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How Anua Unlocked 5X AOV Growth with iCart’s Smart Cart Features

delivery customization Challenges Solutions drive results Scale business delivery customization Challenges Solutions drive results Scale business delivery customization Challenges Solutions drive results Scale business delivery customization Challenges Solutions drive results Scale business Anua is a globally recognized Korean skincare brand known for its minimalist philosophy and focus on gentle yet effective formulations. Built on the idea of simplifying skincare routines, Anua develops products that deliver visible results while avoiding harsh or irritating components, making them suitable for sensitive skin types. Initially using a traditional full cart experience, Anua transitioned to iCart’s side cart solution in August 2025, to create a more seamless and engaging shopping journey. This shift allowed customers to easily explore complementary skincare products without disrupting their browsing flow, making it more intuitive to discover items that fit into a complete routine. By surfacing relevant recommendations directly within the cart, the brand enhanced product visibility across its range. Challenges Before implementing iCart’s side cart solution, Anua faced limitations with their existing full cart experience, which created friction in the customer journey. The traditional cart setup redirected users away from product pages, interrupting their browsing flow and reducing opportunities to explore additional products. As a skincare brand built around routines rather than single-item purchases, this made it difficult to effectively showcase complementary products and encourage customers to build complete regimens. Additionally, the lack of in-cart personalization and strategic upsell opportunities meant that customers were often unaware of related products that could enhance their skincare results. This limited the brand’s ability to increase average order value (AOV) and fully leverage its diverse product range. Anua needed a more dynamic and intuitive cart experience that could seamlessly introduce relevant recommendations while maintaining a smooth and engaging shopping journey. ❌ Cart Value Barriers Low average order value (AOV) due to single-item focus Most customers completed purchases with one primary product instead of building multi-step routines. Cart abandonment near shipping thresholds Customers were not clearly informed or motivated to reach free shipping or discount thresholds. Missed savings opportunities Customers were unaware of potential value in purchasing bundled routines or multiple complementary products. ❌ Absence of Progress-Based Incentives No free shipping or discount progress bar Customers were not motivated to increase their cart value due to lack of visible incentives. Missing tiered rewards system There were no structured milestones (e.g., “Spend more to unlock offers”), reducing upsell opportunities. ❌ Ineffective Cart UI/UX (Pre-Side Cart) Full-page cart disrupted shopping flowCustomers had to leave their browsing journey, increasing friction and drop-offs. No quick add/remove functionality Users couldn’t easily modify their cart or add suggested products without navigating away. Solution To overcome these challenges, Anua implemented iCart’s side cart solution to transform their traditional cart into a high-converting, interactive experience. By replacing the full-page cart with a seamless side cart, the brand ensured that customers could continue browsing while viewing their cart, significantly reducing friction in the shopping journey. Additionally, features like product recommendations & progress bars for free shipping and discounts motivated customers to increase their cart value. By combining personalization, incentive-driven messaging, and a user-friendly interface, Anua successfully turned their cart into a powerful revenue-driving touchpoint rather than just a checkout step. To maximize their cart effectiveness, they implemented two powerful features: ✅ Progress Bar with Multi-Reward Incentives Implemented a tiered progress bar to encourage higher cart value Customers are guided with a clear message like “Add $3.10 to unlock secret offer,” motivating them to continue adding products. Generated over $5M+ in revenue through incentive-driven cart progression Used product-based rewards to align with customer intent Instead of generic discounts, Anua incentivized purchases with relevant skincare items like Dark Spot Pads and mini serums. Built visual motivation for routine expansion As customers add products, they can clearly track progress toward unlocking multiple rewards, encouraging them to build a complete skincare routine. ✅ Product Recommendations Implemented “Frequently Bought Together” recommendations Customers adding a single product (e.g., toner) are shown complementary items like serums, moisturizers, or pads to complete their routine. Generated over 275K revenue through in-cart recommendations Encouraged full skincare regimen building Instead of isolated purchases, the cart suggests step-by-step product combinations aligned with common skincare routines. Increased product discovery at the final stage By surfacing relevant items directly in the cart, Anua ensured customers explore more of their catalog without leaving the checkout flow. Results Achieved in Last 180 Days 22932 Total Store Orders 45101 Total iCart Orders 5X iCart Generated AOV 65.70% Upsell Affected Conversion Rate These improvements reflect a clear shift in customer behavior on Anua’s store. Cart abandonment reduced as shoppers discovered complementary skincare products and felt encouraged to build complete routines. Engagement also increased, with customers interacting more with in-cart recommendations and exploring relevant product pairings. Results & Impact And...Results is Our Main Clarification By implementing iCart’s cart drawer, product recommendations, and progress bar, Anua transformed its cart into a high-performing conversion touchpoint. Shopping Experience Enhancement The improved cart experience encouraged customers to discover complementary products and understand the value of sustainable beauty routines. For instance, the clear presentation of subscription savings alongside one-time purchase options helped customers make more informed decisions about their long-term hair care needs. As Anua continues to optimize its cart experience, the brand is closely monitoring: Routine-based purchasing behavior - tracking how customers move from single items to multi-step regimens Engagement with in-cart recommendations - measuring interaction with suggested products Cart value progression - analyzing how incentives influence higher spending [related_cases_slider] Ready to Write Your Success Story? Try icart App Join successful businesses like Anua and Master your delivery scheduling Delight customers with precise timing Grow your special occasion orders Expand your delivery reach

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10 Min • 10 April 2026

How to Design Shopify Store from Scratch (Step-by-Step Guide)

Designing a high-converting online store isn’t just about picking a theme and adding products. It’s about creating a seamless shopping experience that guides visitors from first click to checkout. In this step-by-step guide, you will learn exactly how to design Shopify store from the ground up, covering everything from initial setup and visual branding to user experience best practices and essential features. By the end, you’ll have a solid foundation to create a store that not only looks great but also drives sales. Steps to Design Shopify Store Step 1: Build Your Brand Foundation First Most merchants make the mistake of jumping straight into Shopify and picking a theme. Don't do this. Your brand foundation - your colors, fonts, tone, and visual style must come before you choose a theme. Otherwise, you're just decorating a store that has no identity. Define Your Brand Identity Answer these three questions honestly: 1. Who is your ideal customer? Not "everyone who might buy this." Be specific. A 28-year-old fitness enthusiast shopping on her phone during lunch has completely different expectations than a 55-year-old home décor buyer browsing on a desktop on Sunday morning. 2. What feeling do you want people to get when they land on your store? Trustworthy and professional? Fun and energetic? Luxury and exclusive? The answer shapes every design decision - your colors, your fonts, your photography style. 3. What makes you different from the three closest competitors? Your design should visually communicate that difference. If everyone in your niche uses clean white minimalism, maybe your store should lead with bold color and personality. Step 2: Choose the Right Shopify Theme Your theme is the structural skeleton of your store. A bad theme choice can hold you back for months. A great one can be customized into almost anything you want. There are many best free horizon themes and even paid themes you can use as per your choice. Free Themes Free themes from the Shopify Theme Store (Dawn, Craft, Sense, etc.) are genuinely good. Dawn, in particular, is fast, clean, and highly customizable. If you're starting out or on a tight budget, free themes are absolutely viable. Paid themes Paid themes ($150–$400 one-time) from providers like Prestige, Impulse, Symmetry, or Turbo offer more built-in features, more layout options, and often better out-of-the-box design quality. If your shopify store design goals require advanced animations, mega menus, or complex product layouts, a paid theme can save you hours of custom work. How to Evaluate a Theme Before Buying Don't judge a theme by its demo. Judge it by these criteria: Speed score - Check PageSpeed Insights on the theme's live demo. Above 70 on mobile is acceptable; above 85 is excellent. Mobile experience - Browse the demo on your actual phone. Does it feel smooth? Customization flexibility - How many sections and blocks does it offer? Can you build the homepage structure you actually want without code? Industry fit - Is the theme built for stores like yours? A fashion theme and a supplement theme have very different conversion-focused layouts. Step 3: Configure Your Shopify Theme Editor Once you've installed your theme, it's time to open the Theme Editor (Online Store > Themes > Edit theme). This is where the real work begins. Set Up Your Global Brand Settings First Before touching individual pages, go to Theme Settings and configure: Colors - Input your exact brand color hex codes here. Apply your primary color to buttons, links, and accents. Typography - Set your heading and body fonts here. This applies site-wide. Buttons - Set button shape (rounded vs. sharp), hover color, and size. Favicon - Upload your logo/icon as your favicon (32x32 or 64x64 PNG) Getting these global settings right means every page you design will automatically feel on-brand. Design Your Header Your header is the first thing every visitor sees on every page. It needs to: Show your logo clearly Give easy access to navigation Surface the cart icon On mobile: collapse into a clean hamburger menu Sticky header tip: Enable a sticky header so your navigation follows users as they scroll. This keeps your cart icon and menu accessible at all times, which directly impacts add-to-cart rates. Design Your Footer Your footer is where trust-building happens quietly. Include: Navigation links (policies, about, contact, FAQ) Payment method icons Social media links Email signup (if applicable) Copyright notice A well-designed footer reduces customer service questions because it makes policies and contacts easy to find. Design your Shopify store with experts Schedule a Free Strategy Call Step 4: Build a High-Converting Homepage The first step when you design Shopify store includes designing from home page to checkout. Your homepage is your digital storefront window. It has one job: convince visitors to keep shopping. Here's the structure used by high-performing Shopify stores: Section 1: Hero Banner Your hero is the first thing visitors see. It needs to communicate: What you sell - Don't make people guess Who it's for - Make your customer feel seen Why they should care - Lead with a benefit, not a product name A clear CTA - One primary button ("Shop Now," "Explore Collection," "Get Yours") Use a full-width image or video background with overlaid headline text. Keep headline copy short and punchy - 5 to 10 words maximum. Avoid the generic: "Welcome to our store" is one of the worst hero headlines in ecommerce. Be specific. "Skincare That Actually Works for Sensitive Skin" is 100x more powerful. Section 2: Featured Products or Bestsellers Highlight your 4-8 top products. Use clean product cards with: High-quality product image (multiple angles if possible) Product name Price Star rating (if you have reviews) Quick "Add to Cart" on hover (supported by most modern themes) Section 3: Social Proof / Trust Builder Before people buy from a store they've never heard of, they look for proof that others have. Add one of these: A press mention bar ("As seen in…") A row of 5-star review snippets A customer count or testimonial Put this early in the page ideally above the fold on desktop. Don't bury your trust signals at the bottom where nobody scrolls. This is what I have designed by following the above points: Step 5: Design Your Product Pages for Conversions If your homepage gets visitors to browse, your product page seals the deal. This is where merchants lose the most sales and where the biggest improvements live. The Anatomy of a High-Converting Product Page Left column (images): 4-6 images minimum (front, back, detail, lifestyle, scale reference) Zoom-on-hover functionality Mobile-friendly swipe gallery Right column (details): Product name (clear, descriptive) Price (prominent - don't make people look for it) Short benefit-focused description above the fold Variant selector (size, color, etc.) Quantity selector Add to Cart button - large, high-contrast, unmissable Payment trust icons (Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, etc.) Shipping/returns summary (2–3 lines, reassuring) Below the fold: Full product description with benefits + features Size guide (if applicable) Customer reviews section Recently viewed / related products Step 6: Set Up Core Supporting Pages These pages don't get the attention they deserve, but they quietly build trust and reduce abandoned carts. About Page Shoppers visit your About page more than you think. This is where you build the human connection. Tell your real story, why you started, who you're serving, and what you believe in. Include a real photo of yourself or your team. People buy from people. Contact Page Make it effortless to reach you. Include: Contact form Email address Response time expectation ("We reply within 24 hours") Optional: live chat Policy Pages Shopify auto-generates templates for these - customize them to match your brand voice: Shipping Policy - Clear timelines, costs, and carriers Return/Refund Policy - Be generous where you can; it builds trust Privacy Policy - Required. Use Shopify's generator as a starting point. Terms of Service - Required for legal protection. Customers read these before buying, especially on unfamiliar stores. Clear, human-written policies convert better than legal jargon. Over 70% of Shopify traffic comes from mobile devices. Designing for desktop first is a mistake that costs merchants real money. Step 7: Add Trust Signals Throughout Your Store Nobody buys from a store they don't trust. Trust signals are the design elements that silently reassure first-time visitors that you're legitimate. Sprinkle these throughout your shopify store design: Trust SignalWhere to Use ItSSL badge / "Secure checkout"Header, cart, checkoutPayment method iconsProduct pages, footer, checkoutCustomer reviews (with photos)Product pages, homepageClear return policy calloutProduct pages, cartReal contact infoFooter, contact page"X orders shipped" social proofHomepage, product pagesPress mentionsHomepage above the foldMoney-back guarantee badgeProduct pages The more unfamiliar your brand, the more trust signals you need. New stores should stack these aggressively. When to Consider Professional Shopify Store Design Services DIY design gets you live. Professional design gets you competitive. If any of these apply to you, it may be worth investing in professional shopify store design services: You've launched but conversion rates are under 1% - A professional can identify and fix the UX issues killing your sales. You're scaling with paid traffic - Sending ad spend to a poorly designed store is burning money. Design ROI becomes measurable quickly. Your brand demands a premium look - If you're in fashion, jewelry, beauty, or luxury goods, your design is part of the product. You've outgrown your current theme - Custom sections, headless builds, or advanced UX flows need developer-level execution. You don't have time to do it right - Time has a cost. A professional can deliver in weeks what might take you months. If you need professional shopify store design services hire designers from expert companies like us to get the best outcome you expect. Final Thoughts Learning how to design a Shopify store from scratch is one of the most valuable skills you can develop as a merchant. A well-designed store doesn't just look better, it actively works to convert every visitor who lands on it. The difference between a store that does $0/month and one that does $10,000/month often isn't the product. It's the design, the trust, and the experience. Use this guide as your blueprint. Work through it step by step. And if at any point the complexity gets too much or your goals demand a truly exceptional result, don't hesitate to explore professional shopify store design services that can accelerate your growth. Frequently Asked Questions 1. How long does it take to design Shopify store from scratch? A basic, functional store can be live in 3-7 days if you have your brand assets ready. A polished, conversion-optimized store typically takes 2-4 weeks of focused work. 2. Do I need coding skills to design a Shopify store? No. Shopify's theme editor is drag-and-drop and handles 90% of what most merchants need. For advanced customizations, basic Liquid (Shopify's template language) knowledge helps or you can hire a Shopify developer. 3. What's the best Shopify theme for beginners? Dawn is the best free theme for beginners as it is fast, flexible, and well-supported. For paid options, Prestige and Impulse are merchant favorites with strong documentation. 4. Can I redesign my Shopify store without losing data? Yes. Shopify lets you install and preview a new theme without affecting your live store. Products, orders, and customer data are stored separately from your theme. 5. What makes a good Shopify store design? A great shopify store design is fast, mobile-friendly, visually on-brand, easy to navigate, full of trust signals, and structured to guide visitors naturally toward purchase.

6 Min • 16 April 2026

Shopify AOV: Average Order Value Calculation, Benchmarks & How to Find it?

To calculate Shopify AOV, divide your total revenue by the total number of orders. In Shopify’s Average order value over time report, AOV is calculated as (gross sales - discounts) ÷ orders, which can differ slightly from a quick manual calculation. To find AOV in Shopify, go to Analytics > Average Order Value Over Time. A lot of new Shopify store owners think they have a sales problem when they actually have an average order value problem. The Shopify merchants I work with do get excited because orders are coming in, but the cart value size stays too small. That usually shows up in one metric: AOV and you need to know how to calculate it. AOV stands for average order value. It tells you how much a customer spends, on average, every time they place an order. It’s very important to know how to calculate your Shopify AOV, benchmarks in your industry, and how to find it in your admin panel. The Shopify AOV (average order value) calculation is easier to understand than most new store owners think. In this guide, let’s break all of these down so new Shopify store owners can manage their sales. What is Shopify AOV in very simple terms? In simple terms, Shopify AOV tells you how much money a customer spends on average every time they place an order. For example, if 10 people place 10 orders and your store makes $1,000, your AOV is $100. I like this metric because it answers a very practical question for stores: Are customers building bigger carts, or am I only getting more orders? This difference matters. A store with high AOV can usually spend more on acquisition, recover shipping costs more easily, and grow faster without depending on offers. Shopify AOV: Average Order Value Calculation Formula The simplest Shopify AOV calculation formula is this: AOV = Total Revenue ÷ Number of Orders That is the version I use first when I explain it to beginners because it is easy to understand. Here is a quick example: Total revenue: $2,400 Total orders: 30 AOV: $2,400 ÷ 30 = $80 So your average customer order is worth $80. Now comes an interesting bit. Shopify’s own Average Order Value over time report uses a more specific definition. Shopify calculates AOV as: AOV = (Gross Sales - Discounts) ÷ Orders This formula excludes post-order adjustments. That means the number you see in Shopify reports can differ from a rough AOV calculation if you are counting edited orders, returns, or later changes. If you are checking AOV inside Shopify reports, use the number for monthly reports. If you are doing a manual check, use revenue divided by orders. But make sure you are using the same date range and the same type of revenue each time. Use the basic formula to understand AOV fast. Use the Shopify report formula when you are generating monthly reports. Calculated your AOV? Now know how to grow it. Finding your AOV in Shopify tells you where you stand. But improving it usually comes from giving customers a reason to add more before checkout. That is where apps iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell help store owners. With in-cart upsells, bundles, cross-sells, and free shipping progress bars, it gives Shopify merchants simple ways to lift average order value after you know your AOV figure. How to find AOV in Shopify admin panel? Inside the Shopify admin, you can view the average order value over time through Shopify’s analytics tools. Just go to Shopify admin > Analytics > Average order value over time This report is better because it shows movement over time instead of just giving you a single number. You can group it by hour, day, week, month, quarter, year, or even by day of the week or month of the year. That helps a lot when you are trying to spot patterns instead of reacting to one random dip. For a newer store, I usually would not check AOV daily unless order volumes are huge. Weekly and monthly checking of your store’s AOV is much better. Once you have the report open, change the date range. Check the last 7 days, then 30 days, then 90 days. After that, compare periods. Also, prepare a sheet of the updates you have made to increase AOV. This will help you track if an uptick in AOV happened when you did something specific. Did AOV go up after you added a bundle? Did it drop after I implemented a big discount strategy? Did it improve during a product launch? Key benchmarks for Shopify AOV based on industries Not every niche will have the same benchmark for average order value. There is no universal “good AOV.” A snack brand, a fashion brand, and a furniture or B2B parts store are never going to look the same. Product price, audience, market, and even country change the benchmark. Still, benchmark data gives you a rough place to start. A report by Littledata found that the average AOV for Shopify stores is $85, while the broader ecommerce average is $101. Doofinder’s benchmark report shows how widely AOV can vary by category. For example, Fashion sits at $81.74 Food at $97.54 Sports at $122.33 DIY, Construction, and Decor $162.85 Computers and Electronics at $348.96 Home and Decoration at $372.71 Education at $495.74 Jewelry and Accessories reach $1,057.80. Food Delivery is $36.22 Leisure and Free Time is $36.35 This is exactly what I’m talking about. AOV is only useful when you compare it to the right thing. The best comparison is usually this order: Your own past performance Stores similar to yours inside Shopify benchmarks That order gives you much better data on where you stand. One last thing about Shopify AOV If you are a new Shopify store owner, AOV is one of the first numbers you need to look into. Start with the basic Shopify AOV calculation formula. Then check the actual number inside the Shopify admin in the Analytics section. Then compare it over time instead of staring at one value and trying to guess what it means. That is how I’d approach it in a real store, too. Because once you understand the Shopify AOV (average order value calculation), it becomes easier to track store performance. You can see more clearly whether you need better pricing, better bundles, stronger cart offers, or simply a better product mix. FAQs 1. How to find AOV in Shopify? You can find AOV in your Shopify admin under Analytics by opening the Average order value over time report. 2. How to calculate Shopify AOV (average order value)? The basic formula is simple: AOV = total revenue ÷ total number of orders. If your store made $2,000 from 20 orders, your average order value is $100. 3. How does Shopify calculate average order value? In Shopify’s Average order value over time report, AOV is calculated as (gross sales - discounts) ÷ orders. Shopify also excludes post-order adjustments like edits or exchanges in that report, so the number may differ slightly from a basic AOV calculation. 4. Does Shopify’s average order value include shipping? In the sales report version, Shopify defines AOV as gross sales minus discounts divided by orders, which does not include shipping.

5 Min • 11 April 2026

How to Make Products View Only on Shopify (Disable add-to-cart)

To make products view only on Shopify and disable the Add-to-Cart button, you have three main options. Use the Shopify Theme Editor, edit your theme's Liquid or use a third-party Shopify app that enables Shopify catalog mode or browse-only functionality store-wide. By default, Shopify is built for selling but not every store needs customers to buy instantly. Whether you're showcasing a wholesale catalog, launching products soon, or offering custom orders, you may want visitors to browse without seeing the “Add to Cart” button. This guide walks you through every method to make products view only on Shopify - from zero-code theme editor tricks to Liquid code customizations. You'll know exactly which method fits your store by the time you finish reading. Why Would You Want to Make Products View Only on Shopify? Shopify is built to sell. Every default template, every button placement, every checkout flow - it's all optimized for conversions. But not every merchant wants that for every product, every visitor, every time. Wholesale / B2B Catalog Show your product range to retail buyers without letting retail customers place direct orders. Coming Soon Collections Build excitement and let visitors browse upcoming products before your official launch date. Custom / Made-to-Order For bespoke products, you need customers to contact you first not add to cart blindly. Sold Out / Archived Items Keep sold-out products visible for brand history or SEO without misleading buyers. Login-Gated Purchasing Let guests browse freely but require account login or approval before buying. The common thread? You want your store to function as a Shopify browse only store or at least partially, for certain products. Let's get into how to do that. How to make products view only on shopify Method 1 - Theme Editor: Create a "Not-For-Sale" Product Template This is the most recommended approach for most Shopify merchants, especially those without coding experience. In your Shopify admin, navigate to Online Store > Themes. Find your active theme and click Customize. Click the Home page dropdown at the top of the editor, then navigate to Products > Default product. Click the + Create template button. Name it something clear like "not-for-sale" or "view-only". Click Create template. In the Template > Product information section, hover over the Buy buttons block and click the eye icon to hide it. Click Save. Now go to Products in your Shopify admin, open each product you want to make view-only, scroll to the Online store section, and change the Theme template to your new template (e.g., "view-only"). ⚡ Pro Tip Need to assign this template to many products at once? Use bulk editing: select all products → Bulk edit → Add the "Template" column → Set them all to your new template in one go. Massive time-saver. Method 2 - Edit Shopify Liquid Code If you want smarter control like hiding the add-to-cart button for an entire collection, for products tagged a certain way, or based on a metafield, you'll want to edit your Liquid code directly. This is the most common use case. You add a tag (e.g., view-only) to any product in Shopify admin, and the Liquid code hides the buy button for tagged products automatically. Step 1: Go to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit code. Step 2: Find your product template file. Depending on your theme, this may be: templates/product.liquid sections/main-product.liquid sections/product-template.liquid Step 3: Find the Add-to-Cart form section and wrap it in this Liquid conditional: Liquid {% comment %} Hide Add to Cart for tagged products {% endcomment %} {% unless product.tags contains 'view-only' %}  {{ form | payment_button }} <button type="submit">Add to cart</button> {% endunless %} Step 4: Save the file. Now, go to any product in your admin and add the tag view-only. That product's page will no longer show the Add-to-Cart button while all other products remain unaffected. Conclusion Making your Shopify products view-only is a practical way to control how customers interact with your store. Whether you're running a wholesale catalog, preparing for a launch, or handling custom orders, disabling the Add-to-Cart button helps you guide the buying experience on your terms. The best method ultimately depends on your needs and technical comfort level, but both approaches give you the flexibility to turn your store into a browse-only experience whenever required. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Does Shopify have a built-in "view only" mode? No. Shopify does not have a native view-only toggle or checkbox in its admin. 2. Will hiding the Add-to-Cart button affect my SEO? No, hiding the purchase button does not affect how Google indexes your product page. The page remains fully crawlable. In fact, keeping product pages live (without the buy button) is often better for SEO than deleting products entirely. 3. Can I make view-only products available for specific customers only? Yes. This is best handled through a Shopify app like Locksmith or B2B Wholesale Club. These apps allow you to show or hide the Add-to-Cart button based on customer tags, account status, or login perfect for Shopify login to purchase setups.