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Find answers to online merchandisers' common questions about using AI integrations to improve the customer's shopping experience. From smart collections to personalized recommendations, these expert insights will boost customer engagement, sales, AOV, and your bottom line.
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4 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Implementing Search Filters on Shopify
Research shows that 43% of online retail shoppers head directly to the site search bar, highlighting the importance of robust search filters. These filters narrow down customer searches to ensure they find what they're looking for as quickly as possible. Despite this, studies also reveal that 57% of eCommerce sites have filters with "mediocre or worse" performance. To ensure the effective implementation of search filters on Shopify Search, it's essential to steer clear of these common mistakes. » Learn how to easily add product filters to Shopify 1. Filters That Aren't Clear or Relevant It's critical for your filters to be directly and clearly related to product searches. Some mistakes here include: Irrelevant or unnecessary filtersOverloading users with too many filter optionsFilters that users can't even find on the store The online clothing store below is an example of having too many search filters. They have 15 options under the pricing category alone, which are cumbersome for the customer to scroll through. It's also unnecessary to show the same search filters vertically and horizontally across the screen. 2. Filter Results That Aren't Consistent or Accurate Why have a search filter if the results aren't accurate? It's frustrating when: Products are incorrectly tagged or categorizedFilters aren't used consistently across different product pagesNo clear feedback when applying or removing filters The clothing store below is an example of incorrectly tagged products, a common challenge for eCommerce fashion brands. When using white as a search filter, a black skirt (that was not also available in white) appeared in the search results. 3. Filters That Aren't Mobile-Friendly With the rise of M-Commerce, more and more users shop on mobile every day. In fact, it's estimated that retail sales made via mobile devices will almost double from 2021 to 2025. If your search filters aren't mobile-friendly, you can lose business that could've easily been saved. Some common issues with search filters on mobile devices include: Excessive filter options and a cluttered interfaceSmall or inaccurate touch targets, like filter checkboxes, sliders, or dropdown menusComplex filtering mechanisms, like multistep processes or hidden menusSlow-loading or unresponsive filtersLack of visual feedback, like failing to indicate selected filters Online fashion boutique, Princess Polly, organizes their filters in easily clickable dropdown lists for an uncluttered interface. Moreover, the selected filters are clearly marked, and the "Reset" and "Apply" buttons are large and easy to click. » Learn more about effective, automatically generated Shopify search filters 4. Filters That Aren't Analyzed and Optimized Regularly In addition to creating strong filters, it's essential to review and optimize their performance regularly. Many merchants neglect this step, failing to track user behavior and preferences to uncover how they're engaging with them. Search filters may become outdated or irrelevant as customers' needs and preferences change. Over time, a filter overload may occur, making the eCommerce search process unnecessarily complex and overwhelming. It's vital for retailers to continuously refine their filters based on data insights. This way, they can be sure everything is always running at its best. » Discover additional ways to optimize eCommerce filters Use Filters Effectively for Fast Results Functional and intuitive search filters play a key role in the online shopping experience. Be sure to avoid these four common mistakes when implementing Shopify search filters. By prioritizing simplicity, usability, and continuous improvement, you can optimize your filters to boost customer satisfaction and conversions. This will help you gain a competitive edge in the Shopify ecosystem. » Don't have a Shopify store? Explore your Magento Search and BigCommerce Search options instead
Asked a month ago
eCommerce Merchandising Strategies for Niche Products: 3 Tips for Success
Selling niche products works. The competition becomes smaller, and niche products can have longer lifecycles than mass-market products. However, since your product offering is unique, you need to make sure this is reflected in your merchandising efforts. Below, we list and discuss different tips to help you create successful eCommerce merchandising strategies for your niche products. 3 eCommerce Merchandising Strategy Tips for Niche Products Understand your target audienceCreate compelling product descriptionsLeverage visual merchandising 1. Understand Your Target Audience Your target audience's characteristics can help you refine your merchandising strategies. By analyzing their individual demands and preferences, you can display your products in a way that is appealing to them. In turn, this can heighten your personalization efforts. You can gain significant insights into your target audience by: Performing market research.Analyzing customer data (including buying, browsing, and demographic data).Harnessing consumer feedback. » Here's how behavioral marketing and customer segmentation can help you understand your target audience 2. Create Compelling Product Descriptions Product descriptions act as virtual salespeople. They present the distinctive features and value of your products. The goal is to distinguish your specialized items from those of competitors and persuade shoppers to pick them. Consider adding these elements to your product descriptions: Clear language to express your product's value and features.Relevant keywords to improve rankings and searches.Storytelling elements to connect with your customers emotionally.Customer reviews to build credibility.Calls to action (CTAs) to encourage further customer interaction. For example, IMA (International Military Antiques) specializes in selling military collectibles. Their product descriptions include: Star ratings at the top.Clear CTAs to add the product to your cart. The product description itself includes the watch's specifications plus keywords their target audience cares about. This includes "original item", "wonderful example of", "very good shape", and "reproduction". » Use these tips to create more irresistible product descriptions 3. Leverage Visual Merchandising You can enhance your visual merchandising efforts by investing in dynamic and interactive visual content. Remember, your customers can't physically inspect your products before buying them. Extensive imagery can help inform their purchasing decisions. Consider including elements like: Various product images from different perspectives.Videos showcasing the product's features.Visuals showing how the product can fit into a customer's life.User-generated content of happy customers using the product. For example, Staghead Designs sells custom engagement and wedding rings. Their product pages include a large product image to see the ring clearly, plus many additional images from different angles. They also include a free ring sizing kit to make sure their customers buy the right ring size since they can't fit it beforehand. » Improve your product pages further with these best practices Level Up Your Niche Product Sales Implementing effective eCommerce merchandising methods is crucial for engaging your customers and ultimately boosting sales. By understanding your target demographic, crafting compelling product descriptions, and leveraging visual content, you can set yourself apart from the competition and enhance customer satisfaction. Remember to test and refine your merchandising strategies to find what will help you thrive in a dynamic digital landscape. » Become a merchandising master by following this ultimate merchandising guide
Asked a month ago
eCommerce Merchandising for B2B vs. B2C: 3 Key Differences
Whether you're operating in a B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-customer) environment, eCommerce merchandising is critical to your success. In the US alone, B2B eCommerce sales will exceed $3 trillion by 2027, while B2C eCommerce sales will top $1.6 trillion. With such significant development in both sectors, we explore what eCommerce merchandising entails for B2B and B2C, plus the differences between them. 3 Key Differences Between B2B vs. B2C eCommerce Merchandising Target audience and buying behaviorProduct catalog complexityRelationship building and trust B2B eCommerce Merchandising B2B solutions aim to solve a specific problem for a business. So, a B2B seller needs detailed information about how their client's business works to give them a custom solution. This means that a B2B eCommerce merchandising strategy involves a lot of personalization, including: Personalized interactionsAccount-based pricingCustomized catalogs For example, a software provider may offer a product demo, documentation, and dedicated support to organizations looking for corporate solutions. » Personalization isn't just for B2B: Explore the differences between B2B vs. B2C personalization B2C eCommerce Merchandising B2C eCommerce merchandising is focused on establishing an emotional connection with individual customers and satisfying their immediate needs. That's why these visual elements play an important role in connecting with customers and encouraging them to buy: Product descriptionsHigh-quality imagesEnticing brandingVisual hierarchyPersonalized recommendations For example, a clothing shop can display lifestyle images, including user reviews, and provide personalized product suggestions based on individual tastes. » Follow these tips to create an engaging visual merchandising experience for your customers 3 Key Differences Between B2B vs B2C Merchandising 1. Target Audience and Buying Behavior By understanding your customers' needs and behavior, you can merchandise your offers in a way that resonates with them. B2B emphasizes the efficiency of the product or service, its competitive price, and the possibility of tailoring the offering to the client's specific needs.B2C appeals to individual customers through emotions, convenience, and personal preferences. 2. Product Catalog Complexity How your product catalogs are structured and how much information they contain depends on your target audience. B2B has more complicated product catalogs because they have to consider different product variants, requirements, and price tiers to respond to various client demands.B2C has a simpler product selection because the point is to make browsing and searching as easy and direct as possible for customers. 3. Relationship Building and Trust Strong customer relationships are important for both B2B and B2C. The right merchandising strategy can help customers trust your store. B2B emphasizes developing long-term partnerships through clear pricing, personalization, and continuing assistance for their business clients.B2C focuses on satisfying customers' immediate needs while also establishing themselves as trusted authorities through social proof and user-generated content. » Create long-lasting customer relationships and keep your customers coming back for more Tailor Your Merchandising Strategies for Success Understanding the differences between B2B and B2C can help you succeed in eCommerce merchandising. Try to adapt and optimize your strategies to engage B2B buyers through personalization while fostering emotional connections with B2C customers. The right eCommerce merchandising approach can enhance customer satisfaction, increase conversions, and keep you competitive in the evolving eCommerce landscape. » Need more info? Here's how to optimize your eCommerce merchandising management
Asked a month ago
Shopify Categories vs. Collections: Which Is Best for Merchandising?
Product organization is vital in eCommerce. 61% of Americans report that the most important aspect of online shopping is how easily they can find what they're looking for. Two fundamental ways of grouping your products are by category or collection. The distinction between them is sometimes blurry, and there's some debate about which method is better for organizing Shopify Search products. We'll take a closer look at Shopify categories vs. collections to help you find the best strategy for your store's merchandising. What Are Shopify Categories? A Shopify category is a group of products that share a common attribute. Categories are organized using a hierarchical structure, with products arranged from broad categories into smaller ones. Categories can be used to group products by product type or topic. They allow customers to easily navigate through your store's products, as they can browse the categories to see all the products listed under them. Benefits of Using Shopify Categories for Merchandising Apart from improving your customers' navigation, categories can help you arrange products in meaningful ways to create a more visually appealing layout and storefront. If you have large product catalogs, categories can also simplify management by letting you add or edit products in the appropriate category. For example, the online footwear, accessory, and apparel retailer Steve Madden simplifies the shopper's navigation by creating a "Women's Shoes" category and using narrower subcategories like "Sandals" and "Slides". What Are Shopify Collections? A Shopify collection is another type of product grouping. It's based on shared characteristics, which are often defining factors in shoppers' product searches, like seasonality, promotional items, or vendor. Collections are more flexible and customizable than categories. They can be created manually by selecting specific products to include or automatically using rules based on selected criteria. Where categories are usually part of a store's homepage and main menu, collections can be featured on specific collection pages or as a promotions collection on your homepage. Benefits of Using Shopify Collections for Merchandising Collections allow you to group products based on various criteria like product type, color, and price range. Customers can browse and filter products within collections to quickly find relevant products. This keeps them engaged, less likely to leave your store prematurely, and more likely to make a purchase. Additionally, you can create smart collections that automatically update based on product attributes. This saves time and effort because you don't have to manually update your collections when products change. For example, the mobile computing accessories company Targus organizes their products into collections like "Laptop Bags", "Tablet Cases", and "Antimicrobial Collections". Within these, products are further grouped according to brand. So under "Laptop Bags", there are a number of brand collections like "Transpire" and "Work+". Choosing the Best Option for Merchandising When choosing whether to use categories or collections, it's important to consider: The size and complexity of your product catalogYour merchandising management goalsYour customers' needs For example, if you have an extensive product catalog, you may benefit from using categories to create a hierarchical structure. In contrast, if you have a smaller catalog, you may find collections more flexible and customizable. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. It's essential to test your strategy to find what works best for your business. You can do this by analyzing sales data and customer behavior, conducting A/B tests, and using predictive analytics. Find the Ideal Merchandising Strategy for Shopify Effective merchandising involves structuring your products into logical groups to help organize your offerings. Categories are a convenient way to create a hierarchical structure for your products, while collections offer more flexibility and customizability. The best approach is to try both options, considering the size and complexity of your product catalog, merchandising priorities, and customer preferences. Ultimately, an effective merchandising strategy can improve your customers' shopping experience and increase your online store sales. » Product organization is just the start. Check out more sales-boosting eCommerce merchandising strategies
Asked a month ago
Enhance Your Shopify Product Collections Through Merchandising
Did you know 87% of consumers say product content is very important when deciding what to buy online? As an eCommerce business owner, enhancing your Shopify Search product collection through effective merchandising is essential to improving your customers experience and ultimately increasing sales. Merchandising encompasses a store's sales and marketing strategies to promote products and persuade customers to make a purchase. Effective merchandising involves increasing awareness, creating a more engaging shopping experience, and supplying customers with the right products for their needs. This is especially important for Shopify stores, as the platform offers a variety of tools and features to streamline product presentation and improve conversion rates. 1. Product Positioning Product positioning refers to the strategies a retailer uses to create a distinctive place for their product in the marketplace and improve the customer's perception of it. Product positioning helps to showcase key products and collections to maximize customer engagement and increase sales. Shopify enables effective product positioning by leveraging various platform features, such as creating product filters, tags, and collections. This process is streamlined and enhanced by a number of apps available for Shopify stores. To illustrate, the online lightbulbs and fixtures retailer BulbAmerica uses merchandising rules to easily customize their product display. Using filters and tags, they can move relevant products, like sale items, to the top of their smart collections to make them clearly viewable. More tips for effective product positioning include: Creating curated collections based on customer preferences and seasonal trends.Writing compelling product descriptions.Leveraging user-generated content and social proof like customer reviews.Using high-quality images. » Check out our list of must-have eCommerce apps to get started with product positioning 2. Product Assortment Product assortment is simply the number and variety of goods a store offers its customers. Optimizing your product range is key to making sure your Shopify collection is engaging and relevant to your target audience. To select the right products for your collections, you should consider product availability, pricing, and eCommerce market demand. An effective technique is to analyze customer data to identify trends and preferences and select products that match those insights. You can do this in various ways, including reviewing your sales history, conducting surveys, or monitoring your website and using predictive analytics. Other tips include diversifying your products to cater to a broader range of customers and updating your collection regularly to keep it fresh and appealing. 3. Pricing Strategies Pricing strategies are the plans and methods for deciding what price to sell your products for. Pricing plays a vital role in merchandising, by shifting buyer perceptions and influencing their willingness to buy. An effective pricing strategy can, therefore, significantly boost sales. However, it's essential to strike a balance between offering competitive pricing and maintaining profit margins. Shopify allows businesses to incentivize their customers with a number of pricing strategies, including offering discounts or promotions on specific products or collections. Other effective pricing strategies include: Product bundlingOffering tiered pricing based on volume or purchase historyUsing dynamic pricing based on demand or seasonality Fast Merchandising Strategies An effective merchandising strategy is vital for optimizing your Shopify product collection, building long-term customer relationships, and growing sales. This includes techniques like product positioning, product assortment, and pricing. As customer expectations for personalized and seamless shopping experiences increase, merchandising is becoming increasingly important in eCommerce. To remain competitive, you should also consider implementing predictive personalization strategies to optimize your customers experience. » Learn more about personalization and how it can benefit your store
Asked a month ago
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