What We’ve Learned From The 20 Most Successful Shopify Stores

More than a million merchants across the globe rely on Shopify to sell products online. Although solutions like Magento and WooCommerce are out to steal Shopify’s thunder, the platform is still one of the easiest eCommerce platforms to sell your wares.

With Gen Z spending 8.7% of their income online (compared to Millennials at 5.33%), it’s clear that online retail is the future.

But it’s not enough to list products on Shopify and call it a day. Nope: you’ve got to tweak your Shopify content to boost sales.

Let’s dig into why Shopify matters in eCommerce, the 20 best Shopify stores known to man, and how you can create a bangin’ Shopify site of your own.

Why is Shopify such a big deal?

While giants like BigCommerce and WooCommerce are runners-up, Shopify is the go-to for most folks in the eCommerce product space. That’s because:

• Shopify attracted 218 million buyers from around the world in the last year.
• It has a 20% market share in the eCommerce space (Translation: a lot of people trust and use it).
• Shopify Plus merchants see 126% YOY average growth.

If you’re debating using an eCommerce platform for your business, Shopify is a great option. Curious what to sell on Shopify? Everything under the sun is up for grabs, but the most popular options are:

• Clothing
• Home goods
• Technology accessories
• Beauty products

And this isn’t just for small businesses: Shopify Plus has the horsepower to fuel enterprise eCommerce.

The great thing about Shopify is that you can customize it to your liking, thanks to its fleet of free and paid apps.

That’s nice, but the freedom can feel a little scary. It’s helpful to see what the most successful Shopify stores get right so you can emulate them in your own business.

If you want to know how to find Shopify stores for inspo, a quick Google search will give you plenty to choose from or check out this ultimate guide to online brands.

Learn From These 20 Most Successful Shopify Stores

Or, if you’re short on time, you can check out our 20 favorite picks for the best Shopify stores.

Instead of guessing what your audience needs to see, learn from other successful Shopify merchants. Write amazing content, boost your brand with clever promotions, and deliver a unique experience on your Shopify site.

Not sure how to make that happen? Copy these winning strategies from the 20  most successful Shopify stores on the planet.

1 – Gymshark

Gymshark is a fitness apparel and accessory brand in the UK. Although it’s based in the UK, this fashion brand has sold to customers in 131 countries.

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Gymshark knows its audience likes to keep fit. After all, that’s why you buy athletic apparel, right? Because of that, Gymshark creates fitness challenges for its customers.

Gymshark66 is an annual challenge that helps its followers maintain their fitness resolutions in the new year. Over 66 days, followers change their lives with healthy habits like diet and exercise.

And yes, this is an actual challenge: Gymshark chooses winners every year. This is a brilliant strategy that not only showcases Gymshark’s products in use, but that also connects customers.

Contests and challenges create a fervor around your brand, building community and engagement. With average conversion rates in the 30% range, contests are a smart way to build the best store on the block, and this Shopify store example is no exception.

If you play your cards right, you’ll score juicy earned media opportunities that build your brand. You can build buzz around your Shopify site by launching a relevant, on-brand challenge featuring your products.

2 – Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova is one of the hottest fashion brands in the world. Specializing in “rule-breaking, badass style,” Fashion Nova sells dresses, jumpsuits, lingerie, jackets, shoes, and more.

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Fashion Nova cleverly engages with their audience on their Shopify site. If you scroll down on the homepage, you don’t see models wearing Fashion Nova. Instead, you see user-submitted images of customers wearing Fashion Nova products.

This is genius.

User-generated content shows how people look wearing Fashion Nova in real life. Since it’s often tricky to buy clothes online, Fashion Nova is smart to showcase its Instagram tags on its website.

In this way, Fashion Nova is sourcing lifestyle images for free. Plus, user-generated images get 28% more engagement than brand images. That translates into more sales for your Shopify store.

Need to tap into user-generated content? Trend connects you with high-quality influencers for user-generated content done right.

3 – KITH

Since 2011, fashion brand KITH has made clothes for men, women, and children. In a weird twist, the fashion brand opened a KITH Treats store in 2015 to serve sweet treats. The brand is known for its “Snarkitecture” and quirky sense of humor.

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KITH has no shortage of personality, and that’s been good for business. This brand uses experiential marketing to connect with their customers, driving more traffic to their Shopify store.

And since the fashion space is well-saturated with competition, going offline is an excellent move.

KITH’s Snark Park installment in New York features its Treats as well as branded apparel. It includes museum-quality art installations in a clever, branded space.

We love online promotion, but if you want to get people talking, go off-screen. Create experiential pop-up events like KITH to get people tagging and talking about your brand online.

Don’t believe us? 98% of event attendees will create digital content at your branded event. Oh, and 74% of attendees say they’re more likely to buy a product promoted at a live event.

Trend has helped brands to create influencer-powered events to get more eyeballs on their brand. We even helped GourmetNut pack an installation in central park in NYC with influencers. Get in touch to see how we did it.

4 – Judy

Judy is a convenient, modern way to prep for emergencies (without looking like a psycho doomsday prepper). The company sells a variety of kits that offer 72 hours of emergency support, ranging from food to shelter to first aid.

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Have you ever visited a Shopify store and thought, “Woah, there are way too many options here”?

Judy knows offering too many options is bad for eCommerce shoppers. When you need folks to focus on buying, limit their options.

One study found that customers who had 24 choices only bought 3% of the time; but customers who had just 6 choices bought 30% of the time. See the difference?

If you visit Judy’s product page, they have just 4 options to choose from, all at varying price points. It sounds counterintuitive, but this successful Shopify store stays successful by limiting its menu.

5 – Hydrant

Hydrant is a growing Shopify store that tackles the problem of modern-day dehydration. They sell electrolyte mixes in convenient packets to help on-the-go folks get the hydration they need.

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We’ve got one word for you: quizzes.

Hydrant is an evil genius for creating a quiz on its site that helps shoppers find the best Hydrant product mix for their needs.

Oh, and to sweeten the deal, Hydrant also offers a nice discount to customers who take the quiz.

The average quiz has a 31.6% lead capture rate.

In plain English, that means it’s a really effective way to get prospective buyers into your funnel. Use this Shopify store example to help you create interesting branded quizzes your shoppers will actually enjoy.

6 – Magic Spoon

Well, science has clearly gone too far, because Magic Spoon has created the world’s first, honest-to-goodness healthy cereal. Their products are low carb, high protein, and packed with sweet, tasty magic.

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Do you have product testimonials on your Shopify site? Magic Spoon has ‘em by the dozen.

We love that the brand highlights its most hard-hitting testimonials from Fast Company, Forbes, and Delish.

72% of customers say that positive testimonials increase their trust in a brand, making them more likely to buy a product. Invest in PR or journalist outreach to collect high-profile testimonials like Magic Spoon.

7 – Empathy Wines

Empathy Wines is an online wine club and retailer. But instead of complicating their business model with middlemen, they mix all of their wines themselves, passing the savings on to their discerning, wine-loving shoppers.

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Empathy Wines has something called Club Empathy, which is an exclusive club for people who love wine (sign us up!).

This is a genius strategy, and it’s no wonder Empathy is one of the best Shopify sites around. Club Empathy is a VIP rewards program in sheep’s clothing.

The kicker? Subscribers pay to join the club and still pay for bulk wine and seasonal shipments.

How can you give VIP treatment to a select group of customers? Instead of offering it for free, follow Empathy Wines’ example.

48% of shoppers love concierge services through VIP programs like Club Empathy, too. It saves them time shopping and helps them get wine faster—a true win-win.

8 – Twice Toothpaste

Twice Toothpaste bills itself as a clean, natural toothpaste company. Not only are its products non-GMO and cruelty-free, but they also contribute 10% of their profits to the GLO Good Foundation.

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The thing is, eCommerce is a risky deal for your shoppers. They just can’t pick up your products and try before they buy.

Twice does a great job of minimizing customer discomfort by offering a “Try for $5” deal.

It’s tempting to just offer your product for free, but that can actually minimize your value to the shopper. Weird, right?

When people spend a little bit of money on something, they’re immediately invested. If you’re having a tough time convincing customers to take the leap, offer a low-cost loss leader deal to get them in the door.

9 – ColourPop Cosmetics

This California-based beauty brand was founded in 2014 by Seed Beauty. ColourPop is known for cheap, humane products sent straight to the consumer. By cutting out the middle-man, ColourPop can offer high-end cosmetics at drug store prices, which has built a cult following over the last 5 years.

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ColourPop does several successful collaborations, sometimes with influencers, but also with other brands, like Disney.

Collaborations (also called co-branding) happen when you create a product or special with a complementary business. This helps you delight customers with a fun, innovative product while growing your audience with a collaborative partner.

While few brands actually do collabs like this, more than half of the businesses that invest in cobranding say it brings in more than 20% of the business’s revenue. Wow!

10 – Allbirds

Allbirds is a New Zealand company that focuses on sustainable footwear. It’s actually a B-Corp that donates to environmental causes, using recycled packaging and giving back to communities in need.

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The Allbirds Shopify site succeeds at transparency. While most brands shy away from showcasing their materials, Allbirds calls your attention to their materials.

That’s part of the Shopify store’s unique selling proposition, and they want people to know it. With informative copy, interesting graphics, and a place in the top navigation, Allbirds gives customers the transparency they can feel good about.

We’re not saying you have to deliver your secret formulas to your customers, but that you should offer more clarity.

What are you doing that’s unique? Are you sourcing your materials, packaging, or products in an interesting or unique way?

Make this information painfully obvious, like this Shopify store example. This will set your Shopify site apart from the other players on the field.

11 – Bombas

Bombas is a t-shirt and sock company focused on making more comfortable clothes. Not only have they re-innovated the humble sock, but they’re also focused on giving back. For every purchase, Bombas makes a donation to a person experiencing homelessness.

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The Bombas buy one, give one model is genius. Not only has the brand donated 30 million items to those in need, but they’ve also boosted their Shopify traffic with this strategy. They even include a real-time counter on the site showcasing how many items they’ve donated.

50% of Americans say they would buy from a company that supports causes they believe in.

Bombas give people a reason to choose their socks and t-shirts over cheaper products that are readily available elsewhere.

Consider partnering with a charity aligned with your product offerings. Make it obvious on your site how you’re donating and to where. This could be the edge that pulls customers away from a competitor.

12 – The Ridge Wallet

A father-son duo runs The Ridge wallet company. They sell RFID-blocking wallets, phone cases, backpacks, knives, and power cords. The company’s approach is all about minimalist, functional products.

And their approach is obviously paying off: The Ridge has sold half a million wallets since 2013.

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The Ridge highlights its perks, like free shipping and returns, in a banner at the very top of their site. This isn’t an accident.

90% of shoppers say free shipping pulls them to shop online instead of in-store.

Plus, orders with free shipping have 30% more value per order. So eating the cost of shipping on your side can actually increase margins.

Offer smart perks that help you stand out to customers—and make these perks the star of your landing page. Whether that means free shipping, freebies, or coupons, make sure you give customers a reason to choose your Shopify site.

13 – JB Hi-Fi

JB Hi-Fi is an established Australian brand that’s been around since 1974. JB Hi-Fi sells affordable games, music, DVDs, and electronic devices. Although they have brick and mortar locations, much of their business pours in via their Shopify site.

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At first blush, the JB Hi-Fi website might seem busy and cluttered. And yet, it’s one of the top 20 Shopify sites in the world.

Why?

The answer: deals. JB Hi-Fi knows that its customers are price-sensitive; they’re looking for discounted goods and know that JB Hi-Fi specializes in that. When you visit the site, the first thing you see, spelled out in bright yellow and red, are the brand’s discount deals and specials.

Since 22% of shoppers will only buy something if it’s on sale, JB Hi-Fi appeals to more shoppers and encourages actual purchases.

This is a prime example of front-loading customer value propositions. Why do customers shop with you? Why do they choose you over other stores?

Spell out how you deliver what customers are looking for. The less customers need to dig, the faster they’ll come to purchase. Now that’s what we call a friction-free experience.

14 – The Brick

Since 1971, The Brick has sold home furnishings, appliances, and mattresses to Canadian shoppers. The brand thrives off brick and mortar sales, but surprisingly, has a thriving Shopify presence, too.

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Selling large, big-ticket items online is no easy feat, but The Brick makes it happen. We love the “Inspiration” section on the site, which gives shoppers ideas for using The Brick’s products.

Not only does this give shoppers value, but it also showcases seasonal trends, tapping into what’s hot right now.

Copy The Brick’s idea: add lifestyle photos of your products in their natural habitat.

Don’t be shy—tell shoppers exactly how your products help them stay on-trend. It’s the perfect recipe for Instagrammable content, which equals more shares, more views, and more sales.

15 – Ruggable

Ruggable isn’t your grandma’s stuffy rug company. It’s an innovative brand with an interesting twist: instead of selling traditional rugs, this company offers a two-piece rug system.

This means customers can easily wash rugs in the comfort of their homes. They can even switch out their top carpet layer if they want a change of scenery.

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Ruggable is innovating a traditional eCommerce category, which means they have to overcome the challenge of consumer education. It’s brilliant that they include a how-to video above the fold on their Shopify site.

In a 5-second video, Ruggable explains why it’s different and why you should shop with them. If you’re facing an uphill battle with consumer education, don’t say it: show it.

Add multimedia to your site. This will not only minimize customer questions, but boost understanding, leading to more shares, views, and sales.

Since 33% of online shoppers prefer to learn about products via video, you’re meeting shoppers where they are.

16 – Raycon

Airpods ain’t got nothing on Raycon. Raycon is an audio company that specializes in wireless, in-ear headphones.

They’re known for taking a bold approach with their product design and marketing. Consumers opt for Raycon because of the products’ long battery life and warranty.

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The thing about Raycon is that they aren’t just selling headphones. They’re selling an image, or a feeling. They’re telling people, “When you wear Raycon headphones, you’re cool.”

Raycon partners with influencers to make that happen. They include testimonials from big-shot artists in the music industry, targeting audiophiles to purchase Raycon’s headphones.

And since 49% of consumers rely on influencers to make purchasing decisions, Raycon is selling a lot of headphones with this strategy.

This Shopify store example shows influencers have a lot to give your brand.

Are you partnering with influencers to boost your Shopify site? It doesn’t have to be a big-name celebrity or anything. Partner with a micro influencer in your industry to create more buzz around your Shopify site.

17 – Cymatics

Cymatics is named after the scientific study of sound waves. This company sells pre-sets for making music, as well as music production courses.

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The first thing you see on Cymatics’ website is a free offer. This delivers instant, in-your-face value to visitors, who can download a sample of Cymatics’ work for free.

It’s no wonder how Cymatics became one of the most successful Shopify stores: freebies can increase sales by 200%.

What can you offer customers on your Shopify site? Ideally, this would be a digital asset that they can immediately access.

Bonus points if you collect their email address in the process, creating another avenue for bringing Shopify customers through your funnel.

18 – Culture Kings

Culture Kings is an Austra