Shopify

The Top 5 Shopify Growth Strategies for 2026

If you’re ready to take your Shopify growth to the next level, this is the guide for you. In this article, we’re focusing on the top 5 revenue...

The Top 5 Shopify Growth Strategies for 2026

If you’re ready to take your Shopify growth to the next level, this is the guide for you. In this article, we’re focusing on the top 5 revenue-driving tools and growth strategies that actually move the needle.

At StoreLab, we’ve tested, refined, and seen real results from each of these strategies - which is exactly why many of them are weaved into our own services.

From smaller, product-based tactics like upselling and bundling, to powerful new sales channels for your business like Shopify mobile apps, these are the approaches we know deliver sustainable growth.

We’re sharing them because we genuinely care about helping you grow your Shopify store - not just short-term, but for the long run.

Let’s dive in! 

Get a Mobile App for Your Shopify Store

1 - Get a Mobile App for Your Shopify Store

Everyone shops on their phones these days, so no wonder 79% of all traffic to Shopify stores comes from mobile devices.

In 2026, if you don't have a mobile app for your Shopify store, you’re leaving money on the table. Why?

Because they put your store directly in your customers’ pockets, make shopping faster and easier, and keep your brand front-and-centre in a way websites can’t match.

85% of shoppers prefer apps over mobile websites - they’re smoother, faster, and designed specifically for mobile. And it’s not just about convenience: shoppers using apps add 4.2x more products to their baskets.

That’s a huge boost to your Shopify sales without even needing to chase new customers - you’re rewarding loyal shoppers and keeping them coming back by giving them an easier, better buying experience.

That said, you can also offer extra app incentives to bring in new customers and drive app downloads, such as early access to sales, free shipping, or app-only discounts. These exclusives make both new and existing shoppers feel valued, encouraging them to choose you over competitors and helping build a more loyal customer base. 

In turn, this creates a steady, growing revenue stream.

Why Shopify mobile apps contribute to business growth:

  • Higher conversions & bigger baskets. Shopify mobile apps guide shoppers from browsing to buying with no friction. Faster checkout, less scrolling, and instant load times = more sales. Apps also have an 85% higher add-to-cart rate, so when you invest in an app, you’re improving the customer journey as well as directly growing your revenue.
  • Reduced abandoned carts. Shopify mobile apps are built to guide shoppers from basket to checkout, seamlessly, without the delays or distractions that often cause drop-offs or cart abandonment on mobile sites. The result? More completed purchases when it matters most.
  • Faster shopping experience. Mobile websites can sometimes feel sluggish under heavy traffic, but apps load instantly. That kind of speed keeps customers engaged and pushes them through checkout before they have time to second-guess their purchase.
  • Push notifications that convert. Push notifications are a channel you only unlock with app, and let you instantly connect with customers about flash sales, cart reminders, or limited-time discount codes like “Use Extra10 for an extra 10% off your Black Friday Shop”, or “Your saved Beige Knit Jumper just dropped in price”. Time sensitive nudges like these create urgency and drive fast buying decisions.
  • Personalised shopping. Shopify mobile apps can show tailored recommendations based on browsing history, preferences, and past purchases. That means shoppers see the products they’re most likely to buy, making it easier for them to find what they want and for you to close the sale.

At StoreLab, we do more than just hand you an app, we build a long-term Shopify growth and retention tool. By combining our expertise with a deep understanding of your brand, we create an app that skyrockets conversions, increases AOV, and strengthens customer loyalty. Learn more.

Before you dive into Shopify mobile apps, make sure the basics (like your website design and Meta ads) are solid. Once that’s done, an app is one of the best tools for keeping customers engaged, encourages repeat purchases, and grows your revenue.

Success Story - RockThoseCurves

StoreLab Shopify Growth Service Case Study

RockThoseCurves launched during the first UK lockdown as a place for plus size women over 50 to find unique, stylish items for their wardrobe. 

Carol contacted StoreLab to build a bespoke mobile app to improve customer retention as well as run paid social ads to attract new audiences. With our apps improving client retention by 3x over 90 days, it was a no-brainer.

With the help of one of our dedicated account managers, Carol’s vision was translated into both a Shopify mobile app and paid ads. It was important not just to build her customer base, but also, her brand.

The results were exceptional…

  • 126% YoY increase in conversion rate
  • 100% YoY increase in retention rate
  • 48% YoY increase in average order value
  • 1307% YoY increase in online store sales
  • 6.84% return on ad spend

Learn more about RockThoseCurves’ success story here

Run Paid Social Campaigns & Meta ads

2 - Run Paid Social Campaigns & Meta ads

Paid advertising remains one of the most effective ways to get your products and offerings in front of the right audience - and we’ve seen firsthand how Meta ads specifically are a standout platform for growing your Shopify store. 

With Meta ads, you can reach shoppers based on demographics, interests, browsing behaviour, and even past purchases. This precision targeting means your promotions are seen by the people most likely to convert, whether you’re looking to increase awareness, drive traffic, or see more sales coming through consistently.

Meta ads are also great for retargeting, helping you reconnect with customers who’ve previously shown interest in your products. And because they support a wide range of formats, such as carousel ads, video, and collection ads, you can present your products in ways that feel engaging and authentic.

At StoreLab, our in-house performance marketing experts know exactly how to make the most of and harness paid advertising so you see the best results possible. From strategy to setup and ongoing optimisation, we take care of everything so you can focus on running your business while we drive the results you want.

Here’s how we maximise your Meta ad performance:

  • Make retargeting work harder. This is where Meta ads really shine. We create personalised retargeting campaigns to target customers who have previously interacted with your brand. It’s one of the most effective ways to turn intent into purchase.
  • Use visuals that sell. High-quality creatives are the difference between being ignored and being clicked. We help you showcase products with crisp photography, video, and authentic UGC. That mix of stand-out content and social proof means customers feel more confident about choosing you over competitors.
  • Personalise and stand out. Every brand is competing for attention. Our experts create data-driven campaigns tailored to your audience’s browsing history, past purchases, and location. We also highlight what makes your brand unique - whether that’s sustainability, quality, or exclusivity.
  • Run seasonal campaigns. We don’t wait until the last minute to run seasonal campaigns. Our team runs teaser campaigns early to warm up your audience, build hype around your key sales dates, and get shoppers excited for what’s coming. That way, when events like Shopify Black Friday Cyber Monday, Christmas, and Boxing Day kick off, your customers are already excited and ready to buy.

We pride ourselves on expertise and transparency. Our team creates strategies tailored to your business with a potential return on ad spend (ROAS) of 3-8x. And we don’t just run your ads in the background, we keep you informed every step of the way with regular check-ins, performance reviews, and clear updates so you know exactly how your campaigns are performing. 

The result is an expert Meta ads strategy that delivers both immediate wins and long term Shopify growth. You’ll see instant impact through traffic spikes and sales conversions, but you’ll also build a stronger brand presence, expand your customer base, and creating lasting loyalty that keeps revenue growing. Learn more.

Success Story - Earth & Elements Jewellery 

StoreLab Shopify Growth Service Case Study

Earth & Elements is a conscious lifestyle brand offering sustainably sourced crystal jewellery and wellness products that promote spiritual growth, positivity, and connection to nature.

Founder, Ellie, partnered with StoreLab to launch targeted paid social campaigns to boost brand visibility and grow sales & conversions.

Since working with StoreLab, Earth & Elements has seen results like these…

  • 245% sales growth in the first 90 days
  • Boosted brand engagement across campaigns
  •  ROAS climbed from 3x to 7x within 3 months
  • Total purchase value doubled in just one month
  • 173.96% ROI in 3 months with £26K+ in sales
  • Lifetime ROAS of 3.94x, proving Meta ads bring real results

Learn more about Earth & Elements’ success story here

3 -  Upselling, Cross-Selling, & Bundle Tactics 

Upselling, cross-selling, and bundling turn every shopping journey into a growth opportunity. 

These strategies will do more than just increase your average order value (AOV), but they will also make your customers’ experience more personalised and rewarding, which is why we want to highlight this key sales tactic! 

The numbers speak for themselves: 72% of salespeople use upselling and cross-selling tactics, and these efforts account for roughly 30% of their revenue. That’s huge. 

Think of these techniques as the art of helping customers discover more of what they love. Whether it’s showing a complementary item, offering a value bundle, or adding thoughtful add-ons at checkout, each interaction becomes a chance to grow both customer satisfaction and sales.

Here’s some tried-and-tested ways to make upselling, cross-selling, & bundling work for your Shopify store. Remember, no matter your niche (clothing, apparel, health & beauty, jewellery, or another product category), each of these tactics can be tailored to fit your brand’s offerings.

  • “Complete the look” bundles. These are ideal for fashion or beauty brands. For example, if a shopper adds a foundation to their basket, suggest the matching concealer. Or, go one step further with a “complete the look” bundle featuring the foundation, concealer, and setting powder at a discounted price.
  • Complementary product discounts. Offer small savings when customers buy items that naturally go together; this could be a lipstick and a lip liner or a gym bag and a towel. It’s a simple but effective way to encourage multi-item purchases.
  • Upsells at checkout. Suggest useful add-ons like gift-wrapping, premium packaging, or faster shipping. These small touches enhance the shopping experience, whilst also boosting AOV.
  • Tiered discounts and value bundles. Create promos that reward spending, like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free”, or “Bundle & Save 15% on Selected Sets”. Let’s be real, we all love a good deal, and these offers naturally increase basket size.
Shopify Growth Strategies - Upsell & Cross-sell

Many clothing stores, like the example from MANGO above, offer a “Shop The Look” feature on their product pages - and often, no discount is even needed. The ease of shopping the full outfit, plus a little bit of FOMO from the model’s look, is incentive enough for shoppers to add extra items to their basket.

Upsells, cross-sells, & bundles are also perfect for promoting across your organic social posts, paid ads, push notifications, and email campaigns. They give you something fresh and enticing to talk about and promote.

These strategies are a win-win for both your brand and your customers; you grow your revenue, and they discover products they love, and everyone walks away happy. What’s more, over time, this also contributes to more sustainable growth by increasing customer lifetime value (LTV) and encouraging repeat purchases. 

Shopify Growth - Using High-Quality Creative

4 - Using High-Quality Creative

Every interaction your customers have with your brand is shaped by your creative, from the emails they open, to the ads they click, to the experience they have on your website. 

Strong creative goes beyond just looking good; it’s about building a brand that feels consistent, memorable, and designed to convert. This matters more than ever, especially since 73% of consumers are omnichannel shoppers and 94% of first impressions come down to design.

High-quality creative has a direct impact on your Shopify store’s growth. Thoughtfully designed landing pages, websites, and checkout flows will do more than attract attention, they’ll guide visitors smoothly through to purchase.

Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) focuses on making every element of your site, from product pages to CTAs, work together to bring in more sales. Think of your creative as more than just visuals; it’s one of the biggest drivers of Shopify revenue growth.

At StoreLab, our creative services cover every stage of the customer journey. We work with you to design the right mix of assets, strategy, and execution depending on your needs, budget, and resources.

Here’s how we help Shopify brands succeed with high-quality creative:

  • Website design & CRO. Whether it’s audit, tweaks to your currency theme, or a fresh build in Shopify or Replo, we make sure your site not only looks good, but is easy to shop and built to convert and grow sales.
  • Branding. Through discovery sessions, positioning work, and design, we help you get crystal clear on who you are as a brand. Then bring it to life with logos, brand guidelines, and collateral that tie everything together.
  • Packaging. Unboxing should feel like part of the experience. We create product and shipping packaging that showcases your brand and makes customers excited to open what’s inside.
  • Paid ad creative. From TikTok clips to Meta ads, we create visuals, video, and motion that speak your customers’ language. Or if you prefer, give you a clear playbook to run with in-house.
  • Pitch & presentation decks. Whether you’re raising funding, pitching for board or manufacturer sign-off, or launching a new collection, we design decks that tell your story clearly and make the right impression. 
  • Email marketing. Strategy, design, and content creation. Pre and post purchase flows to optimise revenue generation and customer retention. We create seamless, engaging experiences that guide customers from first interaction to repeat purchase.

Our approach at StoreLab is flexible! Some clients come to us with more of a clear brief and some assets in place, while others rely on us for full creative direction and execution. In either case, the goal is the same: creative that reflects your brand, resonates with your audience, and drives results when it matters most. Learn more.

Showcase UGC, Social Proof, & Reviews

5 - Showcase UGC, Social Proof, & Reviews

In 2026, the brands that win are the ones that earn trust…and nothing builds trust more than authentic customer content.

Whether it’s a glowing review, an unboxing video, or a tagged Instagram post, UGC and social proof are some of the most powerful tools to boost conversions and long-term loyalty.

The stats speak for themselves: 95% of customers read online reviews before buying, and 79% trust product reviews just as much as personal recommendations. That means your happiest customers can be your strongest marketing channel.

When you encourage and showcase real reviews and feedback, you’re proving your brand’s authenticity, building credibility, and creating the kind of confidence that convinces shoppers to buy.

Shopify Growth Strategies - UGC

Remember, UGC isn’t just about pretty product photos (though those do make a big difference), and it comes in all shapes and sizes…

  • Customer reviews. Reviews are one of the most common and influential forms of UGC. They’re key to developing your brand reputation, converting new customers, and improving first impressions.
  • Social media posts. When customers share photos, videos, or updates about their purchases on social media, it not only shows how much they like your product, but gives you free exposure to their connections. 
  • Product photos. Customer photos offer a more genuine and relatable product showcase compared to professionally shot photos. High-class photos are good, but UGC photos are more realistic, giving customers insight into how much your product matches up in real life.
  • Testimonials. Written or video testimonials from satisfied customers help to build trust and credibility, and can be shared to your website, socials, and other marketing channels. They can include a customer sharing a first-hand experience, impressive results, or a heartfelt thanks. 
  • Comments and discussions. UGC can also include comments, discussions, and questions on your website or social media pages. These comments are likely to offer great insight into your brand perception, especially if they’re on pages you don’t own like Quora, Reddit, or Trustpilot.
Shopify Growth Strategies - Reviews

Once you have the content, it’s all about showcasing it in the right places to effectively reach shoppers and grow Shopify sales…

  • Product pages. Display customer reviews, ratings, and even photos or videos of customers using your products on your product pages. This builds trust and provides potential buyers with real examples of your products in action.
  • Paid & organic social channels. Utilise the power of social media by featuring UGC on your brand’s profiles. Encourage customers to share their experiences, tag your brand, and use relevant hashtags. 
  • Email marketing campaigns. Feature snippets of positive reviews or showcase customer-submitted photos to create both visually appealing and persuasive content.
  • Homepage, landing, and product pages. These are some of the most impactful places you can add UGC, social proof, and reviews to. Make a strong first impression by incorporating UGC on your homepage or dedicated landing & product pages. This can include a carousel of customer reviews, testimonials, or a gallery of user-submitted photos. Highlighting positive experiences right from the start can capture the attention of potential customers.

If you’re struggling to collect reviews, social proof, or UGC, consider offering small incentives like discount codes, free gifts, or competitions to encourage participation.

Don’t be afraid to show a mix of positive and constructive feedback. Authenticity builds trust. 

Why does this matter for Shopify growth?

Well, when shoppers see others loving your brand, they’re more likely to trust you and to buy from you again. UGC and reviews turn satisfied customers into advocates, helping you gain new customers organically while strengthening loyalty among existing ones. It’s also one of the most cost-effective strategies to help you see more sustainable growth.

Final thoughts 

If you're ready to take your Shopify store to the next level, contact StoreLab today to learn more about how we can help you build a custom Shopify mobile app, optimise your Meta ads, and offer expert creative services.

Book a call with a Shopify growth expert to discuss your unique needs and start your journey to sustainable growth!

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