Shopify Store Optimisation: 10 Changes That Will Boost Your Sales in 2026
The eBroadway AI Team
Shopify and eCommerce Agency, Australia
The average Shopify store converts between 1% and 2% of visitors into customers. The top 10% of Shopify stores convert at 3.7% or higher. That gap — from 1.5% to 3.7% — can more than double your revenue from the same amount of traffic, without spending an extra dollar on ads.
These 10 Shopify store optimisations are ranked by impact and cover the most common reasons Australian ecommerce stores lose sales. Most can be implemented without a developer. We have tested every one of these with real Shopify clients.
| # | Optimisation | Impact | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speed Up Your Store | High | Low to Medium |
| 2 | Rewrite Your Product Descriptions | High | Medium |
| 3 | Optimise Your Product Images | High | Medium |
| 4 | Fix Your Mobile Checkout | Very High | Low |
| 5 | Add a Sticky Add-to-Cart Button | Medium | Low |
| 6 | Display Reviews Prominently | High | Low |
| 7 | Set Up Abandoned Cart Emails | Very High | Low |
| 8 | Create a Homepage That Converts | High | Medium |
| 9 | Optimise Your Collection Pages | Medium | Low |
| 10 | Add Live Chat or an AI Chat Agent | Medium to High | Low |
Speed Up Your Store
Page speed is the single biggest conversion killer on Shopify. Research by Google shows that a 1-second delay in page load time reduces conversions by 7%. On mobile, where over 70% of Shopify traffic now comes from, slow stores are abandoned almost instantly.
What to do
- ✓Compress all product images before uploading — use a free tool like Squoosh.app to reduce file size by 60 to 80% without visible quality loss.
- ✓Remove unused apps. Every Shopify app you install adds code to your store, even apps you have stopped using. Audit your apps monthly and delete anything not actively used.
- ✓Switch to a performance-optimised theme. Themes like Dawn (Shopify's free default theme) are significantly faster than many paid themes from the theme store.
- ✓Use Shopify's built-in image optimisation — upload images in WebP format where possible.
Expected result: Reducing load time from 4 seconds to 2 seconds typically increases conversion rate by 15 to 25%.
Rewrite Your Product Descriptions
Most Shopify stores use manufacturer descriptions or thin, feature-focused copy that fails to convert. Your product description has one job: answer every objection a customer has before they ask, and make buying feel like the obvious next step.
What to do
- ✓Lead with the key benefit, not the feature. 'Sleep better every night' beats 'Made from 100% bamboo fabric'.
- ✓Address the top 3 objections your customers raise before purchasing. Check your support inbox and product reviews for these.
- ✓Include specific numbers where possible: weight, dimensions, materials, certifications, warranties.
- ✓End with a one-line urgency or social proof statement: '4,200 customers and counting' or 'Ships same day if ordered before 2pm'.
Expected result: Well-written product descriptions typically increase add-to-cart rate by 10 to 30%.
Optimise Your Product Images
In ecommerce, your images are your product. Customers cannot touch, smell, or try what you sell — your photos have to do all of that work. Most Shopify stores underinvest in product photography and it costs them dearly in conversion rate.
What to do
- ✓Show the product from at least 5 angles, including close-ups of texture, stitching, or finish.
- ✓Include at least one lifestyle image showing the product in real use — this is consistently the highest-converting image type.
- ✓Add a size or scale reference in at least one image (a hand, a ruler, a common object).
- ✓If you sell clothing, jewellery, or accessories: show it on a real person, not just a mannequin or flat lay.
Expected result: Stores that add lifestyle images report a 20 to 40% increase in conversion rate on those product pages.
Fix Your Mobile Checkout
The average Shopify store loses 70% of customers at checkout. On mobile, the number is even higher. Most checkout abandonment is caused by friction: too many steps, too many form fields, no guest checkout, or payment options the customer does not trust.
What to do
- ✓Enable Shop Pay — Shopify's accelerated checkout that pre-fills details for returning customers. Stores using Shop Pay see up to 50% higher checkout conversion.
- ✓Enable all relevant local payment methods: Afterpay, Zip, and PayPal are expected by Australian shoppers.
- ✓Ensure guest checkout is enabled. Never force account creation before purchase.
- ✓Test your entire checkout on a real mobile device every month — not just in a desktop browser's mobile preview mode.
Expected result: Fixing mobile checkout friction is the single highest-ROI optimisation for most Shopify stores.
Add a Sticky Add-to-Cart Button
A sticky add-to-cart button stays visible as customers scroll through your product page, so the call to action is always one tap away. On long product pages with detailed descriptions, this simple change consistently increases add-to-cart rates.
What to do
- ✓Many modern Shopify themes include a sticky add-to-cart option in theme settings — check your theme customiser first.
- ✓If your theme does not support it, apps like Sticky Add To Cart Shopify can add this in minutes.
- ✓Ensure the sticky bar includes the product title, selected variant, price, and the add-to-cart button.
- ✓On mobile, ensure the sticky bar does not cover too much screen space — test on multiple device sizes.
Expected result: Sticky add-to-cart buttons typically increase add-to-cart rate by 8 to 15% on product pages longer than 600 pixels.
Display Reviews Prominently
Customer reviews are the most powerful conversion tool available to an ecommerce store. Research by Spiegel Research Center found that displaying reviews increases conversion rates by 270% for lower-priced products and 380% for higher-priced ones. Despite this, many Shopify stores hide their reviews at the bottom of the page or do not collect them at all.
What to do
- ✓Move your review section higher on the product page — ideally just below the product title and price.
- ✓Display a star rating summary (average stars and number of reviews) right next to the product title.
- ✓Add an automated review request email that goes out 7 to 14 days after delivery. Shopify's native product review app or Judge.me (free) handle this automatically.
- ✓Reply to every review, especially negative ones — your response is visible to all future customers.
Expected result: Adding visible star ratings above the fold typically increases conversion rate by 15 to 25%.
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From full store builds to conversion rate optimisation audits — our Shopify team handles everything from theme customisation to checkout optimisation and app setup.
Explore Shopify Services →Set Up Abandoned Cart Emails
Abandoned cart emails are the highest-ROI email automation available to any ecommerce store. Shopify data shows the average cart abandonment rate is 70% — meaning 7 out of 10 customers who add something to their cart leave without buying. A 3-email abandoned cart sequence recovers between 5 and 15% of those lost sales automatically.
What to do
- ✓Enable Shopify's built-in abandoned checkout emails (Settings > Notifications) — it takes 2 minutes and is completely free.
- ✓For better results, set up a 3-email sequence in Klaviyo: Email 1 at 1 hour (gentle reminder), Email 2 at 24 hours (address objections), Email 3 at 72 hours (offer a small incentive).
- ✓Include a photo of the abandoned product in every email — this dramatically increases click-through rates.
- ✓Keep the copy short and focused on a single call to action: complete your purchase.
Expected result: A 3-email abandoned cart sequence typically recovers $500 to $3,000 in sales per month for stores doing $10,000 or more monthly revenue.
Create a Homepage That Converts
Most Shopify homepages try to do too much and end up doing nothing well. Your homepage has one job: move the right visitor to the right product page as quickly as possible. It is not a branding exercise — it is a conversion funnel.
What to do
- ✓Your hero section (the first thing people see) must clearly state what you sell and who it is for. 'Premium Skincare for Sensitive Skin — Made in Australia' is better than a lifestyle photo with no text.
- ✓Include your top 3 to 6 selling products directly on the homepage, not buried in a collection.
- ✓Add a trust bar below the hero: icons showing free shipping threshold, return policy, payment options, and any certifications or press mentions.
- ✓Include at least 3 to 5 customer reviews on the homepage — use your best, most specific ones.
Expected result: A conversion-optimised homepage typically increases the percentage of visitors who reach a product page by 20 to 40%.
Optimise Your Collection Pages
Collection pages are often the most-visited pages on a Shopify store after the homepage, yet most stores leave them largely unoptimised. Small changes to collection page layout and filtering can significantly increase the number of visitors who reach and convert on a product page.
What to do
- ✓Enable product filtering and sorting — customers who use filters are significantly more likely to purchase.
- ✓Show product images in a consistent aspect ratio across all collection pages.
- ✓Display price, star rating, and a quick-add button on the collection thumbnail — customers should not have to click into every product to get basic information.
- ✓Add a short description at the top of each collection page with the primary keyword — this helps both SEO and conversion.
Expected result: Collection page optimisation typically increases click-through to product pages by 10 to 20%.
Add Live Chat or an AI Chat Agent
Customers who engage with live chat or an AI chat agent on an ecommerce store convert at 3 to 5 times the rate of those who do not. The reason is simple: chat lets customers get an instant answer to the one question blocking their purchase, rather than leaving to find the answer elsewhere.
What to do
- ✓Add Tidio or a custom AI chat agent to handle common pre-purchase questions: sizing, shipping times, ingredients, compatibility.
- ✓Programme the chat to proactively pop up on product pages after 30 seconds with a relevant question: 'Need help choosing the right size?'
- ✓Connect chat to your email so questions asked outside business hours receive an automated response with a follow-up promised.
- ✓Review chat transcripts weekly — the questions customers ask reveal exactly what is missing from your product pages.
Expected result: Stores with proactive chat report 25 to 45% higher conversion rates among visitors who engage with it.
Which Shopify Optimisation Should You Do First?
If your store is losing customers, start with these three in order:
- 1
Fix mobile checkout first
Enable Shop Pay, add Afterpay and Zip, ensure guest checkout is on. This takes 30 minutes and has the highest ROI of any single change.
- 2
Set up abandoned cart emails
Enable Shopify's built-in abandoned checkout emails today. It is free and recovers sales automatically from day one.
- 3
Speed up your store
Compress your product images and remove unused apps. These are free changes that improve both conversion rate and Google rankings.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Shopify Store Optimisation
What is a good conversion rate for a Shopify store?
The average Shopify conversion rate is 1.4%. A good conversion rate is 2.5% to 3.5%. Top-performing stores (top 10%) convert at 3.7% or higher. If your store is converting below 1%, start with mobile checkout and page speed improvements first as these have the highest ROI.
How long does it take to see results from Shopify optimisation?
Changes like enabling Shop Pay, fixing abandoned cart emails, and adding sticky add-to-cart buttons can show results within days. Content changes like rewritten product descriptions and added reviews take 2 to 4 weeks to show their full impact as new customers encounter them. Page speed improvements can affect SEO rankings over 4 to 8 weeks.
Do I need a developer to optimise my Shopify store?
Most of the optimisations in this guide — enabling Shop Pay, setting up abandoned cart emails, adding payment options, displaying reviews, and scheduling social media — can be done without any technical skills. Changes to theme code (custom sticky cart, advanced speed optimisation) may require a Shopify developer. Most Shopify agencies offer a fixed-price CRO package that covers all of these changes.
Which Shopify apps are actually worth paying for?
The apps worth paying for are those with a direct, measurable impact on revenue: a review app (Judge.me, Okendo), an email/SMS marketing platform (Klaviyo), and an upsell app (ReConvert, Zipify). Everything else should be carefully evaluated against the impact on store speed. The more apps you install, the slower your store loads.
How important is mobile optimisation for Shopify in Australia?
Extremely important. Australian ecommerce data shows over 65% of Shopify traffic comes from mobile devices, with that number continuing to grow. If your store is not tested and optimised specifically for mobile — including checkout flow, button sizes, image loading, and form inputs — you are likely losing more than half of your potential sales.
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