How to increase the add to cart rate?

Focus on the product page basics first: fast load time, high-quality photos, clear price and shipping/returns info, and a bold Add to Cart button that’s easy to tap on mobile. Then add trust badges to the cart and checkout page to increase conversions.

Which are the best free shipping bar Shopify apps?

If you want a solid, widely used shipping bar, check out iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell. Other similar apps include Essential Free Shipping Upsell and Progressify.

What are the different types of Shopify discounts?

Shopify supports core discount types like amount off (percentage or fixed), Buy X Get Y, and free shipping. You can run them as discount codes or as automatic discounts that apply when the cart meets the rules.

What does tiered discount mean?

A tiered discount means the offer gets better as the cart hits higher thresholds, like “Spend $50, get 5% off, spend $75, get 10% off.” Most Shopify stores use tiers to increase AOV without showing one big discount to everyone.

How do I add a progress bar in Shopify?

The fastest way is to install a free shipping or progress bar app and set your goal amount (like $50) and the reward text. Some themes also support announcement bars, but a true cart progress bar is easiest through a Shopify app.

How to do tiered discounts on Shopify?

Shopify can run automatic discounts, but multi-tier systems require a dedicated app that can handle tier logic. A most common setup is: use an app like iCart to show a tier through a progress bar in the cart drawer.

Ecommerce

Gather knowledge about the latest insights, updates, tips, and tricks in the Ecommerce industry.

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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7 Min • 16 April 2026

Best Payment Method for Shopify Merchants: Top Picks from a Shopify Expert

Shopify Payments is the best payment method for Shopify in my experience. The reason for it being zero transaction fee. Other proven options merchants use include Apple Pay, PayPal, and Shop Pay. Since the start of 2026, Shopify store owners have been asking me which is the best payment method for Shopify. The answer to this is a bit complicated. I have used all payment methods, and I will say the right setup depends on the country you sell in, your customers, and how easy your checkout is for a first-time buyer. In this guide, I will show you the best payment method for Shopify that I have tried and tested. I will also explain how to choose the best one for your store. Best payment method for Shopify merchants (From an expert) 1. Shopify Payments For most beginners, Shopify Payments is the best place to start. Why I recommend it: It is built into Shopify It supports major payment methods It removes extra setup work It keeps your payment management centralized In my experience, it is the simplest way to accept payments online. If you are a new Shopify store, this should be your first choice. Before comparing fees or advanced features, check whether your business is in one of the supported Shopify Payments countries. If your country is not supported, change your payment option in Shopify right away. 2. Shop Pay If Shopify Payments is your base, Shop Pay is what I would add next. Shop Pay is part of Shopify Payments and helps create a faster checkout experience. Why it matters: It speeds up checkout It saves customer details for future purchases It works well for repeat buyers It helps reduce friction on mobile I especially like it for stores that get traffic from: Instagram TikTok email campaigns returning customers 3. PayPal PayPal still matters, especially for new stores that need trust. Shopify supports PayPal integrations, including PayPal Express Checkout. For a new store, this trust signal can make a real difference. Why would I choose PayPal? Shoppers instantly recognise this, which helps to build trust. Some customers prefer paying through their PayPal balance or linked account 4. Apple Pay and Google Pay Digital wallets are the best payment method for Shopify if your traffic is mostly mobile. Why they help: They make checkout faster They feel natural on phones They support quick, low-friction purchases Digital wallets are the best payment options in Shopify if your core audience comes from mobile. Want to add Apple Pay to Shopify? Here's a simple step-by-step guide to add Apple Pay to Shopify in 2026. 5. Local payment methods The best Shopify payment provider is not always the biggest brand. Sometimes it is the one your local audience already uses and trusts. Local payment methods are region-specific options that match customer preferences in different markets. Research which local payment methods are supported where your customers are. For example, I used a payment method called iDEAL for a store whose customers were in the Netherlands. This especially matters if you sell internationally. A quick note once the payment is set up… Once the payment setup is working, I look at the cart drawer of the store. That is where I use Shopify upsell apps like iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell. The app focuses on pre-purchase features like: Cross-sells Cart upsells Product bundles Progress bars Cart drawer customization So while your payment setup helps customers complete the order, iCart can help raise cart value before checkout happens. Additional choices for Shopify payment providers 1. Shop Pay Installments and BNPL If you sell higher-priced products like luxury goods or high-end jewelry, payment flexibility can help increase conversions. Here’s what I always consider when working with Shopify jewelry stores. It lowers the upfront cost for shoppers It can help with bigger purchases Shop Pay Installments can improve conversion rates and AOV, and it is available to eligible stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom when Shopify Payments and Shop Pay are active. 2. Manual payments Although not widely used, manual payments still have a place, but I see them as a niche option. Shopify supports custom manual payment methods, and orders using these methods stay marked as unpaid until you confirm payment. It also does not carry third-party transaction fees, which is a plus in my book. I always suggest manual payments for store owners in cases like: Custom orders Local orders Bank transfer setups Specific regional business needs 3. Adyen Adyen is an advanced payment gateway that supports global payments, including cards, bank transfers, and local payment methods. If you plan to scale your Shopify store globally, I would consider Adyen. It offers seamless integration with Shopify and supports multiple local payment methods to cater to your international customers. 4. Razorpay Razorpay is a great payment solution for Shopify merchants, especially in Asian countries. It supports both domestic and international payments and integrates well with Shopify. If you're operating in Asia, Razorpay is a strong contender as it offers a wide variety of local payment options, making it easier to cater to your audience’s preferences. Key factors I consider before selecting the best Shopify payment provider 1. Country availability This comes first. Always. For example, if Shopify Payments is not available in your country, you will need a different Shopify payment provider. 2. Transaction fees and extra charges Look at the full cost, not just the basic processing fee. Third-party transaction fees apply to third-party and alternate gateways. 3. Customer trust The best payment gateway for Shopify are those that customers trust the most. When you are a new Shopify store, you most definitely need trust signals. Ask yourself the following questions: Will my customer recognize this option? Will it feel safe for them? That is why I usually choose Shopify Payments, Shop Pay, PayPal, and trusted wallets. This helps customers complete their checkout without hesitation. 4. Mobile checkout experience If most of your traffic comes from mobile, checkout speed matters even more. Use accelerated checkouts, accelerated checkout buttons, and digital wallets for your mobile users. 6. Average order value If your store has higher AOV or high ticket items, you should consider flexible payments. Installments are a great payment option in Shopify for expensive items. If your products are low-ticket impulse buys, speed and trust matter more. My final take on the best payment method for Shopify If I were setting up a new store in 2026, I would keep it simple: Start with Shopify Payments if your country is supported Add Shop Pay for speed Keep PayPal for trust Add wallets and local methods based on your audience Use installments only when your order value makes sense for it The best payment gateway for Shopify is the one that fits your market, feels easy to use, and helps a first-time buyer complete checkout without second thoughts. FAQs 1. How to set up Shopify Payments? Go to Settings → Payments in your Shopify admin and activate Shopify Payments. Enter your business details, banking information, and complete verification. 2. How to add a payment method on Shopify? In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments and choose from available options like PayPal, manual payments, or third-party providers. Enable the method you want, connect your account, and save the settings. 3. Why can’t my Shopify store accept payment gateways? This usually happens if Shopify Payments is not supported in your country or your account verification is incomplete. 4. How does Shopify process payments? When a customer places an order, Shopify sends the payment details to your selected provider for verification. If the payment is approved, the order is confirmed, and the funds are transferred to your account based on the payout schedule. 5. Which is the best payment method for Shopify merchants? Shopify Payments, PayPal, Apple Pay & Google Pay, Shop Pay, and local payment methods are some of my top choices for payment methods in Shopify

6 Min • 1 May 2026

Shopify Store Revenue Benchmarks: Best Insights to Grow Your Store in 2026

I have been auditing Shopify stores for years. Although the first few things I always look at are conversion rate, AOV, orders, sessions, repeat customers, and fulfillment speed, Shopify store revenue benchmarks are where I focus on the most. A store doing strong monthly sales can still leak money if ads are expensive, AOV is low, or customers do not come back. Shopify store revenue benchmarks help you compare your store against similar stores. You can see where your store stands, what needs work, and which metric can unlock the next revenue jump. How to see benchmarks on the Shopify admin panel? Go to Shopify Admin > Analytics > Reports. Benchmark comparisons are available inside charts for selected reports. Click the Comparison menu and choose Benchmarks. Shopify compares your store with similar stores based on order volume, primary market country, and product categories sold over the past 30 days. The median shows the middle point. The 25th percentile shows weaker performance. The 75th percentile shows stronger performance. I suggest new stores use the median as a reality check and the 75th percentile as the growth target. Shopify benchmark reports can cover online store conversion, sessions, average order value, orders, total sales, customer retention rate, time to fulfill, time to ship, and time to deliver. Monthly Shopify store revenue benchmarks for Stores Monthly revenue benchmarks are tricky because Shopify stores vary a lot. For example, a handmade jewelry store and an electronics store cannot share the same revenue target. Product price, traffic source, repeat purchase rate, and margin change everything. Still, revenue ranges help new Shopify store owners understand where they stand. Insight 1: Growing stores need better systems Shopify stores between $5,000 and $25,000/month are in between what I would call the ‘winning’ section. What they need is proper email flows, product bundles, cart offers, customer reviews, and better merchandising. At this stage, cart optimization also becomes important. Tools like iCart Cart Drawer Cart Upsell can help Shopify stores show product bundles, cart offers, upsells, and progress bars inside the cart experience without making the buying journey feel heavy. Insight 2: New stores usually sit in the testing stage A new Shopify store's revenue benchmarks are between $0 and $1,000/month. This is because they are testing product demand, pricing, traffic, and trust signals. If I were a new store in 2026, I would not worry too much about revenue. I would focus on the product page and how easy it is for customers to complete checkout. Insight 3: Revenue starts when sales become consistent Stores around $1,000 to $5,000/month have some working traffic but still need stronger conversion and retention. A good tip here from my experience is this: The main goal here is simple. Find what is already selling and improve that path. Insight 4: Serious growth starts after the revenue formula works A simple formula explains Shopify revenue: Monthly revenue = Sessions × Conversion rate × Average order value When I use shopify store revenue benchmarks, I always connect them with this formula because revenue improves only when sessions, conversion rate, and average order value move in the right direction. For example, 10,000 visitors, a 2% to 3% conversion rate, and a strong AOV can create a clear revenue forecast. I would advice new stores in 2026 to fix conversion and AOV first because traffic gets expensive fast. Insight 5: Top stores operate in a different league Clean Commit’s analysis of top Shopify stores found lower-revenue benchmark stores around $141,000/month, mid-revenue stores around $300,000/month, and top-performing stores around $3.4M/month. Don't panic by looking at these numbers. Do not compare your store with these brands too early. Instead, use them to study patterns that you can apply to your store. Insight 6: Revenue without profit can mislead you High revenue from your store doesn't matter if you are not making a profit. A store making $10,000/month can still struggle if product costs, ads, shipping, returns, and app costs are too high. I always tell Shopify store owners to benchmark gross revenue and profit together. Remember that revenue shows demand, and profit shows business health. Key performance benchmarks to focus on in 2026 Revenue grows when the right performance metrics improve. Here are the Shopify average ecommerce conversion rate benchmark numbers and store metrics I check first. Insight 7: Shopify conversion rate is the first signal Shopify says global ecommerce conversion rates often sit around 2% to 3%, but the number changes by industry, device, price point, and traffic source. Littledata found the average Shopify conversion rate was 1.4%. Stores above 3.2% entered the best 20%, and stores above 4.7% entered the best 10%. A low conversion rate usually points to weak product pages, poor mobile experience, missing trust badges, or low-quality traffic. Insight 8: Mobile conversion needs special attention Littledata also found that mobile Shopify conversion averaged 1.2%, while desktop conversion averaged 1.9%. Most Shopify traffic comes from mobile, so I always check the mobile product page before the desktop. The add-to-cart button, images, reviews, price, delivery info, and cart drawer must feel easy on a small screen. Insight 9: AOV shows how well your store sells more per order Growth Suite reported the average Shopify store AOV in 2026 is around $85 to $95, while the top 20% stores sit above $120. AOV improves when shoppers buy bundles, add related products, unlock free shipping, or accept relevant cart offers. Small AOV improvements can lift monthly revenue without buying more traffic. Learn from these insights to grow your store revenue Shopify store revenue benchmarks are useful when you use them the right way. Do not chase one perfect number. Compare your store against similar stores first. Check monthly revenue, conversion rate, AOV, retention, and fulfillment together. If your traffic is good but sales are weak, fix conversion. If conversion is good but revenue feels low, improve AOV. If first orders are strong but repeat sales are poor, work on retention. The best Shopify stores always use benchmarks, find the gap, fix one metric, and repeat the process every month. FAQs 1. How to access benchmarks on Shopify? To access benchmarks on Shopify, go to Shopify Admin > Analytics > Reports and open a report that supports benchmark comparison. Click the Comparison menu and select Benchmarks to compare your store data with similar Shopify stores. 2. Which Shopify store revenue benchmarks should I look for to grow my store? Focus on revenue-related benchmarks like total sales, orders, AOV, online store conversion rate, sessions, customer retention rate, and fulfillment speed. 3. What is a good Shopify ecommerce conversion rate benchmark? A good Shopify ecommerce conversion rate benchmark is usually around 2% to 3%, but it depends on your product type, pricing, traffic source, and industry. If your store is below this range, start by improving your product pages, mobile experience, trust signals, cart flow, and checkout experience.

7 Min • 5 May 2026

Shopify Automation: Best Use Cases to Reduce Costs & Increase Efficiency

I ran a Shopify store years ago before becoming an expert in the Shopify domain. So I know how hard it becomes to manage when small tasks start piling up every day. One customer asks about delivery. Another leaves the cart. A product goes out of stock. A repeat buyer does not get any special offer. The team forgets to tag an order. Someone has to check the low inventory again. I have experienced this a lot while being a merchant and now working with Shopify store owners. The store is growing, but the backend still runs manually. That is where Shopify automation make a real difference. Shopify AI automation is about removing repeated work from your daily routine. AI adds more value by helping with faster replies, better product copy, smarter customer segmentation, and more useful marketing flows. By the end of this blog, you will understand the areas where you can automate your workflow and how a good automation setup helps you reduce cost and manual work. What can I automate in my Shopify store? To understand the workflows you can automate in your system. First, you need to note down the process. Here’s what I do for that. Step 1: Start with the tasks that waste time Always start with your daily routine. Write down every task you or your team repeats. Check where time is going. Look for tasks that happen again and again. Common examples include: Sending cart reminders manually Checking low stock Tagging customers Answering common questions Updating teams about order status One of the easiest workflows to automate is email follow-up. Shopify automation emails can handle abandoned cart reminders, welcome emails, review requests, and win-back messages without manual effort. Klaviyo is a great tool to use to automate this process. Step 2: Build one workflow at a time I have seen multiple automation workflows that complicated matters for me to optimized the automation tasks. Many store owners try to automate everything at once. Do not do that. Start small. Use a simple logic: Trigger: What starts the automation? Condition: What rule should be checked? Action: What should happen next? Example: A customer places an order. The order value is above $200. The store tags the customer as high value. Step 3: Choose tools based on the job A new store does not need ten automation apps. Use apps based on the workflow you need. For example: Shopify Flow for backend workflows Klaviyo for Shopify automation emails and SMS iCart for AI-powered product recommendations iCart can help you show AI-powered product recommendations inside the cart based on what shoppers add. Instead of showing random products, you can guide customers toward useful add-ons, bundles, or higher-value options. This makes the cart feel more helpful and can improve average order value without adding extra manual work. Expert tip for marketing automation for Shopify Customer journeys perform better when they follow real customer actions. With marketing automation, you can create separate messages for first-time buyers, repeat customers, cart abandoners, and high-value customers. It keeps your emails relevant, reduces generic promotions, and helps you reach customers when they are more likely to buy. Step 4: Test before making it live Wrong automation can create a bad customer experience. This is why you always check your automation workflow. This is a checklist of questions I ask myself before going live: Is the trigger working? Is the right customer getting the message? Are tags applying correctly? Are duplicate emails going out? Step 5: Measure what changed If you are using Shopify AI automation, you need to know if it's actually benefiting you or not. Track ecommerce metrics like: Bounce rate Cart recovery rate Email revenue Repeat purchase rate Support tickets reduced Order processing speed Manual errors reduced What are the key aspects of good Shopify automation? Workflow planning before setup Good Shopify automation start with understanding how the store works. The service always checks the store process first. How are orders handled? How are customers tagged? How are emails sent? Where does the team waste time? Where do customers drop off? Top Shopify AI automation agencies always set up and plan a detailed workflow of your tasks before setting up automations. Store-specific automation Every store needs a different setup. A fashion store may need size-based campaigns. A beauty store may need replenishment reminders. A food store may need delivery reminders. A B2B store may need approval workflows and bulk order alerts. Research on what your brands specifically need in automating workflows. Your final automation should match your products, customers, and operations. AI with human control This needs to be heard by every merchant. AI is useful only when you control it. Use AI to speed up drafts, ideas, replies, and recommendations. Keep human review for anything that affects customers directly. For example, if your AI is not able to solve a customer query, make sure the workflow has a system where it can route it back to a human agent. Cost reduction This is an obvious one. Automation reduces cost by removing repeated manual work. A small team can handle more when the system manages routine tasks. You save time on emails, order checks, customer tagging, stock monitoring, and basic support. Hiring more people is not always the first answer. Better automated workflows can solve many early-stage problems. When to hire a Shopify automation service agency? You can set up basic workflows yourself. Shopify Flow is a fantastic tool for that. Shopify automation only make sense when your store has too many manual steps, too many automation apps, or unclear customer data. A good Shopify automation expert will simplify your store operations before adding more tools. Here’s a detailed breakdown of. how to hire a Shopify expert in 2026. Stop manual work. Implement automation right away Shopify automation are useful when they remove real work from your store. A new Shopify store does not need a huge automation system. It needs a few strong workflows that save time and reduce cost. Start with abandoned cart emails, welcome emails, low-stock alerts, order tagging, customer segmentation, and basic support automation. Once the store grows, upgrade your automation systems with content, marketing, support, and smarter recommendations. FAQs 1. When should I go for Shopify automation? Go for automation services when daily tasks start taking time away from growth. If you or your team manually send follow-up emails, tag customers, check stock, filter orders, or answer the same questions every day, automation can save time and reduce errors. 2. Can I automate my workflows myself, or do I need a Shopify automation agency? You can automate basic workflows yourself using tools like Shopify Flow, which uses triggers, conditions, and actions to automate tasks. A Shopify automation agency makes more sense when your workflows need custom logic, multiple app integrations, advanced email flows, or AI-based automation with proper testing. 3. How much do Shopify automation services cost? The cost depends on how many workflows you need, how complex your store setup is, and whether you need custom app integrations. Basic automation costs less, but advanced workflows for email marketing, fulfillment, customer segmentation, inventory, and reporting need more planning and expert setup. 4. What are some of the best tools to automate my Shopify workflows? Start with Shopify Flow for backend workflows like order tags, inventory alerts, fraud checks, and fulfillment rules. For emails and marketing automation, tools like Shopify Email and Klaviyo are useful because they support flows such as abandoned cart, browser abandonment, welcome emails, win-back campaigns, segmentation, and product recommendations.