Best Ecommerce Growth Strategy for DTC Brands

Ecommerce is booming. The industry is set to grow at a rate of 7.8% annually from 2025 to 2027, with sales hitting a staggering $8 trillion by 2027— that’s more than double the growth rate of physical stores.

The growth of retail sales worldwide, Source: Insider Intelligence

The market is ripe for the picking, but here’s the real question: Will your business grow alongside it, or will competitors swoop in and steal your share of the pie?

In this article, we’re going to show you exactly how to build a killer ecommerce growth strategy that will ensure your business doesn’t just survive the expansion — it thrives. We’ll break down everything from setting clear goals to selecting the right tactics, giving you the tools to stay ahead of the curve and capture the profits this market offers.

And if you’re looking for a reliable tool to fuel your ecommerce growth, try Personizely. Website personalization? Done. A/B testing? Covered. Widgets for every need? Absolutely. Whatever you need to drive successful ecommerce expansion, it’s included in the plan.

What is an ecommerce growth strategy framework?

An ecommerce growth strategy is a structured plan for scaling your online business. It outlines how you’ll drive traffic, convert visitors into customers, and turn one-time buyers into repeat ones. The goal? Sustainable growth in a competitive market.

The framework is what pulls everything together. It gives your ecommerce strategies direction and helps you connect the dots between your goals and the actions that get you there.

It doesn’t just stop at bringing in new customers. A strong growth strategy also makes sure you’re keeping the ones you already have. It strengthens customer relationships, encourages repeat purchases, and increases customer lifetime value. In other words, it helps you build a customer base that actually sticks around.

Done right, this strategy helps you grow your market share, stay ahead in a fast-moving space, and set yourself up for long-term ecommerce success.

Key components of a successful ecommerce growth strategy framework

Here’s what a solid ecommerce growth strategy usually includes:

• A clear understanding of your target audience and ideal customers
• Messaging and positioning that help your brand stand out
• A balance of customer acquisition and customer retention tactics
• Website and UX improvements focused on conversion rate optimization
• Email, SEO, and paid ads that actually work together
• Regular optimization based on key performance indicators and real user behavior
• Post-purchase flows that keep your customer relationships strong
• Scalable systems that support sustainable growth

With all these elements in place, an ecommerce strategy becomes the engine that powers how your business grows, adapts, and competes in the world of online shopping.

Key benefits of an ecommerce growth strategy framework for an online business

Let’s be honest — growing an online store in today’s ecommerce market isn’t a walk in the park. With over 22 million ecommerce stores competing for attention and 2.77 billion people shopping online worldwide, it’s getting harder to stand out, reach the right people, and convert clicks into paying customers.

That’s where a solid ecommerce growth strategy framework becomes a game-changer.

It helps business owners cut through the noise, focus their efforts, and hit their business goals with a plan that’s built to scale.

Here’s what that actually looks like in practice…

• Ability to reach the right people without wasting your budget: A strong strategy helps you target the right people in your target market — without wasting time or money. When your marketing is more focused, your customer acquisition costs go down. In fact, using data-driven marketing strategies has been shown to lower CAC by boosting conversion rates while spending less.
• Improved conversion rates and sales performance: An ecommerce growth strategy isn’t just about traffic — it’s about moving customers from interest to purchase. Personalizing the experience — like showing the right product recommendations or offers — can boost both your conversion rates and the amount customers spend. That means more sales with the same traffic.
• Ability to tap into new markets and reach a wider audience: A clear growth strategy helps you find and connect with new people. Instead of just selling to the same group, you can identify new customer segments in your target market and expand your reach. That opens up fresh opportunities in the ecommerce market you haven’t tapped yet.
• Stronger customer relationships and more loyal customers: As you focus on customer satisfaction in an attempt to grow your ecommerce business, people come back. A good customer experience keeps them buying and builds trust.
• Smarter, data-driven decisions: A strong strategy helps you make informed decisions based on real data. By tracking the right key performance indicators, you can see what’s working, spot what’s not, and adjust your tactics to stay in line with your business goals.
• Ability to stand out in a crowded market: A growth strategy helps you understand trends, keep up with what your customers want, and compete more effectively. That way, you’re not just keeping up — you’re leading.

How to build a robust ecommerce growth strategy for your business

Building a growth strategy goes beyond just setting vague goals or trying random tactics.

Each step should build on the previous one to create a cohesive, actionable ecommerce growth strategy framework that moves your business forward in a sustainable way.

Here’s a deeper look at each step, highlighting how they contribute to your strategy and specific actionable tips to implement.

1. Analyze your current situation

A clear understanding of your current position helps you identify gaps in the market and untapped opportunities.

By conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), you create a foundation for making strategic decisions.

This step enables you to be proactive rather than reactive, aligning your resources where they’ll be most effective.

Actionable tips:

• Perform market research using tools like Google Trends or Ahrefs to see where you stand compared to your competitors.
• Look for market gaps: Are there underserved customer segments or niches you can target?
• Regularly update your SWOT analysis to stay agile and adjust to shifts in the market.

2. Gain a better understanding of your target audience

To build a growth-focused ecommerce strategy, understanding your audience is essential. If you don’t know who you’re targeting, your efforts will lack direction, and your messaging will fall flat.

To craft personalized experiences, optimize your product offerings, and create relevant marketing that drives conversions:

• Create detailed customer personas: Go beyond demographics — include motivations, shopping habits, and pain points.
• Use Google Analytics: Track visitor behavior on your site. Identify top-performing products and pages with the highest bounce rates to focus on improvements.
• Segment your audience: Analyze purchase history to group customers by spending habits, frequency, or interests. Tailor campaigns based on these segments (e.g., personalized emails or exclusive offers).
• Monitor social media: Track mentions and conversations about your brand to uncover customer preferences and frustrations. Use tools like Hootsuite to stay on top of customer sentiment.
• Leverage customer reviews: Analyze feedback for trends in satisfaction or dissatisfaction to improve your offerings and service.

3. Set SMART goals for your ecommerce growth strategy and identify key performance indicators

Setting SMART goals is a foundational step in building a successful ecommerce growth strategy.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — a framework that ensures your goals are clear, actionable, and aligned with your overall business objectives.

By setting SMART goals, you provide yourself with a roadmap for success and clear benchmarks to measure progress, helping you stay focused and make data-driven decisions.

Here are a few examples of what SMART ecommerce growth strategy goals could look like:

• "Increase website conversion rate by 15% in 6 months": This is a specific, measurable goal that focuses on improving how well your website converts visitors into paying customers.
• "Grow Average Order Value (AOV) by 10% by Q3": Aiming to increase AOV is an effective growth strategy, whether by upselling, cross-selling, or improving product bundles.
• "Reduce cart abandonment rate by 20% over the next quarter": A lower cart abandonment rate directly impacts conversion rates and is crucial for boosting revenue.
• "Achieve a 30% increase in repeat purchases by the end of the year": Retaining customers is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, so focusing on repeat purchases will help drive long-term growth.
• "Increase social media engagement by 25% in 4 months": If social media is a key part of your marketing strategy, setting a goal to boost engagement through content or ads can help you increase brand awareness and sales.

To measure the success of your ecommerce growth strategy, you also need to track specific KPIs that align with your goals.

• Conversion Rate (CR): A higher CR means more visitors are turning into customers, indicating your site is effective at driving sales.
• Average Order Value (AOV): Increasing AOV boosts revenue per transaction, essential for scaling your business.
• Cart Abandonment Rate (CAR): A high CAR suggests issues in the checkout process that need fixing to increase conversions.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Tracking ROI shows which tactics are most effective and which need adjustment.
• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): A higher CLV indicates stronger customer loyalty and long-term profitability.
• Profit: The more profit your business generates, the stronger your ecommerce growth strategy is.

4. Select the right tactics for your ecommerce growth

Now that you’ve set SMART goals and identified key KPIs, it’s time to pick the right strategies to achieve them.

The goals and KPIs you've established will guide your selection of tactics, ensuring you're focused on what matters most for your ecommerce growth.

Whether it’s boosting conversion rates, increasing AOV, or improving customer retention, the right strategies should support your specific objectives.

Questions to ask when selecting the right tactics:

• Does this strategy align with my business goals and KPIs?
• Will it effectively reach my target audience?
• Is the tactic scalable as my business grows?
• Will this tactic integrate well with other strategies, or does it stand on its own?
• Do I have the necessary resources (budget, time, tools) to implement it successfully?

These questions will help you narrow down which growth tactics to focus on and ensure they complement your overall strategy for the best results.

5. Use data to optimize and refine your strategy

Data analysis helps you make informed decisions, identify weak points in your strategy, and improve customer engagement. Regular optimization based on real-time data ensures your strategy evolves with market shifts, ensuring long-term success.

To keep your ecommerce growth strategy relevant and effective, you need to:

• Use A/B testing for critical pages (like product pages or checkout) to see which versions convert better.
• Analyze data from tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar to understand user behavior.
• Regularly review your email campaign analytics (open rates, click-through rates, conversions) to ensure your email marketing efforts are meeting goals.

16 effective ecommerce growth strategies to increase online stores revenue

Now that you’ve got the blueprint, it’s time to pick your tools.

A well-built ecommerce growth strategy is only as good as the tactics behind it. This is where you get to mix and match strategies that actually move the needle across your sales funnel.

Whether you're trying to drive more traffic, boost conversion rates, or improve customer satisfaction, the goal is the same: more revenue and smarter growth.

Below, you’ll find 16 tried-and-tested ecommerce growth strategy frameworks to help you fine-tune your store for both short-term wins and long-term success. You don’t need to do all of them at once. But the more you layer in, the stronger your growth engine becomes.

Invest in search engine optimization (SEO)

One of the most effective ways to grow your ecommerce business is simple: get more people to your site. More traffic means more chances to convert, more data to work with, and more room to scale.

And when it comes to driving high-intent, cost-effective traffic, search engine optimization (SEO) is still one of the smartest long-term plays.

For e-commerce businesses, SEO means making your site easier to find on search engines like Google when shoppers type in relevant search terms. And it’s worth doing well — organic search drives nearly 33% of all ecommerce traffic, and 23.6% of orders come from that traffic alone.

Even better? These shoppers aren’t just browsing. They’re telling you exactly what they’re looking for. Someone typing “vegan leather laptop bag buy” into Google isn’t doing research — they’re trying to make a purchase. SEO helps you show up at the right time, with the right product, to the right person.

SEO for ecommerce has two main parts: on-page SEO and off-page SEO.

On-page SEO includes all the things you can control directly on your site — and it starts with making your site easier to understand for both search engines and shoppers. Here’s how to get it right:

• Use clear, keyword-rich product titles and meta descriptions: Instead of vague titles like “T-shirt #24,” go with something like “Men’s Black Graphic Cotton T-Shirt – Skull Print.” Use Yoast SEO or SEOPress to edit and preview how your title and meta description will appear in search results.
• Create structured, useful category and product pages: Break down categories logically (e.g., “Men’s Running Shoes,” “Women’s Casual Sneakers”), and add content to category pages — like short product descriptions, internal links, and filters — to help Google understand them.
• Clean up your URLs: Use URLs that are readable and reflect the product ( /black-leather-wallet instead of /product?id=84723a)
• Add descriptive alt text to images: Instead of “image1.jpg” or “product photo,” use something like “Black leather bifold wallet with RFID protection.” It helps with SEO and accessibility.
• Improve your page speed and mobile experience: Compress large images using TinyPNG, use lazy loading, and check your performance using Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

Off-page SEO, on the other hand, is everything that happens outside your website that boosts your authority — things like backlinks from other trusted websites, PR coverage, and product recommendations in blog posts.

And speaking of blogs, 61% of online shoppers in the US have purchased a product after reading a blog recommendation. That’s why customer content like buying guides, how-tos, and product comparisons should absolutely be part of your ecommerce growth strategy.

Graza shares recipes that use their product, olive oil, via their blog

Take care of the mobile optimization of your online store

If you’ve already started working on your site’s SEO, you’ve probably compressed your images and shaved a few seconds off your load time. Great start — but mobile optimization goes far beyond that.

Mobile commerce is booming. In 2025, it’s expected to account for 75% of all e-commerce sales. And mobile conversion rates have jumped 30% in just the last two years. So if your online store feels clunky or confusing on a phone, you're losing sales.

So what does mobile optimization really mean?

It’s about making sure your ecommerce site works just as smoothly on a phone or tablet as it does on a laptop. That includes:

• Responsive design: Your site should automatically adapt to any screen size — no pinching, zooming, or sideways scrolling. If your buttons are too small or your layout breaks on mobile, it’s time for a fix.
• Fast load times on mobile networks: Even more important than desktop speed. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to test your mobile performance and fix what’s slowing you down — oversized images, unnecessary animations, or bloated code.
• Touch-friendly navigation: Make sure your menu is easy to open and scroll through with one thumb. Buttons should be large enough to tap without frustration, and important actions — like “Add to Cart” or “Checkout” — should always be visible without too much scrolling.

• Clear, mobile-first layout: Product images should load fast and scale correctly. Pricing, descriptions, and reviews should be easy to read. Avoid cramming too much onto one screen — keep it clean and focused.
• Mobile-friendly payment methods: Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay account for over 60% of global e-commerce transactions, so make sure you don't lose the mobile users looking for those payment options.
• Clickable phone numbers and support options: If you offer support via phone, chat, or WhatsApp, make sure those buttons are easy to find and tap.

Mobile users are no longer a “segment” of your traffic — they are your traffic. If your store doesn’t perform well on mobile, it’s not optimized for today’s ecommerce world. Full stop.

Run limited-time promotions and sales

Running a limited-time promotion is one of the fastest ways to drive action — and a surprisingly effective way to grow your ecommerce business.

Limited-time promos tap into some of the biggest growth levers in your playbook:

• They create urgency, which helps convert browsers into buyers
• They incentivize first-time purchases from deal-seekers who otherwise might bounce
• They expand your customer base during high-traffic windows
• They re-engage dormant customers with a compelling reason to come back
• When done well, they reward loyal shoppers, deepening the customer relationship and fostering customer loyalty

The reason behind this is simple — customer expectations. According to data, modern ecommerce shoppers are always on the lookout for the hottest deals. 93% of U.S. consumers say they’re likely to shop again with brands that offer great discounts, nearly half (48%) avoid brands that don’t.

Of course, the results — whether or not your ecommerce business grows after you implement special offers into your ecommerce growth strategy framework — depend on the type of sales promotion you resort to:

• Flash sales — 24–72 hour offers on specific products or categories
• Free shipping for X hours — Works especially well when paired with cart minimums
• Early access offers — Let loyalty members or email subscribers shop the sale first
• Seasonal and holiday sales — Plan campaigns around key retail moments (Diwali, Black Friday, etc.)
• Countdown timers — Add timers to product or cart pages to visually drive urgency

PrettyLittleThing regularly runs limited-time sitewide sales to attract new customers and increase conversion rates

It also boils down to how well you execute your promotions. A sloppy flash sale can do more harm than good. To achieve solid growth, you need to promote the offer everywhere, use urgency ethically, and track performance.

👉🏻 Learn more about limited-time offers and how to successfully make them a part of your ecommerce growth strategy in our guide.

Implement cart abandonment solutions

Getting someone to visit your website and add a product to their cart feels like progress — but unless they actually hit “Place Order,” it’s not growth. It’s just noise in your analytics.

The average cart abandonment rate across ecommerce is a staggering 70% and over. That’s seven out of ten potential sales slipping away after doing most of the hard work.

But here’s the upside: with a smart cart recovery strategy baked into your ecommerce growth strategy framework, you can reclaim 10% or more of that lost revenue — and convert missed opportunities into actual sales.

If you’re serious about growth, cart abandonment popups should be your first line of defense. They work by detecting when a visitor is about to leave your site — then delivering a compelling, last-minute offer that nudges them to complete the purchase.

Tesla Neck Pillows increases conversions by offering time-limited personalized incentives to cart abandoners

Here are a few types to consider:

• Time-limited discount popups: Offer a last-second coupon like “Wait! Take 10% off if you complete your order now.”
• Free shipping reminders: “Add $20 more for free shipping — don’t miss out.”
• Email capture prompts: Let customers save their cart for later (and build your email list in the process).
• Stock urgency alerts: “Only 3 left — grab yours before it’s gone!”

And while popups are powerful, layering in a few additional cart recovery tactics can further strengthen the entire framework, tighten the sales funnel, and recover lost revenue.

• Abandoned cart emails: Schedule follow-ups 1–3 hours post-abandonment. Include a reminder, product images, and a checkout link.
• SMS recovery messages: Short, friendly nudges work especially well with mobile-first customers.
• Push notifications: Bring people back in with time-sensitive messages if they’ve opted in.
• Live chat widget at checkout: Offer instant responses with helpful information if someone stalls before purchasing.

👉🏻 Find more ecommerce cart abandonment solutions and a step-by-step guide to making them work for your business in our ultimate guide.

Design an ecommerce growth strategy framework for increasing average order value (AOV)

Most ecommerce business owners tend to focus on traffic and conversions, but growing your store isn’t just about attracting new customers. It's also about increasing how much each one spends. That’s where Average Order Value (AOV) becomes a key part of your ecommerce growth strategy framework.

Raising your AOV means generating more revenue without increasing your ad spend, fulfillment load, or support volume. It’s a smarter, more cost-efficient way to grow — and often easier to influence than customer acquisition.

One of the most effective ways to increase AOV is by guiding shoppers toward products they’ll actually want to add to their shopping carts. This is where personalized recommendations based on customer preferences and purchase history come in.

Use upsell and cross-sell popups to deliver those suggestions at just the right time. Done well, these feel helpful, not intrusive — and can significantly boost customer engagement and total spend.

Edible Beauty uses personalized upselling popups at checkout to increase AOV

Here’s how they work:

• Upsell popups: Suggest a premium version of the product already in the cart. For example: “Upgrade to the deluxe kit for just $299 more”
• Cross-sell popups: Recommend complementary products based on what’s in their shopping cart or what similar customers have purchased. For example: “You might also like these bamboo coasters with your mug set.”

Platforms like Personizely let you build highly targeted popups to deliver real-time, personalized recommendations.

Bath&BodyWorks entices customers to spend more by running limited-time “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” promotions

While popups are your front line, these additional tactics can help build out a more complete strategy:

• Product bundles: Curated sets of products sold together at a value price
• Volume-based discounts: “Buy 3 or more, get 15% off” encourages bulk purchases
• Free shipping thresholds: Prompt shoppers to add more to unlock free delivery (“Only $250 away!”)
• One-click add-ons at checkout: Offer small, discounted extras at the final stage
• Loyalty perks for higher spend: Reward high-value customers with exclusive discounts or gifts

Nike offers personalized product recommendations to encourage customers add more items to their shopping cart

Personalize the customer journey

In modern-day ecommerce, personalization is the baseline of customer expectations.

71% of online shoppers want tailored experiences, and 76% feel frustrated when they don’t get them. Ignoring personalization doesn’t just hurt customer satisfaction — it actively slows down growth.

On the other hand, a personalized customer journey keeps shoppers engaged, guides them to what they’re looking for faster, and encourages them to spend more.

It also pays off in hard numbers. Personalized product recommendations account for up to 31% of ecommerce revenue, and using behavioral data to adjust content or ads can lift conversion rates by 10%. Add in personalized upselling and cross-selling, and you’re looking at 10–30% gains in AOV at a fraction of the cost of broad-stroke campaigns.

To build personalization into your ecommerce growth strategy, start by looking at the full customer journey — from landing to checkout — and identify where relevance can replace randomness.

On your homepage, show returning visitors the categories or products they last browsed. New users? Highlight trending items or tailor product suggestions based on location, time of day, or referral source.

Adidas invites returning visitors to pick up where they left off with a personalized website section

On product pages, use purchase history and behavior to generate recommendations that feel timely and helpful, not generic. Think “Complete the look” bundles or “You May Also Like” suggestions that actually make sense for that shopper.

Casa e Cucina provides personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior

At checkout, introduce contextual upsells. Instead of showing the same upgrade to everyone, offer items that complement what’s already in the shopping cart — a perfect opportunity to drive higher AOV without interrupting the flow.

Alter Eco personalizes the checkout experience with tailored product recommendations for every customer

Beyond your website, personalization continues. Use abandoned cart triggers, restock alerts, or browse abandonment emails that reference specific items customers interacted with. Personalized messages get opened, clicked, and converted at much higher rates than generic blasts.

With tools like Personizely and its website personalization functionality, you can adjust your on-site messaging based on customer preferences, time on site, referral source, or campaign history — all without needing heavy development work.

👉🏻 Find more creative (and effective) ecommerce website personalization examples in our guide.

Create a seamless shopping experience

If your ecommerce site is clunky, confusing, or slow, no amount of marketing will save it. A seamless shopping experience is foundational to any ecommerce growth strategy — it removes friction, builds trust, and keeps customers moving smoothly from homepage to checkout.

Showcase featured products up front

1st Dibs immediately directs the attention of its visitors to the featured products under the “Editors’ Picks” headline

Don’t make people dig. Highlight bestsellers or new arrivals right on the homepage, with clear calls to action like “Shop Now” or “Only a few left.” You’re guiding customers toward the purchase, not waiting for them to figure it out.

👉🏻 Learn more about featured products and how to use them on your ecommerce site to drive sales and maximize growth in our guide.

Design with a clear customer journey in mind

Every page should lead somewhere. If someone lands on a product page, they should also see related items, reviews, trust signals, and a clear path to checkout.

Navigation should be intuitive. Think less “Where do I click?” and more “That was easy.”

Revolve uses web design to guide customers towards the next steps

Streamline the checkout experience

Here’s where a lot of carts get abandoned. A streamlined checkout means:

• Fewer steps (ideally one page)
• Guest checkout option
• Auto-filled forms
• Mobile-friendly design
• Multiple payment options (credit card, UPI, wallets, Apple Pay, etc.)

You’re not just selling products — you’re designing a flow that makes buying effortless. And when that flow works, conversion rates go up, customer satisfaction improves, and growth becomes a whole lot easier.

Offer excellent customer service

Creating a seamless shopping experience is essential, but even with the most top-notch customer journey, you can’t afford to overlook customer service. It’s one of the most underrated yet powerful ecommerce growth strategies you have.

Roughly 90% of shoppers say their experience with a brand’s customer service influences whether or not they’ll make a purchase. And it doesn’t stop there — 89% are likely to buy again if their service experience was a good one. That’s a huge driver of customer retention, which is essential to sustainable growth.

Customer service needs to be baked into your entire customer journey to truly impact ecommerce growth:

• Before the sale: Answer questions that remove friction, offer guidance through a chat widget, and provide product recommendations
• During checkout: Be ready to resolve cart or payment issues in real time
• After the sale: Offer proactive updates, transparent returns, and easy access to self-service order management

And remember, delivering excellent customer service isn’t about the size of your support team — it’s about how well your systems work to support the customer. Whether it's a quick question before purchase or an issue with an existing order, your support channels should be easy to access and quick to respond.

Consistency matters, too. Your customer service agents should have the tools and context — like product knowledge and customer order history — to offer real, relevant help, not canned responses.

And when it comes to returns or changes, simplicity is key. A smooth, hassle-free process builds trust and makes it far more likely that a customer will return for their next purchase. Self-service order management is an ideal solution for ecommerce businesses looking to scale.

Encourage repeat online purchases

One-time customers won’t sustain growth. If you want steady revenue and stronger margins, you need a customer base that buys again — and again.

Acquiring a new customer costs 5–25x more than retaining one. Even better? You have a 60–70% chance of selling to an existing customer, compared to just 5–20% for a new one. So if retention isn’t part of your ecommerce growth strategy, you’re working harder than you need to.

Invite your customers to join a loyalty program

A good loyalty program can turn casual shoppers into repeat buyers. Give customers a reason to come back by offering points for purchases, referrals, reviews, or social media engagement — and make those points useful.

Discounts, free products, early access to new drops: these are the kinds of rewards that get people back in the store.

The Body Shop lures its customers in to join their loyalty program with a first purchase discount and points for every pound spent

Want to go further? Use purchase history to personalize rewards. A loyalty program that feels custom-built for the shopper is much more likely to drive long-term behavior.

Sephora offers its loyalty program members free gifts on their birthdays

Other ways to drive repeat purchases

Loyalty programs are a strong foundation, but stacking a few smart retention tactics builds momentum:

• Send reorder reminders at just the right time for consumables or high-use items
• Reward returning customers with limited-time offers or “welcome back” discounts
• Automate post-purchase emails with product care tips, cross-sell suggestions, or loyalty perks
• Keep the post-purchase experience strong — fast delivery, simple returns, and branded packaging go a long way
• Offer subscriptions where it makes sense, so customers don’t need to remember to re-buy

Launch a referral program

Referral programs are a natural extension of your loyalty strategy — and one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your customer base. Instead of chasing cold leads, you're turning your best customers into your best marketers by offering referral incentives.

Here’s how it works: reward existing customers for bringing in new ones. That could be a discount, store credit, loyalty points, or even a free product.

_The “Real Friends” referral program by The Real Real offers site credit for its participants _

The key is to keep it simple, valuable through referral incentives, and easy to share.

To make it work as part of your ecommerce growth strategy, focus on these three things:

• Clarity: Clearly explain what the customer gets and how it works
• Timing: Promote it after positive experiences — like right after a purchase or delivery
• Trackability: Use referral links or codes to measure performance and reward accurately

Done right, referral programs drive high-quality traffic, reduce acquisition costs, and scale growth through trust.

Make use of social proof like customer reviews and user-generated content

Shoppers trust people more than brands — and that’s exactly why social proof is such a powerful ecommerce growth lever.

88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 92% are more likely to trust peer opinions over ads. The impact is real: simply displaying reviews can boost conversion rates by up to 34%.

Partake proudly displays customer reviews on every product page of their ecommerce store

Social proof comes in many forms:

• Customer reviews and star ratings
• User-generated content (UGC) like photos or videos of real customers using your product
• Testimonials and case studies
• Influencer shoutouts or endorsements
• “As seen on” media mentions
• Live purchase notifications (“Samantha in Chicago just bought this”)

You can place social proof almost anywhere: homepage, product pages, cart page, emails, and even in popups. But the most critical spot is your product page — that’s where buying decisions happen.

Michael Kors shows its potential customers how popular their chosen item is, in real time

To get more of it? Just ask. Send a follow-up email after purchase requesting a review, incentivize photo or video submissions with discounts, and showcase tagged UGC from social media.

Rhode displays user-generated content from social media platforms on their website

Establish a robust social media presence

Social proof doesn’t just live on your product pages — it thrives on social media. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are goldmines of user-generated content, reviews, and peer recommendations, making them a natural extension of your ecommerce growth strategy.

And the opportunities social media platforms present to e-commerce businesses are simply massive! 82% of consumers now use social media to discover and research products before they buy.

Source: Hostinger

If your brand isn’t showing up there, you’re invisible to a huge slice of your potential market.

Building a strong social media presence means more than just posting product photos. To actually grow your business, lean into formats that drive visibility, trust, and engagement:

• Short-form video content (Reels, TikToks) to showcase products in action
• Customer reposts and tagged UGC to amplify real experiences
• Behind-the-scenes content to humanize your brand
• Stories and polls to encourage interaction and build relationships
• Giveaways and challenges to boost reach and create momentum
• Shoppable posts to reduce friction between discovery and purchase

Sell on multiple channels

If your ecommerce strategy ends with your website, you're leaving a ton of growth on the table. The modern shopper doesn’t just browse one store — they shop across multiple channels. And this is where the magic happens: the more places you meet your customers, the more opportunities you create to convert them.

One of the biggest ecommerce growth trends is tapping into social commerce. In fact, social commerce retail earnings in the U.S. are expected to hit $80 billion in 2025 and account for an estimated 17.11% of total online sales.

Here's how to leverage this and build a multi-channel ecommerce growth strategy framework:

• Use social media sales features like Instagram shoppable posts and TikTok Shop to sell directly in-app
• List products on marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Etsy to tap into broader audiences who trust these platforms
• Synchronize your inventory across all channels to avoid overselling or confusion
• Integrate your sales data from various channels into a unified dashboard to keep track of customer behaviors and sales performance

Reach your target audience through influencer marketing

Influencer marketing has been a key driver of ecommerce growth, but it’s evolving. While some think it’s losing its effectiveness, the truth is, it’s just shifting. Micro-influencers — those with smaller, more engaged followings — are proving to be even more valuable than big-name stars. 47% of marketers report success with these smaller creators, making them a great choice for brands looking to grow.

So why does influencer marketing still work? Influencers have built trust with their audience, and 74% of US consumers have made a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation. Their followers see them as relatable, not salespeople, which makes their suggestions more powerful.

Oh Polly partnered with a fashion influencer to work on a product drop

Depending on your goals, you might want to incorporate the following influencer partnerships into your ecommerce growth strategy framework:

• Sponsored posts are where influencers create content around your products and share it with their followers.
• Affiliate marketing allows influencers to earn commissions by sharing a unique link or discount code.
• Product reviews give influencers your product to try and share their honest opinions with their audience, building credibility.
• Giveaways with influencers can increase engagement and attract new followers to your brand.
• Takeovers let influencers manage your social media for a day, creating fresh content and interacting with your audience.

An example of a paid partnership social media post by thelittlerrobot via Instagram

Influencer marketing, especially through micro-influencers, is an affordable and powerful way to expand your reach, build trust, and drive conversions — key ingredients for ecommerce growth.

Run targeted email campaigns

Email marketing is often underestimated in its power to drive ecommerce growth, yet it remains one of the most profitable tools in your arsenal.

A well-executed email campaign can turn first-time potential customers into repeat buyers, reduce churn, and increase lifetime value. But to see real results, you need a strategy that targets the right people with the right message.

Start by growing your email list strategically. Use email popups to grab attention when it matters most.

Louis de Pupe targets all first-time buyers with an email popup with a 10% discount

Personizely allows you to trigger list building popups when visitors are most likely to convert — like when they’re about to leave the site or after spending a certain amount of time browsing.

Offer value in exchange, whether it’s a discount, free shipping, or exclusive content. The more targeted and timely the offer, the higher the chances of opt-in.

👉🏻 Check out our list of the best email popup examples to draw inspiration from.

Once you've added addresses to your list, you can start building stronger relationships with your audience and increasing conversions…

Segment based on behavior, not just demographics

Don’t treat everyone the same. Segment your list by actions — whether someone has abandoned their cart, browsed products without purchasing, or made a recent purchase. Tailor your messages for each segment to keep things relevant and personal.

Use dynamic content to recommend products

Instead of generic promotions, use email content that adapts to the customer’s browsing history or purchase behavior. For example, if someone recently bought a pair of shoes, follow up with a suggestion for complementary accessories or shoe care products. This approach boosts engagement and increases the likelihood of repeat purchases.

An example of a targeted email campaign by FashionNova via ReallyGoodEmails

Create urgency with time-sensitive offers

People respond to urgency, but don’t overdo it. Limited-time offers or flash sales create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) that drives conversions. Simple subject lines like “Last chance for 20% off” or “Only a few left” can nudge customers to take action immediately.

Automate key touchpoints

Set up automated workflows to stay in front of your customers at the right moments. A welcome series for new subscribers, follow-up emails after a purchase, or cart abandonment reminders are all essential parts of the journey that keep your brand top of mind without extra manual work.

Tip: Ensure all your ecommerce tools are in sync when it comes to running targeted email marketing campaigns. Ideally, you’d want your CRO platform to be integrated with your email platform.

And remember, over half of all emails are opened on mobile devices, so make sure your emails are designed for small screens. Keep layouts clean, CTAs prominent, and text legible to ensure your messages are easy to read and click on.

Embrace Artificial Intelligence and automation for your ecommerce business processes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved from a futuristic concept to an integral part of the modern ecommerce landscape. It’s not something to be wary of — it’s something to embrace. From automating routine tasks to personalizing the customer experience, AI frees up your time to focus on what truly drives your ecommerce growth: strategy, customer relationships, and scaling your business.

Key ecommerce processes you can automate with AI:

• Customer support: Use AI-powered chatbots to answer common customer queries instantly. These bots can handle everything from order status updates to product recommendations, saving you hours of manual customer service.
• Personalized product recommendations: AI can analyze customer behavior, previous purchases, and browsing history to provide real-time, personalized recommendations. This not only boosts conversions but also enhances the customer experience by showing them exactly what they’re looking for.
• Inventory management: AI tools can predict stock levels based on trends, historical data, and seasonality, automating inventory ordering and stock management. This ensures you never run out of popular products while keeping costs in check.
• Email campaigns: AI can help create personalized email content by analyzing customer preferences and past behavior. With AI-powered automation, you can send timely emails — like cart abandonment reminders, product recommendations, or special offers — at scale, while maintaining a personalized touch.
• Pricing optimization: AI can automatically adjust prices based on demand, competitor pricing, and other market factors. This helps you stay competitive without manually monitoring prices 24/7.
• Customer segmentation: AI can analyze customer data and segment your audience into highly targeted groups. This enables you to send more relevant content and offers, increasing engagement and sales.
• Fraud detection: AI can monitor transactions in real time, flagging suspicious activity and preventing fraud. This adds an extra layer of security for your business and customers.

It’s time to stop doing everything yourself and let smart technology take over the repetitive tasks, giving you more time to focus on high-level strategy and growth.

Ready to build an ecommerce growth strategy for your business?

Ecommerce is expanding, and the opportunities are vast — but so is the competition.

To make sure your business doesn’t get left behind, you need a solid growth strategy. Whether it’s setting clear SMART goals, tracking the right KPIs, or choosing the best tactics, each step you take is a move toward capturing more market share and boosting your profits.

Remember, growth doesn’t happen by accident — it happens with a clear plan and the right tools. And if you’re looking for a reliable partner to help fuel that growth, Personizely has got your back. With powerful website personalization, A/B testing, and custom widgets, we’re here to help you optimize every aspect of your ecommerce strategy.

So, are you ready to take your ecommerce game to the next level? Let’s make it happen. Try Personizely today and start growing smarter.

Ecommerce growth strategy FAQs