Sample audit
Here is a realistic example of what Big Tony hands you. This is an illustrative store, not a real one.
Give the homepage one job and add proof.
Leaf & Pot loses most buyers before they reach a product: the homepage pushes five things at once and nothing gets clicked. Product pages have no reviews, so the “will it arrive alive?” worry wins. Fix those two first, then bundle pots with plants and the average order grows without one extra visitor.
- Real plant expertise
- Home and business paths
- Solid search and cart
- Useful blog
- Unfocused homepage
- No reviews or ratings
- No newsletter signup
- Weak cross-selling
- Hard-to-browse categories
Tony’s plan
Your top moves on one A4 page. Print it, keep it on your desk and tick off each step with a pen.
Tony’s game plan
Ranked by how much money each move can bring you.
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Start here
Give the homepage one main job
Big impact ⚡ Quick win“Five buttons fighting with knives in a parking lot. Pick one and let it win.”
Do thisWhy it works: A visitor who knows where to click in three seconds stays; one who has to think leaves.
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Turn your expertise into proof
Big impact Some work“Nobody buys a plant from a guy who can't show one happy customer.”
Do thisWhy it works: For plants the fear is “will it arrive alive?” Proof right at the button removes it.
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Catch the people who aren't buying yet
Solid impact ⚡ Quick win“No newsletter signup anywhere. That's a missed opportunity the size of a ficus.”
Do thisWhy it works: Most shoppers don't buy on the first visit. Email brings them back for free.
Found in the audit: Is a newsletter signup form available? -
Sell the kit, not just the pot
Solid impact Some work“Pots, soil, pest control: this is cross-sell heaven and you're not even knocking.”
Do thisWhy it works: A bigger basket from the click you already paid for is the cheapest revenue there is.
Found in the audit: Are related products shown? Are similar products shown? Is there cross-sell in the cart? -
Help shoppers choose on category pages
Solid impact ⚡ Quick win“Right now customers dig through the listing like it's a garage sale.”
Do thisWhy it works: Less digging means more people reach a product page they actually want.
“You don't need a miracle. Clearer paths, stronger proof, smarter bundles, and this shop goes from 62 to 80 without buying one extra click.”
Every check Tony ran
First impression
Proof: Footer links to Terms & Conditions and Returns & Exchanges.
Proof: Footer links to Instagram and Facebook.
Proof: No newsletter signup in the footer or anywhere else on the homepage.
Proof: Header includes a Log in link.
Proof: Homepage shows a blog section with recent plant-care articles.
Proof: No chat button or widget found on the homepage.
Proof: Footer shows Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and PayPal logos.
Proof: No independent review or certificate badge anywhere on the page.
Proof: Top bar shows the support email, footer repeats it with a phone number.
Proof: Short, distinctive name; the logo and tagline “plants & pots for every room” make the offer clear at a glance.
Proof: Headings, banners and footer read cleanly, no mistakes found.
Proof: Real visitors across the store: the main content appears after 2.9 s (goal: under 2.5 s). For your developer: Improve image delivery.
Proof: Real visitors across the store: the content stays put while the page loads.
Proof: Real visitors across the store: the page responds to a tap after 0.26 s (goal: under 0.2 s).
Homepage
Leaf & Pot | Houseplants, pots and plant care
Audited page: https://leafandpot.example/
Proof: Header search shows live results while typing.
Proof: A featured collection shows products with images and prices.
Proof: Several featured products carry a Sale badge.
Proof: A highlights banner and blog testimonials signal expertise, though there are no customer ratings.
Proof: Cart icon with item count is visible in the header.
Category page
Plant accessories | Leaf & Pot
Audited page: https://leafandpot.example/collections/accessories
Proof: Header search with live suggestions is available on the category page.
Proof: Breadcrumb Home > Accessories is shown above the listing.
Proof: Product cards show no in-stock or sold-out labels.
Proof: No product count is visible on the page.
Proof: Sidebar Filters panel offers an availability filter.
Proof: Header cart icon with item count links to the cart.
Proof: No sorting by recommended or best sellers is offered or indicated.
Proof: No sale or discount filter, even though some products are on sale.
Product page
Repotting mat – waterproof, foldable | Leaf & Pot
Audited page: https://leafandpot.example/products/repotting-mat
Proof: Header search with live results is available on the product page.
Proof: Breadcrumb with Home and the product name sits above the product.
Proof: Cart icon with item count and a View cart link in the header.
Proof: Description highlights practical use and eco-friendly production.
Proof: No reviews, ratings, testimonials or trust badges on the page.
Proof: Gallery has four images with zoom.
Proof: No stock or availability info near the price or add-to-cart button.
Proof: No star ratings or reviews section.
Proof: No return-policy mention or link near the purchase area.
Proof: No "goes well with" or accessories block below the product.
Proof: No similar or "you may also like" products suggested.
Proof: Size, material and colour are buried in paragraph text instead of a table or list.
Proof: schema.org Offer markup includes price and currency.
Proof: Description is split into headed paragraphs that are easy to scan.
Proof: No carriers, delivery day or cut-off time near the add-to-cart button.
Checkout
Your cart | Leaf & Pot
Audited page: https://leafandpot.example/cart
Cart
Proof: Each item has a Remove link next to the quantity.
Proof: Plus and minus buttons change the quantity right in the cart.
Proof: The cart shows the total, but no VAT or price without VAT.
Proof: The discount code field sits in the checkout order summary.
Proof: Checkout says payments are secure and shows the support email.
Proof: A Continue shopping link sits under the cart.
Proof: No pots, soil or plant-care products offered in the cart.
Proof: A bar shows how much more to spend for free shipping.
Checkout
Proof: Checkout works without an account; logging in is optional.
Proof: One long page with no steps or progress indicator.
Proof: Phone number is required, even for parcel locker delivery.
Proof: Email and phone fields open the right keyboard on a phone.
Proof: An incomplete email shows a clear error right away.
Proof: Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal are offered.
Proof: Courier and parcel locker delivery, both with prices.
Proof: Summary with the product, shipping and total stays on the side.
Proof: The cart, then one checkout page with the order button.