Articles and guides

How much does it cost to set up an online store, the complete guide to pricing an online store Everything that affects the price, from the platform and design to integrations, SEO and CRO, to choose a path that suits your business and budget. Reading time: ~3 minutes TL;DR: A basic store ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 NIS, customization 15,000 to 30,000 NIS, and complex developments starting at 30,000 NIS. Monthly costs, platform, plugins, and marketing should also be considered. Choose a stable platform, a good template, a lean app set, and CRO measurement. Why is this question important? More business owners are getting into e-commerce and asking how much it costs to set up an online store. The answer depends on the platform, design, development, user experience, plugins, and integrations. Here we break down the costs and provide guidelines for making a smart choice. Factors that affect the price Commerce platform: Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, each has advantages and disadvantages. Design and development: ready-made template vs. custom design. Functionality and integrations: clearing, inventory management, shipping, CRM, mailing, analytics. SEO and digital marketing: campaigns, content, technical optimization and keywords. CRO and user experience: shortening the buying process, social proof, mobile, converting product pages. What does a basic package include? Building a store with a responsive design optimized for mobile. Connection to a clearing system. Product and category management. Coupons and discounts. Basic SEO settings for Google. Add-ons that increase conversions and customer lifetime value Advanced SEO: keyword research, content, optimization for terms such as building a virtual store, setting up a sales website, online store pricing. Connections to third-party systems: CRM, mailing, advanced analytics. Automations: cart abandonment flows, review collection, personalization. Price comparison, how much does it actually cost? Basic store: 5,000 to 10,000 NIS. Custom store: 15,000 to 30,000 NIS. Store with complex developments and advanced integrations: 30,000 NIS and up. Remember to include ongoing costs , platform, plugins, domain and storage, marketing tools, and campaigns. How to choose the right route Mapping needs and goals: catalog, channels, automations, audience. A lean set of plugins: Install only what proves valuable and measure performance. Focus on CRO: form shortening, checkout trust, reviews, complementary offers. Annual budget planning: Build a model of establishment plus maintenance and marketing. Want an accurate quote for a store that suits your business? Spiky's experts will help you choose a platform, build a converting store, and configure an effective set of plugins. Talk to us

Ecommerce promotions - this is how to increase your conversions The right promotion makes the difference between an abandoned cart and a successful purchase. Here's how to build a promotions strategy that works. Reading time: ~4 minutes TL;DR: Choose 2 to 3 types of promotions that fit your audience and margin, add urgency and a timer, keep free shipping from a target amount, and measure AOV, conversion rate, and cart abandonment. Why do employees perform Promotions are a powerful tool for attracting customers, increasing sales, and improving loyalty. Proper planning will create an experience that drives action rather than damaging brand value. 10 ideas for effective promotions 1) Seasonal promotions End of the year, summer, holidays, back to school, Black Friday. Match the message, collection, and clear deadline. 2) Buy-Get Buy one, get one free, or the second one at a discount. Increases AOV and speeds up decision making. 3) Quantity discounts Buy 3 and get 20 percent off, buy 5 and get 30 percent off - good for clearing inventory. 4) Free shipping Above a target threshold calculated by margin. Reduces cart abandonment due to shipping cost. 5) For a limited time Urgency works - incorporate a countdown timer on the sale page and in the shopping cart. 6) For subscribers/club members Exclusive benefits for newsletter or customer club recipients, encouraging registration and repeat purchases. 7) Friend brings friend Discount or gift for the referrer and friend. Acquisition of a new customer at a relatively low cost. 8) Bandalim Special price for a set of complementary products, for example: buy a jacket plus a shirt for 20 percent off. 9) For returning customers 10 percent coupon for next purchase. One-time conversion to fixed. 10) VIP Benefits for preferred customers, early access, exclusive products, dedicated discounts. How to run a promotion without hurting profitability Free shipping threshold: Calculated by average margin and current AOV. Smart exclusions: Do not include products with extremely low margins. Urgency: timer, limited stock, unit count. Visibility throughout the funnel: banners, subtle popup, top bar, message on product page and in cart. Scaled testing: Start with an audience group or catalog segments, expand by result. Metrics to measure during operation Conversion rate: Did it increase against the baseline? AOV: Is it growing due to bundles and quantities. Cart abandonments: Did they decrease after implementing free shipping? Net Profitability: Revenue less product cost and benefits. LTV: How many customers are returning following the move? Do you want us to build you a sales plan that proves itself? We will set thresholds, build in bundles, connect timers and coupon rules, and measure the result. Talk to us

How to do a smart upsell in ecommerce and increase AOV From gum in line at the supermarket to a targeted offer in the shopping cart, this is how to implement upsell strategies that increase sales without compromising the experience. Category: CRO · AOV Reading time: ~5 minutes TL;DR: Choose 2-3 upsell techniques that fit your margins and data, place them at key points in the customer journey, and define clear metrics, AOV, conversion rate, cart abandonment, and net profit. Don't overload, prioritize relevant offers, and minimize friction. The analogy that works You know when you're in line at the supermarket and you squint at the gum shelf and then add it to the cart? This is exactly the effect that a proper upsell produces in an online store: a small offer, close to the decision, relevant to the context. Effective Upsell Strategies 1) Personalized recommendations Analyze purchase history and behavior. Anyone who bought a smartphone will receive an offer for a compatible screen protector, case, or headphones. 2) Promotions and packages Buy 2 and get a third one at a discount, bundles at a special price. Increases AOV and clears inventory. 3) Popups and contextual notifications Smart triggers based on the shopping cart. Anyone who added a book will receive a suggestion for a similar book or a reading light. 4) Product upgrade Upgraded version at a slightly higher price, extended warranty, premium package. 5) Post-purchase offers On the thank you page and in emails, complementary items, savings packages, and repeat purchases. 6) Customer and loyalty club Benefit levels, points, personal vouchers. Turns a one-time customer into a regular one. Where to place an upsell in the buying journey Product page Complementary products, before and after, kits. Upgrade variation, larger volume, premium set. Cart and side cart Free shipping bar with an offer that raises the threshold. Accessory match, cable, case, filter. box office A small addition that is easy to decide on. Gift wrapping, gift blessing, shipping insurance. Post purchase Thank you page with instant bundle. Emails, SMS, reactivation campaign. How to maintain a good customer experience Relevance above all: The offer must be related to what is in the cart. Subtlety and non-intrusiveness: One popup at most, preferably a sidecar. Price transparency: no fine print, no surprising fees. Mobile first: large buttons, short scrolling, high readability. Metrics you can't do without AOV: Average basket value before and after implementation. Conversion Rate: Offers do not reduce overall conversions. Cart Abandonment: Pushing does not increase abandonment. Attach Rate: Percentage of buyers who added the offer. Net Profitability: Revenue less benefit cost and marginal cost. Common mistakes to avoid Too many offers at the same time. Irrelevant suggestions that create noise. Deep discounts that hurt margins without a clear goal. Failure to measure and compare against a baseline. Want an Upsell that works and proves itself in numbers? At Spiky, we will set smart offers based on data, build kits and bundles, and measure AOV and profitability in real time. Talk to us

12 Email Automations Every Ecommerce Store Must Have Email automations that increase sales, strengthen loyalty, and reduce churn. A quick guide to quick and safe implementation. Reading time: ~6 minutes TL;DR: Implement three mandatory layers first, Welcome, Abandoned Cart, Post Purchase. Add a loyalty layer, reactivation, and personalized offers. Measure Open, Click, CVR, Email Revenue, and take care of sending reputation. The 12 Important Automations Welcome: A warm welcome message with value, brand story, and sign-on benefit. Abandoned Cart: A chain of 2 to 3 messages with product images and a shortcut to the cart. Order confirmation: full details, delivery times, tracking link. Shipping update: departure status, expected delivery, tracking link. Thank you for your purchase: trust boost, code for next purchase, review request. Reactivation for dormant customers: A unique offer for returning to purchase. Upsale and cross-sale: complementary items based on a previous purchase. Review Request: After initial use, a quick link to leave a review. Joining a customer club: exclusive benefits, points, priority for promotions. Updates and promotions: Periodic newsletter with new products and events. Birthdays: Greetings with a customized coupon. Recommendations based on previous purchases: Personalization based on history and behavior on the site. Best Practices for Smart Configuration Timings Abandoned cart, 1 to 2 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours. Review request, 7 to 10 days from delivery. Reactivation, 45 to 60 days without purchase. content A short and clear title, one main value. Sharp product images, prominent CTA. Social proof, quotes and reviews. Personalization First name, favorite categories. Recommendations based on viewing and purchase. Coupon adjusted for historical AOV. Deliverability Verified domain, SPF, DKIM, DMARC. List hygiene, regular cleaning of inactive recipients. Stepwise warm-up rate for new lists. Metrics that must be measured Open Rate Positive trend after A/B testing of Row and Sender. Click Rate Is the CTA clear and relevant? CVR Email-to-purchase conversion rate. Revenue per Email Average revenue per email sent. Unsub and Spam Less than 0.1 percent of complaints is preferable, otherwise refine frequency and content. Quick Start Checklist Map the customer funnel and define clear triggers. Write 2 versions of each email for A/B testing. Segments are created by loyalty, frequency, and category. Set sending limits to avoid being overwhelmed. Check on mobile before publishing. Want us to build email automations for you that generate regular income? In Spiky, we will define the 12 flows, write creative, and schedule A/B tests with a measurement dashboard. Talk to us