How to Get More Sales From Your Online Shop
More products sold. More revenue. More repeat customers. Without spending more on advertising.
If your online shop is getting traffic but not enough sales, the problem is rarely the product. It is almost always something in your shop, your checkout or your follow-up that is costing you customers. This page explains exactly what to look at and how to fix it.
- How to write product pages that sell
- Why shoppers abandon their basket and how to stop it
- How reviews and trust signals increase sales
- How to drive more buyers to your shop
- How to get customers to buy again
- How to increase the amount each customer spends
Works for any online shop or ecommerce website — Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace and more.
Most Online Shops Lose Sales in the Same Six Places
If your shop is getting visitors but not enough sales, there are a small number of well-known places where those sales are leaking out. You do not necessarily need more traffic to get more sales. You need to stop losing the shoppers you already have.
The good news is that most of these are fixable without rebuilding your shop or spending more on advertising. Identifying which of these applies to your business is the first step, and it is exactly what the Digital Growth Audit helps you do.
Getting more sales is often more about fixing what is broken than finding new customers.
Where most online shops lose sales
Product pages with poor images, thin descriptions or no reviews
A checkout that is too long, confusing or requires account creation
No follow-up emails for shoppers who add to cart but do not buy
No trust signals — no reviews, no returns policy, no brand credibility
Slow website loading, especially on mobile
Past customers never hearing from you again after their first order
The Journey From Someone Finding Your Shop to Completing a Purchase
Every sale goes through the same stages. A problem at any one of them costs you revenue. Understanding where your shoppers are dropping off tells you exactly where to focus to get more sales.
Most shop owners focus entirely on driving traffic — more ads, more social posts, more visitors. But if your product pages, checkout or follow-up are losing shoppers at every stage, more traffic just means more people leaking through the same holes.
Fix the leaks first. Then turn up the traffic.
Most shops convert around 1 to 3% of visitors. Fixing product pages, checkout and abandoned cart recovery can push this to 4 to 6%, doubling sales from the same traffic.
Where Your Shop Is Losing Sales and What to Do About It
These are the six most common places where online shops lose sales. Most are straightforward to fix once you know where to look.
Weak product pages
A shopper who cannot picture exactly what they are buying, how big it is, what it does and why it is worth the price will not buy. Poor images, thin descriptions and no reviews are the leading cause of product page drop-off.
The fix: multiple high-quality images per product, a detailed description that answers every question, and customer reviews on every page.
Abandoned baskets with no follow-up
Seven out of ten shoppers who add a product to their basket leave without buying. Without an automated abandoned cart email, every one of those potential sales is permanently lost.
The fix: automated abandoned cart emails at 1 hour, 24 hours and 72 hours, recovering an average of 10 to 15% of lost carts.
A complicated checkout
Every extra step, required account creation or unexpected cost at checkout loses buyers. The easier and faster it is to pay, the more sales you complete. Shoppers have zero patience for friction at the point of purchase.
The fix: guest checkout, minimal form fields, all costs shown upfront and multiple payment options including Apple Pay and PayPal.
No trust signals
First-time buyers are taking a risk on an unknown brand. Without reviews, a clear returns policy, secure payment badges and evidence that other people have happily bought from you, many will choose a more familiar competitor instead.
The fix: customer reviews on every product, a clear and fair returns policy, trust badges at checkout and social proof throughout the shop.
A slow or poor mobile experience
More than half of all online shopping now happens on a mobile phone. A shop that is slow to load, hard to navigate on a small screen or has a fiddly checkout on mobile is losing more than half its potential sales before they even begin.
The fix: test your shop on your own phone today. If anything is hard to use, fix it. Page speed and mobile usability are non-negotiable.
No repeat purchase strategy
Most online shops do nothing after a customer buys. No follow-up email, no recommendation, no loyalty offer, no reactivation when they go quiet. Yet repeat customers spend more, cost less and are far more likely to recommend you.
The fix: post-purchase email sequence, product recommendations based on purchase history and a win-back email for customers who have not bought in 60 days.
What Every Product Page Needs to Get More Sales
Your product page is your salesperson. Here is everything it needs to do its job properly and turn browsers into buyers.
Multiple High-Quality Images
At least four to six images per product showing different angles, the product in use, any relevant size comparison and close-up detail. Video is even better for products where seeing it in action helps.
A Description That Answers Every Question
What is it made of? What size is it? Who is it for? What problem does it solve? What makes it different from cheaper alternatives? Answer all of these before the customer has to ask.
Customer Reviews and Ratings
Products with reviews convert 270% better than those without. Make it easy for buyers to leave reviews and display them prominently on every product page.
Clear Delivery Information
How long will it take? How much does delivery cost? Is free delivery available? Unexpected delivery costs are the number one reason shoppers abandon checkout. Be upfront.
A Clear Returns Policy
Can they return it if it is not right? How long do they have? A generous, easy-to-understand returns policy increases purchase confidence significantly, especially for first-time buyers.
A Clear Add to Cart Button
The add to cart or buy now button should be impossible to miss, above the fold on desktop and mobile, in a contrasting colour and with benefit-led text like "Add to basket" or "Buy now."
Related Product Suggestions
Show related or complementary products on every page. This increases average order value when customers add multiple items and keeps shoppers browsing rather than leaving after viewing one product.
Trust Badges and Security Signals
Secure checkout badges, payment logos (Visa, PayPal, Apple Pay) and any relevant guarantees displayed near the buy button reduce purchase anxiety and increase conversion.
Six Strategies to Increase Your Online Sales
Once your shop is set up to convert properly, these are the strategies that drive more buyers to it and get more from every customer you already have.
Email Marketing
Email is the highest-return channel for online shops. Your customer list is your most valuable asset. Regular emails promoting new products, exclusive offers, seasonal sales and helpful content keep your brand front of mind and drive repeat purchases.
- Weekly or fortnightly email to your customer list
- Abandoned cart recovery sequences
- Post-purchase follow-up and review requests
- Win-back campaign for lapsed customers
Google Shopping Ads
Google Shopping shows your products with images and prices directly in search results when someone searches for exactly what you sell. It puts your products in front of high-intent buyers at the moment they are ready to purchase.
- Product images and prices shown in search results
- Targets buyers actively searching for your products
- Pay only when someone clicks through
- Trackable return on every penny spent
Social Media and Influencer Marketing
Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are powerful sales channels for product businesses. Shoppable posts, product tags and targeted ads put your products in front of the right audiences. Micro-influencer partnerships can generate significant sales at low cost.
- Shoppable posts linking directly to product pages
- Retargeting ads for people who visited but did not buy
- Micro-influencer partnerships in your niche
- User-generated content and customer photo features
Upselling and Cross-Selling
Increasing the amount each customer spends is one of the most cost-effective ways to get more sales revenue. Showing relevant product upgrades or complementary add-ons at the right moment in the shopping journey can add 10 to 30% to your average order value.
- Related products on every product page
- Bundle deals with a saving incentive
- Add-on suggestions in the cart before checkout
- Free delivery threshold to encourage larger orders
Repeat Purchase Automation
Setting up automated emails that encourage past customers to buy again is one of the most overlooked opportunities in ecommerce. A customer who has already bought from you is far more likely to buy again than someone discovering you for the first time.
- Post-purchase email with complementary product suggestions
- Replenishment reminder for consumable products
- Loyalty discount for second and subsequent orders
- Reactivation email for anyone who has not bought in 60 days
Promotions and Urgency
Limited-time offers, flash sales and exclusive deals create urgency that motivates shoppers who are sitting on the fence. Used sparingly and genuinely, they are one of the most reliable short-term tactics to get more sales fast.
- Seasonal sales and event-based promotions
- Flash sales with a genuine countdown timer
- Exclusive discount for email subscribers
- Low stock alerts on popular products
Find Out Exactly What Is Stopping Your Shop From Getting More Sales
A Digital Growth Audit reviews your online shop from a buyer's perspective. We identify every point where shoppers are likely to drop off, lose confidence or abandon their basket, and give you a prioritised plan to fix it.
- ✓ Product page review — images, descriptions, reviews and trust signals
- ✓ Checkout flow and friction assessment
- ✓ Abandoned cart recovery setup check
- ✓ Mobile shopping experience review
- ✓ Traffic sources and paid channel performance
- ✓ Repeat purchase and customer retention gaps
Digital Growth Audit
A full review of your shop and digital presence with a clear, prioritised plan to get more sales.
Get Your AuditHow We Help You Get More Sales From Your Online Shop
Review Your Shop
We review your shop through the eyes of a buyer. We map where shoppers are dropping off and identify every friction point between someone finding your products and completing a purchase.
Fix the Leaks
We prioritise the improvements that will have the biggest impact on sales. Product pages, checkout, trust signals, page speed. These fixes stop you losing the buyers you already have before investing more in traffic.
Set Up Your Automations
Abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase sequences, review requests, win-back campaigns. We set up the automated emails that recover lost sales and generate repeat purchases without you having to do it manually.
Drive More Buyers
With your shop converting properly, we identify the best paid and organic channels to drive more targeted buyers — Google Shopping, social advertising, email campaigns and more.
More Ways to Grow Your Business
Getting more sales from your shop is one piece of the picture. These pages cover the rest.
How to Get More Sales Online — Straightforward Answers
Plain-language answers to what online shop owners most often search for when they want to increase their sales.
How do I get more sales from my online shop?
Start by fixing the most common reasons shoppers leave without buying. Make sure every product page has multiple clear images, a detailed description and customer reviews. Simplify your checkout to as few steps as possible and offer guest checkout. Set up an abandoned cart email to recover shoppers who leave without completing their order. Display your returns policy and delivery costs clearly. These changes alone can significantly increase your sales from existing traffic without spending more on advertising.
Why is my online shop getting traffic but no sales?
The most common reasons are: product pages with insufficient images or descriptions that do not give shoppers enough confidence to buy, no customer reviews, a checkout that is too long or requires account creation, unexpected delivery costs appearing at checkout, or a website that is slow or hard to use on a mobile phone. Identifying which of these applies to your shop is the first step. A Digital Growth Audit will tell you exactly where your shoppers are dropping off.
What is abandoned cart recovery and how does it help get more sales?
Abandoned cart recovery is an automated email (or sequence of emails) sent to shoppers who add products to their basket but leave without buying. On average, 70% of online shoppers abandon their basket. A well-timed abandoned cart email, sent within an hour of abandonment, typically recovers 10 to 15% of those lost sales. A second email 24 hours later, and optionally a third with a small incentive, can recover even more. It is one of the highest-return automations any online shop can set up.
How do I get customers to buy from me again?
The most effective ways to drive repeat purchases are: a post-purchase email sequence that thanks the customer, asks for a review and recommends related products; a reactivation email to anyone who has not bought in 60 to 90 days; a loyalty discount for second and subsequent orders; and regular email marketing that keeps your brand front of mind with new products, offers and content. Repeat customers cost five times less to sell to than new ones and typically spend more per order over time.
Things Online Shop Owners Ask About Getting More Sales
How do I get more sales from my online shop without spending more on ads?
There are several high-impact ways to get more sales from existing traffic without increasing your ad spend. Improve your product pages with better images and descriptions. Add customer reviews to every product. Simplify your checkout process. Set up an abandoned cart email sequence. Make sure your shop loads quickly on mobile. These changes cost little or nothing to implement and can significantly increase the percentage of visitors who complete a purchase.
How many images should each product have?
As a minimum, aim for four to six images per product. Include the product on a clean background, the product in context or in use, close-up detail of key features, any size or scale reference and packaging if relevant. For clothing, show it on a model. For home goods, show it in a styled setting. The goal is to remove every question the buyer might have about what they are receiving. Video is increasingly effective for demonstrating products, particularly on mobile.
What is the best way to get customer reviews for my online shop?
The best way is to ask automatically after every purchase. Set up a post-purchase email that goes out five to seven days after delivery asking the customer to leave a review. Make it as easy as possible with a direct link to the review form. A brief, personal message explaining that their feedback helps other customers works better than a generic automated message. Offering a small discount on their next order in exchange for a review is also effective, within the platform's guidelines.
Should I offer free delivery to get more sales?
Unexpected delivery costs are the number one reason shoppers abandon checkout. If you can offer free delivery, it removes one of the biggest barriers to purchase. A common approach is to offer free delivery above a certain order value, such as free delivery on orders over £30. This both removes the delivery cost objection and increases your average order value, as customers add extra items to qualify. If free delivery is not viable, show delivery costs clearly on the product page rather than revealing them at checkout.
How important is mobile for online sales?
Extremely important. More than half of all online shopping now happens on a mobile phone, and that proportion continues to grow. If your shop is slow to load, hard to navigate on a small screen or has a complicated checkout on mobile, you are losing a significant proportion of your potential sales. Test your entire purchase journey on your own phone regularly. Every friction point on mobile is a sale you are not getting.
What is the average conversion rate for an online shop?
The average ecommerce conversion rate is between 1 and 3 percent, meaning 1 to 3 people out of every 100 visitors complete a purchase. Well-optimised shops in competitive niches can achieve 4 to 6 percent. If your rate is below 1 percent, there are specific issues preventing shoppers from buying. If you do not currently track your conversion rate, setting up Google Analytics is the first step to understanding what is happening in your shop.
Ready to Get More Sales From Your Online Shop?
Start with a Digital Growth Audit and find out exactly what is stopping shoppers from buying, with a clear plan to fix it.