Even though the Shopify Retail blog only launched back in June, we’ve created lots of articles for our ever-growing readership this year.
After all, it’s our audience of entrepreneurs and retailers who matter — and what content most resonates with you. So, after reflecting on all our past posts and studying the numbers, we’ve compiled the list of the year’s most popular articles.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 articles for 2016.
10. 4 Creative Ways to Promote Your Product Through an Influential Fashion Blogger
Working with fashion bloggers can be a great cornerstone for any influencer marketing strategy. Bloggers with large readerships can provide a great audience to drive new sales for your product.
But approaching an influencer can feel a bit daunting. However, this article walks you through the process of reaching out to bloggers with tips that include:
- Blogger outreach for product promotion in outfit posts;
- Engaging bloggers to feature your product in an upcoming home tour; and,
- Hosting an in-store party and inviting relevant fashion bloggers.
Read 4 Creative Ways to Promote Your Product Through an Influential Fashion Blogger.
9. Introducing Shopify POS and Card Reader in the UK
Shopify merchants in the United Kingdom were introduced this year to a newly available card readers that made commerce better for in-person sellers.
The tap, chip, and swipe card readers bridges the gap between online and offline sales with Shopify POS. So no matter where UK merchants sell, they can now keep their products and customers in sync.
Read Introducing Shopify POS and Card Reader in the UK.
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8. How to “Lure” Pokémon GO Players into Your Storefront
As the popular smartphone game craze took hold with fans this summer, content creator Jordan Simas rounded up a few ways retailers could take advantage of Pokémon GO to boost foot traffic into their retail stores.
- Retailers can set up lures in and around their store to draw the adorable creatures to your geographic area — and thereby, you’ll draw players into your store.
- Join in! Choose one of the three teams promoted in the game, then post signage about it. By publicly acknowledging a team on a window sign or sandwich board, you’ll endear yourselves to passers-by and catch eyes you normally wouldn’t have.
- Support players milling in and around your store with things like free phone charging in store.
Read How to “Lure” Pokémon GO Players into Your Storefront.
7. 5 Quick and Low-Tech Tips To Prevent Shoplifting in Your Retail Store
Theft is a major issue for retailers, with shoplifting costing stores upwards of $13 billion each year (that’s certainly not chump change).
And while there are plenty of high-tech measures merchants can implement to curb theft, this article highlights some simple, low-cost methods to keep shoplifters from making off with your merchandise. A couple of examples include:
- Keeping your store organized so you can easily identify missing goods;
- Learning to identify common traits and behaviors of shoplifters; and,
- Ensuring your store layout works to curb theft.
Read 5 Quick and Low-Tech Tips To Prevent Shoplifting in Your Retail Store.
6. 4 Tips To Help You Sell More in Retail, Backed By Science and Bob the Builder
Luring your target customer through the doors of your brick-and-mortar store is the primary challenge on most retailers’ minds — but what do you do once they cross the threshold?
Making a sale is both an art and a science. In this article, we explore a few sales tactics to help retailers and their staff members build your customer base and increase repeat sales.
Some of these tips cover:
- How to make a good first impression
- Why you should think before you speak when making a sale
- The ins and outs of body language
Read 4 Tips To Help You Sell More in Retail, Backed By Science and Bob the Builder.
5. 3 Time-Tested Retail Sales Promotions That Drive Foot Traffic and Build Loyalty
Whatever your goal may be as a retailer, by creating a time-sensitive sales promotion and having a good grasp on your target customer demographic, you'll be able to incentivize the right actions, get them to respond, and grow your business in the process.
This article examines three retail sales promotion techniques that are worth their weight in gold when implemented effectively, including:
- Promotional pricing
- Point-of-purchase displays
- Loyalty programs
Read 3 Time-Tested Retail Sales Promotions That Drive Foot Traffic and Build Loyalty.
4. 10 Retail Experts Share Their #1 Tip for Marketing and Growing Your Store
Part of the struggle of many retailers is getting over a sales plateau. They go to all the effort of building their store, so they obviously want as many people to visit as possible.
That’s why we asked 10 retail experts for marketing advice to pass onto retailers who want to grow their stores. Their tips include:
- Giving shoppers a solid reason to visit your storefront
- Honing in on how you sell what you sell
- Encourage buying behavior in your customers
Read 10 Retail Experts Share Their #1 Tip for Marketing and Growing Your Store.
3. How To Create Retail Store Interiors That Get People To Purchase Your Products
While finding the right products to sell is the crux of your retail business, creating the right environment when you walk through your store’s doors is just as important. Retail has been around for a mighty long time and one thing we know is that there are a lot of different approaches when it comes to designing the interior layout of your store. However, there are also some common design strategies that all retailers can employ that lead to generating more sales for your business.
Some of these strategies we highlight in this article include:
- How to set up the “decompression zone” near your store’s entrance
- Creating a subtle but apparent path through your store
- Building an interior that keeps customers comfortable
Read How To Create Retail Store Interiors That Get People To Purchase Your Products.
2. Visual Merchandising 101: How to Create Store Designs With High-Converting Displays
It’s no surprise that the second most popular article this year covers the topic of how to use visual merchandising to make more sales. Merchandising can be tricky, and the subject of optimizing it confounds some retailers.
In this post, we discuss how you can go about creating effective merchandising displays in your store that not only catch your target customer's attention, but gets them to make a purchase as well. We highlight tips like:
- Beginning with the target customer in mind
- How to find inspiration
- Engaging all your customers’ senses with your displays
Read Visual Merchandising 101: How to Create Store Designs With High-Converting Displays.
1. 9 Strategies for Profitably Pricing Your Retail Products
One of the most exciting and nerve-wracking aspects of retail is determining what price to sell your products at. Pricing is both an art and a science that requires an experimental attitude coupled with an intuitive feel for how you want your brand and by extension your products to be perceived.
Price your products too low and you might get a ton of sales but you might find yourself going under when you tally up your expenses at the end of the month.
In the most popular article of 2017, we explore the ins and outs of this popular topics and offer a few formulas to help you find your ideal pricing strategy.
Want to learn more about how to best price your products? Read 9 Strategies for Profitably Pricing Your Retail Products.
What’re Your Thoughts?
We’d love to hear about your favorite retail-focused blog posts from 2016. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
