How to Use Shopify’s Built-In Tools to Boost Sales for Your Small Business

by Dean Saunders on April 04, 2025

Running a small business in Australia is no walk in the park, but with Shopify’s built-in tools, you can give your online store a fair dinkum boost. Whether you’re selling handmade jewellery in Melbourne or tech gadgets across the country, Shopify offers powerful features to drive traffic, convert visitors, and keep customers coming back. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use Shopify’s built-in tools to boost sales for your small business, helping you maximise your store’s potential without breaking the bank.

1. Recover Lost Sales with Abandoned Cart Emails

Ever had a customer add items to their cart, only to bail at checkout? Shopify’s abandoned cart recovery tool lets you send automated emails to remind customers to complete their purchase. This feature, available on all paid Shopify plans, can recover up to 15% of lost sales.

How to Use It:

  • Enable abandoned cart emails in your Shopify admin under Settings > Checkout.

  • Customise the email with your brand’s voice and a compelling offer, like a 10% discount or free shipping for Aussie customers.

  • Set the email to send 1–6 hours after abandonment for the best results.

Local Tip: Mention free shipping within Australia to entice local shoppers, as it’s a top priority for Aussie consumers.

Why It Works: Abandoned cart emails re-engage customers, turning near-misses into sales.

2. Optimise Product Pages with SEO Tools

Shopify’s built-in SEO tools help your products rank higher on Google, driving organic traffic to your store. From customisable meta titles to alt text for images, these features make it easier for Aussie customers to find you when searching for terms like “buy coffee beans Sydney.”

How to Use It:

  • Go to Products in your Shopify admin and add keyword-rich titles and descriptions (e.g., “Organic Coffee Beans – Sydney Roasted”).

  • Use Shopify’s preview tool to ensure your meta titles and descriptions look ripper in Google search results.

  • Add alt text to product images (e.g., “handmade ceramic mug Melbourne”) to boost image search rankings.

Pro Tip: Partner with a Shopify expert in Australia to implement advanced SEO strategies, like local keyword targeting for regional customers.

Why It Works: Better SEO means more clicks, which leads to more sales.

3. Upsell and Cross-Sell with Product Recommendations

Shopify’s product recommendations feature suggests related or complementary items to customers, increasing your average order value. For example, if someone’s buying a yoga mat, you can recommend a water bottle or yoga strap.

How to Use It:

  • Enable recommendations in your theme settings or use Shopify’s Online Store > Themes > Customise to place them on product pages or at checkout.

  • Choose “manual” recommendations for curated bundles or “automated” for AI-driven suggestions based on customer behaviour.

  • Highlight Aussie-made products in recommendations to appeal to local shoppers.

Why It Works: Customers are more likely to add items when they see relevant suggestions, boosting your revenue.

4. Analyse Performance with Shopify Analytics

Shopify’s analytics dashboard gives you insights into what’s working and what’s not, so you can make data-driven decisions to increase sales. Track metrics like total sales, top products, and traffic sources to understand your Aussie audience better.

How to Use It:

  • Access analytics under Analytics > Dashboards in your Shopify admin.

  • Monitor your top traffic sources (e.g., Google, Instagram) to focus marketing efforts.

  • Check conversion rates to identify checkout issues, like high shipping costs for regional Aussie customers.

Local Tip: If you notice high traffic from cities like Brisbane or Perth, tailor your marketing (e.g., local events or ads) to those areas.

Why It Works: Data helps you refine your strategy, ensuring you’re investing in what drives sales.

5. Build Trust with Customer Reviews

Shopify’s Product Reviews app (free) lets you display customer feedback on your store, building trust and encouraging purchases. Reviews are especially important for Aussie shoppers, who often rely on word-of-mouth before buying.

How to Use It:

  • Install the Product Reviews app from the Shopify App Store.

  • Encourage customers to leave reviews by sending post-purchase emails (use Shopify’s email templates).

  • Display reviews prominently on product pages to reassure hesitant buyers.

Bonus: Respond to reviews in a friendly, professional tone to show you value customer feedback.

Why It Works: Positive reviews can increase conversions by up to 20%, as they provide social proof.

Maximise Your Shopify Store’s Potential

Shopify’s built-in tools are a game-changer for small businesses, offering everything you need to boost sales without spending a fortune on third-party apps. By leveraging abandoned cart emails, SEO, product recommendations, analytics, and reviews, you can create a store that attracts Aussie customers and keeps them coming back.

Want to take your Shopify store to the next level? Our team specialises in Shopify features for small businesses in Australia, offering custom setups, SEO optimisation, and marketing integrations to drive sales. Contact us today for a free consultation and start growing your online business!

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