Expert ecommerce tips for online shops in 2024: 3 things small businesses should do

As we gear up for an amazing year ahead, it's time to dive into what lies on the horizon for ecommerce in 2024. In this blog post, I'll be answering three questions I've recieved from my community of small businesses recently, that will provide you with valuable insights and ideas for the year ahead if you've got an online shop and you're using Shopify and Klaviyo.

Q1: What new features do you want Shopify to release in 2024?

Before we jump into any new features we want, let's ensure your existing Shopify website is up-to-date by using a Shopify 2.0 theme.

Despite 2.0 being released in summer 2021, there's still so many websites not up-to-date. So if you haven't updated your theme for 2+ years then you may well be in need of a major change.

Oh and if you're using Debut, you definitely need to add 'update theme' to the top of your 2024 to do list. Check out my mini course How to Choose a Shopify 2.0 Theme which will help you decide without the overwhelm.

Now here's some new things I'd love to see from Shopify in 2024:

1. Improved checkout experience

Let's make adding discount codes more obvious—no more hiding them away on mobile devices or inside secret blocks.

2. Enhanced wholesale functionality

I think small brands deserve easier ways to sell their products online through their websites - even if they're not on Shopify Plus. So an out-of-the-box wholesale functionality would be incredible.

3. More robust native apps

From subscriptions and bundles to Shopify magic, I'd like to see less reliance on external apps and custom coding by improving built-in functionalities.

To stay informed about any changes or new features coming from Shopify, be sure to check out the official Shopify changelog here.

Q2: What ONE thing would you recommend tackling first to start 2024 well?

Starting off strong means focusing on one critical aspect at a time instead of overwhelming yourself with everything at once.

If email marketing is giving you headaches:

Firstly, ensure you're using Klaviyo (check out my course if you're not) and have all the basics set up

Then the ONE thing I'd focus on is flow optimisation. Are people who find your website and then sign up going through a decent welcome flow, are your abandoned emails working and performing as they should, do you have a post-purchase flow set up to continue nurturing and getting that important second order?
Okay, so it's more than one thing really but focus on your flows because they should be doing at least half the work of your email marketing.
 
This time last year I recorded a podcast with the fantastic Catherine Erdly from The Resilient Retail Club, although it was about prepping for 2023, so much still applies and I talk a lot about getting your email flows sorted, you can have a listen here.

If it's your website that needs some attention:

Firstly, make sure you're using Shopify, which I assume most of you are as you're here learning from me. I'm also going to assume you're using Shopify 2.0 and you've got the basics all done on your website.

The ONE thing I'd focus on next is optimising your product pages for conversions. It's without doubt the most under-optimised area of small business websites and there is so much you can do on there to drive conversions and create a fantastic and easy shopping experience for customers.

For practical advice on improving product pages, a good place to start is reading my blog post where I share nine tips for creating irresistible product pages for your online shop.

Q3: What Klaviyo housekeeping tasks would you advise doing ready for 2024

Preparing for a successful year means keeping things tidy in Klaviyo. Here's a simple checklist of housekeeping tasks to get yourself ready:

✅ Use only one list for subscribers
✅ Turn off double opt-in now
✅ If you have a small list (<1000), focus more on sending regular emails rather than complex segmentation.
✅ Keep segments simple if your list is larger.
✅ Gather emails through multiple sign-up forms across different channels.
✅ Optimize your pop-up form to achieve a conversion rate of 3-5%.
✅ Prioritize fundamental flows like welcome sequences, abandoned carts, and post-purchase follow-ups.
✅ Put yourself through these flows to ensure they look good and provide relevant content with functioning links.
✅ Review this year's campaign sends to identify successes worth repeating in 2024.
✅ Need ideas? Start an email series related to your business niche and commit to sending regularly throughout the year.

For more in-depth guidance, you can work with me 1:1 by learning from me or you can purchase one of my digital products.
December 12, 2023 — Elle Williamson
Left Right

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Why learn from me?

Hi, I’m Elle. I specialise in all things ecommerce for small businesses selling and growing online. I created The Ecommerce Assistant to help busy brand owners make more sales on their online shop by teaching them how to use Shopify + Klaviyo.

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