Top 4 Strategies for Growing Shopify Sales in 2026

The following article was contributed by StoreLab. StoreLab is a Shopify Growth Service that helps Shopify businesses boost their online sales through performance marketing, mobile apps, and creative services. 

In 2026, Shopify will be more competitive than ever, and guessing your way to growth won’t cut it. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, to help you navigate ecommerce and put strategies into action that actually get results.

The tactics here are tested and proven, built to deliver quick results while also laying the groundwork for success that sticks: 

1. Run organic & paid social campaigns 
2. Improve your Shopify store’s mobile experience
3. Focus on customer loyalty & retention tactics
4. Maximise sales & AOV with strategic promotions

They will help you to generate immediate sales as well as build a loyal customer base who keep coming back. By following these four strategies, you’ll stay ahead of the competition and position your Shopify store for more long-term, sustainable growth!

Let’s jump in…

1 - Run Organic & Paid Social Campaigns

Paid and organic social campaigns work best when they support each other, and in 2026, this combination is going to be one of the fastest strategies for growing your online store. 

Paid advertising remains one of the most effective ways to get your products in front of the right audience. You’ll see instant impact through traffic spikes and sales conversions, while also strengthening your Shopify store’s long-term brand visibility and expanding your customer base. 

Meta ads, in particular, are a standout option thanks to their precise targeting capabilities. You can reach shoppers based on demographics, interests, browsing behavior, or even past purchases, ensuring your promotions appear in front of people who are most likely to convert.

Meta’s range of formats - carousel, video, and collection ads - also give you flexibility to showcase products in engaging, authentic ways. 

While paid ads accelerate immediate results, organic social keeps your audience warm, engaged, and connected over time. Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are especially powerful because their built-in shopping features make browsing and buying seamless for followers. 

The goal of organic content is to build genuine relationships, spark conversations, and nurture a loyal community. By sharing valuable, relatable posts that highlight your brand’s personality, story, and expertise, you create trust that leads to long-term growth.

2 - Improve Your Shopify Store’s Mobile Experience

Mobile is where your customers live. In fact, nearly 8 out of 10 visits to Shopify stores come from mobile devices, and that number is only rising. In 2026, if your store isn’t fully optimised for mobile, you’re leaving money on the table. You need to meet shoppers where they prefer to browse! 

Start by making sure your desktop site translates smoothly to mobile. Pages should load quickly, navigation needs to be intuitive, and checkout should be frictionless. 

Beyond a responsive website, consider a dedicated mobile app. Shoppers prefer browsing on apps - they’re faster, smoother, and designed for mobile from the ground up. What’s more, users of mobile apps add over 4x more items to their carts, making it a simple but effective way to grow sales without constantly chasing new customers. 

The advantages of having an app for your Shopify store are clear: 

• Higher conversions & larger baskets: Faster load times, simplified navigation, and smooth checkout make it easier than ever for shoppers to move from browsing to buying. Apps also see an 85% higher add-to-cart rate compared to mobile sites. 
• Fewer abandoned carts: Streamlined mobile experiences mean less distraction and delay, so more shoppers complete their purchases.
• Speedy shopping experience: Unlike some mobile websites, apps handle high traffic smoothly, keeping users engaged and moving through checkout. 
• Push notifications that drive action: Remind customers about saved items, flash sales, or limited-time discounts instantly. Personalised notifications like “Your saved beige puffer jacket is now 20% off” create urgency and encourage impulse purchases. 
• Personalised recommendations: Apps can show products tailored to browsing history, preferences, or past purchases, helping customers find what they want faster. 

Popular app builder tools include Mobiloud, which has an impressive plan ideal for startups with expert support and simple setup, and StoreLab, which is a growth service geared towards more established Shopify businesses and offers a holistic approach including app development, Meta ad campaigns, and creative services. 

Whatever your business size or goal, there's a mobile solution designed to fit your needs.

3 - Focus on Customer Loyalty & Retention Tactics

According to Forbes, acquiring a new customer can cost 5-7x more than retaining an existing one, and in a market that is becoming more and more saturated, this matters more than ever.

Competition is fierce, marketing costs continue to rise, and consumers are overwhelmed with choices. So, 2026 will be more than just attracting new shoppers; it’s about keeping the customers who already know, trust and love your brand.

Retention starts with showcasing reviews, user-generated content (UGC), and social proof across your store and social channels. When potential buyers see real customers using and enjoying your products, like in the example from Glossier above, it builds instant credibility and reduces the hesitation that often comes from purchasing from new or unfamiliar brands. UGC also reinforces authenticity, which is key with how crowded ecommerce is becoming.

Rewarding loyal customers is another great strategy. Having a valuable loyalty program, exclusive discounts, birthday rewards, or VIP-only early access to sales can make customers feel seen and appreciated, ultimately encouraging more repeat purchases.

Subscription services can further strengthen retention by offering convenience. Whether it’s refillable products, curated sets or boxes, or bundles, these subscriptions create ongoing engagement and sales, as well as more recurring and predictable revenue.

By prioritising loyalty and retention for your Shopify store, you’ll build stronger customer relationships, increase lifetime value (LTV), and stand out. Plus, by improving your experience, nurturing existing customers, and retaining new ones, you naturally create a better overall customer experience that attracts new shoppers organically, or through word-of-mouth. 

4 - Maximise Sales & AOV with Strategic Promotions

Turning a customer’s cart into a bigger sale doesn’t have to feel pushy, it’s about giving shoppers options they actually want. Upselling, cross-selling, and bundling let you do exactly that: guide customers toward products that complement their purchase while also growing your AOV. 

Consider this: 72% of sales teams rely on upselling and cross-selling, and these efforts contribute to roughly 30% of their overall revenue. By guiding customers to products that complement their original purchase, you help them discover more of what they love and boost your sales in the process.

Here’s some ways to implement these promotions on your Shopify store: 

• “Complete the Look” Bundles: Ideal for fashion, beauty, or lifestyle brands. Pair related items (like a foundation with a matching concealer) or offer a discounted bundle including multiple complementary products. 
• Complementary Discounts: Encourage multi-item purchases by offering small savings on items that go together, such as a yoga mat and resistance bands or a handbag and wallet set.
• Checkout Upsells: Suggest useful add-ons like gift-wrapping, premium shipping, or exclusive accessories to increase AOV while improving the shopping experience. 
• Tiered or Bundle Promotions: Reward larger purchases with deals like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” or “Save 15% on Bundled Sets” to motivate higher spending. 

Running strategic promotions like these is especially powerful around major shopping events like Black Friday and the Christmas holiday season. Customers are already primed to buy, and well-timed upsells, cross-sells, and bundles can significantly increase both revenue and customer satisfaction.

You should also make sure to promote these offers across social media, email campaigns, push notifications, and paid ads during these key sales events to reach your audience wherever they are and maximise impact.

Final Thoughts

Remember, seeing more success for your Shopify store in 2026 won’t happen overnight. Getting your strategy right takes time, and a willingness to test, measure, and adjust.

The stores that thrive aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets, they’re the ones that combine data-driven decisions with a real focus on making the customer experience perfect.

Think of growth as a continuous process: every new strategy, every tweak, and every insight adds up. Some tactics will deliver immediate wins, while others lay the foundation for growth that builds over time.

By staying patient, learning from what works (and what doesn’t) and prioritising your customers’ experience at every touchpoint, you’ll set your Shopify store up for huge wins in 2026.