Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out and sharing the details of your leather goods business, thebicyclist.in. I understand you've been seeing sales drop off recently after previously getting a solid number of orders organically, and you're looking for advice on why that might be happening and how to increase trust and sales, potentially using ads in the future. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance based on what you've shared.
We'll need to look at your website first...
Based on the link you provided, my immediate thought is that the fluctuations and drop in sales are very likely tied to the website itself, regardless of traffic source (organic or paid). For an eCommerce store, especially one selling crafted goods like yours, the website *is* your shop front, your showroom, and your sales assistant all rolled into one. It needs to instill trust and make people feel comfortable enough to buy from you.
Looking at thebicyclist.in, here are a few specific points I noticed that could be impacting your conversion rate – that is, the percentage of visitors who turn into customers:
- First Impression & Clutter: The homepage feels quite busy. When a visitor lands on your site, they should quickly understand what you sell, the quality, and where to go next. If it's cluttered, it can be confusing and overwhelming, leading people to just bounce off before they even look at products. It also seemed a bit slow to load when I checked it, which can put people off straight away, especially on mobile.
- Product Photography: Your product images are absolutely crucial for leather goods. Right now, many of them feel a bit flat. People want to see the texture, the detail, how the item looks in real life, maybe how it's used or worn. Professional-looking photos, perhaps showing the products being used (on a bike, with an outfit), or even short videos of someone demonstrating the features and quality, could make a massive difference. It's about showing the value and craftsmanship.
- Missing Product Descriptions: This is a big one that needs addressing urgently. On the product pages I looked at, there didn't seem to be any descriptions! How are potential customers supposed to know the size, the materials used, the features, the story behind it, or care instructions? Detailed, benefit-driven descriptions answer questions, overcome objections, and help people imagine owning the product. Without them, it's incredibly hard to make a purchasing decision.
- Building Trust: Even with great products and descriptions, people need to trust your store to enter payment details. Your site currently lacks common trust signals. Things like visible customer reviews or testimonials (even from past organic orders), links to any social media profiles where you're active, clear contact information (an address, phone number, or detailed contact form beyond just email), and perhaps mentions in any publications or blogs if you've had them, all help build credibility. Selling on platforms like Etsy or Amazon initially, as mentioned in another case, often works because they have built-in trust, which you need to replicate on your own site.
These foundational issues on the website itself could easily explain why conversions have dropped, even if traffic hasn't changed drastically (though organic traffic can also fluctuate based on algorithm changes, competition, etc.).
Why fixing the website comes before paid ads...
You mentioned wanting to increase sales considerably, potentially with ads. While paid advertising can be a powerful way to scale, think of it like this: ads are a way to send *more* people to your shop. If the shop isn't set up to convert visitors into buyers – due to the issues mentioned above – then sending more people there will just cost you money without the return. You'll have low conversion rates and high costs per acquisition.
My strong recommendation is to focus intensely on improving your website first. Get the product photography professional, add compelling product descriptions, and layer in as many trust signals as you can. Make the site faster and easier to navigate. Once the site is converting your organic traffic effectively again, *then* paid advertising becomes a viable strategy for growth.
When you are ready for ads, for a business like yours selling direct to consumers, platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram) or Google Shopping/Search ads are usually the best places to start. You can target people interested in leather goods, specific cycling accessories, fashion, craftsmanship, or even use shopping ads to appear when people search for the exact types of bags or wallets you sell.
Looking at your analytics...
While you're working on the website, dive into your Shopify analytics. See where people are dropping off in the purchase funnel. Are they reaching product pages but not adding to cart? This points to product presentation (images, descriptions, pricing, offer). Are they adding to cart but not checking out? Could be shipping costs, checkout process complexity, or lack of trust at that final stage. Understanding the drop-off points will highlight which website fixes are the most urgent and will have the biggest impact.
Here’s a summary of initial actionable steps:
| Area | Issue | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Website User Experience | Cluttered homepage, slow loading | Simplify layout, improve loading speed, clear navigation. |
| Product Presentation | Flat product images, no descriptions | Invest in professional photography/video, add detailed product descriptions for *all* products. |
| Trust & Credibility | Lack of trust signals | Add customer reviews/testimonials, clear contact info, social links, potential 'As Featured In' section. |
| Analytics | Unclear visitor behaviour | Analyse conversion funnel drop-offs (homepage -> product page -> add to cart -> checkout) to prioritise fixes. |
| Paid Advertising | No current ad strategy | Defer paid ads until website conversion issues are resolved. |
Addressing these areas should make a significant difference in converting the traffic you already get and will set you up for success when you decide to explore paid advertising to scale further. We've helped eCommerce stores improve their conversion rates substantially by focusing on these exact elements before even touching the ad campaigns.
Tackling these changes can feel like a lot, especially alongside running the business. Sometimes having an expert eye helps identify the most impactful changes and ensure they are implemented correctly. If you feel you might benefit from a more in-depth review and a step-by-step plan for optimising your site and scaling with paid ads down the line, we'd be happy to offer a free consultation to discuss your specific situation in more detail.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
