10 Common Mistakes Costing Your Shopify Store Money (And How to Fix Them)

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kurt Elster on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast to discuss something that's been on my mind a lot lately: the simple yet critical mistakes Shopify store owners keep making that are literally costing them money.

Between Kurt and me, we've been in the e-commerce trenches for over 40 years (yikes, I'm getting old!). Since my first online store back in 1998 selling archery supplies on eBay and launching my first Shopify store in 2009, I've seen countless stores struggle with the same fundamental issues.

The good news? Most of these mistakes are easy to fix and don't require technical expertise. Let's dive into what we discussed:

1. Your Checkout Is Your Digital Handshake

I always say the checkout is your handshake with the customer. Think about it - would you walk into a store with beautiful displays, only to encounter a grumpy, disorganized cashier?

Yet according to Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate is 69.82%. Many store owners spend thousands on their site design but neglect their checkout page. At minimum, upload your logo in checkout settings, but don't stop there. Add testimonials, streamline fields, and make it feel like part of your brand experience.

2. Your Subscribers Want More Than Just Your Product

One of my biggest pet peeves is when merchants think customers actually want their subscription program. They don't - they want the value it provides.

Here's a shocking stat: 92% of subscribers want more opportunities for one-time add-ons beyond their regular deliveries. Subscriptions are no longer a differentiator - they're table stakes. But merely offering "subscribe and save" isn't enough.

Start calling subscribers "members" and give them real benefits: exclusive pricing on other products, early access to new items, partner benefits with complementary brands, and member-only events. Your goal should be creating a relationship, not just a billing arrangement.

3. Your Main Menu Should Lead to Money

Everything in your main menu should lead to money. Period.

Research from Nielsen Norman Group shows visitors spend 80% of their time above the fold, and your menu is prime real estate. Yet I constantly see menus cluttered with "Home," "Blog," "Contact," and other non-revenue generating links.

Instead, focus on product categories, and consider adding "What's Trending" and "On Sale" collections (both easy to create with Shopify's sorting options). These simple additions can significantly boost your average order value and conversion rates.

4. Your Website Has a Job To Do (And It's Not Just Selling)

Too many store owners think their website's only job is to sell products. In reality, its job is much broader: to build relationships, gather customer information, segment visitors, and tell your brand story.

I recently saw a health site that replaced the standard email popup with a segmentation quiz asking, "What are you here for?" with options like gut health, mental focus, etc. This not only personalized the visitor experience but also gave the brand crucial data for targeted marketing.

When you understand this broader purpose, your site becomes a powerful tool for long-term growth, not just immediate sales.

5. Your Top 1% of Customers Deserve More Focus

Did you know that for many Shopify stores, the top 1% of customers generate up to 40% of revenue? Yet most merchants spend their energy trying to convert non-buyers or win back lost customers.

Every store has true fans - maybe it's 10, maybe it's 1,000. Find them (customers who've ordered multiple times, mentioned you on social media, etc.), talk to them, and understand why they love you. Then double down on finding more people just like them.

6. Your Product Pages Are Too Weak

Amazon knows that compelling product pages convert, which is why their listings include multiple images, videos, annotations, and extensive details. According to Salsify, 70% of consumers want at least 3 images when shopping online.

The best Shopify stores treat product pages like landing pages - with action shots, annotated photos, user-generated content, and rich descriptions. Check out Master & Dynamic or Timbuk2 for inspiration - they use videos showing their products in action, comparison tables, and detailed features that make customers feel confident in their purchase.

7. Your Brand Lacks Authentic Content

In an age of AI-generated content, authenticity stands out. Consumers can spot generic, soulless content from a mile away.

According to Stackla, 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding which brands to support. Show the people behind your brand, share your genuine story, and create content that feels human. This builds trust in ways that perfectly-crafted AI copy simply cannot.

8. You're Too Dependent on Paid Ads

I call this being "stuck on the paid ad nipple." Ad costs aren't going down - they've increased by 27% year-over-year on platforms like Facebook. Building a business entirely dependent on paid acquisition is dangerous.

Focus on owned channels: email marketing (which still delivers a $36 ROI for every $1 spent), SMS, content marketing, and SEO. Blog content might seem old-fashioned, but it's a sustainable traffic source that you control.

9. Your Referral Program Is Forgettable

Standard "give 10%, get 10%" referral programs rarely move the needle. Yet successful referral programs can drive exponential growth if designed correctly.

The key? Make referrals feel exclusive and valuable. Instead of a small discount, consider offering three free months of your subscription to the referrer's friends. This makes your customer the hero while pre-qualifying new customers who are likely to be a good fit.

10. You're Ignoring International Markets

Finally, many Shopify stores limit themselves to their home market when global e-commerce is booming. With Shopify Markets, expanding internationally is easier than ever.

Cross-border e-commerce is growing at twice the rate of domestic e-commerce. Even if you only speak English, there are massive English-speaking markets worldwide that could be your next growth opportunity.

The Bottom Line

If I had to sum up everything we discussed, it's this: focus more on your existing customers. As Seth Godin wisely said, "Don't find customers for your products. Find products for your customers."

By fixing these common mistakes, you'll not only improve conversion rates but build a more sustainable, profitable Shopify business that can weather changing market conditions.