How to Launch a Successful CPG Brand on Shopify

Starting a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand? Shopify is ideal for managing inventory, selling directly to customers, and growing your business. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Why Shopify for CPG?
   • Easy to use (no coding required).
   • Built-in tools for inventory, marketing, and analytics.
   • Multi-channel selling (online, in-store, social media).
   • Strong SEO and customer review features.
2. Key Steps to Success:
   • Choose a Plan: Start with Basic ($29/month) or scale with Advanced ($299/month).
   • Build a Great Storefront: Use high-quality product photos and mobile-friendly templates.
   • Use Apps: Tools like Stocky (inventory) and ShipStation (shipping) streamline operations.
   • Market Smart: Leverage Shopify’s SEO tools, social media, email campaigns, and influencer marketing.
   • Offer Subscriptions: Keep customers coming back with auto-replenish or discovery box options.
3. Focus on Growth:
   • Monitor key metrics like customer lifetime value and repeat purchase rates.
   • Use product bundles and personalized recommendations to increase sales.
   • Analyze data to refine your strategy.
4. Learn from Others:
   • Brands like Allbirds and Beardbrand succeeded by telling strong stories, building communities, and using customer feedback to improve.

Avoid common mistakes like skipping customer research, inconsistent branding, or ignoring performance data.

Shopify simplifies launching and scaling your CPG brand. Focus on great products, strong marketing, and efficient operations to stand out and grow.

Related video from YouTube

Key Needs of CPG Brands

The US CPG market grew by $8 billion in 2020, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges in this fast-moving sector. Let’s look at what makes CPG brands different and how they can succeed.

What Sets CPG Brands Apart?

Running a CPG brand isn’t like other ecommerce businesses. You’re dealing with fast-moving products that need careful attention to inventory, packaging, and shipping.

Here’s what you need to watch:

Think about inventory – you need enough stock to meet demand but not so much that your money sits on shelves. And packaging? It’s not just about looking good. Your products need to arrive safely and meet all the rules and regulations.

How Shopify Supports CPG Businesses

Shopify gets what CPG brands need. Their platform comes with tools that make life easier for CPG sellers:

Real-time inventory tracking: Know exactly what’s in stock, what’s selling fast, and when to reorder.

Multi-channel selling: Sell wherever your customers like to shop – online, in-store, or through social media.

The numbers tell the story: 79% of shoppers check reviews before buying. That’s why Shopify’s built-in review system and social proof features help you build trust with customers.

For brands looking to grow, Shopify’s subscription options open up new ways to earn steady income. You can track what works, learn from your customers, and keep them coming back for more.

"The key metric in CPG is velocity. How many units in a given store in a given week for each item are you selling?" – Kat Kavner, Co-founder of Heyday Canning

Steps to Set Up Your Shopify Store

Want to launch your CPG brand on Shopify? Let’s walk through the key steps to build a store that turns browsers into buyers.

Pick the Right Shopify Plan

Your choice of Shopify plan affects both your costs and what you can do with your store. Here’s a simple breakdown of the plans:

Here’s what you might not know: The Advanced plan can actually save money for high-volume CPG brands. With just 0.5% transaction fees and tools like custom reporting and third-party shipping rates, it often pays for itself.

Create a Storefront That Drives Sales

Your store needs to show off your CPG products in the best light possible. If you’re just starting out, Shopify’s templates make this process much easier. Here’s what works:

Make it pop visually: Use crisp, clear photos of your packaging and show your products being used in real life. And here’s something crucial: Over 60% of your visitors will browse on their phones, so your store needs to look great on small screens.

Put product details front and center: Don’t make customers hunt for information. Display ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergen details where they’re easy to spot. Think of it like a well-organized product label – everything important should be quick to find.

Add Tools and Apps for Operations

The right tools can make running your store much smoother. Here’s what you need:

Run like clockwork: Tools like Stocky and ShipStation take the headache out of tracking inventory and handling shipments. They work alongside Shopify’s built-in features to keep everything running smoothly.

Know your customers: Apps like Lucky Orange or Hotjar show you exactly how people use your store. It’s like having a window into your customers’ minds – you can see where they get stuck and fix those spots to boost sales.

"The key to CPG success on Shopify is automation. Set up your tools right from day one, and you’ll save countless hours as you scale", says Jeremy Scott, founder of Poast Ecommerce.

sbb-itb-6768865

Marketing Strategies for CPG Brands on Shopify

Use Shopify’s Built-in Marketing Tools

Want to get your CPG brand noticed? Start with what Shopify already offers. Their SEO tools can help your products pop up when shoppers search online. The key? Use words your customers actually type into search bars. If you’re selling organic snacks, include specific terms like "gluten-free" or "vegan" in your product descriptions.

Here’s a real success story: Purely Elizabeth boosted their organic traffic by 45% by adding specific ingredient terms and health benefits to their product descriptions – exactly what their customers were searching for.

But Shopify’s tools are just the beginning. Let’s talk about where the magic really happens: social media.

Social Media and Email Campaigns

Social media is your brand’s best friend. Show off your products in action and what makes them different from the rest. Food and beverage brands often hit it big on Instagram and TikTok, while B2B CPG products tend to perform better on LinkedIn.

Email marketing packs a punch for CPG brands. Here’s what pulls in subscribers:

Pro tip: Set up automatic emails for abandoned carts. Include clear product photos and "Buy Now" buttons to bring those customers back.

Influencer Marketing and Social Proof

Team up with smaller, focused influencers who get what your brand stands for. Keep track of your investment by giving each influencer their own discount code and watching the numbers – clicks, sales, you name it. Most CPG brands aim to make at least $3 for every $1 they spend on influencers.

Customer feedback can make or break your brand’s reputation. Put those glowing reviews front and center on your product pages.

"The key metric in CPG is velocity", says Kat Kavner, Co-founder of Heyday Canning. "Focus on getting those initial reviews and testimonials – they’re what convince new customers to take a chance on your brand."

How to Grow Your CPG Brand on Shopify

Improve Listings and Pricing

Want to boost your sales? Start with your product pages. Here’s why: 76% of shoppers make their buying choices based on package design and product information. Make sure your listings include high-quality images that show your products from multiple angles and highlight packaging details.

Product bundles are a smart way to boost sales. Take Heyday Canning’s success story – they launched a ‘Pantry Starter Kit’ bundle that became their #1 selling product in just two months, pushing their average order value up by 35%.

Keep Customers Coming Back

Here’s a secret weapon for CPG brands: subscriptions. With Shopify’s built-in subscription tools, you can set up flexible delivery schedules that keep customers ordering month after month. Let’s break down the numbers:

• Auto-replenish subscriptions for everyday items: customers stick around 8-12 months
• Discovery boxes: 4-6 months of customer loyalty
• Build-a-box options: impressive 10-14 month retention

Smart product recommendations based on purchase history can work wonders. Look at Trade Coffee – they maintain a strong 60% subscription retention rate by suggesting products their customers actually want. For example, if you run a skincare brand, you might suggest moisturizers to people who buy cleansers.

Analyze Data to Grow

Keep your eyes on these numbers:

Watch which products sell best across your channels. If you notice organic traffic dropping, it might be time to update your SEO or try new marketing approaches.

"The key metric in CPG is velocity. How many units in a given store in a given week for each item are you selling?" – Kat Kavner, Co-founder of Heyday Canning

Examples of Successful CPG Brands on Shopify

What We Can Learn from Top Brands

Let’s look at Allbirds – they went from a simple Kickstarter project to a billion-dollar brand on Shopify. How? They nailed two things: showing people exactly what their brand stands for and backing it up with real customer proof. Their message "light on your feet, easy on the planet" hits home with people who care about buying eco-friendly products.

Then there’s Beardbrand, who flipped the script on launching a CPG business. Instead of going straight to sales, they built a huge YouTube following first. Smart move. When they added a product quiz to their store, sales jumped up – we’re talking 40% more conversions and 20% bigger orders. Bombas took a different path: they promised to donate one item for every purchase. People loved it, and kept coming back for more.

Here’s what smaller CPG brands can take from these success stories: tell real stories that matter, build a community that cares, and match your brand’s beliefs with what your customers want.

"The key to success in CPG is understanding your customer deeply and letting that insight drive every decision – from product development to marketing strategy", says Jeremy Scott, founder of Poast Ecommerce.

But knowing what works is just half the story. Let’s talk about what NOT to do.

Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping Your Homework: Look at Allbirds – they did their research before launching. They knew exactly who would buy their shoes and why. Don’t rush to market without understanding your customers inside and out.

Mixed Messages: Your brand voice should sound the same everywhere – whether it’s Instagram, email, or your store. Beardbrand does this perfectly – their YouTube personality matches their shop’s vibe 100%.

Flying Blind: Watch your numbers like a hawk. What products do people click on most? Which ads work best? Use this info to make smart changes to your store and marketing.

Conclusion: Tips for Launching a CPG Brand on Shopify

Want to make your CPG brand stand out? Start with solid market research and tell your brand story in a way that clicks with what customers care about. Here’s something that’ll grab your attention: 79% of shoppers buy based on what they see on social media.

The best CPG brands don’t just sell products – they show customers exactly how those products make life better. They mix hard data with smart marketing, using both customer reviews and focused ad campaigns to reach the right people.

But great marketing isn’t enough – you need strong operations too.

"The key metric in CPG is velocity. How many units in a given store in a given week for each item are you selling?" says Kat Kavner, Co-founder of Heyday Canning.

Keep your eye on the numbers that matter and adjust your game plan based on what works. Once you’ve got these basics down, you can think bigger about growing your brand.

Your direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel is your direct line to customers – make it count. Think about adding rewards programs or special deals just for them. Put Shopify’s features to work creating an easy shopping experience from start to finish. And don’t forget about getting products to customers on time, every time – it’s what keeps them coming back.

Related posts

• Amazon vs Shopify: Best Platform for CPG Brands
• CPG Marketing Trends to Watch in 2025
• CPG Marketing Strategy: Best Practices for 2025
• Winning CPG Marketing Campaigns You Should Know