🧵 Threads... fun while it lasted

Welcome to Morning Commerce!

Kyle here with another action-packed issue full of Shopify goodies:

• A CRO quick win

• The Shopify story

• 17 trending products for 2023

• Threads first 7 days’ retention numbers

• Instagram auto-tagging products in stories

• Online retail sales to reach $1.14 trillion in 2023

— Kyle Tully

ACQUISITION

Threads first 7 days’ retention numbers are in…

We always knew there would be a cooling-off period after the rocket ship ride Threads had in acquiring users those first few days… but things have turned decidedly ice-cold for Zuck.

The day 7 retention rate for Threads users was just 16%.

Down from 37% on day 1. Ouch.

To put that in perspective:

• Twitter was at 35% retention on day 7, down from 46%

• Instagram sat at an impressive 60% on day 7, down from 70%

• Clubhouse dropped to 26% by day 7, down from 46%

From where we sit it looks like there are few reasons for established Twitter users to make the switch to Threads. (Who wants to start over again building an audience?) And while the initial flurry of followers from Instagram users was nice, most people quickly realised there’s not a huge amount of crossover from an almost purely visual medium to one that is primarily text-based.

We wait with bated breath for the ads platform to roll out.

Online retail sales to reach $1.14 trillion in 2023

A new report from FTI Consulting projects U.S. online retail sales will reach $1.14 trillion in 2023, an increase of 10% from the previous year 🫠

They also asked consumers about their thoughts on AI-driven shopping personalisation, with a whopping 80% believing it can enhance their experience, and 75% open to receiving personalised product offers and advertisements.

Other interesting tidbits:

• Only 46% of Baby Boomers are interested in AI product recommendations, with only 21% trusting online retailers with personal data.

• 77% said they would be most interested in personalized content that includes customized pricing and discounts.

• 51% of respondents said they had concerns about racial and gender-based recommendations.

• 72% of Gen Z say they would switch retailers for a more personalized experience.

For all the (valid) fears of AI ending the world, it seems most consumers are more than open to the benefits of the technology. It will be up to us as retailers to use it wisely and handle personal data with care.

How to make Instagram memes that go viral

It seems like every other day another brand has memed their way to a 7-figure business. And there’s nothing more demoralising than seeing the super professional marketing campaign you spent a fortune on getting absolutely destroyed by a funny cat video. We figure, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

CONVERSION

Instagram auto-tagging products in stories

Instagram is still trying to figure out an in-app shopping experience that works for brands, creators, users, and the Meta pocketbook alike.

Their latest feature in this vein attempts to auto-tag products from your catalog when it detects them in stories. You can then edit, add, or delete as necessary.

It doesn’t look like everyone has the feature yet but don’t be surprised if you see it in your account shortly.

17 trending products and things to sell online

Shopify is absolutely killing it with their content marketing game lately.

This article comes in at a solid 17-minute reading time and frankly, the title is a little misleading. The trending products — informative as they are — are just an appetizer.

1. Lip stain

2. Matcha

3. Power tool accessories

4. Dog toys

5. Shot glasses

6. Costume shoes

7. Slipcovers

8. Wall plates and covers

9. Baby shirts

10. Curtain and drape rings

11. Cabinet knobs and handles

12. Watch accessories

13. Tumblers

14. Model train sets

15. Signage

16. Wedding dresses

17. Table runners

The main course is the marketing ideas included with each product. No matter what you’re selling online there are dozens of great ideas in here you can swipe and deploy in your own business.

The Shopify story

Shopify president Harley Finkelstein quietly dropped one of the best “our story” videos I’ve ever seen. Now, I might be a touch biased because I’ve been along for a good part of the ride and have worked with literally hundreds of Shopify merchants and seen the impact this company has had. But take a look and I think you’ll agree.

CRO quick win: add continuity from ad to landing page

I can confirm — this dead simple strategy is almost guaranteed to give you a conversion boost. The more tightly aligned every step in your campaign, the more at ease people feel, and the higher your conversion rates.

And when you think about it, it really makes sense…

If someone clicks on an ad, it’s because they’re responding to something in that ad. So naturally, giving them more of what they like tends to do well.

Whereas if your landing page has completely different imagery, copy, and colours then you’re throwing caution to the wind and hoping this will also resonate with them.

I hereby give you permission to be lazy and use the same assets.

EMAIL MARKETING

The power of the second subject line

Chase Diamond (great name!) reminds us of the importance of crafting curiosity-evoking preview text for increased open rates in our email campaigns.

Preview text won't display on all devices or email programs, but it’s worth the small extra effort because you get two shots at earning the open from those who do see it.

SHOPIFY NEWS

Login with a fingerprint, face recognition, or PIN

Head over to https://accounts.shopify.com/ then click the Security tab and you can now create a passkey that will let you log in with your fingerprint, face recognition or a PIN instead of a password. Noice noice noice.

Six new Shopify updates

• Updated notification system for apps - The app settings page has a new notification system to inform you of notable changes for installed apps.

• Longer options for order processing time - It is now possible to set self-identified processing time to be up to 40 business days or up to 8 weeks.

• Shopify Markets Pro now automatically identifies incompatible draft orders - Merchants using Shopify Markets Pro will be automatically informed of incompatibilities between their draft orders and Markets Pro.

• Enhanced Visibility on Shopify Protect Protection Status - a new feature in the Admin API allows you to view the protection status of your Shop Pay orders.

• Adjust fulfillment location and status at the order item level - You can now change the location or hold products for specific line items in an order, providing you more flexibility and control during the fulfillment process.

• Bring flexibility to the fulfillment process with split and merge -You can now fulfill partial orders, fulfill items across multiple locations, and as a B2B merchant, break orders with large quantities into multiple shipments.

INSPO OF THE WEEK

Bread Beauty Supply uses a stunning full-screen headshot on its homepage that instantly grabs your attention. (On my 27” iMac the model’s head is life-size!) You’re first drawn to the eyes, then the product with the Bread logo, and finally the “Shop Now” call to action. Simple but very well done.

How we can help…

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