, with their 13th project live right now. They’ve worked on everything from plates to mugs, bandanas, prints, and their current project is a great puzzle. Their work always has a special touch of humor and whimsy. Many of you probably already know their work, but if not, you should definitely check it out. I’m a huge fan.

Before I turn it over to them, I just want to remind everyone that this is a live conversation. You can submit questions through the Google Hangouts page, Facebook, or tweet them to Kickstarter Tips. So, Don and Lynette, thank you very much for joining us.

Background and Introduction

Lynette Kelley: You’re welcome. Thanks for having us. Great to be here.

Julio Terra: To get us started, I wanted to hear a little bit about your background. What were you both doing before you started CalamityWare and all the projects you’re now running?

Don Moyer: I’ll start. For 40 years, I was a graphic designer and writer, solving problems for corporate clients. Recently, I retired and now get to indulge in projects I like to do—no clients, just me. So everything is about Don having fun.

Julio Terra: Awesome. So, I guess that answers the next question I wanted to ask—when you started, did you have a sense of where you wanted to take it? Did you plan for it to become as big as it has, or was it initially just a small side project?

Don Moyer: My dream has never been, and still isn’t, to build an international juggernaut of commerce. I’m just trying to do projects that I think are fun, and Kickstarter is perfect for that. It lets you find others who want to support a project. When I launched the first project, I didn’t know if it would succeed, but it was nice that it did. Then I got hooked and did a second one, and so on.

First Project Experience

Julio Terra: Awesome. Let’s talk a bit about your first project. You mentioned that you weren’t sure if it would succeed when you launched it. Can you tell us more about that experience? What were your expectations, and what was the biggest challenge you faced?

Don Moyer: Sure. Let me give you a little backstory. I love to draw and keep sketchbooks where I draw every day. Right now, I’m working on octopuses. A few years ago, I inherited an old blue willow pattern plate, and I thought it would be fun to draw one in my sketchbook. When I finished, I felt like it needed a pterodactyl to make it more fun. When I posted that on Flickr, where I share my sketchbook, people started saying, “That would be nice if it were a real porcelain plate.” So, I looked into it, and it seemed feasible to have plates made.

I had always wanted to do a Kickstarter, so I defined the project on the platform just to see what would happen. The result was a plate similar to this one, which became our first project. We had a couple hundred backers who wanted to have dinner with flying monkeys, and the project succeeded. That opened my eyes to all the logistics and administrative details, which wasn’t my focus at the time. That’s where Lynette and her husband Jack came in.

Joining the Team

Lynette Kelley: I’ve worked with Don for almost 20 years at the design firm he founded, and that’s how we know each other. Last May, in the middle of the third plate project—the sea monster plate—it really took off, and Don was overwhelmed with all the details. Jack and I were very interested, so we asked Don a lot of questions. Even though he’s retired, he still comes to the office hangout. Somehow, we just decided to help him out.

So, we’ve been on board since then, helping with the back end of things. I handle the operational tasks, customer service, and accounting, while Jack is in charge of marketing. He helps keep our customers informed and engaged with CalamityWare.

Building a Community Around Your Projects

Julio Terra: Awesome. And building on that, one of the things you’ve done very successfully is build a community around your projects. Your first project had around 350 backers, if I recall correctly. Now, with your dinnerware projects—plates specifically—you average over a thousand backers per project. How have you been able to grow the community and keep it healthy?

Lynette Kelley: Back in May of last year, in the middle of the Sea Monster plate, we were picked up by Colossal.com. That turned out to be a colossal boost for our audience, and that plate really took off. I think our customer base has built itself from there. We got another boost when we did the mugs this past summer, again from Colossal.

That kind of outreach has been a big help. It’s funny how one mention from Colossal leads to many other bloggers becoming interested in our product. We get a lot of free advertising without even being directly contacted. So, finding that one special niche that gets you a lot of visibility can really help grow your community. We’ve been fortunate to have that connection.

Organic Growth and Outreach

Julio Terra: How did that happen for you guys—was it purely luck? And what kind of work were you doing before to get the word out about your projects?

Don Moyer: I’d say it’s about 66 percent luck. The rest is something you can control by trying to reach out to people who might be interested. With all these projects, we’re aiming for products that are beautiful, utilitarian, and funny. That’s not for everyone, but for the people it does resonate with, it works well. When a blogger gets it and likes the idea, they want to write about it and share it with their audience. But connecting with them isn’t exactly a science.

Julio Terra: What about your actual backers? I know you’re averaging around 1,100 backers per project since your fourth one. Do you keep track of how many of those are repeat backers? Do you do anything to actively cultivate that relationship between projects?

Lynette Kelley: We don’t have a great system for tracking all of that, but I did go through the projects recently to see who has backed everything. We have about 30 people who have backed every single project. To those 30 people, if you’re watching, we are very grateful! We reach out to those people to thank them specifically for their support. They’re very important to us.

Why Kickstarter Works for CalamityWare

Julio Terra: It’s impressive how many products you’ve launched on Kickstarter. You even have your own website now, but what keeps you coming back to Kickstarter to launch new products and designs?

Don Moyer: Kickstarter is perfect for me because all my projects are experiments. I want to see what amuses me and what will amuse the people following me. I could be wrong, so Kickstarter allows me to present a project and get feedback without the financial risk. Traditionally, people would make things and then fill their basement with unsold stock. Kickstarter makes that problem go away.

Julio Terra: That’s great. A quick reminder for everyone—if you have questions for Don or Lynette, feel free to submit them through Google Hangout, Facebook, or tweet to Kickstarter Tips.

Advice for First-Time Creators

Julio Terra: Now that you have 13 projects under your belt, if you could give advice to the Don who was running his first project, what would you say?

Don Moyer: I’d tell that Don—whether he’s older or younger, I’m not sure with this time travel stuff—watch out for the administrative details. Having 300, 500, or 1,000 sponsors brings a lot of responsibility. The burden of taking care of them is bigger than I anticipated. You’ll need to answer more questions, send more emails, and create more thank-you notes than you’d expect. I’m not complaining—it’s wonderful—but it’s bigger than I imagined.

Lynette Kelley: I’d add that fulfillment was something we underestimated early on. For the first few plates, we relied on the shop that produced them to handle shipping. But by the third plate, with over 2,000 backers, they couldn’t keep up. We didn’t realize that soon enough to adjust, so our customers experienced delays over the summer. Since then, we’ve switched to Fulfillrite in New Jersey, and they’ve been fantastic. They’ve made it possible for us to expand from just plates to bandanas, prints, and note cards. Handling logistics for all of that is much easier now.

Julio Terra: So, partnerships really matter?

Lynette Kelley: Absolutely. Having the right partnerships makes a huge difference.

Production and Fulfillment Challenges

Julio Terra: Let’s talk more about the challenges of producing and fulfilling products at scale. You’ve expanded from just plates to bandanas and prints. How has that process been for you?

Lynette Kelley: Having a great fulfillment center makes things so much easier. For example, if a customer receives a broken plate, I can go into the fulfillment center’s website, copy their order, and ship them a replacement. I can do this within a day, and the customer gets their new plate quickly. That ability to solve problems fast makes customers happy, and that’s important to us. Having good fulfillment partners is key to maintaining good customer service.

Managing Unexpected Challenges

Don Moyer: Great. I want to go back and comment on a couple of questions you asked. One of my hobbies is sponsoring Kickstarter projects that other people are doing, just to see what trouble they run into. I love reading those emails and updates explaining delays, like “the magnetic thing didn’t work,” or “the shoulder straps are the wrong color.” I used to have those problems, but we don’t anymore. My products aren’t innovating new production methods; we use traditional ways of making things. But even then, logistical surprises can still pop up and slow things down.

If I could coach my younger self starting out on the first Kickstarter project, I’d say, don’t assume everything will go smoothly every day. There will be problems, and that’s part of the fun.

Lynette Kelley: It’s important to keep your backers informed. Don does a great job of keeping them updated on the process so that they’re not surprised when something is delayed.

Don Moyer: Most sponsors expect bumps along the way, and they want to hear about them. That’s part of why they’re supporting Kickstarter projects—they don’t expect it to go perfectly, but they do want updates.

Lynette Kelley: Whether the news is good or bad.

Planning a Kickstarter Campaign

Julio Terra: Let’s talk about planning for a campaign. There’s a lot of work that goes into it before you click the launch button. Since you’ve done so many campaigns, how do you approach the planning process?

Lynette Kelley: It’s funny you ask that because just last week, I made a to-do list for our team covering everything we need to do from start to finish for a Kickstarter project. I was shocked by how long the list became! I was assigning tasks—things Don does, things I do, and things Jack does. There’s a lot involved. But I’ll let Don talk about the pre-launch work because he typically starts it.

Don Moyer: Kickstarter provides plenty of tools and advice to help with planning, so it’s not a mystery the first time. Planning a project is about pinning down a thousand details. You have to define the product or reward, figure out how to make it, who’s going to help you make it, and who’s going to help you deliver it. A big question is always, what funding level are you shooting for?

Julio Terra: That’s actually one of the next things I wanted to ask—how do you determine how much money to ask for? I get that question from creators a lot.

Setting Funding Goals

Don Moyer: The advice I give people is, make sure you ask for enough, because you can’t go back and ask for more. That’s not how Kickstarter works. So the goal needs to be high enough, but I like to set it as low as possible to reduce anxiety about reaching it. Remember, for me, this is all about having fun.

Julio Terra: So you’re saying set it as low as possible, but ensure it’s enough to cover costs?

Lynette Kelley: Exactly. In our case, we always calculate based on what we need to produce, like 3,000 puzzles or plates. We figure out the bare minimum cost to do that—just enough to pay the manufacturer. That’s how we set our goal, and why it ends up being low. Don wants to make sure the project happens because it’s fun for him, so the goal has to cover costs but be achievable.

Future Product Plans

Julio Terra: That’s great. One of your fans, Kelly, is asking, “When are you going to make bowls to match the plates?”

Lynette Kelley: That’s a good question, Kelly.

Don Moyer: I think it will be early 2016. The designs are almost perfect, and I’m working out some production details. We’re working on it.

Lynette Kelley: It’s coming.

Don Moyer: Small plates will be coming at the same time too.

Julio Terra: Make sure to follow that planning checklist!

Don Moyer: Absolutely.

Storytelling on Kickstarter

Julio Terra: Moving on, one of the things I often tell creators is that Kickstarter isn’t just about raising money—it’s a storytelling platform. You’re telling the story of an idea you want to bring to life, and you want people to help you on that journey. Can you share your approach to storytelling on Kickstarter and any recommendations you have for other creators looking to bring their products to life?

Don Moyer: I’m not sure my approach would work for everyone, but I believe in showing my enthusiasm for the project. At its core, that’s all I’ve got—something I’m excited about doing, and I hope others want to help me do it. So, I show up in the video, explain why I think this idea is important, and talk about why the product is beautiful, useful, and funny.

I also try to keep the video as short as possible. I wish I could get it down to 10 seconds!

Julio Terra: Your newest video is really short—funny and short!

Don Moyer: Yeah, they’re under a minute now, which I like. They don’t have to be short, but they do need to show enthusiasm. I get nervous when a Kickstarter project looks like a corporate attempt to launch a product, with no personality or character. That doesn’t feel right to me, but it might work for others.

Effective and Wasteful Marketing Tactics

Julio Terra: We touched earlier on how being featured on Colossal.com was big for you. Are there any tactics you’ve tried that didn’t work or felt wasteful? And what’s been your most useful tactic?

Don Moyer: Let me start with what was wasteful—that’s where my mind goes first. Two things come to mind. First, you might be tempted to think your friends and family will be a good source of support, but that’s not true. I won’t get into the details, but if you think your sponsors will come from your close circle, that’s not where they are.

Lynette Kelley: We’ve also tried a few crowdfunding marketing services that reach out during campaigns, offering to help with promotion. Every time we’ve tried those, it hasn’t been successful. We haven’t seen any significant boost or movement in the campaign metrics. It just doesn’t feel like it’s been worth the investment.

Avoiding Events

Julio Terra: Have you guys ever done any events to showcase your beautiful products? Has that ever worked or been attempted?

Don Moyer: Well, Don’s not an event guy. I would pay extra to stay home during an event, so no, I’m not putting anything like that on my calendar.

Lynette Kelley: Yeah, we’ve never done that sort of thing.

Julio Terra: Just a quick shout-out—we’ve got about seven minutes left. If anyone has more questions, please submit them through Google Hangout, Facebook, or Twitter using #KickstarterTips. One thing I think is awesome is how you’ve been able to build a business around these amazing creations. You now sell them on your own website. Can you talk about how you’ve structured your process to make these creations into products you can sell on an ongoing basis?

Building an Ongoing Business

Lynette Kelley: Sure. When Don finished the first project, there were extra plates left over. He didn’t know what to do with them, so he started the online store at Calamityware.com. That’s really how it all began. Each time we run a project, we order more than we need, and then we sell the remaining stock through the website. Jack does a great job managing the site—handling the look and feel, processing orders, and keeping everything running smoothly. It almost runs itself because Jack manages it so well.

Julio Terra: So, just to clarify, you produce more than what’s needed for Kickstarter, and then you sell the extras? Once a plate sells out, is that it, or do you restock?

Lynette Kelley: That’s a great question. We talk about this all the time. For plates 1, 2, 3, and 4, we reordered when stock got low because we wanted enough for holiday sales. But we don’t always know what the future holds. Some items may not get reordered. We play it by ear, and a lot depends on what Don wants to do.

Don Moyer: Yeah, I’m inclined to let things run out of stock. Once they’re gone, they could be gone because I’m focused on designing the next product. I’m always thinking about what’s coming next—bowls, cookie jars, snowshoes, whatever—but not necessarily on keeping old items available.

Lynette Kelley: Occasionally, we also add small products to the website that never went through Kickstarter, like note cards or pocket squares. They’re just fun little things Don wanted to do. We do small, limited runs and sell them directly through the site.

Handling Updates

Julio Terra: Let’s touch on updates for a moment. You mentioned earlier how important it is to keep backers informed. Can you elaborate on how you handle updates during and after the campaign?

Don Moyer: I love doing updates. I want people to back my projects just so they can get my updates! I try to pace them at least a week apart, usually two or three weeks, depending on what’s happening. My updates always include images and actual news. I don’t like updates that don’t have any real content. I enjoy writing the updates almost as much as creating the original project.

Lynette Kelley: In addition to Kickstarter updates, we also send out a newsletter every two weeks to all our subscribers. It’s similar—we try to share news, even if it’s just updates like “this product is shipping” or “this is in production.” We aim to keep people interested and informed.

Julio Terra: Do you approach updates differently when a project is funding versus after it’s funded and you’re working on fulfillment?

Don Moyer: I think of updates more as progress reports—telling backers how we’re doing, not begging for more sponsors. I usually set the funding goal low, so we hit it within 24 hours, and there’s no time to worry about getting more backers. The updates are really about how things are going, what problems we’ve encountered, and how we’re solving them. Sometimes, there’s even good news, like when things are ahead of schedule.

Future Plans

Julio Terra: As we wrap up, what can you share about your plans for the future?

Don Moyer: I’ve got a bucket list of at least a hundred projects I’d love to do before I kick the bucket. I won’t get to them all, but as long as I have the energy, there are a lot more I want to create. In 2016 alone, there could be nine projects—if Jack and Lynette let me! We’ve got some cool stuff planned—more plates, small bowls, cookie jars, puzzles, prints, and some surprises.

Julio Terra: It’s been such a pleasure talking to both of you. And a big thanks to Jack in the background for keeping everything running smoothly. To everyone else, thanks for joining us, and we hope to see you next week for another Kickstarter Creator Hangout. Thanks again!

Lynette Kelley: Thank you!

Find Calamityware

You can check out Calamityware’s cool line of plates, bandanas and more at Calamityware.com and follow them on twitter at @calamityware

Maybe you’re thinking about running a crowdfunding campaign – where do you start? There are a hundred websites and guides which count down the steps to successful crowdfunding, but what about the abstracts, such as building community and engaging with them?

We sat down with veteran crowdfunder Jamey Stegmaier, head of Stonemaier Games and author of A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide: Build a Better Business by Building Community, to talk a little bit about his new book, social strategies and approaches and how communication – and community – is king.

Historical Note: Since this interview, Stonemaier Games has gone on to publish popular games including Scythe and Wingspan. Jamey’s Kickstarter Lessons blog continues to receive a lot of traffic even in 2024 and his book is considered a staple in the crowdfunding world.

Who is Jamey Stegmaier?

Q: Thank you for taking the time to chat about your book and answer some questions. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Sure! My name is Jamey Stegmaier, and I’m the co-founder and president of Stonemaier Games. We make strategy games like Viticulture, Euphoria, and Between Two Cities. I also write a blog about crowdfunding—I’ve used Kickstarter to fund the first print run of all of our productions—at www.kickstarterlessons.com, and I wrote a book to help other creators called A Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide: Build a Better Business by Building Community.

Q: So, how did this book come about? 

My crowdfunding blog—which I’ve written since funding Viticulture on Kickstarter in 2012—focused on tabletop game projects for a while, and most creators in that space are aware of it. But there are so many other things that people can create via crowdfunding! I was contacted by an agent who saw the potential for a book to reach a much wider audience and help more people than the blog, so I decided to write such a book.

Really, I just want to help other creators—those who are actively creating and those who want to create something, but need a little nudge. Also, I think the core principle in the book of putting other people first (which has a hugely positive impact on the long-term business) is a message worth sharing.

Historical Note: As of October 2024, Crowdfunder’s Strategy Guide holds an average score of 4.23 out of 5 on Goodreads.

Book vs. Blog Writing

Q: How did writing a non-fiction book differ from writing your blogs? Was it difficult to merge the two? It must have been pretty tricky running Stonemaier Games and writing the book at the same time.

It was different. While I try to write the blog in an accessible way, it’s very mechanical and step by step. I wanted the book to read more like a story. So at first I focused on my story, and over time I added more and more stories from other creators. I still borrowed a lot of my lessons learned for the book, though—they’re just expressed in a different way. And yes, it was tough to write the book and run the company at the same time! I can’t imagine doing that right now.

Q: Your book is very comprehensive in the way that you present crowdfunding product categories in a general approach and not focused on your niche, which is games. In respect to games, do you think their increased popularity is a natural evolution or has crowdfunding played a bigger part?

I think crowdfunding has had a significant hand in the booming board game industry. It’s put games in front of millions of people who didn’t realize how popular games are. I think popularity gives us permission to do something we’ve always wanted to do, and most people like to play games (in some form—not necessarily board games). A Kickstarter page clearly conveys popularity—or lack thereof—to people who otherwise have no idea how a product sells.

What does it mean that the “crowd is the new gatekeeper?”

Q: “The crowd is the new gatekeeper.” Cultivating a community and keeping them active and engaged is a key point throughout the book and in fact, is possibly more important than the campaign itself. What would be the 3 most important avenues to pursue when just starting to build a community?

Exactly, you summed that up really well. Let’s see, 3 most important avenues:

1. Have a platform. Whether it’s a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and/or e-newsletter, start a platform and create some sort of content there at least once a week. This gives people a place to stay in touch with you after they discover you, and it might be the way many people discover you for the first time. Also, if people show up at your platform and engage with you, make sure you’re part of that conversation too. No one likes talking to a brick wall.
2. Hang out where such communities already exist. Whether it’s online or in the real world, there are tons of communities for pretty much everything. Find the communities that are connected to the thing you’re trying to make and become a part of them.
3. Be generous. The best way to attract people to you is to be generous with your time, talent, information, and money. Conversely, the best way to turn off people is to be purely self-serving and self-promotional.

Historical Note: In 2015, the games category on Kickstarter raised a total of $84.6 million. As of October 4, 2024, a total of $2.42 billion has been raised since 2009.

The importance of building a community

Q: You talk about one mistake you made with the Viticulture campaign was not building an active community within the board game category. Who DID you communicate with, who were you targeting?

That’s very true. In the board game space, there’s an amazing website called BoardGameGeek. I love board games, and I should have been involved on that site for a long time. But I wasn’t. However, those with whom I did communicate were bloggers, and that made a big difference on my first campaign.

Q: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” – Simon Sinek.  What are some signs of campaigns that are transparently not in it for the right reasons, insincere? Is this perception something that could be turned around?

This is a tricky question. I know the answer, but I don’t want to assume that the creators are purely in it for the “wrong” reasons. Basically, if your pledge levels aren’t compellingly and fairly priced, that’s a little bit of a red flag to me. Every creator has the right to make a profit, but there’s a fine line between profit and greed. So it’s not really about perception in this case—it’s about pricing.

Early bird rewards

Q: Early-bird rewards: Your outlook regarding early-bird rewards is that it creates a winners/losers situation, but couldn’t it also portray that sense of urgency/building momentum also present in a campaign? Several recent highly successful runs offered them, such as the Baubax Travel Jacket and Nebia Showerhead.

Sure, plenty of successful campaigns have implemented strategies. That doesn’t make those strategies good, though. 🙂

Here’s the deal: A crowdfunding campaign is an early-bird reward. It’s a condensed amount of time during which a backer gets the best version of the thing at the best price. Imagine if there’s a campaign for an awesome thing that you really want, and you discover it the day after the campaign ends. It sucks, but the campaign was live for 30 days, and you missed it. So maybe you go to their website and pre-order the product at an extra expense.

But imagine that you discover a campaign while it’s still live on Kickstarter, and it’s only the second day, but you already missed the best price? That really sucks. You’re just as much a part of the success of the project as someone who discovered it a few hours earlier, but you’re already paying more for it than they are. As a creator, I would never treat my backers that way.

Instead of treating some backers better than others, I’d rather compel people to back the project on day one by creating something awesome, presenting it in an awesome way, and building a crowd in advance so we have a big launch day.

Historical Note: To this day, the use of early bird rewards is hotly debated. You can see a counterargument in this article by LaunchBoom.

Crowd psychology and using feedback

Q: In the book, an anecdote is presented about lines to get into a restaurant. One has no line, the other one a line around the block; which do you judge as being more popular? In that respect, can the sense of urgency also translate into the image of popularity?

I think this goes back to what I was saying about crowdfunding being a way to show non-gamers that a lot of people are actually buying and playing games. If you discover a project that’s raised $200,000 from 5,000 people, it’s going to catch your eye a lot more than a project that is 7% funded with 52 people. As for urgency, I think the limited timeframe of a project plays a role in inspiring people to support a project right away instead of waiting.

Q: When involving the backer community in open discussion about feedback, changing features, etc., do you feel it’s necessary to deliberately plan for changes to your product along the way, working a buffer into the budget?

Absolutely. Building a buffer into your budget is never a bad thing, because you’ll almost always need it. As for the involving the backer community in the design process—thus building a strong, loyal fan base and a better product along the way—I think the key is to launch the project with a 95% finished product, and leverage the crowd to complete that final 5%. Just make sure you know what that 5% is, because once the crowd starts to pick away at the 95%, you’re in trouble. 🙂

Building an audience

Q: You talk about the importance of blogging to build your community and connect with like-minded fans. What if the campaign creator simply doesn’t have that gift of gab? As a writer, do you have any tips for someone to get started?

If a campaign creator isn’t interested in creating content of any kind, crowdfunding is going to be really rough on them! I’d say this: We all have our preferred way to communicate. Figure out what that is and connect it to online content creation: blog, Facebook page, podcast, or YouTube channel. Once you figure out which one is best for you, the key is to create something. Don’t wait until you have a brilliant idea or inspiration or until you buy all sorts of equipment and domain names and graphic design and all that. Just turn on your microphone or webcam or free WordPress blog and create something. The biggest barrier is that first step.

Q: There is a great moment, which you talk about in the book, the moment when you find out and announce that after all your hard work, Viticulture is indeed happening. Hope you don’t mind if we share.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jameystegmaier/viticulture-the-strategic-game-of-winemaking/description

Sure! That was one of the best days of my life.

Final Thoughts

Q: What do you hope will be the key takeaway for your readers and what 3 words of advice would you give someone starting from scratch?

The key takeaway from my book and my experiences is that you are your own gatekeeper. That’s 5 words! If you have a burning desire to create something, the tools and platforms are now available for you to do so as long as you take the first step to actually start creating. Good luck!

Visit Jamey at Kickstarter Lessons and follow him on twitter at @jameystegmaier

1. Have a platform
2. Hang out where such communities already exist (whether it is in person or online)
3. Be generous (with your time, talent, information, and money)

This was originally published on October 13, 2015. Edits are limited to formatting and the addition of links and historical notes as well as the addition of links.

Let’s say you have an amazing business idea–but you don’t have the money to get it off the ground. You’d hardly be alone here, since lack of funding is one of the most common challenges that startups run into. That’s why Kickstarter, and other crowdfunding tools are so attractive. Why raise funds from venture capitalists or bankers when you can ask individuals directly?

This is the concept behind Kickstarter, and crowdfunding in general. The appeal is undeniable. And that’s why Kickstarter has been able to help creators raise over $8 billion since its birth in 2009. It seems like everyone from famed author Brandon Sanderson to the creators of Pebble Watch and an unfathomable number of board game creators turn to the platform when it’s time to make money.

Kickstarter culture has become a complex and powerful beast over the last 15 years. So to help give you the context you need to succeed, we’re going to answer a few questions in separate sections. We’ll start by talking about what Kickstarter is, then we’ll discuss how you can use it in business and when it makes sense to do so. Then we’ll give you practical tips and additional resources toward the end.

What is Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform that allows creators to fund their creative projects through the financial support of the crowd. The crowd here being a metaphorical one, dispersed around the world, made up of all kinds of people who are interested in the project.

Kickstarter was founded in 2009 and has since been the go-to venue for the funding of thousands of projects. Campaigns range from films and music to technology and design.

One of the calling cards of the Kickstarter business model is its all-or-nothing funding policy. Creators set a funding goal and a deadline, and they must meet or surpass this goal within the time frame to receive the funds. If the goal is not met, no money changes hands.

Can Kickstarter Be Used To Start A Business?

Absolutely, and in fact, there is a lot of precedent for that these days. Kickstarter is a very popular place for entrepreneurs to raise capital for their startup businesses. Kickstarter, as well as its peers like Indiegogo and Gamefound, allow individuals to present their business ideas to a wide audience. If the audience takes a shine to their offers, they can become backers, letting the entrepreneur secure funding through pre-sales or donations.

A classic example of this is the Pebble E-Paper Watch. It’s the first truly high-profile example of a business that started on Kickstarter. Their campaign in 2012 became the most funded in Kickstarter’s history at the time, raising over $10 million from nearly 70,000 backers. Kickstarter has only grown as a platform since.

Kickstarter has guidelines for starting a project which state that creators are responsible for completing their project and fulfilling each reward. Additionally, projects must fit into one of Kickstarter’s 13 categories, and they cannot fundraise for charity, offer financial incentives, or involve prohibited items.

Can Kickstarter Be Trusted?

Kickstarter has a strong reputation as one of the foremost crowdfunding platforms worldwide. To date, Kickstarter has been home to over 265,000 campaigns and has helped creators to raise almost $8.3 billion dollars since its inception in 2009.

Campaigners are also expected to be very transparent. For one, project funding progress is always publicly visible. Plus, creators are expected to share regular updates on project development and fulfillment of rewards.

As for protections and remedies for backers, Kickstarter ensures that creators are legally obligated to fulfill their promises. If a creator cannot fulfill a project, they must provide a refund or offer an explanation, detailing how funds were used, and the work done towards the project completion.

This does not mean that every single campaign ships and that every backer is pleased. However, given Kickstarter’s status as a platform for businesses to launch products in their early stages, it has been remarkably successful and reliable.

Kickstarter also has a dispute resolution process. It encourages backers and creators to communicate and work out issues amongst themselves. For egregious situations or policy violations, Kickstarter can intervene and take action such as suspending the project or banning the creator.

Why Use Kickstarter Instead of Regular Ecommerce?

To better answer this question, I’d like to share some insights from Darian Shimy, the Founder & CEO of FutureFund. His firm specializes in fundraising and volunteering for K-12 schools, so he has a lot of experience in the fundraising model that Kickstarter is based upon.

Shimy states that one of the primary reasons why you might use Kickstarter is to “assess the viability of a new product before fully developing or launching it. Crowdfunding allows entities to test concepts in a low-risk manner by generating interest and support for proposed products/services in a short campaign.”

The big idea here is that Kickstarter and other tools like it can be used for marketing research. Unlike eCommerce, you can see if there is interest in a product before spending a lot of money manufacturing it. And while eCommerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce certainly have the ability to take preorders, they just aren’t quite as public as Kickstarter and its peers.

In short, Kickstarter can be used for market validation. For many business owners, this alone is worth the time and effort that goes into launching a campaign.

When Would You Choose Ecommerce Over Kickstarter?

Before you launch a Kickstarter campaign, it’s worth considering whether or not it is the best possible fit for your project. As Shimy states, “crowdfunding campaigns typically feature a few defined product reward tiers for a limited period.” In contrast, he states that “eCommerce provides constant browsability and purchasing opportunities.”

Put another way, one purpose of a crowdfunding campaign is to narrow the audience’s focus onto a single item with perhaps a few variants. If the goal is to start a business with multiple products right away, eCommerce is probably a better way to launch. Bear in mind that, should you successfully fund, you can always transition from Kickstarter to eCommerce after funding and fulfillment.

Tips for Starting a Business on Kickstarter

If you are thinking about starting a business on Kickstarter, here is a high-level overview of what you will need to do in order to launch your first project:

1. Define Your Project: Detail what your project is, why it’s valuable, and how you plan to accomplish it. Be precise and thorough to create trust with potential backers.
2. Set a Funding Goal: Analyze your budget carefully. Include production costs, shipping, taxes, and Kickstarter’s fees to set a realistic and achievable goal.
3. Plan Your Rewards: Rewards should be enticing and offer value for money. Consider different tiers to cater to a range of backers. Include behind-the-scenes access or exclusive versions of your product for higher tiers.
4. Create a Compelling Story: People connect with stories. Why are you passionate about this project? How will it benefit your backers? Use this narrative to engage your audience emotionally.
5. Use High-Quality Media: High-quality photos and videos are crucial. They present a professional image and give potential backers a clear understanding of your project.
6. Write Clear, Concise Copy: Keep your text easy to understand and get straight to the point. Use bullet points and headers to make your campaign easily skimmable.

In addition to creating a project, you will also need to promote it as well. Here are a few simple tips to help you with that:

1. Use Social Media: Use platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram to spread the word. Regular updates and engagement with your audience can boost your project’s visibility.
2. Build a Pre-Launch Mailing List: A mailing list is a powerful tool for building hype before your campaign launch. Use lead magnets (like sneak peeks or discounts) to encourage sign-ups.
3. Collaborate with Influencers: Partnering with influencers in your niche can get your project in front of a larger audience. Ensure the influencer’s audience aligns with your target market.
4. Press Releases: Reach out to relevant media outlets and bloggers. A well-written press release can lead to valuable coverage and increased visibility.

Remember, successful crowdfunding requires careful planning, compelling storytelling, and active promotion. Kickstarter can provide a significant boost for your business, but your success on the platform will depend heavily on how much of an audience you are able to build on your own. Then once you have a community, you must proactively engage with your community and deliver on your promises.

Additional Resources For Launching a Kickstarter

Running a Kickstarter campaign is exciting, but difficult! Knowing where to start and what to do doesn’t come easy. That’s why we’ve put together this list of articles to help you run the crowdfunding campaign of your dreams.

If you’re looking for more general advice on how to run an eCommerce business, check out his series of articles instead.

And if you’re a bit further along and you’re worried about shipping and fulfillment, this set of articles will be perfect for you.

Good luck in your next business venture!

You want to launch a Kickstarter.

And, maybe this goes without saying, but you actually want to fund, right?

Everybody’s telling you “build an audience” and “generate leads.”

But what if you don’t know how to do that? Or what to do when you’re live?

What if you want some more hand-holding than that?

That’s where Launchboom comes in. That’s why I’ve brought on Will Ford, President and Cofounder of Launchboom, a company that specializes in helping crowdfunding creators succeed through their accelerator program.

Transcript

This transcript was generated with AI and may contain occasional minor errors.

Brandon Rollins: You want to launch a Kickstarter, and maybe this goes without saying, but you actually want to fund, right? Everybody’s telling you to build an audience and generate leads. Eh, we do that too. But what if you don’t know how to do that? Or what do you do once you’re live? What if you want some more hand holding than just this general advice that you find on the internet?

That’s where Launchboom comes in. And that’s why I brought on Will Ford, the president and co founder of Launchboom, a company that specializes in helping crowdfunding creators. succeed through their accelerator program. Now, we’re going to cut to the interview in just a minute, but real quick, my name is Brandon.

This video is brought to you by Fulfillrite. We ship orders for e commerce and crowdfunding campaigns. Link below for more details. The quotes are free. Now, one last quick note. We edited with a light touch on this interview because we wanted to keep it simple, a little lo fi, and honest. Just like two professionals on a Zoom call.

All right, let’s cut to the interview. All right. So I just started the recording. We’re, uh, I guess about to begin on that. Um, so first of all, well, thank you very much for taking the time today to come onto our channel. I really appreciate it. Yeah,

Will Ford: man, I’m pumped to be here. And, uh, it’s been so much fun working with you like over like the last year.

And, um, when you told me about this, I was excited to be a part of it. So I appreciate you for having me on today. Thank you.

Brandon Rollins: Absolutely. We’re just starting. We’re just getting started out with these kinds of interviews and we’re excited to see where it goes.

Will Ford: No, I think, I think this is so cool that you’re providing all of, um, this information for your audience.

Um, there’s just so many experts in our industry and, um, it’s so cool that you’re inviting, you know, different experts in to kind of share their experiences and just help your community grow and thrive.

Brandon Rollins: Absolutely. Um, so I’ll just jump right into it, like, So, of course, I know what LaunchBoom does.

LaunchBoom is a, is a partner of Fulfill, right? I feel like that’s a necessary disclosure that I should probably just get out there. Um, but for the, you know, general viewing audience, can you explain what LaunchBoom does and how it’s changed over time?

What Launchboom Does

Will Ford: Yeah, yeah. So I founded Launch Boom back in 2015. And the reason I started Launch Boom was because I’ve always been very involved launching consumer products.

And before I learned about Kickstarter or Indiegogo, I was doing it the traditional way when it comes to launching new consumer products. So what that looked like was I’d come up with a really cool product idea. Um, I would have to. Place a significant investment of my own into that product idea to figure out manufacturing.

Uh, usually with most manufacturers, you’d have to pay for, you know, half the order up front, and then the other half of the order would have to, you know, get paid, you know, once they are ready to deliver the product. And, um, and so, you know, you’d have to make a significant investment because when it comes to manufacturing new consumer products, um, you’ve got to, Uh, place larger orders or the largest orders possible because with larger volume orders, you get much more, uh, competitive price breaks and that makes it easier for you to make a much better margin when you start selling your product in the, in the market.

And so, um, you know, before crowdfunding, I would have to come up with a lot of my own money. I would have to come up with a clever marketing strategy and then I’d better be right because if I wasn’t right, then I would be upside down before I even get. Right. Because I would have had all this product that I wouldn’t be able to move.

And I’ve been there before too. And it’s not, it’s, it’s a scary place to be in. Like it’s not fun. Um, it’s also kind of risky when you put a lot of your own money into a product before you’ve even validated that there’s demand. We’re people that want to buy the product. And that’s what really turned me on initially to Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

I couldn’t believe that I could take a prototype and I could pre sell that prototype to millions of people all over the world, and I can take their money up front. Before I have to make the product and deliver the product to the end user. Um, and you know, in the early years, you know, Kickstarter and Indiegogo, they’re, they’re fairly, uh, new platforms.

I mean, they both opened their doors like around 2009. So, you know. I couldn’t believe like having gone into those platforms back in like 2010, 2011, and just seeing like all these new product ideas, raising like millions of dollars in pre sales and, you know, being an entrepreneur, Brendan, I was like, wait a minute, if I could pre sell a million dollars with a product, I could place a much larger volume order with my manufacturer and get even better price breaks, right.

And get even better margins. And it was just a much. Safer way to validate demand and launch new consumer products. So when I sold my last company, which was called pep box, um, I had, uh, an advisor on my board, um, and he asked me as soon as we exited that deal, he said, Hey, well, since I helped you through that exit, could you help me in a Navy seal, launch a new consumer product?

Cause now I know you’re available, you know, you’ve sold your company, you’ve got some time, would you mind helping us? And I said, why don’t we take that product? To kickstarter and why don’t we pre sell that product so we can potentially place a larger volume order and help get this product in the market faster with less risk.

And he loved the idea. So he said, Hey, well, I’m a real estate guy. How about I just give you the capital you need and why don’t you just run this for me? So I basically took it into a Kickstarter campaign, but what I did was I really spent about three months before the Kickstarter building my own community.

And I did it through Facebook advertising, Instagram advertising. And I built out this like massive audience that was excited about the product. Before I went to Kickstarter. So when I went to Kickstarter, I set a very conservative goal. So on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, you’ve got to set a goal that you know you can hit, because if you don’t hit that goal, you won’t get any money off the platform.

So you’ve got to hit your funding goal. That’s like rule number one. And so what I would do is I would build this massive email list through Facebook and Instagram advertising. To build my own community of people excited, engaged, ready to buy. So when I go to Kickstarter, I would basically set my campaign goal at like 20 or 30 grand.

And it was a number that I knew I could definitely convert as soon as I’ve launched on Kickstarter. So by the time I turn on Kickstarter, I get my entire campaign funded. Within the first hour when I launched this first product, and when that happens, we became one of the most popular products on Kickstarter at that time.

So they start to promote the campaign to their millions of viewers on their platform by giving us better placement, featuring us in their newsletter. And when that happened, we got this massive organic lift from all the community members of backers that are there looking for really cool projects to back.

And so from there. We were able to raise, you know, huge amounts of money very, very quickly. So that’s kind of when the light bulb went off for me, Brendan, because I was actually looking for more support with doing that pre launch work. And I did a ton of research and there was no one in the world supporting entrepreneurs when it came To Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

And so that’s when I saw a bigger opportunity because I’m like, wait a minute. This is a much smarter way for entrepreneurs to launch new products and it’s less risky and it’s way more effective than the traditional way of doing it. The way I was doing it before Kickstarter. And so that’s when I realized that, you know, there was an opportunity to build an agency to support entrepreneurs all over the world and having what I call.

These launch boom effects, right? And that’s why I named my company launch boom. And I bought launch boom. com on GoDaddy. I’ll never forget it. I bought it for 9. 99. And, um, and that’s when launch boom was born. I, um, partnered up with some really, really sharp marketing marketers here in San Diego. And, uh, they, they, they shared the vision with me.

I was like, Hey guys, if all we do is focus on helping entrepreneurs maximize their crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. We can build the largest agency in the world and we can get there fast. And because no one was doing it, Brandon at the time. So I’ll never forget. So I start launching in 2015 and that first year, now I had to go find projects to launch.

Right. So fortunately I had a really, really. Great track record of launching other consumer products. So I knew a lot of consumer product creators out there. So I just reached out to my personal network in the, in the early year of starting the business. And I was able to sign 15 clients and, um, it was more of a white club service.

So I’d do everything for them. Um, I had basically charged 50 grand upfront. So they had to have some kind of funding in place. Uh, 25 would go into the marketing because we’d have to do like video production, we’d have to create ads for Facebook and Instagram. And then the other half of the budget would go into advertising so I could build that, you know, largest pre launch email as possible before we’d go to Kickstarter or into Yogo and more or less control that outcome.

And so that first year we learned a lot, you know, we had 15 launches. Um, all those launches did phenomenal. They all did like six or seven figures. And then finally I’m like, well, if I’m going to keep growing and scaling this agency, I need more projects. So the riskiest thing I did, Brandon, was I actually flew out to Brooklyn, New York, and I got a meeting somehow.

I don’t even remember how I got it, but I was able to get a meeting with the executive team at Kickstarter. I met with them. I said, Hey guys, this is why our campaigns are doing so well. It’s called pre launch and I actually educated them. As to how we do pre launch, because that was foreign to them at the time.

They just had the platform. They would just launch the products. They just had the backers. They weren’t really doing any support on the entrepreneur creator side. So once I showed them why the pre launch was able to control a better outcome, they loved it. They’re like, Hey, well, you know, we’re more focused right now on continuing to build our backer audience.

So how about we just send you any campaigners that aren’t quite ready to launch with us so we can have bigger, better campaigns on our platform. And as soon as that happened, I went out to San Francisco and I met with Indiegogo’s team and I, I had the same type of conversation with their executive team and they had the same reaction.

They’re like, Hey, will, we’re building our backers. We’re not really able to support the campaigners the way you are. Why don’t we make you a preferred partner on our platform? So by the time 2016 hits a year after we open launch, boom, I’ve got this like floodgates open from Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and they’re sending me all my business.

It was amazing. So 2016, I go from launching, you know, 15 products in 2015 to 2016. Now I’ve launched close to a hundred products. That’s how many new clients were coming in and our agency was growing fast. And at this time, mind you, now people are starting to copy my model, right? So now I have competitors, there’s other agencies starting to.

Kind of pop up in Europe and pop up here in the U S and, uh, which is the best compliment ever. It means, you know, I’m doing something right when people start copying your model. Um, but in the early years, to be honest, as an agency, we were just building an email list, right? And the only issue with just building an email list is that you’re going to get a low conversion rate.

Right. So when you have an email list and you email market back to that audience, we were getting on average, like 3 percent conversions, right? So we’d have to build a massive audience in order to hit those like six or seven figure outcomes. And so at the time, what I was doing was I wanted to create a more efficient process, I wanted to make it easier for my clients to have even.

Bigger, better campaign outcomes. And so we ended up creating something called the reservation funnel.

Reservation Funnels

Brandon Rollins: And this is one of your like big key, unique things that launch boom does. It’s a very specific Launchboom thing.

Will Ford: Yeah. So the reservation funnel, honestly, it was like the biggest game changer for us and the world.

And crowdfunding, because what we ended up doing was we took that email one step further and the idea was okay, great. Now that we’ve got the email interest and they submitted their email because they want us to notify them when we launch. The idea was, well, we’re What if we turn that into an actual reservation to create a more qualified audience?

So the idea was, it was honestly, I took it from Elon Musk when he launched a Cybertruck and he did those like a thousand dollar deposit reservations. And he ended up creating like huge amounts of revenue for Tesla on that one reservation funnel idea. I was like, Hey, I wonder if this would work for crowdfunding.

And sure enough, it did. And so the way it works is once we run a Facebook ad or Instagram ad and someone interested in the product clicks on the ad, what we do is we then pull them into an opportunity to give us a dollar reservation. And what we do is we create a call to action. We say, Hey, we’re launching soon on Kickstarter.

The first thousand backers are going to get a lower price and early delivery. So if you want the best deal before we go to Kickstarter. All you have to do today is place a 1 money back guarantee deposit, and we’re going to guarantee you, um, that you get the very best deal today before we go live. And so what was interesting was we didn’t really care about the dollar.

It was more the transaction because people don’t transact unless they’re serious about committing to a deal. So what ended up happening, yeah, as soon as we turned on this reservation system. We started getting massive conversions. So like I said earlier, when I had that original email list going into a Kickstarter, I’d get a 3 percent conversion, right?

When I took it to through the reservation funnel, if I had a thousand dollar reservations before a campaign, we’re getting 30 percent or greater conversions.

Measuring Purchase Intent

Brandon Rollins: So you’re like really measuring for, for purchase intent when you do that. And that’s one of the things that really helps you. Cause you’re like, you can just take that.

You know, make a lookalike audience out of it or do something else that like really measures for that kind of

Will Ford: thing. Exactly right. And, and, you know, I’ve been at it now for nine years, Brandon. That’s how long I’ve been working on LaunchBoom and we’ve honestly built the most effective product launch system in the world.

And what’s really interesting about what we’ve created is also the lowest cost solution, right? Because I want to be able to help every entrepreneur. I don’t want to just be able to help the funded ones. So when I, in my early years at LaunchBoom. I was really focused on building the world’s largest agency.

The only issue with that model was it only worked for funded startups. Like I said earlier, like I needed a minimum 50 grand investment in that product launch for me to do everything for the client and to be able to deliver a significant outcome of six or seven figures of pre sales, right? So the problem with that model was I could only work with funded startups.

And my agency grew super fast. So from 2015 up until about 2021, we had launched over a thousand successful product launches on Kickstarter on Indiegogo, right? So we were the world’s largest crowdfunding agency. You know, we rang that bell, you know, back in like 2018 is when we got there. And, um, and then the pandemic hit and we went through hyper growth and we exploded.

I went from like. 20 full time employees, uh, pre pandemic to close to a hundred employees by the end of 2021. It was massive growth and, um, it was an exciting time and we were doing incredibly well as an agency. Our clients were thriving. That’s really where we built our brand reputation as the leader in our space.

And then in 2022. Everything changed. And what I mean by that was I had this massive team that was ready to keep scaling the business, but what happened in 2022 was we stopped seeing qualified lead gen come through our lead gen efforts and we stopped seeing like these like funded deals. And what we realized were that creators needed a cheaper option.

They wanted a more affordable solution. And so. That’s when, as the lead gen started to decline in 2022, that’s when we saw a much greater opportunity to turn launch boom into something so much greater than it ever could have been as an agency. And that’s when we decided to kill, intentionally kill our agency and convert it into a crowdfunding community and platform where now we provide coaching, consulting, and we upgraded all of our software and technology.

So the idea was, how can we make it? Easier, more fun for anyone in the world out there with a really cool idea to actually validate demand, lower their risk and be able to successfully launch that product.

Brandon Rollins: It’s acts like an educational thing. Somebody gets involved in the program and they can learn like what they need to do to actually make sure they’re ready for the campaign.

Will Ford: And more than that, they can basically avoid all the headaches that we went through. Over the previous, you know, seven, eight years as an agency, you know, we learned what doesn’t work, what does work, um, we learned, you know, at what point to put cash into advertising or when to scale advertising, you know, there’s so many things we learned along the way.

And so what we decided to do in 2022 was we intentionally killed our agency. Brandon, it was crazy, man.

Brandon Rollins: Yeah, that’s, that’s gotta be a scary decision to make.

Agency to Accelerator

Will Ford: It was, it was probably the scariest pivot I’ve ever made professionally because we already had the most successful agency at the time. And the idea was like, Hey, what if we kill that and we create our own platform and we build crowdfunding tools that make it easier.

We make it way more affordable. So now anyone out there can use a credit card. If they’re bootstrapping and they can go through our proven system, but we can make it way more affordable for them to take that product idea into Kickstarter into Indiegogo and still have the same, if not better outcome that our agency was delivering.

And so we spent the, a lot of the year of 2022 building that out. And, uh, we had to shift some people around on our team into different seats to help support this new idea and model, but it was a huge game changer because now we can work with. Anyone out there that has a really cool product idea and maybe underfunded, or maybe they’re bootstrapping and they’re, they’re using their credit card to support these product ideas and these innovative products that they want to take to market, or maybe it’s someone who’s never done it before and they want to take that first idea from that napkin sketch and they want to turn it into a prototype and actually.

Launch it and turn it into a successful e commerce business, for example, which many of my clients do. And so we ended up creating what I call launch boom 2. 0. Um, the world knows it today as launch boom accelerator. And since we made that pivot, Brandon, we’ve been on, we’re onboarding more clients than I ever dreamed of.

We’re literally adding like a hundred plus new product creators every single month into our community. And the reason they’re coming in is because it is the most. Engaged active community of creators. They’re all supporting each other. They also have access to everyone on my team, myself included. So we have dedicated coaching calls every day.

So depending upon what part of the process they’re in, they can jump on a call with one of our experts. They can get their questions answered. So they get that handholding. Um, now they can do more on their own because we upgraded our technology. So that reservation funnel system I talked to you through a little earlier in this conversation, our clients can now actually build their own reservation funnels.

They can just like drag and drop imagery, messaging, uh, little teaser videos. Um, they can collect their own reservations. They can also. Price test, they can test different lead offers now. So the number one, I’d say pain point most of my clients have when they come to us and they want to launch a new product is they all have the same question.

Hey, Will, how much should I sell my product for? How much do you think I can get for this product? And I always answer that the same way. I have no idea. Let’s figure that out. Let’s use our system and let’s go test different lead offers to figure out what the market will support. So we are now able to do all of that during prelaunch.

So in addition to, you know, building a huge audience of those dollar reservations, we’re also able, before we scale that, we’re able to test different lead offers. And so the other huge advantage we have today, Brandon is. I have over 7 million backers in my database because I’ve retained a copy of every backer from every campaign I’ve ever launched from the beginning.

So what’s really cool is part of our platform allows our clients to access specific audiences that they think are their actual demographic. Uh, buyer, and what we can do is we can upload those audiences into their Facebook or Instagram accounts and do what’s called lookalike audience targeting. So now we can actually place their lead offers or their ads in the organic feeds of backers that have already had one or more successful experiences on Kickstarter IndieGoGo.

So they’re more likely to do it again. So this allows us to get a much, much bigger impact from that ad spend because we actually have data. That they can leverage to bring down that ad cost. So what’s really cool and unique about our system is what we’re really doing in essence, Brandon, is we’re helping all of our clients fail fast and fail cheap.

The Launchboom Method

Brandon Rollins: Yeah. And I think that’s like, that’s huge. Cause let me think about this, like. Just kind of recap, like the basic process you’ve got at the very top, you’ve got like lead offer testing, or I don’t know if that’s the right word, but like, let’s just say offer testing. Like you’re actually testing the pitch and the price, and then you get into the more granular stuff, which is like.

Add copy imagery and that kind of stuff. And like, as you go down, it’s like, is this the right offer? Are we making the right basic pitch? And then after that, I assume, and I haven’t like worked with you guys in this capacity yet, but it’s gotta be in there. You guys will help them put together that page, make sure that nothing on there loses the conversions, and then you just kind of go through this process.

And then once you get to that point, um, and somebody’s got enough leads. They’re selling the right thing. They’ve got enough leads, the campaign page looks good. Then it is, here’s how you run it. Here’s how you ship it. And here’s how you, you know, go to e comm and it gets like progressively easier because it’s like, I feel like the what is so much harder than the how.

Like you can find anything in the world on the how, but the what is a really hard thing and helping people figure out what is like probably one of the most valuable things that. People don’t really think about too much.

Will Ford: Yeah, no, I’d say today what’s really interesting about my business at Launchboom is we have thousands of active clients right now that are either preparing to launch, they’re live on Kickstarter, you know, so they’re Actively funding their projects right now, or pre selling their products.

And then we also have a group of clients that have finished crowdfunding. That we’re helping, uh, transition into e commerce, right. And we’re helping work through their manufacturing. So we also provide another program called source boom. And the idea is like, you know, once we get through crowdfunding.

Well, let’s help our clients source the best, you know, sourcing experts, manufacturing experts, and deliver the best possible experience to those backers. So now we truly set them up for success because now they will have great products landed and ready for e commerce or Amazon or retail. So it’s, I’d say the coolest thing about what we do at LaunchBoom is what we’ve pioneered.

Which is what I call pre launch. It’s all about figuring out how to maximize the product launch potential. But we do all the heavy lifting before we get to Kickstarter or Indiegogo. And so we start with messaging, positioning. How can we position that product to appeal to the greatest amount of people out there in the world?

But we also start with like market research. So we look at, okay. Who are your competitors in this landscape? What, what makes your product unique, superior, different to those competitors? And then we look at what are the price points of those competitors? What’s a realistic price that we can put on your product to help you maximize that average order value?

And that’s also how we help protect our client margins through this process. Now that we’ve done that messaging positioning work. Now let’s go test. Let’s go see if people will pay this much money for this product. So what we do is we create different reservation funnels. We create different lead offers, and then we basically point those advertisements on Facebook, on Instagram, and we look at the data.

We look at what’s converting. We look at, we look at what’s the cost to acquire that 1 reservation, right? So what’s really, really cool about what we’ve done is we’ve created a data driven process that literally will tell our clients before we get to Kickstarter, how much money they’re going to be able to raise, whether or not they’re going to have a big enough campaign to support the manufacturing requirement they need.

Cause every manufacturer is different. Everyone has different minimum orders that they have to place in order to successfully produce and deliver that. Experience to that backer. So the beauty of my system is today. I’ve got thousands of clients here at LaunchBoom. I’d say half of them are like super green.

They’re maybe launching their first or second product ever. The other half of my clients are very successful e commerce brands, and they love my system because they can validate. New product demand faster for lower cost. And if they get great data, great. Now they put more time and resources and we go hard into Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

And we generate thousands of new loyal backer customers through the experience. And we make it easier for them to produce, deliver, and move into that e commerce or Amazon or retail opportunity or all three. Just depends on the client that we’re working with. And so what’s so cool about what we’ve built that launch boom is we’ve got this data driven pre launch process that allows us to actually control the launch outcome.

So we’re not guessing anymore. And so I’d say that is. Probably the number one differentiator with launch boom and anyone else in the world right now is that if you’re out there and you’re interested in launching a physical tangible consumer product, if you come into launch boom, we can tell you within a matter of months, whether or not you should put more time and resources into it because we can find.

For a much lower budget, I’m talking like under 10 grand, we can find whether or not it’s worth putting more time, more resources into going big on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, because in some cases we might take a client through pre launch and the data isn’t positive, right? Or we can’t get people to, uh, you know, put a dollar reservation down because, you know.

For whatever reason, you know, there’s an issue with the product or, uh, the value prop isn’t there, or there could be a variety of reasons, which really cool is that we can actually, um, run surveys, uh, to the people that did show interest and we can ask them what they liked, what they didn’t like. And so it gives our clients an opportunity to potentially iterate and improve that product.

And then we’ll test it again.

Brandon Rollins: This is also key because I feel like people really sleep on the possibility of just starting work on a project and then doing the research and then quitting because it doesn’t actually make sense from a market perspective. There’s no shame in that. It’s like, I’ve got a lot of, um, board game, you know, general contacts that are out there and it is a running joke.

In every game designer’s life that they’ve got like 20 games that are sitting on a shelf somewhere and one of them makes it to market because it’s like you table that and some of them you just like you play them a few times and it’s just not worth continuing. And if you’re able to do that on like a market level, figure out if anybody’s actually going to buy the darn thing in the first place, you can potentially save somebody tens of thousands of dollars, probably more than the accelerator costs.

Program Cost

Let’s be honest. Uh, what, what’s the cost by the way to, to get in there? Like, is it a month a month

Will Ford: kind of thing? Yeah. So, so yeah. So right now, just to be direct, like Brandon, it’s. A one time cost, 9, 800 to take your product into my system that gives you access to my team members here at LaunchBoom. It gives you access to all the perks for being in the community.

So you’ll get access to like our partnerships, like Fulfillrite, right? So we can help you not only like have a successful crowdfunding campaign, but also what happens after crowdfunding. We can help actually set you up so you can actually start scaling and growing and building a profitable business. We have e commerce partners, we have Amazon partners.

So the beauty of our system is it’s a one time cost. Um, if someone out there, if 9, 800 is like a scary number, we have payment, we have payment plans now. So people can use credit cards and make like monthly, quarterly payments. If that helps them, you know, take their idea to market and do it within their financial means.

So we literally have like the lowest cost, but by far the best solution in our industry right now. And that’s why we’re having so much success because it’s a system. That basically controls the outcome for every single product that we turn on. So literally we only go live on Kickstarter or Indiegogo when we control the outcome.

When we know we can raise enough money to actually build, manufacture and deliver an awesome experience to that backer. And that’s the hardest part because at that point, now that you validated demand and now that you have happy customers, well, now you also have product. So now you can turn on your e commerce store.

Now you can turn on your Amazon channel, or now you can start shopping those, those retail connections to get your products into Walmart or, or target, or, you know, wherever you want to sell.

Pivoting to Retail

Brandon Rollins: And it’s like, it’s honestly on Amazon, if you’ve got the right product and then even in a somewhat decent looking page with all the A plus content and whatnot.

It can be like seven bucks to get a purchase. It’s not that hard to get big purchases on Amazon, especially not if you’ve already gone through a Facebook ad driven process, a Kickstarter driven process. It’s like by the time you get through that, you’re probably kind of a lock for Amazon success

Will Ford: as well.

Yeah, yeah, definitely. You know, at the end of the day, like when it comes to launch boom, the reason I still love what I’m doing here is because we truly have built the most effective product launch system that I know of. And we continue to iterate. We continue to improve it. The idea and goal for launch boom is we want to make it fun.

We want to make it easy and we want to make it as affordable as possible. So anyone. In any part of the world that has this idea of burning in their mind that they’re dreaming about, that they’re thinking about, that they want to launch, that they can actually launch it now, even if they’re underfunded.

Right. And they can actually take that idea, turn it into a real profitable business. And if we do this and continue doing this well, Brandon, my goal is I’m not going to stop doing what I’m doing until I’ve helped over a million entrepreneurs, uh, take their product ideas. And turn them into profitable businesses.

Once I’ve done that, I’ve truly made a positive impact on the world. And that’s what we’re doing here at Launch Boom. And that’s what makes it fun. It’s just seeing like all these campaigns do so well. So what’s cool about that pivot I told you about earlier, when we killed the agency and we pivoted over to this coaching consulting platform, we’re launching more products than we ever dreamed of launching.

So on average, we’re launching like eight to 10 products every single week. All year long and they’re all doing phenomenal, like they’re all doing super well.

Brandon Rollins: And the beautiful thing is like, you’re not trading your time for money anymore or having or paying someone else to do that. And at the same time, you’re able to give people something that is quite a bit less expensive.

Like I know, and I’ll be honest with you, if you’re like really scrappy starting up and you do this with like shoestring budget, the little bit of savings from a job, 9, 800 is a terrifying figure. Like I, I launched my first campaign when I was driving a 1, 500 car for comparison, but, but like, honestly, when you compare that to agency fees, like a good marketing agency, a mid range price is probably a hundred, hundred, 10, 120 an hour.

I mean, like we’re talking mid range, like probably low mid range, um, at this point, and that stuff adds up so, so, so unbelievably fast, especially when you’re talking market research, product validation. This isn’t even getting into advertising expenses. 9, 800 is actually like quite a bit lower than that, and it mitigates quite a bit of risk.

Access to Additional Funding

Will Ford: I mean, I mean, Brandon, what’s even cooler about kind of where we are today at LaunchBoom is like, I’d say another one of like the top number one pain points are funding, you know, a lot of my clients are like, Hey, well, can you invest in my company? Uh, well, can you help me fund my advertising budget? So I can go bigger on this campaign.

And what’s really cool is I’ve also. Uh, recently found a funding partner that will literally provide my clients with anywhere from like 100 to 200, 000 in interest free credit lines to support these launches, which is honestly more than enough capital, uh, to, to not only like maximize your campaign, but then to get the money out of the platform to easily repay that credit line.

Before any interest is ever due. So, I mean, literally like over the years, because I’ve worked with thousands and thousands of product raters, they all ask the same questions, right. At different parts of the process. So all I’ve done over the last decade is I’ve. Found the best solutions to those questions.

And I literally created a platform that makes it easier, way less risky, and honestly more fun because when you’re an entrepreneur going out alone, it’s lonely, you know, and now you don’t have to, if you come to launch boom, you have a whole community of like minded people that are doing the same thing that want to help.

everyone succeed. And so it’s way more fun when you have a community of other people that are energized and excited about the products are launching and they want to share their resources and they want to make sure like everyone in the community is thriving, which is really what’s happening right now at launch boom.

So, so again, whoever’s listening to this, if you have a product idea. You don’t have to do it alone. You’re not by yourself. There’s a whole group of people worldwide here at LaunchBoom, um, that want to help you, that want to see you succeed. And, um, again, you don’t have to go at it alone anymore.

Brandon Rollins: Absolutely.

Now, follow up question on the financing. Like, of course, getting low interest financing, a lot of folks, you know, they want to see bank documents they want to see or inventory or something like that. Oh, we actually just had an inventory financing guy on. I think that one’s going to be up by the time this is up on YouTube.

But, uh, so with this, it’s like, do they look at the advertising? Do they look at the results and kind of make a determination based on what they think the expected revenues are going to be?

Will Ford: No, honestly, it’s, uh, it’s really interesting. Uh, but the, uh, credit facility that we’re working with, um, for the most part, like if you’re a U S registered business, so if you have a U a U S.

Business entity, whether it’s an LLC, a C corp, an S corp, it really doesn’t matter as long as it has a EIN number and it’s a registered U. S. business, um, they can, they can, they can lend you money. That is good to know we don’t even have to show them add metrics or any data. Like that’s literally all they need to see.

Now, obviously, depending upon how long that business has been around, how long, you know, like, uh, we’ll determine how much money they can lend you. Right. So like, if you just opened it and you reach out to them a month later, they might not be able to give you a 200 grand. They might only be able to give you a 30 or 50 grand, but they can still provide that, that.

That credit line to make

Brandon Rollins: that can still be really useful. Like if you’ve got the metrics that are backing you up, at least like internally, if you look at this and you have a very good reason to think you’ll succeed, but you’re just like 15, 000 bucks short or something could be a good option.

Will Ford: Yeah, totally.

I mean, um, it’s amazing like what resources are available to entrepreneurs today. And, and I’d say that’s probably one of the things that, um, I, I’ve really focused on the last year is providing those resources to my community in my launch room. Uh, platform. And so everyone in my community has access to all these resources that, that I’ve continued to find.

I continue to add them if I think they’re going to add value to my client. And, um, it doesn’t have to be scary anymore. It’s actually the opposite. It’s actually a ton of fun. And, um, and it can be extremely lucrative if you’ve got a cool product idea.

Brandon Rollins: Absolutely. So, um, let me think. Actually, I do have a question after this, but I guess second to last question for now.

Future Plans

Um, so kind of on an unrelated note, what do you see? Um, where do you see launch room going in the next five years? You have any other initiatives in the pipeline that you’re ready to share? Yeah.

Will Ford: Yeah. I mean, like I said earlier, like, Okay. I love what I do here at launch boom. And so does the rest of my team members.

Like everyone is genuinely passionate about supporting these entrepreneurs and succeeding in succeeding with their product launches. And so honestly, the next five years, like I just want to continue to create the lowest cost solution to make it as fun as possible and to help as many entrepreneurs as possible.

And to answer your question directly. Five years from now, I’d like to be as close to that million dollar number as possible. Like I’d love to eventually help a million entrepreneurs, product creators, um, have successful launches. If, you know, and if it takes me 10 or 20 years to get there, so be it, but I’m not going to stop until we get there.

Brandon Rollins: That’s awesome. I think that’s a good goal. So, um, real last question. If there is one thing that you think potential Kickstarter creators need to focus on, just one piece of advice to give them, what would it be?

Parting Advice

Will Ford: Yeah, so, honestly, and I know this might sound a little cliche, but if anyone out there is considering launching a new product on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, you’re going to save a lot of time and a lot of money if you reach out to my team.

And you don’t even have to hire my team. Like, like we have experts that will talk to you. Uh, we’ll, we’ll tell you the ins and outs of crowdfunding. Maybe crowdfunding isn’t the right direction for you. And if that’s the case, we’ll tell you why, and we’ll point you in the right direction, but you can save a lot of time and a lot of headache and a lot of money.

If you talk to someone on my team and, and again, you don’t have to pay any money to do that.

Brandon Rollins: All right. And anybody who’s interested in learning more about Launch Boom, I’m going to include all the links down below in the description so you can easily find them. And from there, you’ll be able to just learn anything that you want to know about Launchboom.

A Cool Success Story

Will Ford: Yeah, yeah. And again, we love learning about new product ideas. We love helping entrepreneurs. So if you’re out there and you’ve got an awesome product idea and you’ve been thinking about crowdfunding, like we’d love to talk to you. Um, But other than that, yeah. I mean, like Brandon, there’s, there’s just been so many like success stories over the years.

Um, like, um, like I know before we had this, uh, you know, this call together today, um, I know, um, you know, you were like, Hey, will, you know, it’d be really cool if you could share like a cool success story, you know, what’s one of the coolest campaigns you’ve ever worked on? Right. And I want to take a minute and talk about that because, you know, there’s so many and a lot of people, they always think I’m going to like talk about like my multimillion dollar, you know, campaigns.

And honestly, a lot of those aren’t my best campaigns, believe it or not, because a lot of those big multimillion dollar campaigns, they spent a tremendous amount on advertising to get there, to be honest. Um, but I’d say like, probably like one of the coolest stories is this, uh, group of entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.

Uh, they reached out to me and they had this really, really cool product. It’s called Spring. And what it is, it’s basically like these like wraps you put around your calves. And, uh, it actually massages your calves, which your calves have one of your major arteries in your body. And so they found that if you wear these, uh, leg wraps on like long, uh, travel or, you know, airplane trips that it totally eliminates like being jet lagged.

Or, or, you know, uh, basically jet lag, it eliminates it. And at a time I was flying all over the world, speaking at conferences about crowdfunding. So they sent me a demo and I would literally wear these leg wraps on their plans. And people looking at me like, what’s on your legs? And it was like this awesome massage the whole time I was.

Traveling on these 10 hour flights or 15 hour flights to Hong Kong or wherever I was going. And, uh, I literally had no jet lag. I’d like land and I’d feel fresh and ready to go. It was amazing. It’s also a really cool product for like people who work out a lot and just kind of like, you know, just really great rehab type tool, uh, for people who are like super into fitness or people who run a lot.

Um, so anyway, they brought the product to me and they’re like, Hey, well. And now that you’ve demoed the product, can you help us launch it? And I’m like, absolutely. It was, it’s a phenomenal product. It’s called Spring S P R Y N G. And, uh, and we ended up launching it on Indiegogo. But before we launched on Indiegogo, Brandon, I took them through my prelaunch reservation system and we couldn’t.

Get any decent conversions. So at the time they’re like, Hey, we’ll, our cost to produce this thing is 30. So eventually we want to sell for 150, but we’re willing to give a deal on Kickstarter at 99 to maximize orders. And I thought that was an incredible deal, right? But today, Brandon consumers are super sharp, right?

So when they saw this really cool looking product with all these like massage features that they thought it was like. Well, what I concluded was that they thought that it was a gimmick or it was a ripoff because it was like almost too good to be true. Like, how can I get this awesome massage device for both my cast for 99 bucks?

It must be, uh, you know, there’s gotta be something wrong here. Right. Like, like consumers just weren’t putting down reservations. They weren’t signing up to, you know, buy the product when we bought, we’re preparing to launch. So I basically did some more market research and I told the guys in Sri Lanka, I was like, guys, listen, you guys have an awesome product here, but your competitors are selling for like thousands of dollars.

And so there’s a huge gap here. I go, I know your cost is 30, but would you allow me to sell this for 189? And then you can go to retail at like 250 or 300. Because it’s a great product and, and you’re undervaluing, um, your, your price, in my opinion. So they said, Hey, well, at this point, we just want this to work.

So whatever you think we need to do, go ahead and test it. So I tested a lead offer at 189. And all of a sudden our reservations were like the lowest cost reservations we’ve ever seen come through. We ended up getting thousands of these dollar reservations. And then when we took it to Indiegogo, we ended up pre selling over a million dollars.

And now mind you, their cost didn’t change their cost is still 30 to produce that unit, but now I just basically like tripled their profit margins, right? Because now I’m selling for 189 versus 99, right? So. As you can imagine their team in Sri Lanka, they love me, right? Because not only did I help them pre sell a million dollars, over a million dollars on Indiegogo, but I made them a huge profit margin on that launch.

And they were able to reinvest that back into their e commerce. And now they’ve got a super successful business. So like, that’s the value of the pre launch. It’s figuring out how to maximize your average order value, how to get people to actually Pull the trigger and transact with you before you get to Kickstarter.

So that’s always a story I love sharing. Uh, just because it again goes back to like really what we’re doing at the end of the day, which is we’re mitigating the risk for all of our clients and we’re helping them position their products and maximize the price of every unit they move through the system.

Yeah,

Brandon Rollins: I think that’s a really good example of just the kind of things you can do because like that’s, that’s one of those things that only you only really figure out that you need to change pricing strategy just through testing it out and seeing what happens. And it’s amazing that that just occasionally happens where people actually perceive something as being a much better product when it has a higher price tag.

Will Ford: Yeah. Yeah. And again, there’s so many other stories like that, but I know you wanted me to talk about kind of a success, a success story. And that always is like top of mind because they were ready to like throw the rag in and call quits on it. And I convinced them to let me continue testing. And because we, we, we repositioned the pricing, we ended up having a major breakthrough.

Yeah,

Brandon Rollins: that’s a pretty amazing story. All right. So at this point, what I’m going to do, probably just between you and me is I’m going to like, probably edit around the order just a little bit. So it’s a little more fluid. So I’ve got my last question last. Then pop on intro and outro, but I think we’re good to go.

I think we’ve got a lot of good video here. All right. I’m going to go ahead and pause this recording. If you could thank you for watching this interview, I appreciate it. And I know that Will at Launch Boom does too. Details on both of our companies are going to be down there in the description. And just in case you missed the name earlier, my name is Brandon.

I’m here on behalf of Fulfillrite. If you need help shipping your orders, go to Fulfillrite. com and request a quote. We’ve shipped for thousands of crowdfunding campaigns, and we would be happy to ship for you as well. The quote doesn’t cost a thing, so if nothing else, you get some good information about pricing.

Link in the description. If you enjoyed this video, please take a moment to like and subscribe. Don’t forget to slap some postage on that bell so we can express ship new videos to you as soon as they drop. And last but not least, if you have any questions, leave a comment down below. I will personally answer as many of them as I can.

Thanks for watching.