Starting Out with BigCommerce? 6 Tips for Beginners
April 19, 2025
Unveiling the wisdom of seasoned professionals, this article distills key lessons from various Shopify endeavors that didn't pan out as planned. It offers clear-cut advice on the crucial do's and don'ts for a successful e-commerce presence. From mobile user experience to checkout optimization, gain practical strategies to refine your online store's performance.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned in my Shopify journey came from a failed experiment involving a homepage redesign. We focused heavily on aesthetics--high-resolution banners, interactive sliders, and embedded videos--assuming it would increase time on site and conversions. On desktop, it looked stunning. But the mobile version? It was sluggish, cluttered, and had a nearly 6-second load time.
The result:
Our mobile bounce rate spiked by 32% within the first week. Add-to-cart rates dropped significantly, and even returning users abandoned their sessions midway.
How we overcame it:
We conducted a full mobile UX audit using tools like Hotjar for heatmaps and Google PageSpeed Insights for performance. We stripped away heavy elements, optimized image sizes, simplified navigation, and prioritized speed and clarity over design embellishments. Once implemented, our mobile conversions recovered within two weeks and even outperformed the previous baseline by 18%.
What I'd do differently now:
Always design mobile-first, especially for Shopify stores where over 70% of traffic often comes from mobile devices. I'd also A/B test layout changes with smaller traffic segments before rolling them out storewide.
For businesses listed on platforms like TechNewscast.io, where online reputation and review visibility matter, these UX missteps can directly impact your credibility. Prioritize user experience over assumptions, and let data guide your decisions.
Inali Patel
Digital Marketing Specialist, Tech NewsCast
One lesson I learned from a failed Shopify experiment was the importance of thorough market research and understanding customer preferences before launching a new product. In one instance, I invested time and resources into a product that I thought would perform well based on trends, but it didn't resonate with my target audience. I realized that relying solely on assumptions and not validating the product idea with real customer feedback led to poor results. I now prioritize customer research, test ideas through small-scale launches, and use data-driven insights to make informed decisions.
To overcome the challenge, I focused on gathering real customer feedback and using data to better understand audience preferences. I implemented small-scale product tests and engaged with customers through surveys and social media polls. Looking back, I now prioritize market research and customer validation earlier to ensure product decisions are based on actual demand, saving time and resources.
Dhari Alabdulhadi
CTO and Founder, Ubuy Netherlands
One lesson I learned from a failed Shopify experiment was attempting to overhaul our checkout process with custom fields to capture extra customer data. The idea was to increase personalization and conversion, but it ended up complicating the user experience and causing technical glitches due to conflicts with Shopify's native checkout system. After receiving negative feedback and noticing an uptick in abandoned carts, we quickly reverted to the standard checkout process.
This challenge taught me the importance of incremental testing and thorough QA in a staging environment before making any significant changes. In the future, I'd implement smaller, data-backed adjustments and closely monitor customer behavior to ensure that any customization truly adds value without disrupting the seamless experience Shopify's ecosystem is known for.
Shehar Yar
CEO, Software House
One lesson I learned from a failed Shopify experiment was that too many upsell offers can backfire. At Zapiy.com, we once implemented an aggressive upsell strategy using pop-ups and post-checkout offers, thinking it would boost average order value. Instead, it had the opposite effect--customers found it overwhelming and abandoned their carts.
To overcome this, we took a step back and refined our approach:
The key takeaway? Upselling should feel helpful, not pushy. If I could do it differently, I'd prioritize seamless, well-timed suggestions rather than bombarding customers with choices. Sometimes, less is more when it comes to conversions.
The worst decision I made on a Shopify build was blindly stacking apps without thinking about what they were actually doing under the hood.
It started with a store that wanted upsells, sticky cart, reviews, and product badges - all good features, but we used five different apps to get them running. On the surface, everything looked fine. But when I ran a Lighthouse audit, page speed was awful, especially on mobile.
When I dug into the code, I saw each app was loading global JavaScript and CSS files on every single page, whether it needed them or not. One app was adding three different jQuery versions.
I paused everything and went line by line in the theme files. Removed leftover code from uninstalled apps, killed off any script not tied to a key conversion action, and rebuilt upsell logic directly in Liquid and vanilla JS.
After cleanup, the site loaded two seconds faster and we saw a noticeable drop in bounce rate.
Now, I always check what scripts are injected before installing anything. Less is usually better.
Nirmal Gyanwali
Founder & CMO, WP Creative
Assuming that a "trendy" upsell app will automatically increase AOV without thoroughly examining its effect on user experience was one lesson I took away from a botched Shopify trial. I thought that implementing a vigorous post-checkout upsell tool would boost sales. Rather, I observed a decline in customer satisfaction and a higher cart abandonment rate.
The problem? The smooth checkout process was interrupted by the upsell, which seemed invasive. Consumers found it annoying, and fewer purchases were made as a result rather than more sales. I took a step back and concentrated on a more nuanced, value-driven strategy to address this, employing in-cart bundling rather than post-checkout upsells and suggesting comparable products earlier in the purchasing process.
Since then, before implementing any conversion optimisation tool completely, I always run an A/B test on it. Instead of focussing only on short-term profits, my approach is now more data-driven and makes sure that every change improves the customer experience.
Peter Wootton
SEO Consultant, The SEO Consultant Agency
One lesson I learned from a failed Shopify experiment was underestimating the importance of optimizing the site's speed. Initially, I focused on design and user experience but neglected the technical aspects that can impact site performance. As a result, the site became slow and frustrated users, leading to lower conversion rates.
To overcome this challenge, I conducted a thorough audit of the site's performance and worked with developers to streamline the code, compress images, and implement other speed-enhancing strategies. The improvement in site speed led to higher engagement and conversions.
If I could do it differently, I would prioritize speed and performance optimization from the beginning. Ensuring the site runs smoothly is critical for providing a positive user experience and driving sales. It's easy to overlook, but it's an essential factor in any e-commerce strategy.
Mike Khorev
Managing Director, Nine Peaks Media
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