May 25, 2023

34 Top Shopify Stores to Imitate to Boost Sales & Customer Happiness

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Need some inspiration to elevate your Shopify website from standard to superb? Of course, you do. Which is why we’re here to help. There are so many Shopify stores out there, selling all manner of things. Some stores do very well, while other stores fail. Best to aim to be the former. But, how do you do that?

There are many reasons for success or failure in ecommerce. Shopify gives businesses a great foundation to get their store on the right track, but it’s up to the store owner to make it a success.

Your path to increased sales and returning customers is bound to differ from that of someone selling a different product. Given that there are so many reasons that a particular online business will be successful, what works for one may not work for another. No two stores are alike.

So, it’s good to see great examples of different success stories and how they’ve made their business thrive. These highly successful stores should serve as an inspiration, not a color-by-numbers template.

Nevertheless, to get your sales figures up into the seven digits and beyond, it certainly helps to analyze the stores that have already achieved that level of success.

In this post, we’ll cover:

So, let’s start by breaking down the elements of a successful Shopify store.

What makes a Shopify store great?

A Shopify store is equipped to look pretty good right out of the box. This means that it’s simple to put up a beautiful storefront and you are competing with similarly lovely looking stores.

What makes a Shopify website great is multifaceted and depends on your particular customer base. But, one thing is for sure: you need to be more visible and enticing than your competitors.

While your target market may be unique to your vertical, there are many site improvements that any customer will appreciate.

• A unique and striking storefront. The upfront fact is that ugly sites don’t inspire people to stick around. Many brands have moved toward modern and minimalistic design aesthetics.
• Stunning product photography. Really great online stores have incredible high-quality imagery to match a freshly designed site experience.
• Responsive shopping experience. Shopping happens wherever people are, whether on their laptop at home or out and about with their mobile device.
• Quick loading pages. If a page doesn’t load fast enough, we’ll just go elsewhere, and conversion rates drop significantly if your website speed is slow.
• A significant influx of traffic. You can’t expect conversions if you don’t have enough traffic to convert. Through a great SEO strategy and a strong social media presence, you can start to drive all that valuable traffic to your store.
• Powerful integrations. A store on its own can go a long way, but integrations can bring it over the line with additional functionality.
• Free shipping! The power of this offer for an online business is undeniable. Shoppers never want to pay for shipping.
• Descriptive product pages. Your online store is replacing an in-person shopping experience.

First, get inspired by these great examples of the best Shopify stores.

Why do some Shopify stores fail?

Just as there are many reasons why a store may succeed, there are many reasons why they may fail.

Some reasons a Shopify store may fail are:

• No traffic. Without sufficient traffic, conversions are unlikely to occur.
• An uninspiring storefront. Shoppers tend to leave a website that has poor overall design.
• Pricing. One of the biggest considerations for shoppers.
• Shipping issues. If your shipping is too costly or your shipper isn’t up to expectations.
• Unreliable product. If the product isn’t up to snuff, the store will inevitably fail.
• Your niche is too small. If there aren’t enough people to sell to, you can’t sell enough to stay open.
• Your target market is too large. If you try to sell to everyone, you may find yourself struggling to market to anyone.
• Too much competition. If you start selling a product that is already being sold by many others.
• Lack of customer support. Your relationship with your customer doesn’t end at purchase.

What are the biggest brands on Shopify?

There are a number of huge brands that use Shopify for ecommerce.

• Hasbro
• Heinz
• Bulletproof
• Allbirds
• Penguin Books
• Beardbrand
• Redbull
• Gymshark
• Kylie Cosmetics
• MVMT
• Bombas
• Harper Collins
• Fitbit
• Whole Foods

Now that we’ve talked through the reasons for success and failure for online stores, let’s get into the top Shopify stores that can inspire your own amazing brand.

34 of the best Shopify store examples for ecommerce inspiration

These Shopify stores have used various techniques to drive traffic to their sites and turn it into sales.

The top Shopify stores for your food & wellness needs

Bulletproof

About a decade ago, tech executive Dave Asprey was visiting Tibet when he stumbled across a local drink—tea blended with yak butter. Inspired, he started Bulletproof, which now sells millions of cups of coffee per year.

SkinnyMe Tea

Founder Gretta Van Riel used her strong social media following to achieve $600,000 in monthly revenue within just six months of opening her store.

The Great Cookie

The Great Cookie opened in 1979 and has since grown to seven locations and a formidable ecommerce presence.

The best apparel & footwear Shopify stores

Chubbies

Chubbies started selling men’s short shorts at a Fourth of July party and grew to a multimillion-dollar brand.

PANGAIA

PANGAIA is a sustainable narrative-driven brand on a mission to save the environment.

Allbirds

Allbirds creates stylish, sustainable shoes and has achieved over $1 billion in valuation.

Bombas

Bombas grew from crowdfunding to making over $100 million in annual revenue.

The most successful activewear & outdoor gear stores on Shopify

Rumpl

Rumpl revolutionizes blankets, integrating technology with design for a unique product.

Cupshe

Cupshe designs stylish swimwear for various body types and leverages user-generated content.

Gymshark

Founded in a garage, Gymshark is driven by social media and UGC.

The top bath & beauty Shopify stores

L’ange

L’ange focuses on hair care products and highlights customer success stories.

Beardbrand

Beardbrand’s YouTube channel has turned viewers into loyal customers.

Kylie Cosmetics

Kylie Cosmetics generates over $100 million in annual sales through effective social media marketing.

The best Shopify stores for housewares & kitchenwares

Helix Sleep

Helix Sleep customizes mattresses based on individual needs and captures essential customer information.

Miracle by Aloft

Miracle offers antimicrobial products and bundles to entice customers.

The shiniest Shopify stores for your necessary accessories

MVMT

MVMT reached $60 million in sales within four years, emphasizing quality and customer experience.

The Ridge

Ridge creates quality products while featuring high-definition photography for effective branding.

The top Shopify stores of the miscellaneous category

Fangamer

Fangamer changed the world of video game merchandise and uses customer reviews for credibility.

The Secret to Shopify Success

Each ecommerce site is different, and indeed each of the brands covered in this guide found their own unique path to success. Successful stores often share similarities, such as building a social media presence, offering free shipping, and implementing loyalty programs. By applying these lessons to your own Shopify store, you can enhance customer experience and increase sales.