Why Most Brisbane Online Shops are Leaking Money
I see it every single week. A business owner in Brendale or a boutique owner in Paddington comes to me and says, "I need more traffic. I need more people on my website."
They are spending thousands of dollars a month on Facebook ads or Google, chasing that next 'hit' of a new sale. But when I look at their numbers, I see a bucket full of holes. They spend $20 to get a customer who spends $60 once, and then they never see that person again. After you pay for the product, the shipping, the staff, and the ad, you’ve basically worked for free.
If you want to actually build a business that lets you sleep at night—and maybe even take a holiday on the Coast without checking your phone every five minutes—you have to stop obsessing over new customers and start obsessing over the ones you already have.
In the marketing world, they call this "Customer Lifetime Value." To you and me, it just means: How much money does one person give you over the whole time they know you?
If you can move that number from $60 to $180, you’ve tripled your business without spending an extra cent on ads. That is how you win.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the three main ways to do this, compare what works and what doesn't, and tell you exactly where to spend your time and money.
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The Three Ways to Grow Your Bank Balance
There are really only three ways to make more money in an ecommerce shop: 1. Get more customers (This is the most expensive way). 2. Get them to spend more per order (The "Do you want fries with that?" approach). 3. Get them to buy more often (Turning a one-off buyer into a regular).
Most people focus 90% of their energy on the first one. That’s a mistake. We’re going to focus on the other two because that’s where the profit is hidden.
Approach 1: The "Bigger Basket" Strategy (Increasing Order Value)
This is about making sure that when someone is already at your checkout with their credit card out, you give them a reason to add one or two more items.
The Good: You see results immediately. Your bank account looks better by the end of the day. The Bad: If you’re too pushy, you can annoy people and make them abandon the cart entirely.
How to do it properly: Bundles: If you’re a tradie supply shop, don't just sell a drill. Sell the "Pro Starter Kit" with the drill, extra batteries, and a carry case. It’s a higher price point, but it’s more value for them and more profit for you. Free Shipping Thresholds: If your average order is $70, offer free shipping for orders over $100. People hate paying for shipping. They would much rather spend $30 on another product than $15 on a courier. I’ve seen Brisbane businesses increase their daily takings by 20% just by moving this one lever. The "People Also Bought" section: This isn't just for Amazon. If someone is buying a pair of leather boots, show them the leather conditioner. It’s common sense, but most small business sites forget to ask.
Approach 2: The "Come Back Soon" Strategy (Repeat Sales)
This is the holy grail. If you sell coffee beans, skincare, or dog food, you want that customer coming back every month. Even if you sell something like furniture, you want them coming back for the lamp, then the rug, then the dining table.
The Good: This is the cheapest money you will ever make. The Bad: It takes time to build the relationship. You can't just ignore them for six months and then expect them to remember you.
To make this work, you need to get repeat sales without spending a cent on ads. This usually involves email, but not the annoying kind. It’s about sending a reminder when they are likely to be running out of what they bought, or letting them know about a new range that fits their style.
Approach 3: The "Set and Forget" Strategy (Subscriptions)
If your business can support a subscription or a monthly box, do it. This is the difference between worrying about where next week's rent is coming from and having a business that runs on autopilot. When you build predictable monthly income, the stress levels in your life will drop significantly.
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Comparing the Approaches: Which should you do first?
| Strategy | Cost to Start | How fast you see cash | Effort Level | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Bigger Basket | Low | Instant | Low - just some site tweaks | | Repeat Sales | Low | 30-90 days | Medium - requires a plan | | Subscriptions| Medium | 6-12 months | High - requires new systems |
Where to start?
If you are struggling with cash flow today, start with the Bigger Basket. Change your free shipping limit and add some "frequently bought together" items to your product pages.If your business is steady but you're tired of the "feast or famine" cycle, you need to focus on getting your current customers to come back. Stop looking for the next stranger and make more from the ones you have.
Real Talk: The Mistakes I See Brisbane Business Owners Making
I’ve sat in enough cafes in Milton and Newstead talking to business owners to know what’s really going on. Here’s where most people get it wrong:
1. Ignoring the "Thank You" Page: The moment someone buys from you, they are the most excited they will ever be. Most businesses just have a boring page that says "Order #1234 received." What a waste! Give them a coupon for their next order that expires in 48 hours. Give them a video showing how to use the product. Use that space! 2. Bad Email Habits: Most people either never email their customers, or they spam them with 20% off sales every second day. Both are bad. You should be sending helpful stuff. If you sell plants, send an email on how not to kill them. If you sell tools, show them a project they can build. 3. Forgetting the Human Element: We’re in Queensland. We like dealing with people. If someone spends a lot of money with you, give them a call. Or send a handwritten note in the box. I know a guy in Geebung who sells high-end car parts; he puts a small bag of Allen's lollies in every box. It costs him 50 cents, but people talk about it more than the $500 part they bought. That’s how you get people to come back.
The Power of Social Proof
One thing that helps all three strategies is trust. People are nervous about buying online, especially from a smaller shop they haven't used before. To make people feel comfortable spending more money with you, you need to show that other people have done it and are happy. You can use customer reviews to sell more products by putting them right next to the "Add to Cart" button. Don't hide them on a separate page. Put them where the money is made.
How to Measure Success (Without the Jargon)
You don't need a degree in statistics to know if this is working. Just look at three numbers at the end of every month:
1. Total Sales: Is the big number going up? 2. Average Sale Value: On average, is each person spending $75 instead of $65? 3. Returning Customer Rate: Out of 100 sales, how many were from people who have bought before? If this is under 20%, you have a problem. If it’s over 40%, you’re doing great.
Action Plan: What to do in the next 7 days
Don't try to do everything at once. You have a business to run. Do this instead:
Day 1: Look at your shipping. If your average order is $60, set your free shipping to $85. See what happens over the next week. Day 2: Go into your website and find your top 3 selling products. Manually add a "You might also like" section to those pages with a logical add-on. Day 3: Write a simple email to everyone who bought from you 30 days ago. Ask them how they are liking the product and give them a small reason to come back.
Is it worth the effort?
Look, I’ll be blunt. Chasing new customers is like running on a treadmill. The moment you stop spending money on ads, the sales stop. But building a base of loyal customers who love what you do and buy from you repeatedly is like planting a fruit tree. It takes a bit of work to get it started, but eventually, it just keeps giving.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses—from pet shops to hardware stores. It works because it’s based on how people actually shop.
If you’re tired of giving all your profit to Mark Zuckerberg or Google, it’s time to change your focus. Look after the people who have already given you their trust and their money. They are the key to your growth.
Need a hand getting your shop to perform better? At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses stop wasting money and start finding more profit in their existing customers. Contact us today and let’s have a yarn about how we can grow your sales.