How to grow online store revenue

Many sellers find it difficult to grow their online store revenue because they struggle to drive traffic. Some are driving traffic, but they can’t get any shoppers to buy their items. 

If you’re wondering how to grow online store revenue, here are 5 strategies to help you improve your listings and encourage repeat buyers.

How to grow online store revenue: 5 strategies

Strategy 1: Increase store traffic

More traffic increases your chances of making more sales. Here are some ideas:

1. Improve SEO for commercial keywords

Commercial SEO keywords target people who are ready to buy. For example, a search like “best running shoes” shows stronger buying intent than “what are running shoes,” which is more informational.

When you optimize product pages for commercial keywords, you attract shoppers who are closer to making a purchase. These visitors often need less education because they have already moved past the research stage and are actively comparing products. This can lead to more sales from your organic traffic.

If your online store focuses on reselling, read our article about SEO for resellers.

2. Write descriptions that attract buyers

When a buyer reads your item descriptions before finding competitors’, you get the chance to earn their trust. For instance, provide information to answer questions, like: “You should buy this mahogany cutting board because it lasts longer than plastic ones.”

Informative product descriptions build trust and improve search visibility. They also give buyers clear reasons to choose your products over competing options.

Strong product pages don't rely on written descriptions alone. Always use clear product photos that illustrate your items’ selling points, and highlight any flaws if need be. 

3. Expand into additional sales channels

For many sellers, expanding to additional marketplaces is a key part of how to grow online store revenue. A storefront only reaches buyers who already shop on that platform. 

For example, if you only sell on Poshmark, your listings are only visible to the Poshmark audience. When you expand to marketplaces like Depop and Mercari, you put your inventory in front of entirely new groups of buyers. That added exposure can lead to more sales and higher revenue.

Pro tip: Use a crosslisting tool like Nifty or ListPerfectly so you can reduce manual copy-pasting when selling on multiple platforms. 

4. Use paid advertising strategically

The most effective paid advertising campaigns focus on shoppers who have already shown interest, such as people who viewed a product multiple times or abandoned their cart. These shoppers are far more likely to buy than cold audiences who have never interacted with your online store.

Strategy 2: Improve the buyer experience

Buyers want a simple and smooth experience when purchasing from your shop. Here’s how to provide it:

5. Build trust with reviews and social proof

Many buyers arrive at your shop skeptical, as they’re most likely looking at similar listings from your competitors. Your reputation precedes you: A recent survey shows that up to 96% of buyers check seller ratings before making a purchase. This means that some may even move on to the next seller if they think your reviews are low. 

Always be polite to shoppers in messages, and when they make a purchase, ship on time and provide communication about delivery. Gently remind them to leave a review after they receive their products. Good reviews help build momentum.

6. Simplify the checkout process

A fast, easy, and pop-up-free checkout experience helps reduce abandoned carts and is a key part of how to grow online store revenue. Complexities like extra fields or excessive product suggestions can frustrate buyers, causing them to leave and shop elsewhere.

The bottom line: Make sure buyers can complete a purchase in less than a minute.

7. Optimize for mobile shoppers

An optimal mobile experience means that your shop loads quickly on a smartphone or tablet and functions just as smoothly as it would on a desktop. Only sell on online marketplaces that have reputable mobile apps or are easily accessible via a web browser. After all, a CapitalOne survey found that nearly 80% of digital shopping traffic comes from mobile users. 

Strategy 3: Increase average order value

You can grow your online store revenue by increasing your average order value with bundles and upselling, not just increasing your sales volume. Follow these pointers:

8. Create product bundles

Product bundles group related items together, making it easier to buy everything you need in one purchase. For example, bundling a running shirt, shorts, and socks saves buyers from searching across multiple listings or stores. This convenience can increase average order value and position your business as a go-to destination for your niche.

9. Offer upsells

After a buyer selects an item and before they check out, you can offer upsells because they have already shown interest in buying from you. Recommend related products that complement their purchase, such as a pair of running shorts to go with a running shirt. 

10. Offer free shipping after buyers hit a specific number

Offering free shipping when buyers spend a certain amount gives them a reason to add more items to their order. Before making the offer, calculate your shipping costs and profit margins to make sure the extra sales outweigh the cost of shipping.

11. Launch volume discounts

Volume discounts encourage buyers to purchase more items at once. They work best for products people use regularly, buy as gifts, or need to restock. For example, if you sell coffee, consider offering 10% off when customers buy 3 bags instead of 1.

Discounting larger purchases can be especially effective during the holiday season, when shoppers buy gifts for multiple people and look for ways to save money.

Strategy 4: Increase repeat purchases

Once you gain a customer, you want to keep them coming back through communication and loyalty programs. Here are some ways to encourage repeat purchases:

12. Build an email marketing program

Email marketing helps you stay connected with buyers after their first purchase. Without it, many customers leave and never interact with your brand again. Send a newsletter every 2 weeks (or once a month) with promotions, product updates, and other relevant news. 

Avoid sending emails too frequently, as some buyers may view them as spam and unsubscribe.

13. Launch loyalty or rewards programs

Loyalty programs give customers a reason to keep buying from your store. In fact, a Deloitte study found that 56% of buyers spend more because of loyalty programs, and 72% say loyalty programs make them more likely to spend with a preferred brand.

Similar to credit card rewards, customers earn points, discounts, or other perks when they make purchases. As they get closer to earning rewards, they're more likely to return, buy more often, and stay loyal to your brand.

14. Send post-purchase direct messages

Post-purchase DMs help keep customers engaged after their order arrives. A simple message asking how they like their purchase can strengthen your relationship and show that you care about their experience. Staying in touch keeps your store top of mind and can make customers more likely to return for future purchases.

Strategy 5: Create a better post-purchase experience

Support, reduced returns, and community help build confidence among your customer base. Here are some tactics:

15. Improve customer support

Top-notch customer support involves fast and thoughtful resolutions that prevent isolated issues from damaging your reputation. Research on service recovery shows that engaging with customers after issues arise helps rebuild trust and loyalty. 

Engage by replying to customer DMs in no more than 2 hours and owning any shipping delays (even if they’re not your fault) by offering future discounts.

16. Reduce returns

Return policies often influence buying decisions before customers make a purchase. Buyers feel more comfortable placing an order when they know they can easily return or exchange an item if something goes wrong. 

A clear and fair return policy builds trust, increases confidence at checkout, and makes customers more likely to shop with you again.

17. Build a customer community

A customer community creates ongoing interaction after purchases. Instead of the relationship ending at delivery, customers stay connected through shared experiences and discussions. 

Start your community on any social media site, like Reddit, Facebook, or Instagram. Always follow the site’s guidelines and rules. When shoppers make a purchase, encourage them to visit the community site so they can connect with other buyers and stay current with shop updates.

Which revenue growth strategy should you prioritize?

You should immediately prioritize the growth strategies that help solve the current problems you’re encountering. Consider the following scenarios and the ways to grow your revenue: 

If your store struggles with traffic …

You need to increase visibility. Invest in SEO, paid advertising, and using social media channels to expand your reach. Consider crosslisting on other platforms to increase potential buyers.

If your store gets traffic but few sales …

You need to improve the buyer experience. Focus on building trust with reviews and social proof, simplifying the checkout process, and optimizing for mobile shoppers. These changes help remove buyer hesitation and help increase sales.

If customers buy but spend little …

You need to increase the average order value. Create product bundles, offer upsells, introduce free shipping thresholds, and launch volume discounts. These tactics encourage shoppers to add more items to their carts and spend more during each transaction.

If customers only buy once …

Consider increasing repeat purchases. Build an email marketing program, launch loyalty or rewards programs, and send post-purchase direct messages. These strategies keep your store top of mind and encourage customers to return for future purchases.

If your online store’s growth has stalled …

Identify the bottleneck limiting revenue growth. Review your traffic, conversion rate, average order value, and repeat purchase rate to determine where performance is weakest. Focus on improving that area first before investing additional time and money elsewhere.

Use Nifty to help grow your online store revenue faster

If you’re still wondering how to grow online store revenue, consider crosslisting your items to several different platforms at once. Nifty, a crosslisting and automation tool, simplifies selling on multiple marketplaces by giving you one command center to upload, edit, and manage your listings.

Here’s why over 10,000 sellers trust Nifty:

• Customized AI listing: Snap a pic and let Nifty’s AI build a complete listing, complete with SEO-optimized titles, descriptions, and trending hashtags. Create listings faster so you can spend more time sourcing inventory and making sales.
• Crosslist now: With a couple of clicks, post your items across Whatnot, Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, and Etsy. Reach more buyers without manually recreating listings on every platform. (More marketplaces coming soon!)
• Automatic delisting? Handled: When you make a sale, Nifty’s sales detection auto-delists the item from your other marketplaces. That means fewer mistakes, fewer customer issues, and more time focused on growing revenue.
• Bulk tools = no busywork: Share and relist inventory in just a few clicks. Schedule drafts to publish automatically and create timed discounts that help move inventory faster without constant manual work.
• Analytics and profits are real: Track sales, fees, best-selling products, and slow-moving inventory from one dashboard. Nifty helps you identify which products, marketplaces, and strategies generate the most revenue so you can make smarter business decisions.

Nifty pays for itself in just a few weeks. Start with a 7-day free trial and see how Nifty can help you grow your online store revenue by reaching more buyers, selling across more marketplaces, and spending less time on repetitive tasks.

FAQs

1. Does SEO help increase online store revenue?

Yes, SEO helps increase online store revenue. But you’ll need to use commercial keywords such as “best XX” and “how much does XX cost” that relate to what shoppers are actually searching for. Targeting high-commercial intent queries drives qualified organic traffic and increases sales without ongoing ad spend.

2. What role does customer retention play in e-commerce growth?

Customer retention plays the role of a silent business partner in e-commerce. It keeps revenue flowing in the background while you focus on long-term growth. Every returning buyer reduces your dependence on costly new customer acquisition and compounds your profits over time.

3. How do product bundles increase online store revenue?

Bundles are groups of complementary items sold together in one lot, such as a pair of running shorts and socks. They give buyers a convenient reason to spend more in a single transaction. By raising the average order value on each purchase, bundles grow revenue without requiring more traffic or new customers.