8 Hacks to Increase Your Ecommerce Sales Today (Easily)

Want to make your online store a cash machine?

You know you need more than just a pretty website and a few social media posts to boost ecommerce sales. You’re not alone. Less than 3% of ecommerce site visits lead to a purchase. So, how do you move the needle?

In this article, we’ll break down proven sales strategies to help you get website visitors, drive more sales and make the most out of each visitor:

• Optimizing product pages and checkout flow to boost conversions
• Leveraging email and SMS for targeted promotions
• Using data-driven insights to tweak and test what really works

PS., Let us save you some time – SMS marketing is THE best way to increase eCommerce sales if you’ve got traffic already. You can send eerily human-like text messages designed to recover abandoned carts and handle any customer objections with TxtCart’s conversational AI, driving increasing ecommerce sales while you sleep. We’ll show you how it works below – keep scrolling 😉

TL;DR – How to Increase eCommerce Sales

1. SMS Marketing is Key: With 98% open rates, SMS beats email for quick engagement. Leverage TxtCart’s conversational AI to recover carts, upsell, and drive sales effortlessly.
2. Email for Nurturing: Email still works for building relationships. Use it for informative content, lead nurturing, and repeat business, but make sure to segment and personalize.
3. Cross-Sell and Upsell: Increase average order value by offering relevant add-ons or upgrades. Time these suggestions well to enhance the shopping experience, not overwhelm it.
4. Content for Demand: Drive traffic with valuable content. Leverage user-generated content, customer stories, and community engagement to boost social proof and keep your brand top of mind.
5. Paid Ads for Quick Traffic: Paid ads can quickly attract new customers. Choose platforms based on your goals—Google for search visibility, Instagram and TikTok for visual appeal.
6. Partner with Influencers: Collaborate with influencers to build credibility and reach niche audiences. Try discount codes to track which partnerships drive the most sales.
7. Optimize User Experience: A seamless, mobile-friendly UX can make or break sales. Focus on intuitive navigation, high-quality product pages, and a smooth checkout.
8. Build Loyalty: Encourage repeat business with a loyalty program. Reward returning customers with exclusive offers and personalized incentives through SMS.

1. Use SMS Marketing to Reduce Abandoned Carts & Increase Sales

Look, email marketing has its place in driving eCommerce and increase in online stores’ sales too. But when you think about the fact that SMS has a whopping 98% open rate while considering the crowded inboxes and spam filters, emails just can’t compete.

eCommerce companies and brands have seen ridiculously enormous returns with SMS marketing. For example, here are some of the results our own customers are getting with TxtCart’s 2-way SMS:

• Joyride Harness made $1.8M+ in SMS-attributed revenue with TxtCart
• Organi Hair made $1M+ in revenue with their SMS strategy using TxtCart
• CROSSNET generated $453,185 in SMS revenue after a 10-minute setup with TxtCart

If you want to implement SMS marketing, then TxtCart is a no-brainer for its powerful conversational AI that let you have human-like engagements with customers.

Take a look at the cart recovery flow as an example:

If you’re not in a position to use TxtCart (ie, you’re a non-Shopify brand), then there’s no rule that says your SMS templates can’t have a conversational tone anyway. Think friendly, helpful, and maybe even a little bit cheeky.

Steal these human-like eCommerce SMS templates to increase your sales today:

Cart Recovery Templates

1. Friendly Reminder with DiscountHey [Customer’s First Name], noticed you left a few goodies in your cart! 👀 Still interested? I can send over a 20% off code to help you complete your order. Just let me know if you’d like it 🙂 STOP to opt-out
2. Addressing Concerns (Shipping/Delivery)Hey [Customer’s First Name]! Saw that you were looking at [Product Name]. If you’re worried about shipping, we’ve got you covered—most orders arrive within 2-3 business days. Let me know if you need a code to finish your order 🙂 STOP to opt-out
3. Limited-Time OfferHey [Customer’s First Name]! Looks like you left [Product Name] behind. Complete your order within the next 24 hours and get 15% off! Let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll send over the code. 🙂 STOP to opt-out

---

Upselling Templates

1. Suggested Add-OnHey [Customer’s First Name]! Noticed you snagged our [Product Name]—great choice! 🔥 Many customers also pair it with our [Related Product]. If you’re interested, I can send over a 30% discount code just for you. Let me know if you’d like it! 🙂 STOP to opt-out
2. Color/Style Option OfferHey [Customer’s First Name]! Love your choice with the [Product Name]. By the way, we have it in other colors/styles that might catch your eye. Want me to share some options? Plus, I can offer 20% off on any add-on! 😉 STOP to opt-out
3. Upsell with Limited Edition ItemHi [Customer’s First Name]! Saw you bought [Product Name]. We just launched a limited edition [Related Product] that goes perfectly with it. If you’d like, I can hook you up with 25% off. Let me know! 🙂 STOP to opt-out

With Txtcart, you can expect to see:

• Up to a 40% increase in conversion rates.
• A 20% boost in customer lifetime value.
• 32x savings by using AI instead of human agents.

Ready to ditch those dusty old emails and embrace the power of SMS?

Try Txtcart free for 14 days and boost sales.

2. Leverage Email Marketing to Nurture and Convert Leads

Okay, okay, before you banish email to the digital graveyard, let’s give it some credit. While SMS is the king of instant communication, email still has its place in your marketing arsenal.

Think of email as the wise old sage to SMS’s energetic youngster. It’s perfect for:

• Delivering valuable, long-form content like newsletters, product updates, and blog posts.
• Nurturing leads with personalized messages and offers.
• Driving repeat business through loyalty programs and exclusive deals.

And here’s a stat that might surprise you: for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses see an average return of $42.

Here’s a template you can use for a post-purchase follow-up email:

---

Subject: Exclusive Offer for You, [Customer Name]!

Body:

Hey [Customer Name],

Thanks for your recent purchase! We’re so glad you chose us.

To show our appreciation, we’d like to offer you a 15% discount on your next order. Just use the code [Discount Code] at the checkout page.

Happy shopping!

[Your Store Name]

---

Pro Tip: Use catchy subject lines and personalize your emails to increase open rates and engagement.

Want to maximize sales? Implement multi-channel touchpoints. Txtcart’s automated SMS follow-ups can complement your email campaigns perfectly. For example, you can use Txtcart to send a quick SMS reminder to customers who haven’t opened your email, or to offer a last-minute discount to those who abandoned their cart.

By combining the power of SMS and email, you can create a dynamic marketing strategy for online business that offers customer engagement and keeps coming back for more.

3. Cross-sell and Upsell Qualified Buyers (in Moderation)

Cross-selling and upselling can be powerful marketing tools used to increase the average order value (AOV) on your ecommerce store, but only when done right. If you overdo it, you risk annoying your customers—or worse, pushing them away. So, what’s the difference between the two, and how can you make them work for your store?

• Cross-Selling means recommending related or complementary products. Think of it like a nudge: “Hey, you bought a new phone—would you like a screen protector with that?” It’s about adding value to the initial purchase by suggesting items that enhance or complete the buyer’s experience.
• Upselling, on the other hand, is about offering a premium version of the product the customer is interested in. “Would you like to upgrade to the deluxe model?” Upselling focuses on higher-value items or upgrades to increase the sale total without adding separate items to the cart.

eCommerce Sales Strategies for Effective Cross-Selling and Upselling

• Be Relevant: Only suggest items that genuinely enhance or improve the product they’re buying. If someone is purchasing a winter coat, cross-selling a matching scarf and gloves makes sense. But suggesting random items? That’s a fast track to frustration.
• Use Timing Wisely: Timing is everything in cross-selling and upselling. Avoid hitting them with multiple recommendations all at once. Instead, spread them out. For example:
  • At Checkout: Offer quick add-ons like gift wrapping or a related product.
  • Post-Purchase: Send a follow-up SMS or email with a premium item they might like. This feels natural and keeps the conversation going.
• Bundle Up with Discounts: Bundling can boost sales without overwhelming the customer. Offer package discounts (e.g., a “Winter Essentials” bundle with a coat, scarf, and gloves) or a quick BOGO (buy one, get one) deal—like “Add a matching hat for 50% off!” Bundles feel like a deal and make it easy for customers to say “yes.”
• Delivery Channels Matter: While you can use your website, email, and even retargeting ads to cross-sell and upsell, SMS stands out as a channel for real-time engagement. This is where TxtCart’s conversational AI comes in, letting you make timely, personalized upsell offers that feel natural.

How TxtCart’s conversational upselling flow increases eCommerce Sales

TxtCart takes upselling to the next level with its conversational AI, which initiates a friendly, engaging back-and-forth with prospective customers, post-purchase. Let’s say a customer, like in the example above, just bought a Pink Puffer jacket. TxtCart could reach out with a message like this:

“Hey [Customer’s First Name]! Noticed you bought our Pink Puffer—great choice! 🧥 Thought you might also like our White Fur Hat to go with it. If you’re interested, I can send over a 30% discount code just for you. LMK 😊 STOP to opt-out”

If the customer responds with an interest, TxtCart can seamlessly continue the conversation, as seen in the example, even offering options like a light pink hat if they prefer based on the AI’s knowledge of your inventory.

This personalized, conversational approach makes upselling feel natural, boosting the chances of conversion without sounding pushy.

Read next: Upselling Made Easy – 5 Proven Strategies You Must Try

4. Develop a Content Marketing Strategy for Social Media

We talked a lot about how to squeeze cash from existing traffic and customers. But what if your site’s lacking visitors in general?

This section is dedicated to demand generation via content marketing to attract potential customers- which, by the way, generates 3 times more leads than paid search, and costs 62% less.

Focus on user-generated content (UGC) to increase credibility. Customer reviews, testimonials, and social posts from real users provide social proof, showing potential buyers that others trust your brand. Encourage customers to share their experiences and feature this content on your social marketing channels too—it’s authentic, relatable, and free.

Get the community involved by sparking conversations. Run contests, polls, or “ask me anything” sessions to encourage interaction. When people engage with your brand, they’re more likely to remember it, recommend it, and come back.

Pro Tip: Repurpose content across social media platforms. A blog post can become a series of social posts, or a really excellent customer service review can be transformed into a shareable graphic.

Sample Social Media Content Plan to Increase eCommerce Sales

Want to get your content in front of the right people? Txtcart’s SMS campaigns can help you distribute your content to your most engaged customers. For example, you can send out a quick text with a link to your latest blog post or video.

By creating a consistent stream of valuable content and using Txtcart to distribute it effectively, you can keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.

5. Launch a Paid Ad Campaign

Paid ads can give your online store a quick boost in traffic, helping you attract new customers and drive sales. These campaigns can span traditional formats (like billboards, magazine ads, or TV commercials) and digital advertising (social media ads, display ads, and search engine ads). For many ecommerce businesses and stores, digital advertising is often more cost-effective and measurable, allowing you to reach targeted audiences based on demographics, interests, or behaviors.

With digital ads, you have the advantage of click-through conversions—users can go directly from the ad to your site, making it easy to track which ads drive sales. To start:

• Define your goal: Brand awareness, lead generation, or direct sales.
• Choose your platform: Google Ads for search visibility, Facebook and Instagram for visual appeal, or TikTok for trending content.
• Set your budget and monitor ROI: Keep an eye on performance metrics like CTR and conversion rates, adjusting as needed to maximize returns.

Digital ads provide flexibility to test different formats, adjust targeting, and optimize based on results, making it a powerful option to generate traffic and grow your customer base.

6. Partner with an Influencer

Partnering with influencers can elevate your brand visibility and credibility by tapping into the trust influencers have with their followers. By working with creators online brands who align with your target audience, you can reach new customers more authentically than through traditional ads. Influencer and marketing strategies can take various forms:

• Unpaid Gift Programs: Send free products to creators in hopes they’ll share their experience with their followers.
• Paid Sponsorships: Compensate influencers to promote your brand through dedicated posts, stories, or video mentions.
• Brand Ambassadorships: Form longer-term partnerships with creators who genuinely love and consistently promote your products.

One highly effective tactic is to distribute exclusive discount codes through influencers. Look for influencers popular within your target demographic and work with them to share coupon codes that incentivize followers to purchase. This not only increases sales but also allows you to track which partnerships that generate sales and the most conversions, helping you refine your influencer strategy over time.

7. Optimize Your Ecommerce Site’s User Experience

A successful ecommerce site and customer experience isn’t just about looks—it’s about function and persuasion. Conduct a user experience (UX) audit, focusing on these critical elements:

• Design and Branding: Does your site reflect your brand and make navigation easy? A clean, well-branded design with a visually appealing homepage invites customers to explore further. Make sure everything is intuitive, from product categories to search functionality.
• Product Pages: Are your product pages doing their job? High-quality images, clear and informative descriptions, and customer reviews are must-haves. Each page should give customers all the details they need to make a confident purchase.
• Checkout Process: Keep the checkout simple. An intuitive, quick checkout experience reduces cart abandonment. Ensure you accept multiple payment options and provide support if customers encounter issues at checkout.
• Mobile Optimization: With a growing number of users shopping on mobile, your site must be optimized for small screens. Key actions like browsing, adding to cart, and checking out should be just as seamless on mobile as on desktop.
• Customer Feedback: Gathering feedback from customers is key to improving the shopping experience. Post-purchase surveys can help you identify pain points and areas for improvement. You can use TxtCart to send quick, post-purchase SMS surveys, allowing you to collect feedback in real time and make data-driven adjustments that enhance the experience for future buyers.

Using an ecommerce platform like Shopify can streamline these optimizations, making it easier to create a user-friendly, conversion-focused store.

8. Incentivize Repeat Business and Loyalty Programs

Acquiring new customers is like climbing a mountain. It takes effort, strategy, and maybe even a little bit of luck. But keeping those customers coming back? That’s where the real magic happens.

Repeat customers are the bedrock of customer satisfaction for any successful ecommerce business. They’re your biggest fans, your brand ambassadors, and your most valuable assets.

And here’s why: repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers. Talk about a goldmine.

Ready to roll out the red carpet for your loyal customers? Here’s a template you can use to reward them with a special offer:

---

“You’re one of our VIPs! Get 20% off your next purchase. Shop now: [Link]”

---

Pro Tip:Make your loyalty program easy to understand and rewarding. The more perks you offer, the more loyal your customers will become.

Want to make your loyalty program even more enticing? Use Txtcart to send out personalized SMS messages with exclusive offers, birthday rewards, and early access to new products. You can even use Txtcart to segment your loyalty members and send them targeted offers based on their purchase history.

By incentivizing repeat business with a killer loyalty program and using Txtcart to keep your customers engaged, you can turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans.

Achieve Record-breaking eCommerce Sales using TxtCart

These 8 strategies can turn your store into a sales machine while keeping customers coming back for more. By focusing on smart marketing (like SMS and influencer partnerships), exceptional customer service, refining your user experience, and building loyalty, you’ll boost conversions and grow a loyal fanbase.

Quick Recap:

• SMS drives instant engagement and higher conversions.
• Email is great for nurturing and repeat business.
• Cross-selling and upselling increase average order value.
• Content marketing attracts new visitors cost-effectively.
• A seamless UX and a loyalty program keep customers coming back.

And remember, SMS is your best friend for increasing eCommerce sales. TxtCart lets you send personalized messages, recover abandoned carts, and even upsell with ease—all through conversational AI that feels like a real interaction.

Read Next:

• 10 Best SMS Flows to Boost Your Shopify Store Sales
• Text Marketing Statistics You Should Know in 2024
• Best SMS Marketing Apps for Shopify Stores