How to increase sales in an online store: a step-by-step plan for Kazakhstan

Introduction: why look at metrics strategically

If your goal is to increase sales in an online store, you need a working methodology—not a list of generic tips: which metrics to monitor, which hypotheses to test, and which steps to implement in sequence. Below is a practical plan for a seller on Kaspi.kz and for an owner of an independent website in Kazakhstan, with examples, calculations and tools.

1. Analysis of current sales metrics

1.1 Which metrics to measure first

• GMV (gross merchandise volume) by channel: Kaspi Магазин, own website, social networks
• Traffic and traffic sources: organic, ads, newsletters, product card referrals
• CTR of product card (click-through on the marketplace) and CTR in ad campaigns
• Conversion rate visitor→buyer on the site and on the Kaspi product card (in %)
• Average order value (AOV) and share of repeat purchases (retention)
• CAC — customer acquisition cost by channel
• LTV — lifetime value of a customer
• Return rate and reasons for returns

1.2 Baseline numbers for Kazakhstan and Kaspi in 2026

According to market reports for 2025–2026 on e‑commerce in Kazakhstan: average conversion on marketplaces — 1.2–2.5%; for own websites — 0.6–1.2%. Average order value in the clothing segment on marketplaces in 2025 was about 8,500–12,000 KZT; in 2026 the expected range is 9,000–13,000 KZT depending on brand and seasonality.

Example practical measurement: a clothing seller on Kaspi had GMV of 3.5M KZT per month, product card traffic of 60,000 views, 1.1% conversion and an average check of 9,500 KZT. This yields ≈660 orders and highlights the bottleneck — low card conversion. Raising conversion to 1.6% with the same traffic would give +45% orders (≈990 orders) and +45% GMV.

1.3 How to collect data: tools and checklists

1. Connect Kaspi Магазин analytics reports (if you sell there) and export traffic/orders for the last 3–6 months.
2. On your own site — set up goals in analytics and event tracking: add to cart, start checkout, purchase, size selector interactions, image zoom, etc.
3. Use heatmaps and session recordings (Hotjar, Yandex Metrica, Smartlook) to find UX friction on product pages and checkout.
4. Build simple funnels: traffic → product view → add-to-cart → checkout start → purchase. Do this separately for marketplace cards and for your site.
5. Export returns data and reasons from marketplace reports and from your CRM; tag returns by size, defect, or customer expectation mismatch.
6. Monitor inventory days, stockouts, and cancelled orders — these directly affect conversion and Buy Box visibility.

2. Site and UX optimization

Optimization should start with the places that affect purchase decisions most: product cards, search, and checkout. Work mobile-first — most traffic in Kazakhstan is mobile.

Product cards

• High-quality photos: multiple angles, 1:1 zoomable images, and real-life shots. For clothing — on-model shots with height/size info.
• Clear title and bullet benefits in the first screen. Include brand, product type, key features, and size info.
• Size chart and fit recommendations. Add conversions (cm/inches) and an explanation of how the item fits relative to standard sizes.
• Delivery & returns info visible above the fold: delivery time, cost, and simple return rules — especially for Kaspi buyers.
• Pricing and promotions: show discounted price and cross-sell bundles. Keep Buy Box strategy in mind for Kaspi cards.
• Social proof: reviews with photos, number of orders, and star rating.

Search and navigation

• Ensure internal site search returns relevant results and supports size/colour filters.
• Optimize category pages for fast loading and clear sorting by popularity, price, and newness.

Checkout and payments

• Simplify checkout to as few steps as possible; allow guest checkout.
• Offer local payment options familiar to Kazakh customers (Kaspi.kz payment flows, card payments, cash on delivery where relevant).
• Show trust signals: secure payment icons, seller rating, contact details, and clear return/exchange policy.
• Reduce form fields and enable auto-fill for addresses/phone numbers.

Performance

Mobile page speed impacts both SEO and conversion. Aim for <2.5s interactive on mobile and compress images, use caching and CDN.

3. Marketing strategies to attract customers

Marketplace tactics (Kaspi)

• Optimize product titles and attributes for Kaspi search and categories.
• Invest in marketplace promotions, sponsored cards and controlled price experiments to win the Buy Box.
• Monitor CTR of cards and A/B test main image and title variations.

Paid traffic

• Start with segmented campaigns: prospecting for new audiences and retargeting for cart abandoners and past visitors.
• Use creative testing and measure CAC by audience and placement — focus on channels with best CAC→LTV ratio.

Organic & content

• SEO for category landing pages and buying guides — localised queries for Kazakhstan (cities, common phrases, seasonality).
• Social content and micro-influencers for fit examples and unboxing; prioritize creators with engaged Kazakh audiences.

Email, SMS and messengers

Automate welcome flows, cart recovery, and post-purchase sequences (cross-sell and re-order reminders). Use WhatsApp/Telegram flows for higher open rates where appropriate.

4. Working with customer objections

• Size & fit: address proactively via detailed size guides, “what to choose” recommendations and video fit demos.
• Quality trust: show materials, close-up photos and real customer reviews with photos.
• Delivery time: provide clear ETA and offer faster shipping options if possible.
• Return concerns: simplify the returns process and communicate it clearly on the product page.
• Price objections: use bundles, first-time coupons and loyalty incentives rather than across-the-board discounts to protect margins.

5. Tools to increase conversion

• Urgency & scarcity cues: stock counters, limited-time offers, but only when truthful.
• Social proof widgets and recent purchases stream on product pages.
• On-site retargeting modals with personalized offers for returning visitors.
• Exit-intent offers and SMS/WhatsApp cart recovery with product image and one-click return to checkout.
• A/B testing of images, titles, price presentation and checkout layout. Track lift in conversion and CAC.
• Live chat and fast response to pre-purchase questions — this lifts conversion especially for higher-ticket items.

6. Specifics for increasing sales in an online clothing store

• Feature “size worn by model” and model measurements on product cards.
• Offer virtual fitting tools or clear video try-ons for bestsellers.
• Bundle complementary items (e.g., outfit sets) to raise AOV.
• Run seasonal capsules and pre-order drops to manage inventory risk.
• Actively collect and surface customer photos and reviews — trust converts in fashion more than in many other categories.

7. Examples of hypotheses and quick experiments

1. Hypothesis: Replacing the main product image with an on-model photo increases CTR on the Kaspi card by 20–30%. Experiment: test two creatives for 1–2 weeks and monitor CTR → conversion.
2. Hypothesis: Adding a clear size chart reduces returns by 10%. Experiment: implement chart on 10 SKUs and compare return rates month‑to‑month.
3. Hypothesis: A one-click WhatsApp cart reminder recovers 8–12% of abandoned carts. Experiment: send automated reminder 1 hour after abandonment to a random 50% of abandoners.
4. Hypothesis: Free local delivery over a threshold increases AOV more than offering a 10% price discount. Experiment: run simultaneous promos and compare net margin and AOV.

8. Logistics, inventory and margins

Good logistics practices keep you in stock for fast sellers and reduce working capital tied in slow SKUs.

• Define turnover targets for each SKU and set reorder points based on lead time.
• Use ABC analysis: focus promotions and merchandising on A and B items; clear excess C stock via targeted discounts or bundles.
• Consider marketplace fulfillment (if available) vs. self-fulfilment — measure total cost and delivery speed impact on conversion.
• Protect margins by calculating promo elasticity: measure how much volume increases when you discount and how that affects gross margin.

9. Success criteria and KPIs for 3, 6, 12 months

• 3 months: fix critical UX issues, increase card conversion by 15–30%, reduce cart abandonment by 10–20%.
• 6 months: achieve a consistently improving CAC→LTV ratio, increase repeat purchase rate by 5–15%, grow GMV by 25–50% depending on starting base.
• 12 months: scale profitable paid channels, maintain churn/returns at acceptable levels, and hit target EBITDA margins after promo costs.

10. Tools and resources

• Analytics: Google Analytics 4 / Yandex Metrica for site funnels; Kaspi Магазин reports for marketplace data.
• Heatmaps & session replay: Hotjar, Yandex, Smartlook.
• CRM & automation: tools for email/SMS and WhatsApp flows; connect to your order system for trigger messages.
• Repricing and stock sync tools to manage price competitiveness on Kaspi and protect margins.
• AWW modules and integrations for analytics dashboards, repricing and automated messaging.

Conclusion: step-by-step plan for the first 90 days

1. Days 1–14: Audit — collect 3–6 months of data from Kaspi and your site, identify top SKUs and biggest UX friction points.
2. Days 15–30: Quick wins — improve main images, add size charts, simplify checkout, set up basic cart recovery flows.
3. Days 31–60: Test & iterate — run A/B tests on product card elements, launch segmented ad campaigns and refine creatives.
4. Days 61–90: Scale what works — increase budget on profitable channels, optimize inventory reorders, and roll out best-performing UX changes across catalog.

Recommended internal AWW materials

• How to optimize Kaspi product cards — practical checklist and templates.
• 90‑day growth plan for online sellers in Kazakhstan — step-by-step playbook.