Creating a Shopify dropshipping store that converts can be a daunting goal when running an online business. However, by respecting certain criteria, you can easily succeed in optimizing the conversion rates of your online store. So, what are the criteria for a shop that converts? In this article, we are going to see the best practices to increase the conversion of your Shopify dropshipping store.
Shopify dropshipping: What is a converting store?
When we talk about a shop that converts, we are referring to that moment that causes a visitor to perform an action. In this case, it will be a visitor who places an order on your store. Thus, your goal in opening a dropshipping store will be to make sure that visits materialize into sales. The biggest conversion of your store is the purchase of your products. The number of visitors takes the desired action on your store is referred to as the conversion rate.
Why create a store with Shopify for dropshipping?
Shopify is a CMS that allows you to create and manage an e-commerce site. It is a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform that is managed directly from your web browser. That is, you won’t have to install anything on your computer before opening an online store. Shopify is an interesting solution to get started in dropshipping. In reality, Shopify allows you to open a store without any technical knowledge while signing up for a monthly subscription. But, why then choose Shopify to create and develop your e-commerce? Because you:
- benefit from an intuitive and very simple back-office;
- can create templates to your image;
- benefit from a wide range of features to diversify your e-commerce;
- have built-in modules for your seo;
- can sell from anywhere through the Shopify POS app;
- benefit from tools to manage customer relationships;
- etc.
When you’re ready to launch your online store, you can start with a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
What is dropshipping and why do it with Shopify?
On the other hand, dropshipping is a business model that fits well with Shopify. It involves three people: the buyer, you and the supplier. So you don’t need a warehouse or manage a stock, because it is the supplier who takes care of the delivery to the end customer. All you need is an e-commerce site and set up good online marketing.
Since you remain the only interlocutor with the customer, and are therefore responsible for the delivery and quality of the products, it is important that you know how to choose your products and suppliers well. Most people start a Shopify dropshipping store with AliExpress. In addition, being first of all an e-commerce platform very easy to use, Shopify is also perfect for launching this type of activity.
Prestashop or Shopify dropshipping: What to choose?
Many of those who want to create an online store wonder which solution is best suited for their business. It all depends on your needs and goals. Nevertheless, be aware that in terms of installation, Shopify is quick to install, as it is in SaaS mode. Hosting is secure and bug management is taken into account. You will have to pay a monthly subscription. On the other hand Prestashop is free, but you will have to pay the cost of hosting which can be expensive. In addition, the installation can be slow because of the hosting.
On the other hand, the SSL certificate is already installed on Shopify which supports security and frequent updates to your site. With Prestashop, you need to install certificates and manage security vulnerabilities as well as updates. Also be aware that the cost of launching a store is more economical with Shopify, while that of Prestashop is considerable.
If you already have an e-commerce site that generates figures, opt for Prestashop instead. In reality, when you start with a small budget, creating a store with Prestashop can quickly become expensive, because you have to invest money to acquire traffic. In this case, opt for Shopify instead
Shopify dropshipping: The criteria for a store that converts
Several criteria come into play for a Shopify dropshipping store that converts.
URL optimization
It is important that you have clear URLs. So make sure your URLs are as clear and optimized as possible for your SEO. If search engines can easily understand your URL, they will understand the nature of your page and position it better in search results. In addition, if it is simple to read for a potential customer, the latter will be better able to click on your link.
Loading speed
To have a Shopify dropshipping store that converts, optimize your website’s loading speed. When your store takes time to load, there’s a good chance the visitor won’t spend too much time waiting for loading. Then set up your store so that it can withstand even the traffic spikes that occur regularly.
In reality, you know that certain actions will have a direct impact on your site’s traffic. For example during certain periods such as holidays, sales, promotions, etc. In these cases, the increase in traffic is predictable. This makes it possible to cope with the influx of visitors in the best conditions. On the other hand, you also need to ensure that the pages of your site load quickly, especially the homepage. Be aware that the time it takes for a web page to load can increase or decrease the bounce rate. So don’t allow your visitors to spend several seconds on a product page before it is fully displayed. There are tools that allow you to improve page speed and shorten the loading time of your store.
Attractive visuals
Images are one of the biggest resources of a Shopify dropshipping store. In reality, a potential customer only has the images to get an idea of your products. Thus, he can be convinced to buy. A Shopify dropshipping store that converts therefore involves having beautiful visuals. Hence the importance of optimizing your images in order to have attractive visuals, and especially irreproachable. For this, use good quality images. If visitors can see your products clearly, they will be more eager to buy them. Every product photo you use should prompt conversion.
Besides, to take sublime photos, you don’t have to be a professional photographer. You can simply take your products from different angles so that visitors can get a clear idea of what you’re selling. To make it easier for you, there are better sites to get photos and images for free. In addition, you need to choose the right file type. In general, as a file type, JPEG format remains the best choice for an online store. On the other hand, adding a short video of good quality can make the conversion more efficient. Take care of the quality of your images so as not to harm your conversion rate.
Interesting content
Write well-formulated and relevant content. Content is the text part of your store and affects its ability to convert. For this, you need to write quality product titles and descriptions. Make your descriptions by writing a clear, succinct and original text. To do this, you can first perform a keyword search to find out what terms your target audience is using. Thus, you integrate the important keywords into your title and description. Only put keywords that are relevant and important. On your sales pages, highlight the benefits of your products for the buyer. Remember, your descriptions must be in accordance with the image you put forward for the product.
No duplicate content
When you do dropshipping, you may be inclined to offer the same descriptive text that your supplier gives. However, be careful not to copy the description provided by the manufacturer verbatim. To have a shop that converts, make it unique. This is what will convince the visitor to make his purchase on your store.
A good structure
Improve the structure of your Shopify dropshipping store. Buyers have an easy time staying on one site and viewing other pages when navigation is smooth and they quickly find the solutions they are looking for. Therefore, know how to organize the content on your page. For this, it is advisable not to excessively put categories and subcategories. Keep your shop simple, but professional, don’t clutter it.
For this, you will need to know how to structure your store well, especially when you have collections of products and sub-collections. You can also embed an “About Us” page and a “Contact Us” page on your site to allow consumers to have more information about your goals and easily contact you.
Responsive design
Nowadays, many buyers use their smartphone or tablet to make their purchase. Even to take information before buying a product. Responsive design is therefore essential to create a Shopify dropshipping store that converts. As an e-merchant, you need to offer a very intuitive fast purchasing system. So make sure your pages are responsive to allow your store to display attractively on any device. This improves the user experience, which will certainly contribute to increasing your conversion rates.
Setting reasonable prices
Display your prices and clearly indicate the prices on your product page. In addition, you set reasonable prices. When the selling price of a product is relatively low, the visitor will not really hesitate to place their order. Similarly, if for some reason the price of a product needs to be high, it is important to explain your pricing policy on your sales pages. You can insert this in the product description. For example, it is necessary to highlight the uniqueness, the quality, the market value of the product so that the price seems reasonable in the eyes of potential customers. If you do not know what rate is applied, you can inquire about the rates charged by your competitors to get an idea.
Facilitate the payment process
This is also one of the reasons why the cart abandonment rate of some stores is increasing. When you don’t bring fluidity into your processes, buyers lack confidence in your store. Implement solutions to simplify and secure the processing of payment methods. Your goal is to get the buyer to press the “Add to Cart” button, so you need to make the customer trust your store when it comes to their credit card information. High shipping costs, a complex checkout process, and few payment options could also result in low conversions.
Add call-to-action buttons to make it easier for your customers and guide them through the buying process. You need to get the buyer to take action. To do this, place visible and engaging CTAs. For example, you can use terms like “Add to cart”, “Order”, “Buy”, “Pay”, on the product page. This implies that you need to add a cart on your store and intelligently place it at the header level. The purpose of the call-to-action buttons is to take the buyer to their cart and then to the checkout pages so they can complete their order.
Social evidence
Highlight social proof. Social proof is a way to increase your credibility, reassure your visitors and boost your conversion rate. Allow your satisfied customers to post their feedback. Positive reviews or testimonials from satisfied customers manage to convert the most doubtful.
How to create a Shopify store in dropshipping?
Before creating your online store, it is useful to do some work beforehand. These are:
- study the competition;
- understand customer needs;
- write a business plan;
- choose a domain name;
- create a logo for your brand.
- etc.
Follow these steps to create your e-commerce site
- Sign up for Shopify (Shopify dropshipping login)
- Choose a theme for your Shopify dropshipping store (free or paid)
- Customize your store’s design
- Add items to your store (if you don’t use any third-party apps)
- Import products into your Shopify dropshipping store (apps like Oberlo make it easy for you. Install it and create an account)
- Connect your Oberlo account (or the app of your choice) to Shopify
- Add free shipping to your orders
- Accept payments on your site
- Finalize the configuration of your online sales site
- Connect your domain name
- Publish your online store
In short
To have a store that converts, prioritize the user experience. Offer your visitors, prospects and customers an ergonomic, attractive shop and intuitive navigation. Remember, a buyer who buys on the Internet is much more impulsive than a buyer who buys from a physical store.
Therefore, offer a faceted search on your store. This gives the visitor the means to filter products or collections in order to find what they are looking for faster. He can therefore search for a product by choosing one or more criteria: price, size, color, etc. This results in an increase in the conversion rate. To have the desired result, you must apply the different points developed in this article on a daily basis.
