Does your sustainable brand run on Shopify? So far in our series of resources for shop owners we’ve shared our Instagram and blog tips, but today let’s back up and focus on the platform. Because so many of our ethical shopping directory members run on Shopify, we thought we’d share why we love this platform and how easy it is to create an even better experience for your customer.
Shopify is created specifically for e-commerce brands so even out of the box themes are user friendly, intuitive, and customizable (although if you have the budget, we recommend investing in a highly custom theme tailored to your specific needs). Rather than being self-hosted, your Shopify site runs on Shopify’s speeder servers and has built in SEO and analytics tools. Shopify also integrates with countless apps to enhance your customer’s user experience and make your site easier to manage. Most apps include a free trial so you can test them out and see if they are working for you before you commit to a monthly fee. Ultimately, your Shopify apps can end up paying for themselves because of the value they add to your store.
5 types of Shopify apps to strengthen customer experience
Rewards Program. Anybody else notice that rewards programs are springing up like wildflowers lately? We’ve implemented several rewards programs into shops over the past year and they are surprisingly easy to set up. Earning rewards makes shopping more fun for your customers and can also increase your revenue as it keeps shoppers coming back for more perks. Our fave Shopify app for rewards is Smile—their free plan comes with a few good options, but if you opt for a higher priced plan, you can apply full design customization, integrate Smile with other apps, and more. Another amazing rewards program app is Loyalty Lion. It can be a bit more pricey but the options and app integration are endless, and LL’s customer support is incredible.
In-stock Notifications. This kind of app adds a signup form to products that are sold out and alerts customers via email when those products are back in stock. Our favorite is Alert Me! Restock Alerts. Customers love being the first to know when an item on their wishlist is in stock again. In the dashboard of this app, you’ll be able to view stats showing how much revenue you’ve earned from your in stock notifications.
Wishlist. Speaking of wishlists! We always joke about having too many screenshots and saved photos on Instagram/texts, making it hard to remember what gems we’ve found in shops and what we actually want to purchase. Integrating a wishlist app for your shop makes it easy for customers to keep all their faves in one spot and come back to purchase them when they’re ready. We love the app Wishify— it adds a little heart to product pages and collection pages, so visitors can easily add products to wishlist page connected to their customer account.
Newsletter Signup Form. We all know how quickly our inboxes can get cluttered with newsletters that we don’t even remember signing up for. What usually gets me to sign up for a newsletter is a discount code or free shipping coupon. If the newsletter has a gorgeous design and personable copywriting, I will probably stay subscribed. A newsletter isn’t just a way to announce sales, it’s a great tool for connecting to shoppers on a more personal level (but more on that later). Shopify has a built-in newsletter feature so all you need is an app to send your subscribers from Shopify to MailChimp, Klaviyo, or whichever email marketing service you use. To connect to Mailchimp, you’ll need to use the ShopSync app, while Klaviyo and many other services have their own apps or custom integration methods.
Accessibility App. Integrating an accessibility app with your shop is more than just a “nice to have”. In 2010, the Department of Justice published the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design which states that “all electronic and information technology must be accessible to people with disabilities.” (source: interactiveaccessibility.com) We recommend installing Accessibly, Accessibility Assistant, or Accessibility Enabler on Shopify asap. This is an easy but important way to show compassion and respect to your customers (…and avoid a lawsuit).
What are your favorite Shopify apps? And, what other Shopify questions do you have for us?
[…] owners! It’s been a minute since we shared resources for you here, but hopefully our past Shopify tips and influencer strategy have proved helpful. To reintroduce myself and this series, I’m a […]