Sell the routine, not the product: bundles and regimens on Shopify

Nobody uses one skincare product. They cleanse, treat, hydrate and protect, morning and night. Brands that sell single products leave the shopper to work out the rest; brands that sell the routine do that work for them, and are paid for it in bigger orders and customers who come back for each step.

Show where each product fits

On every product page, show the whole routine and mark the step this product fills. It answers the shopper's quiet question, "do I have to change everything?", and the other steps become links to what they might need next.

The catch on Shopify is the same as with formulas: one template serves many products. A step ticked as "this product" in the template is ticked for every product. The fix is to give each step its products, and let the page mark the step that holds the product being viewed. In Acanthus, the Routine steps section does exactly that, so one routine, set up once, is right on every product page.

Bundles the shopper builds

A fixed set is easy to sell to someone who already trusts you. A bundle the shopper builds, one cleanser, one serum, one cream, chosen from two or three options each, feels like a consultation. It also lets you show a saving that grows with each step chosen.

Two rules keep bundles honest:

• The saving shown must exist at checkout. Create the discount in Shopify first, with the same amount and conditions, and only then show it on the page.
• Promise only what checkout gives. If the page says a gift comes with the full set, an automatic discount must add it.

Grow the order in the cart, kindly

The cart is where shoppers decide, and also where they leave: Baymard Institute's running average of documented cart abandonment rates is about 70%, and unexpected extra costs are the most common reason given. Two tools add value there without adding pressure:

• Free samples the shopper chooses. They cost little, let customers try the next step of the routine, and make the parcel feel generous.
• A spend goal toward free shipping. Showing how far the shopper is from free shipping answers the cost question before checkout does. Set the threshold just above your average order.

The order to set it up

1. Write your routine as steps, with the products that fill each.
2. Add the routine to your product template and your home page.
3. Create the discounts in Shopify, then the bundle that shows them.
4. Add samples and a spend goal to the cart.

The Acanthus help center has step-by-step guides for routine steps, bundles and the cart drawer.

Written by Vish Jay

I design and build websites, online stores and business systems for clients in the US, UK, Europe, Australia and Canada, from Colombo, Sri Lanka. When you work with iVishwa, you talk to me directly, from the first call to launch and after.