Starting a Shopify store is exciting, but getting your first 10 sales can feel like a mountain climb with no map. Many store owners focus on launching quickly but neglect strategies that get sales on Shopify fast.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 10 proven steps to make your first Shopify sales, plus practical upsell and cross-sell strategies that increase your average order value (AOV) from day one.
1. Make Your Shopify Store Look Professional and Trustworthy Before you can get your first Shopify sales, your store must look credible and trustworthy . Customers hesitate to buy from a brand that seems unfinished or unprofessional.
Key elements to focus on:
Clean, mobile-friendly theme: Mobile accounts for over 70% of eCommerce traffic. Make sure your Shopify store looks great on any device. High-quality product images: Use lifestyle photos and multiple angles. Studies show that stores with professional images sell faster. Compelling product descriptions: Highlight benefits, not just features. Include keywords like “Shopify store,” “first sales,” and “upsell.” Visible policies: Include shipping, refund, and return policies. Customers trust stores with clear policies. About Us page: Share your story. People buy from people, not faceless brands. Pro Tip: Add mini-cart cross-sells or product page upsells early. Even if your first 10 customers are small orders, upsells help increase revenue and signal to visitors that your store is professional and attentive.
2. Get Your First Shopify Sales by Starting with People You Know Your personal network is often the quickest route to early sales. Friends, family, and colleagues are more likely to trust your brand and try your product.
Tactics to use:
Social announcements: Post your Shopify store launch on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Exclusive founder’s discounts: Offer a small percentage off for your first customers to encourage early sales. Direct messages: Personal, friendly messages can turn acquaintances into early buyers. Example: “Hey, I just launched my Shopify store selling eco-friendly notebooks! Use code FRIEND10 for 10% off your first order. Your support would mean a lot!”
Your first buyers often become advocates and provide reviews and testimonials that build trust for strangers browsing your store.
3. Use a Limited-Time Launch Offer to Get Sales on Shopify Fast Urgency drives purchases. A launch promotion can accelerate your first Shopify sales.
Effective strategies:
“15% off your first order this week only.” “Free shipping on all orders for the first 7 days.” “Buy one, get one 50% off for launch week.” Combine urgency with upsells: Offer bundles or add-ons during checkout to increase average order value. For example, “Buy this backpack now and add a matching notebook for 20% off.”
These Shopify upsell strategies not only help you hit your first sales milestone but also start building higher revenue per customer from day one.
Professional and trustworthy Shopify store design inspires customer confidence and boosts sales.
People buy what they can visualize using. Social media allows you to demonstrate your products in real life.
Tips for boosting first Shopify sales via social media:
Unboxing videos: Show what customers receive and highlight product features. Lifestyle content: Demonstrate practical usage in daily life. Early testimonials: Even reviews from beta testers help. Platform-specific tips:
Instagram & TikTok: Short Reels showcasing products in 15–30 seconds. Pinterest: Pin lifestyle images with keywords like “Shopify store” and “first sales tips.” Social proof and real-life demonstration create trust, making customers more likely to convert.
5. Partner with Influencers to Drive Your First Shopify Sales Micro-influencers are a cost-effective way to reach new audiences . Their engagement rates are often higher than celebrities, making them perfect for early Shopify store growth.
How to start:
Offer free products for honest reviews. Give a unique discount code for their followers. Feature their content on your Shopify store with permission. Example: “We sent 20 eco-friendly notebooks to micro-influencers, and within a week, 8 of our first 10 Shopify sales came from their posts.”
This strategy works well with cross-sell and upsell placements, as you can create bundles specifically promoted by influencers.
Partnering with influencers can drive traffic and boost your first Shopify sales.
6. Use Shopify Apps That Increase Conversions and AOV Using apps strategically can help boost Shopify conversions from day one.
Recommended features:
Cross Sell & Upsell App : Display related products in 8+ locations like product pages, cart, mini-cart, and post-purchase page.Abandoned cart recovery apps: Capture potential customers who leave without buying. Email marketing apps: Send welcome sequences and promotional offers automatically. Example strategy:
Offer a main product and a complementary product as a post-purchase upsell. Use a mini-cart cross-sell to encourage additional purchases before checkout. These strategies increase average order value while helping you achieve those crucial first sales.
7. Collect Emails from Day One to Nurture Future Sales Not everyone will buy on their first visit. Capturing emails lets you re-engage visitors and drive sales later.
Email capture strategies:
Offer a discount code in exchange for a signup. Provide a free guide or checklist related to your product niche. Use exit-intent pop-ups to grab attention before visitors leave. Follow-up tips:
Send a welcome email series introducing your store and highlighting popular products. Include limited-time offers to encourage first purchases. This ensures that even if the first visit doesn’t convert, your Shopify store still has a chance to make the first 10 sales fast.
8. Get Reviews Quickly to Build Trust for New Shopify Stores Social proof is essential, especially for new Shopify stores. Early reviews reassure new buyers that your products are credible.
Strategies to collect early reviews:
Send personalized follow-up emails after purchase. Offer a small discount on the next order for leaving a review. Use review apps like Judge.me or Ryviu to display testimonials. Pro Tip: Pair review requests with post-purchase upsells to increase AOV while building trust.
Capture emails from day one to nurture future Shopify sales and stay connected with your customers.
9. Run a Small Paid Ad Test to Boost First Shopify Sales Even a small ad budget can help you test which products and audiences convert best.
Paid ad tips:
Facebook & Instagram Ads: Great for visually appealing products and audience targeting. Google Shopping Ads: Capture intent-based traffic for people actively searching. Start small ($50–$100), test images, headlines, and calls-to-action. Track conversions, clicks, and cost-per-sale to optimize campaigns. Combining paid ads with upsell and cross-sell strategies ensures that each click has maximum revenue potential.
10. Keep Momentum After Your First Shopify Sales Your first 10 sales are proof that your Shopify store works, but momentum is key.
Next steps:
Analyze your store data: top-selling products, traffic sources, conversion paths. Double down on strategies that worked, whether it’s social media posts, influencer campaigns, or specific upsells. Continuously optimize your cross-sell placements and upsell offers to maximize revenue per customer. Your first 10 sales are just the beginning — focus on building a repeatable system to grow beyond them.
11. Final Thoughts on Getting Your First 10 Shopify Sales Getting your first 10 sales on Shopify is both a milestone and a learning experience. By combining trust-building, social proof, promotions, email marketing, influencer partnerships, and upsell strategies, you can achieve these first sales faster than expected.
And remember, every customer is an opportunity to increase AOV through cross-sells, upsells, and strategic bundles. Start small, optimize, and scale — and your Shopify store can grow from 10 sales to 100 and beyond.
