Stop Tinkering and Start Selling
If you run a Shopify store here in Brisbane, you’ve probably felt the frustration of seeing people visit your site, click around, and then leave without buying a single thing. You’ve likely been told you need more 'traffic' or that you need to install twenty different apps to make your store work.
Most of that advice is rubbish.
I’ve worked with local business owners from Chermside to Cleveland who were spending thousands on ads but barely making their money back. The problem isn't usually the products; it’s that their Shopify store is set up like a messy warehouse instead of a high-end retail shop.
In 2024, the game has changed. Customers are more cautious with their money, and they have zero patience for slow websites or confusing checkout processes. If you want to grow your business this year, you need to stop focusing on technical gimmicks and start focusing on what actually puts money in your bank account.
The Death of the 'Cheap' Customer
One thing I’m seeing across the board is that it’s getting more expensive to find new customers. Whether you’re paying for Facebook ads or Google, the cost of getting someone to click is going up.
This means you can no longer afford to sell someone just one small item and hope for the best. To stay profitable, you have to sell more to every customer who walks through your digital front door.
The Trend: Successful Shopify owners are moving away from 'discounting everything' and moving toward 'value adding.' Instead of taking 20% off a single item (which kills your profit margin), they are packaging items together.
The Practical Step: Look at your sales data. If people often buy a specific pair of work boots, what else do they need? Socks? Leather conditioner? Create a bundle. It costs you the same amount in shipping and advertising to sell three items as it does to sell one. That is how you actually make money.
Google is Changing (And It’s Good News for You)
For a long time, small Shopify stores struggled to compete with the big retailers like Myer or Bunnings on search results. But Google is shifting its focus toward 'real' businesses with real expertise.
I recently spoke with a shop owner in Milton who was terrified of the new AI search updates. I told him the same thing I’ll tell you: Google wants to show its users shops they can trust. If your website looks like a ghost town, you won’t rank. You need to make your shop look trusted by showing off real reviews, local Brisbane addresses, and photos of your actual team or warehouse.
The Prediction: In 2024 and 2025, 'faceless' dropshipping stores will continue to die off. Businesses that show they are real Aussie companies with a phone number and a physical presence will get more free traffic from Google than ever before.
The Practical Step: Stop using stock photos. Take a photo of your staff packing an order. Put your Brisbane office or warehouse address in the footer of your site. It sounds simple, but it’s exactly what Google (and your customers) are looking for.
Why Most Shopify Apps are a Waste of Money
I see this every week: a business owner comes to us with a Shopify store that takes 10 seconds to load because they have 25 different apps installed. They have a pop-up for a spin-the-wheel discount, a pop-up for a newsletter, and a chat bubble that nobody answers.
Every app you add slows down your site. If your site doesn't work well on phones, people will leave before the first photo even loads.
The Expert Insight: You don't need fancy tools. You need a site that loads fast and makes it easy to pay. Most of the 'marketing optimization' you read about online is just people trying to sell you a subscription to another app.
You are better off having a fast, plain site than a slow, 'fancy' one. Focus on getting more sales from Shopify by removing the hurdles. If a customer has to click five times to get to the checkout, you’ve already lost half of them.
The "Phone Test" – Are You Losing Half Your Sales?
Most business owners look at their own website on a big desktop computer in their office. Your customers are looking at it on an iPhone while they’re waiting for a coffee or sitting on the train from South Bank.
If your 'Add to Cart' button is hard to hit with a thumb, you are losing money. If your text is too small to read without zooming, you are losing money.
The Practical Step: Open your site on your phone right now. Try to buy something. If it feels clunky or annoying, fix that before you spend another cent on advertising.
What Should You Do First?
If you want to see results in the next 30 to 60 days, here is the order I would do things in:
1. Fix the Speed: Delete every Shopify app you haven't used in the last month. 2. Build Trust: Add your local phone number and real customer reviews to the homepage. People buy from people they trust. 3. Increase Order Value: Set up one simple bundle. If they buy 'Product A', give them a reason to buy 'Product B' at the same time. 4. Check the Checkout: Make sure you have 'express' payment options like Apple Pay or Shop Pay. People don't want to dig their credit card out of their wallet anymore.
How Much Will This Cost?
Fixing these things doesn't have to cost a fortune. You don't need a $20,000 redesign. Most of these improvements are about removing things that don't work rather than adding expensive new features.
If you’re doing it yourself, it costs you time. If you hire a professional, you’re looking at a few thousand dollars to get the foundation right. The real cost is the 'hidden' cost—the money you’re currently losing every day because your site is turning customers away.
The Bottom Line
Marketing your Shopify store in Brisbane isn't about being a tech genius. It’s about making it as easy as possible for a local customer to find you, trust you, and give you their money.
Stop chasing the latest 'algorithm' hacks. Focus on the basics: speed, trust, and making sure every customer spends as much as possible when they visit.
If you’re tired of your website sitting there doing nothing, or you’re sick of spending money on ads that don't turn into sales, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about 'fancy'—we care about your bank balance.
Ready to get your Shopify store actually making money? Contact Local Marketing Group today.