As many of you already know, Printkeg utilizes Shopify for e-commerce for a number of reasons. Over the weekend, I discovered a company, Hickies, that provides a shoelace replacement solution. To my pleasant surprise, Hickies also utilizes Shopify, and their website was so impressive and inspiring, I just cannot help showing it off to our readers. The site is clean, beautiful, conversion-driven and easy to use – a formula we should all emulate.
In this article, we break down some significant contributions that are likely improving conversions and increasing sales. These factors will help any store regardless of industry and market.
There are Many Beautiful Pictures
Hickies does a fantastic job of providing incredible illustrations and photographs of their products. They showcase their goods in numerous ways without cramping the site. Better photos will result in higher conversions. Take the time to learn photography or hire an expert to increase the overall product desirability while also enhancing the brand. There is also proof that adding happy smiling people to pictures will increase conversions.
At Printkeg, we take many of our pictures to save money, but we partner with a professional photographer to fill in the gaps. Hickies has inspired us to begin reimagining new photographs for our collection and product pages.
They Use a Home Page Pop-Up Special
Many people hate pop-ups but using them works. In exchange for an email address, Hickies will provide a one-time 15% discount on an entire order. According to Shopify, pop-ups can increase email subscribers by 15 to 20%. By collecting email address of visitors, companies receive a second and maybe third chance to communicate with future customers and close sales by using an efficient email marketing plan.
Honestly, we have always strayed far from pop-ups considering we just cannot stand them. We also do not like discounting our products since we’ve already priced them so thoroughly, but increasing subscribers and customers sounds great. Since Hickies successfully implements a non-invasive attractive pop-up, we might rethink our strategy in the near future.
They Offer Many Smart Deals
Hickies is extraordinarily smart with the deals that they offer. Since their products are light, they can offer “Free Shipping” if you buy two or more packs. The company also offers one free set of laces if you buy three or more bundles. It feels almost impossible not to buy three pairs of laces in one session. To top it off, customers can save 10% by purchasing four or more packs. Do you see the trend here? Hickies continues to offer aggressive new deals encouraging clients to buy more.
Too many discounts present a hurdle for us when managing profitability. However, I was surprised how lured I was to add more goods to my shopping cart when buying from Hickies. Offering some incentive for different tiers of purchasing can be lucrative, and we want some of that action!
The Website is Responsive
Every website should be coded using a responsive design. First, a responsive design allows one website to appear and work properly on multiple screen sizes – a must in today’s mobile-driven world. Second, mobile friendly websites are beginning to receive boosts in search engine rankings. Google reports that half of all sources of traffic are mobile. Thankfully, many of Shopify’s templates are responsive.
One reason we moved to Shopify was to take advantage of one of their many beautiful responsive designs. Not using a mobile-friendly design for your shopping cart could become disastrous for sales.
They Know Videos Sell
Videos are remarkably powerful for selling, branding and connecting with consumers. By using professional videos, Hickies demonstrates numerous techniques showcasing how easy and useful their product is. According to Search Engine Land, videos can also have a huge impact on SEO. When you get a chance, view some of Hickie’s videos for inspiration.
Videos have always been a major weakness for us. We’ve created an assortment of YouTube videos over the years, but we intend to take it up a notch in the next year.
A Few More Things That Improve Conversions
Here are a few more things Hickies is doing that all online store owners should be doing.
- Keep blogging
- Social networking
- Improving product pages weekly
- Including policy pages
- Using pictures of people throughout the website
- Keep navigation simple
- Write great “About Us” pages
- Use online chat software (or app)
- Have a legit phone number and contact information
- Include security images
- Explain shipping rates early
Conclusion
We have only highlighted a few of our favorite conversion techniques that Hickies is doing on their website. If you are a new online store owner, we recommend taking some time out of your day studying Hickie’s website. Doing so should improve your conversions and increase sales.
