Shopify Store Optimization for Your Cosmetic Brand: Proven Techniques to Boost Sales & AOV

10 Proven Techniques to Optimize Your Shopify Cosmetic Store

These techniques are easy to apply during the design or development stage of a website. Most of these tweaks were implemented in one of our case studies, Glow Cosmetics. You can check them out in more detail there.

Most CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) involves following best practices and constantly monitoring and improving. Website CRO is an essential part of your marketing strategy, so all these tweaks should also be highlighted in your marketing campaigns. The main goal of website CRO and AOV (Average Order Value) optimization is to increase the percentage of visitors who make a purchase.

Simple Notification Banner at the Top of the Page

You couldn’t ask for a better place for notifications. This spot is seen by 100% of site visitors, and they’ll immediately know if you offer free shipping on orders over $100. Important, concise information that is easy to understand fits perfectly in this banner. It doesn’t clutter the page with large icons or pop-ups, and it’s a simple and effective solution.

You can go further and simplify this line if you have multiple messages to display. Consider adding a slider so that the information changes automatically after a specified time or when the arrow is clicked. You can also add a play/pause button to stop the automatic scrolling. Additionally, adding a button allows visitors to go directly to the page with more information they need, such as “Terms and Conditions for Guaranteed Returns.”

Hurry Up on the Product Page

Simple notifications on the product page can encourage customers to buy and create the impression that the offer is limited. Such notifications are ideal for discounts, sales seasons, or products on promotion.

You can use banners with notifications such as:

• “Only 5 left”
• “Will be out of stock soon”

You can also use a countdown timer for discounts and sales. For example, if there’s a discount on a product until the end of the day, you can set a timer on the product page that counts down to the end of the promotion.

For cosmetic brands, this tactic can effectively drive urgency and encourage customers to buy immediately. Here are a few ways to use it:

• Low Stock Alerts: “Only 2 left in stock!” for high-demand skincare products or cosmetics that often sell out (e.g., limited-edition items or bestsellers).
• Time-Sensitive Discounts: A countdown timer for discounts like “Today Only – 15% off on all face creams.”
• Holiday Sales: Use “Limited Time Sale” or “Offer Ends Soon” notifications around holidays or special events (e.g., Valentine’s Day, Black Friday).

Additional Thoughts:

• Countdown timers on specific products can create urgency, driving conversions.
• Ensure real-time stock updates to avoid confusion, e.g., “Only 3 left at this price.”

Bundle Builder or Upselling

This technique works great for cosmetic brands because customers love to purchase sets or bundles. Here’s how you can leverage this for beauty products:

• “Complete the Look” for skincare sets, makeup kits, or personalized bundles.
  • Example: “Get the perfect skincare routine – cleanser, toner, and moisturizer at 10% off.”
• “Buy the Kit, Get the Discount”: Bundling items like face serums, moisturizers, and eye creams together encourages customers to purchase everything they need at once.
• Upsell and Cross-Sell:
  • Example: When a customer selects foundation, offer complementary items like blush or setting powder.

Additional Tips:

• Ensure the bundle builder displays clear pricing. Example: “Buy 3 products, save 20%.”
• Make it easy to add to the cart without leaving the page.

Sell Skincare Sets, Not Just Individual Products

While selling outfits works for fashion brands, it’s equally powerful for cosmetic brands. Instead of offering individual products, curate skincare sets and cosmetic bundles to enhance the customer shopping experience.

Skincare Sets

Offer entire skincare routines rather than standalone products. For example:

• “Morning Skincare Routine”: A bundle that includes cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.
• “Nighttime Skincare Routine”: A set with a cleansing balm, serum, and night cream.

By offering these sets, customers are more likely to purchase all the products they need in one go, leading to higher AOV.

Cosmetic Sets

For makeup products, consider offering cosmetic kits that include:

• Foundation, mascara, and lipstick tailored to different skin tones or specific occasions.
• A complete “Flawless Makeup Kit” with blush, contour, highlighter, and more.

“How-To” Content

To guide your customers, include how-to content for each skincare or makeup set. For example:

• “How to use the Glow Serum Set for the best results.”
• “Step-by-step guide to achieve a radiant look using the Ultimate Beauty Kit.”

Including detailed tutorials helps customers understand how to use the products together, encouraging them to make a purchase.

Example from the Cosmetic World:

Display a model using your products and offer a clickable link to each product in the set, similar to the “Shop the Look” feature used in fashion e-commerce. This way, customers can easily explore the entire skincare or makeup routine without feeling overwhelmed by too many options.

By offering skincare sets with clear guidance and a seamless shopping experience, you’re not only increasing AOV but also helping customers find a personalized, all-in-one solution for their skincare or beauty needs.

UGC Content on the Product Page

This recommendation can be divided into two parts:

• What do you use on your website?
• What do you use on social media?

Positive mentions on social media are great for getting more eyes on your product and sparking interest. Let’s focus on website usage. UGC content or reviews on your site create trust between your brand and potential buyers. They see that the product is already being used, with real-world examples of how it can be used.

In our Glow Cosmetics case study, we used UGC content in the reviews section to immediately show customer feedback and real examples of how the cosmetics are used.

Example from Glow Cosmetics:

“Here’s how our Glow Serum works for real customers.” (With real before-and-after photos from users).

An example of our Glow case study using UGC content in reviews

Gift Cards

An old but proven way to generate income now while postponing the delivery of goods or services. Gift cards work well when applied correctly.

For cosmetics:

• “The Perfect Gift for a Loved One”: Offer gift cards during holiday seasons (e.g., Christmas, Mother’s Day) or birthdays.
• Easy Redemption: Make sure gift cards are easy to redeem at checkout. You can also offer discounts on future purchases for gift card users to encourage repeat sales.
• Branding: For a cosmetic brand, gift cards can also be marketed as premium products (e.g., “Gift a Glow – Perfect for Skincare Lovers”).

“Add to Cart” Banner Following You

Use the “Add to Cart” banner as users scroll through the product page to keep their focus on the purchase. The banner stays visible and makes it easier for users to add products to their cart without searching for the button.

Example:

• If you have a collection, like the “Glow Skincare Set”, keep the “Add to Cart” button fixed on the screen for easy access.

Product-oriented sections

Another idea for a section focused on the product. The example shows a section that displays a product usage option and a product card for immediate access. This way, you don’t create useless sections, but you immediately show the product and give a clear CTA that lets people view and order it here.

Create sections that focus specifically on the product itself:

• Product Benefits: Highlight the benefits (e.g., “Reduces Wrinkles”, “Hydrates Skin”, etc.) to match customer pain points.
• Customer Feedback: Include testimonials and ratings right next to the product to immediately show how others have benefited from using it.

Cart that upsells

Simple but very effective advice. Recently, I was going to a ski resort and visited an online store to buy some small items. I needed a ski mask.

The shopping cart suggested a balaclava and ski socks, which I didn’t have and seemed very appropriate.

This is one example of how you can increase the average check and make up-selling useful for the customer.

This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost AOV:

• Suggested Add-Ons: If a customer is purchasing a moisturizer, suggest complementary products such as serum, eye cream, or face masks in the cart.
• Smart Upselling: Use AI-powered upselling apps (like Bold Upsell) to offer related products at the right time during checkout.

Pro Tip: Make the upsell offers relevant to the customer’s previous purchase. For instance, if they bought a cleanser, suggest a moisturizer next.

Free shipping threshold bar (with dynamic progress)

And last but not least, my favorite method is a progressive scale in the shopping cart that shows “How much more to get free shipping.”

The best approach is to set the threshold slightly above your current average order value — ideally by the price of a common add-on (travel size, lip balm, remover, accessories).

What value to use

Best starting formula:

Threshold = (current AOV) + (price of your “easy add-on” item)

Example:

AOV = $42

Easy add-on (travel size, lip balm, remover) = $12

Threshold = $54 (round to $55)

Why: it nudges people to add exactly one more thing, not struggle to add 3 items.

Could be built with Shopify Apps such has Essential Free Shipping Upsell