How can I improve my online store and is switching to a paid theme beneficial?

[imShopified]

Looking for feedback on our shopify store linked below as well as advise on where to find the most honest resources created with genuine intent to help vs created to look genuine but end up being a sales pitch for buying 3rd products or services. 

Prefer intermediate level documentation and things like best practices guides for customizing themes. 

Would our site benefit from switching to a paid theme in Shopify or can we continue modifying our free theme and get still get the same performance and features using apps? 

https:www.ladydorothyboutique.com

[Idukki]

Hello! going through your web store I believe that there is genuine need of User Generated content/ social proof for your business. 

Displaying your current customers' experience on your store will build trust for potential customers as well as increase your conversion rate/LTV. 
 
Note:- Use Idukki app on app store to build beautifully designed widgets and add to your store without writing a single line of code! 

In addition, 
PDP's need more than just one image. 

https://ladydorothyboutique.com/products/barbie-party-jeans. Usually 4-5 images per product from different angles is advised. 

[PageFly-Kate]

Hi @imShopified,

This is Kate from PageFly - Shopify Landing Page Builder App. 

Congratulations on your store! It looks amazing, and it's clear you've worked hard on it. I'd love to share some suggestions, and you can customize the theme or use a page builder app to make these changes:

1. Resize for the header

You can reduce the content or rearrange the elements in the header to make it more compact; currently, the header has too much empty space.

2. Make the announcement bar highlighter

To make your announcement bar more eye-catching and engaging, try changing the text color or background color.

 It's important to choose colors that match your campaign theme and create excitement of anticipation in customers .

3. Add a hero banner section

Adding a hero banner section to the homepage is important for several reasons:

• Visual Impact: A hero banner is typically a large, eye-catching image or video placed at the top of the homepage. It's the first thing visitors see, and it can make a powerful visual impression, helping to grab their attention immediately.
• Message Communication: The hero banner is an ideal place to convey your brand's core message or showcase a key product or promotion. It allows you to communicate your value proposition or a special offer right away.
• You can check this image for reference:

4. Adjust product list section

The heading is too close to the upper section. Please adjust the spacing between the two sections for the best appearance.

5. Add image for About us section

The content in this section is lengthy and contains a lot of text. You may want to consider shortening the content and incorporating images by using a two-column layout for this section.

You can check this image for reference:

You can check this image for reference:

6. Prepare for holiday campaign

Maximize your holiday sales with tailored marketing plans for Black Friday, Cyber Monday:

BFCM Flash Sales :

• Introduce limited-time flash sales for specific products to instill a feeling of urgency.
• Utilize countdown timers and attention-grabbing banners to capture interest.

Bundle Offers & Mix-and-Match Deals:

• Craft unique bundles of complementary items at reduced rates to enhance the average order value.
• Enable customers to mix and match products for a personalized shopping journey.

You can check this image for reference:

These are some suggestions for improving the design. 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Best regards,

Kate | PageFly Team

[Gojiberry-Amee]

Hi Sheila, 

This is Amee from Gojiberry - Shopify Survey & Feedback App. 

I took a look at your store and have a few suggestions that will help improve your store & increase conversion rate: 

1. Testimonials. Showcasing a few testimonials on your home page -- whether from online customers or family/friends, helps promote more consumer trust and confidence. 
2. Include more detail pictures. Your current product lineup has great pictures but is lacking some details. Would be great to show more detail pictures of the fabric, so the consumer can imagine how it feels on their hand. If you have resources, additional modeling videos, or even customer showcase pictures to give your listing some flare. 
3.  Adding a blog. I love the message behind your store. Adding a blog that talks more about fashion tips, or about Dorothy and her inspirations, would help draw people to your site. 
4. Ask your customers! (Most effective for increasing conversion) Ask where your converting customers are coming from. You can easily do so with a post-purchase survey app, and reward your customers with coupons/points to keep them coming back again. Once you find out your strongest marketing channel, focus more effort and money on that. 

Hope this helps! 

Amee | Gojiberry Team 

[Ollie]

Hey @imShopified.

 
Thanks for reaching out.
 
I appreciate the context and that you have provided us with your online store URL for us to explore! It looks like you have received some really great feedback on this post. 
 
Looking into your store, I noticed that you do not have a slideshow section displayed on the homepage. You could potentially add a slideshow as the first section on the homepage to allow your visitors and new customers to learn more about the business without having to scroll. This could also strengthen your brand by allowing you to display your best sellers or favorite products in the slides. 
 
You have a beautiful store, by the way! Additionally, you could add a method to allow your customers to share their feedback. We do have some third-party applications available on the Shopify App Store that can allow your customers to share their feedback after they receive their products. I did compile a list of applications that you may be interested in here.
 
Let me know if you have any questions.