From Pivot to Powerhouse: The Shopify Success Story of Shopney

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Hey there, Oyku here!

We have an inspiring success story featuring Shopney, a mobile app builder for Shopify stores. I had the pleasure of interviewing their Growth Operations Director, Murat Kaya and I’m excited to share their journey and insights with you.

Shopney started as a mobile catalog solution for SMEs but quickly realized the need to pivot due to not finding its product-market fit. The founders saw potential in the e-commerce market, especially in the Shopify ecosystem due to its robust API and growing market.

They reimagined their product for e-commerce and spent nearly a year developing their MVP. Shopney officially launched in 2019 and Murat, who brought extensive global advertising experience, joined Shopney in the early days, describing their journey as one of “steady and strong growth ever since".

From Unknown to Unstoppable

Öykü: How would you differentiate the challenges you faced in the beginning from those you face now?

Murat, Shopney: In the early days, our biggest challenge was making people aware of our product. No one knew about Shopney, so we had to make them care about our value proposition.

We took every chance to spread the word and build relationships. And we were also lucky and cautious about our first customers, speaking to them. I was the first customer success and support member. My name was Melissa. 🙂

Öykü: It’s a good resource for getting insights and getting to know your customers.

Murat, Shopney: Yes, I refer to it as growth operations, not just marketing, because at the end of the day, all marketing activities aim to drive growth. But growth isn’t just about attracting new customers; it’s also about retaining them.

If there’s a big hole in the bucket, customers will eventually leave. That’s why I approach this issue comprehensively.

I’m still responsible for the customer success and support team. They keep me informed every day. Without that connection, I’m more than 100% sure I couldn’t do my job effectively.

Leave Footprints Everywhere instead of Focusing on Channels

Öykü: For the last four years, has a specific growth strategy been more effective than others?

Murat, Shopney: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. I’ve seen different channels working at different times and suddenly they stop working in two months. Instead of relying on a single channel or group of channels, we strive to leave our footprints across various platforms.

Because our app is not perceived as a must-app. for every Shopify store. It’s not like a review app, it’s not like a search app.

So we leave your footprints with your value propositions because, for example, when it comes to mobile apps, you can convert better with mobile apps as it’s offering a better shopping experience. With push notifications, if you’re running pay ads, then you have your free marketing tool so you can save on your marketing budget.

This way, when merchants suffer enough from that problem, and when they look for a solution, they might remember us. This is the magic point.

We are confident for the rest of the process when they give Shopney a chance as we have streamlined and almost perfected our entire product and service from the onboarding.

Öykü: How do you manage user engagement and retention?

Murat, Shopney: So, it’s all connected. You can’t ensure the retention you want with perfect onboarding alone. That’s not enough because it’s a chain of processes. When you perfect each step, the user experiences them all, and only then can they feel satisfied and happy with the product.

If there’s a problem at any step, from the first to the last, the user won’t be satisfied. Every step in the onboarding and product process is critical. I still see many flaws in our services. We strive to improve a little every day. That’s our approach.

Milestones and Shifts in the Ecosystem

Öykü: How would you describe your milestones for app growth?

Murat, Shopney: Our first year was dedicated to talking with customers, gathering feedback, and shaping the product accordingly. We focused on adding features that our users demanded and fixing the flaws.

We aimed for no negative reviews. Having the first year or two without any negative customer reviews was crucial. Now, we have the traction and enough reviews to show that people are using us.

When the pandemic hit, as they say, luck favors the prepared. We were ready and positioned ourselves at the top of the Shopify app store for mobile apps. With the surge in demand for mobile apps during the pandemic, we saw a huge increase in installs.

Now, our focus is on strengthening our brand presence in the Shopify Plus ecosystem. We’re in the midst of this challenge and can’t call it a milestone until we’ve fully achieved it.

Öykü: Have you noticed any major shifts in the Shopify ecosystem?

Murat, Shopney: As we operate within the Shopify ecosystem, it’s essential to stay aware of the company’s strategies and changes. Shopify no longer identifies solely as an e-commerce company but as a commerce company. It’s now a kind of finance giant, not just a tech giant.

Shopify initially attracted individuals looking to leave their nine-to-five jobs to start their own stores. However, over 75% of these new merchants churn by the end of the year, resulting in a high turnover rate. This model isn’t as reliable as onboarding large enterprise merchants, who bring substantial revenue through their established e-commerce operations.

When it comes to our situation and our competition, for the past year and a half, we’ve been focusing on the upmarket, specifically on the features demanded by big customers using Shopify Plus or enterprise plans. Potential customers, who previously saw gaps in our features, are now recognizing the value we offer.

Our technology investments in this area are paying off, and we’re seeing growth. This growth is driven by our focus on meeting the needs of larger clients, rather than Shopify’s overall shift from small to big stores.

Listening to Customers and Collective Growth Efforts Will Bring Success

Öykü: What is your growth advice for other app founders and developers in the Shopify ecosystem?

Murat, Shopney: At different stages, your needs will vary, but if you’re just starting out, your first customers are like sherpas. They will teach you where to go and how to get there.

It’s important to handpick these early customers because while you respect all feedback, some requests may only serve individual needs and not the broader user base. Focus on those who provide valuable insights that align with your product’s vision.

Your First Customers Are Your Sherpas.

You’ll need to explore every opportunity and try various tactics. Growth won’t happen overnight. It won’t be visible in one or two months, and maybe not even in a year. However, the collective and cumulative effect of your efforts will eventually lead to growth. It might not occur when you expect it, but it will happen, often when you least anticipate it.

There were times I wished our success had come a year earlier, but it happened when I had almost lost hope. This journey has shown me that while success didn’t come exactly when we wanted, it arrived securely and made all our efforts worthwhile.

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Unfortunately, the video did not record the voices, there is just a screenshot. 🙂 But as I recorded the audio separately, you can listen to the conversation below.

Listen

That’s all for this issue! Stay tuned for the next one. I'll dive into the Shopify Ads and how to effectively use them.

If you have suggestions for success stories for Shopify apps or growth topics, let's connect on social.

See you next time…