The Verdict roundup: 8 ecommerce experts share tips to grow your store

In the past year, we’ve made more of an effort to collaborate with our partners, customers, and industry experts to help brands that are new or early in their journey understand what it takes to scale an ecommerce business.

It isn’t easy, that’s for sure!

Running an online store gets more complicated every day—especially with the explosion of artificial intelligence and GPT search queries becoming more popular.

However, by tapping into our network and using our influence as the most downloaded Shopify app, we believe we can create a positive learning space for entrepreneurs.

We recently ran a social-first series where we reached out to industry experts to get their top tips on what really works when it comes to customer retention.

Our expert lineup included:

• Nick Trueman, Director at Spec Digital & Winning With Shopify Podcast host

• Tamir Or, Dondy, Co-CEO

• Joseph Aubry, Loyoly, CEO

• Tim Masek, Storetasker, CMO

• Aidin Tavakkol, LimeSpot, CEO

• Lucy Nguyen, Product Director at BON Loyalty

• Hemal Bhalodiya, Founder, MakeProSimp

And here’s what they had to say…

What is the most common mistake stores make when scaling?

One of the most common things that people forget is to maintain the human/personal touch that made their first customers fall in love with the brand in the first place.

Picture this: a small online store starts gaining traction, the orders are flowing in, revenue is climbing, and the founder is excited.

So the founder focuses as much of their time as possible on continuing to bring in new customers because they are generating a certain amount of ‘hype’.

Yet, they become so fixated on finding new customers that they forget about the ones they already have, and people start to lose interest in the product.

This type of scenario, whilst difficult to secure, is becoming a more common occurrence – especially when you consider platforms like TikTok Shop and the exposure it brings.

This scenario plays out more often than you'd think, and Hemal Bhalodiya has seen it countless times: "A big mistake I've noticed is prioritizing customer acquisition over retention. While attracting new buyers is essential, keeping existing customers engaged is often more cost-effective and leads to sustainable growth."

The numbers back this up. Research has shown that it can cost up to five times more to get a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Yet many growing businesses do exactly the opposite and pour money into ads – forgetting that their best customers are already sitting right in their email list.

Aidin Tavakkol agreed, saying that you “risk potentially losing out on that personal connection with customers” if you focus on acquisition too much.

And Lucy Nguyen also believes that “retaining existing ones is more cost-effective and profitable” than just focusing on getting new people through the door.

But the problem gets worse when businesses become obsessed with metrics, according to Joseph Aubry.

He said: "Stores often put growth metrics first (like ad spend or number of SKUs) and forget to nurture one-to-one relationships. Customers then feel like just another transaction, rather than an active member of an engaged community."

The idea of maintaining personalized relationships and positive communication with your customers is especially challenging as companies grow, as Tamir Or explained: One common mistake stores make when scaling is neglecting personalized communication. 

“As stores grow, generic strategies often replace tailored engagement. But it's through personalized reminders and campaigns that you can maintain meaningful connections at scale."

It’s hard to recreate that sense of connection when shopping online, as there’s no real interaction – it’s just a case of order placed most of the time.

By establishing your brand values as one that does its utmost to please the customer and personalize their journey, that relationship will stay long term.

“With enough time, the competition will catch up to match your product. But with the right care and attention, they can never catch up to your brand,” said Tim Masek.

A final point of view came from Nick Trueman, who argues that by relying on paid ads as your main acquisition strategy, you’re only really going to have the attention of your customers for a short time.

"Many new brands rely far too heavily on paid advertising. As fantastic as it is, organic channels and the lifetime value of repeat purchases play just as important a role in driving growth," said Nick.

Without a focus on what else you’re delivering as a brand (community, content, etc.), you’re giving people an excuse to simply move on and forget about you after a single purchase.

How do brands compete with more established competitors?

The secret weapon to competing with bigger brands is often to do with speed and flexibility. 

While big companies spend months in meetings, dealing with stakeholder opinions and all that hassle, smaller brands can pivot in literally days.

Having that mindset and understanding how to solve pain points is a sure fire way to compete against more established brands early on.

Nick Trueman said: "Big brands have brand equity, whereas little brands are so much more agile. You can offer a more personal touch and implement the latest technologies that are optimized with your brand values in less time." 

Here's a perfect example: when a customer complains about a big brand on social media, it might take weeks for someone to respond.

Small brands should look to try reply as soon as possible, perhaps from the founder themselves, as that personal connection makes customers feel heard and valued.

Tim Masek echoed much of what Nick said: "Larger brands by definition have more customers, making them 'less cool' by default. Use your small size and following to your advantage by boasting a 'if you know, you know' type of attitude.” 

Being small becomes part of your appeal, not a weakness, as you can come across as more authentic and give your customers something different from something that transactional.

Bring them into your story, create a community and buzz that is unlike what’s in the marketing already.  People want to buy from real people, not faceless corporations.

Hubspot’s “2022 State of U.S. Consumer Trends Report” said that 60% of Gen Z choose products because they are made by small businesses – and that’s because they’re grown up in a world where mass consumerism is all around, and they want something different. 

"Smaller brands should lean into their brand narrative more,” noted Joseph Aubry. “Authenticity resonates with modern consumers, as many want to support brands they feel a personal connection with.”

The key is knowing your customers better than anyone else. Aidin Tavakkol said: "Smaller stores can compete by focusing on specific customer needs, building strong communities, and offering great service." 

When you really understand your customers, you can serve them in ways that big brands simply can't match.

Hemal Bhalodiya summed it up perfectly: "Smaller stores can stand out by leveraging personalization and authenticity. Unlike big brands, they have the agility to create unique, tailored shopping experiences." 

It's about being better, not bigger and offering that personal touch, or perhaps a more “boutique” process can be a real gamechanger when it comes to securing long term, loyal customers.

Tamir Or concluded: "By providing personalized experiences, exclusive products, and outstanding service, you create a strong and lasting connection with your buyers." 

What element of customer retention is often underestimated by ecommerce brands?

The most common response related what happens after the purchase. While most brands pour their energy into loyalty programs, discounts, and flashy campaigns, the real drivers of long-term retention are subtle, ongoing interactions.

This includes things like revisits to your website, personalized communication, social proof, and user-generated content which are all key elements in creating trust, relevance, and connection over time.

Return visits with no purchases doesn’t mean lost opportunities

One surprising retention factor is how often customers come back to your site – even if they don’t buy anything. 

Many would overlook this behavior, but in reality, it sends a strong signal to both your business and to Google.

Nick Trueman explains that: “Google looks at all journey types, so returning visitors to the same website is a huge plus for them.” 

When people revisit your site, even passively, it tells search engines the site is valuable and that higher engagement helps boost your SEO rankings, attracting even more potential buyers.

Those non-purchase visits aren’t just a missed opportunity, they should also become part of a feedback loop that you can use to tweak your pages.

Post-purchase engagement is the silent killer of retention

Here’s where most businesses drop the ball: they stop talking after the sale. But this is exactly when communication should ramp up.

Tim Masek notes that after buying, customers often feel like they’ve “seen everything you have to offer,” and without anything new to engage them, they disengage. That’s a major problem, but a fixable one.

One solution is through relevant follow-ups. Instead of relying on generic emails or silence, brands should send personalized, useful content based on what the customer purchased. 

Tamir Or highlights this opportunity, noting that “there’s huge value in delivering personalized content based on what customers bought. Keep in touch, be front of mind, and give them reason to purchase again.”

Send styling suggestions, complementary product ideas, usage tips – anything that makes them feel like you’re still thinking about their needs. Retention isn’t about a one-time transaction –it’s about staying relevant after the sale.

UGC is a loyalty engine hiding in plain sight

User-generated content (UGC) isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a powerful retention tool and yet many brands treat it as an afterthought.

“Many stores overlook UGC because they see it as ‘nice to have’ rather than a key driver of loyalty,” says Joseph Aubry. 

But when customers share real-life experiences – photos, videos, reviews – they're not just promoting your brand; they’re becoming part of it.

And when brands reward or highlight that content, it creates a loop of engagement and appreciation. 

The customer feels seen, their network gets exposed to your brand, and future buyers see real-world validation. It’s organic, authentic, and incredibly persuasive.

Make it personal and celebrate each individual customer

Most customer relationships stay transactional but the most loyal ones feel personal. 

Lucy Nguyen emphasizes how powerful it is when brands recognize moments beyond the purchase: “Recognizing specific milestones or even their birthday with tailored offers makes them feel valued beyond mere transactions.”

Simple gestures like a birthday discount or a note on a purchase anniversary don’t cost much, but they make a customer feel remembered. And customers who feel remembered tend to return.

As AI tools become more accessible, the opportunity to personalize the customer experience is greater than ever.

Aidin Tavakkol points out that AI allows brands to “offer tailored product recommendations, discounts, and curated content – especially when backed by authentic reviews.” 

That combination of personalization plus real-world feedback builds a deeper, more relevant experience that encourages customers to stick around.

Smart product suggestions based on past behavior, special offers triggered by interest patterns, and content tailored to individual needs can turn a one-time buyer into a repeat fan.

Forget the discounts: real retention comes from real relationships

If there’s one thing this series has made clear, it’s that customer retention goes far beyond loyalty points and discount codes.

The brands that win long-term are the ones that consistently prioritize relevance, recognition, and real relationships.

There’s no plug-and-play growth formula or hack that magically builds customer loyalty overnight. But what does work is showing up consistently, communicating authentically, and building a brand that people genuinely want to come back to.

Retention isn’t about being everywhere, it’s about being memorable in the right moments: after a purchase, during a milestone, when customers least expect it but need it most. 

Whether that’s a personalized email, a piece of useful content, or a social media shoutout, small touchpoints build long-term loyalty.

With rising acquisition costs and endless competition, customer retention is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s your differentiator. 

Build with care, communicate with intention, and treat every customer like they matter. Because they do. That’s how sustainable brands grow – not just bigger, but better.