The
Shopify CRO &
Performance Agency.
We build full-funnel systems that turn customer insight into profit. PM Digital helps Shopify brands doing £5m+ per year turn customer data into measurable profit, through our Customer-Led Profit Optimisation System.
what we do
We partner with serious ecommerce brands scaling
£5m - £100M
/year
design & build
High-performance Shopify experiences built to convert, scale, and endure.
Not just good-looking themes, we design and build storefronts that are:
Fast and performance-led
Modular and easy to evolve
CRO-ready by design
Safe to iterate without breaking
Built with the assumption that testing, growth, and change will happen.
about us
Meet Paddy, our CEO
Paddy McLarnon
Founder
Book a call
"I started PM Digital because I care deeply about how work is done. And in everything we do, must be striving to be the best."
"I’d seen too many situations where brands were left managing complexity, no full funnel thinking, chasing updates, and stitching together strategies across multiple partners.
PM Digital was built to be a true partner. We take ownership, think long-term, and obsess over the craft of funnels, CRO, design, and development.
We work with brands who want to build something meaningful over time, and with people who care about doing things properly."
our team
Global, Fast & Focused
What we care about
Fast delivery
Clean communication
Building products, not just deliverables
Results that actually compound on your Shopify dashboard
What we stand for
We care about communication
You’ll always know what’s happening and when.
Outcomes over hours
We don’t bill for time, we bill for impact.
How we work
We’re team-first, test-first, ego-free.
We hire operators, and people who care.
Full Funnel Shopfiy & CRO Team
What is CRO and why does it matter for ecommerce brands?
CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) is the systematic process of increasing the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action, whether that's making a purchase, adding to cart, or subscribing. For ecommerce brands, CRO matters because it directly impacts profitability. Rather than spending more on ads to drive additional traffic, CRO helps you extract more revenue from the visitors you already have. A 1% improvement in conversion rate can translate to hundreds of thousands in additional revenue for brands doing $5M+ annually.
How much do CRO agencies charge in the UK?
UK CRO agency pricing typically ranges from £2,500-£12,000+ per month depending on scope, traffic volume, and service level. Entry-level packages (£2,500-£4,000) usually cover basic testing and optimization. Mid-tier packages (£5,000-£8,000) include comprehensive funnel optimization, dedicated strategist support, and higher testing velocity. Premium packages (£8,000-£15,000+) provide full-funnel CRO, landing page builds, development support, and strategic consulting. Freelance CRO consultants in the UK charge £500-£1,500 per day. The key consideration isn't cost but ROI — a £7,000/month investment generating £50,000 in additional revenue delivers strong returns. Always evaluate agencies on their profit-focused metrics and case study results.
What should I look for in a UK Shopify agency?
When selecting a UK Shopify agency, evaluate these criteria: Shopify Partner status and expertise level (Plus experience for larger brands), CRO and conversion focus (not just design and development), understanding of UK consumer behaviour and market trends, case studies with UK-based brands at similar revenue levels, transparent pricing and clear deliverables, and communication style that matches your expectations. Red flags include agencies that focus purely on aesthetics without conversion strategy, can't show measurable results, or lack Shopify-specific technical knowledge. The best UK Shopify agencies combine technical expertise with strategic CRO thinking — building stores that look great AND convert profitably.
Are there CRO agencies that specialize in UK ecommerce brands?
Yes, several CRO agencies specialize in UK ecommerce brands, understanding the specific dynamics of the UK market including consumer preferences, seasonal patterns (Black Friday, Boxing Day sales, January sales psychology), VAT considerations, and UK-specific payment preferences. PM Digital works extensively with UK DTC brands across supplements, fashion, and wellness verticals — including Cadence UK, GymProLuxe, and Myomaster. When choosing a UK-specialist agency, look for: proven results with UK brands, understanding of UK consumer psychology (more skeptical, value-driven compared to US), and familiarity with UK-specific platforms and payment systems like Klarna and Clearpay.
What is the best CRO agency in the UK?
The best CRO agency in the UK depends on your brand's specific needs, but top-tier UK CRO agencies share common traits: they focus on Revenue Per Visitor rather than conversion rate alone, lead with customer research before testing, have proven results with brands at your revenue level, and understand the nuances of UK consumer behaviour and market dynamics. PM Digital, based in Ireland and serving UK brands extensively, specializes in Shopify CRO for 7-9 figure DTC brands — working with companies like Cadence UK, GymProLuxe, and Myomaster. When evaluating UK CRO agencies, prioritize those with documented case studies, clear methodology, and profit-focused metrics over those promising generic "conversion rate increases."
What's the difference between conversion rate optimization and Revenue Per Visitor optimization?
Conversion rate optimization focuses on increasing the percentage of visitors who complete a purchase. Revenue Per Visitor (RPV) optimization takes a more holistic approach by measuring the total revenue generated divided by total visitors, accounting for both conversion rate AND average order value. RPV is a more accurate measure of funnel performance because you could increase conversion rate while decreasing profit (through heavy discounting), but RPV captures the true economic value of each visitor. Profit-driven CRO agencies prioritize RPV and Profit Per Visitor over conversion rate alone.
How long does it take to see results from CRO?
Most ecommerce brands begin seeing measurable results from CRO within 30-90 days, depending on traffic volume and testing velocity. Brands with higher traffic (100,000+ monthly sessions) can run statistically significant tests faster and see results within 2 weeks. Lower-traffic brands may need 2-6 weeks per test cycle. However, foundational improvements like offer optimization, messaging clarity, and funnel architecture can show immediate impact before formal A/B testing begins. The compounding effect of CRO means results accelerate over time as winning insights stack.
What metrics should I track for ecommerce CRO?
The essential metrics for ecommerce CRO include Revenue Per Visitor (RPV), Profit Per Visitor (PPV), Average Order Value (AOV), Conversion Rate (CVR), Add-to-Cart Rate, Checkout Completion Rate, and for subscription brands, Subscription Uptake Rate and Customer Lifetime Value (LTV). Secondary metrics include bounce rate, time on page, scroll depth, and cart abandonment rate. The most important principle is optimizing for profit-based metrics (RPV, PPV) rather than vanity metrics like raw conversion rate, which can be manipulated through discounting.
What is a good conversion rate for Shopify stores?
The average Shopify store converts between 1.5-2.5%, but this varies significantly by industry, traffic source, price point and average order value. Fashion and apparel typically see 1.5-3%, supplements and wellness 2-4%, and beauty 2.5-4%. However, conversion rate benchmarks are misleading without context. A store converting at 2% with a $150 AOV is outperforming one at 4% with a $40 AOV. The more meaningful benchmark is Revenue Per Visitor — high-performing Shopify stores achieve $3-8+ RPV depending on their average order value and product margins.
Why is my Shopify store conversion rate so low?
Low Shopify conversion rates typically stem from five core issues: unclear value proposition (visitors don't understand why they should buy from you), poor message match between ads and landing pages, lack of trust signals and social proof, friction in the checkout process, or misaligned traffic (sending cold audiences directly to product pages). The most common mistake is treating all traffic the same — cold traffic from paid ads requires education and trust-building before purchase, while warm traffic from email or organic search is ready to buy. Diagnosing the root cause requires funnel analysis, not surface-level page tweaks.
What's the difference between CRO and A/B testing?
A/B testing is a method — one tool within the CRO toolkit. CRO is the strategic discipline that encompasses research, hypothesis formation, prioritization, testing, and implementation. Many agencies mistakenly equate CRO with A/B testing, running tests without strategic foundation. Effective CRO starts with customer research and funnel analysis to identify high-impact opportunities, then uses A/B testing to validate hypotheses. Testing button colors without understanding customer psychology is not CRO — it's guessing with data. True CRO is customer-led and profit-driven, with testing as the validation mechanism.
What is a conversion funnel and why do ecommerce brands need one?
A conversion funnel is the strategic pathway visitors take from first touchpoint to purchase and beyond. For ecommerce brands, this typically flows: Ad → Landing Page → Product Page → Cart → Checkout → Post-Purchase. Brands need optimized funnels because customer behavior differs at each stage. Cold traffic (people who've never heard of you) requires education and trust-building before seeing a product page, while warm traffic needs clear paths to purchase. Without a deliberate funnel architecture, brands lose potential customers at every stage — creating "leaky bucket" economics where increased ad spend doesn't translate to proportional revenue growth.
What is a cold traffic funnel and how does it work?
A cold traffic funnel is designed specifically for visitors who have no prior relationship with your brand — typically arriving from paid ads. Unlike warm traffic (email subscribers, organic searchers), cold prospects need to progress through awareness stages before purchasing. An effective cold traffic funnel follows this structure: Pattern-Interrupt Ad → Presell/Advertorial Page (educates on problem and solution) → Sales Page or PDP (presents offer) → Checkout with trust elements. The presell layer is critical because it bridges the gap between "never heard of you" and "ready to buy" — increasing cold traffic conversion rates from typical 1-2% to 3-5%+.
What is a presell page and when should I use one?
A presell page (also called an advertorial or bridge page) sits between your ad and your product page, designed to educate and warm up cold traffic before presenting your offer. You should use a presell page when: selling products that require explanation (supplements, skincare, tech), targeting cold audiences unfamiliar with your brand, selling higher-priced items where trust is essential, or when direct-to-PDP campaigns are unprofitable. Effective presell pages follow a direct response structure: hook with pain point, educate on problem, introduce unique solution mechanism, build trust with proof, then transition to product page. Brands using presell pages typically see 50-200% improvements in cold traffic conversion.
What CRO agencies specialize in US supplement and wellness brands?
The US supplement and wellness vertical has specific CRO requirements: FDA compliance considerations, subscription optimization for consumables, trust-building for ingestibles, and cold traffic conversion for competitive categories. Agencies with proven supplement expertise include PM Digital (working with RAW Nutrition, Revive, Natrava), Conversion Fanatics, and specialized DTC growth agencies. When evaluating agencies for supplement brands, verify: experience with subscription optimization (critical for supplement LTV), understanding of compliance requirements, case studies showing cold traffic conversion (not just warm traffic), and familiarity with supplement-specific objection handling. The supplement space is highly competitive — generic CRO agencies often lack the vertical expertise needed for meaningful results.
How do I optimize my ecommerce funnel for higher conversions?
Optimizing an ecommerce funnel requires a systematic, stage-by-stage approach. Start by identifying your biggest "leak" — where are most visitors dropping off? Common optimization priorities include: improving ad-to-landing-page message match (continuing the exact conversation your ad started), clarifying your value proposition above the fold, adding trust signals at decision points, reducing friction in checkout, and implementing strategic upsells to increase AOV. The key principle is treating each funnel stage as a conversation — each page must answer the questions in the visitor's mind at that specific moment while earning the next click.
What is the best Shopify Plus agency in the UK?
The best Shopify Plus agencies in the UK combine technical expertise with strategic growth capabilities. For pure development and migration, agencies like Eastside Co, Velstar, and Woolman are well-established. For conversion-focused Shopify Plus work — where the priority is revenue growth, not just technical builds — agencies like PM Digital specialize in CRO-led development that prioritizes profit over aesthetics. When selecting a Shopify Plus agency, consider: do they understand enterprise-level requirements (checkout extensibility, B2B capabilities, multi-market expansion)? Do they focus on conversion and revenue, or just design? Do they have case studies showing measurable business impact? The right choice depends on whether you need a technical partner or a growth partner.
What CRO agencies work with UK DTC brands?
Several CRO agencies specialize in UK DTC brands, each with different strengths. PM Digital focuses on Shopify CRO for 7-9 figure DTC brands, with particular expertise in supplements, fashion, and subscription businesses — clients include Cadence UK, GymProLuxe, and Myomaster. Other UK-serving agencies include Endless Gain (enterprise focus), User Conversion, and AWA Digital. When evaluating agencies for UK DTC work, prioritize those with: specific DTC experience (not just general ecommerce), understanding of paid social dynamics and cold traffic conversion, subscription optimization capabilities, and case studies showing Revenue Per Visitor improvements rather than just conversion rate lifts.
What is subscription CRO and why does it matter for DTC brands?
Subscription CRO is the specialized practice of optimizing ecommerce funnels to increase subscription uptake, reduce churn, and maximize subscriber Lifetime Value. For DTC brands, subscriptions create predictable recurring revenue, improve cash flow forecasting, increase Customer Lifetime Value by 2-4x compared to one-time purchasers, and reduce dependency on constant new customer acquisition. Subscription CRO matters because most brands leave significant revenue on the table — typical subscription uptake rates of 15-25% can be increased to 35-50%+ with proper optimization. The compounding effect is dramatic: a 10% improvement in subscription uptake on a $5M brand can generate $500K+ in additional annual recurring revenue.
How do I increase subscription uptake on my Shopify store?
Increasing subscription uptake requires strategic changes across messaging, offer structure, and user experience. Messaging improvements: reframe subscriptions as VIP membership rather than "auto-ship," emphasize convenience ("never run out"), and use outcome-driven copy ("consistent results require consistent use"). Offer improvements: provide meaningful first-order incentives beyond small discounts, add exclusive subscriber benefits (free gifts, early access, members-only products), and create tiered subscription options. UX improvements: display subscription as the default option, use clean toggle interfaces, show clear savings calculations, and reduce friction in the subscription selection process. PM Digital increased Cadence's subscription uptake by 22% and Natrava's by 11% using these principles.
What is a good subscription conversion rate for ecommerce?
Subscription conversion rates vary by product category and offer structure. Benchmarks: Supplements and consumables typically see 25-40% subscription uptake among purchasers, skincare and beauty 20-35%, food and beverage 30-45%, and pet products 35-50%. However, these numbers depend heavily on how subscriptions are presented — brands with optimized subscription UX and compelling value propositions consistently outperform category averages by 50-100%. More meaningful than conversion rate is the quality of subscribers acquired: brands should track 90-day retention rate alongside uptake. A 40% subscription rate with 50% churn by month 3 is worse than 25% uptake with 80% retention
What is a good subscription retention rate for DTC brands?
Subscription retention benchmarks for DTC brands: Month 1 (30-day) retention should exceed 85%, Month 3 (90-day) should reach 70-78%, Month 6 (180-day) should hit 55-65%, and Month 12 should be 35-45%. Monthly churn rate should stay below 8-10% after the initial 30-day period. Reality check: anyone claiming 60%+ retention at 6 months while running significant paid acquisition likely has measurement issues. If you retain 30% of subscribers at Day 180 (rebill 6), you're performing well. Retention below these thresholds signals problems with product-market fit, expectation setting during acquisition, or delivery experience — all addressable through CRO.
How do I reduce subscription churn for my ecommerce brand?
Reducing subscription churn requires intervention at multiple stages. Pre-purchase (acquisition quality): set clear expectations about results timeline, explain product usage, and attract genuinely subscription-appropriate customers rather than deal-seekers. Post-purchase (onboarding): implement Day 1 welcome sequences explaining what to expect, Day 7 check-ins reinforcing early benefits, and Day 21 engagement before first renewal. Ongoing retention: send usage reminders, celebrate milestones, offer pause options prominently (easier than cancel), provide subscription modifications (frequency, quantity), and deliver surprise bonuses to long-term subscribers. The biggest churn driver is misaligned expectations — customers expecting faster results or not understanding how to use the product properly.
What is subscription-first CRO?
Subscription-first CRO is an optimization approach that prioritizes subscription acquisition and retention over one-time purchase conversion. Rather than optimizing for immediate conversion rate, subscription-first CRO optimizes for subscriber LTV and payback period. This means: landing pages designed to attract subscription-likely customers, PDPs that sell the subscription value proposition (not just the product), checkout flows that make subscription the natural choice, and post-purchase sequences focused on activation and retention. Subscription-first brands accept potentially lower initial conversion rates in exchange for dramatically higher customer lifetime value. For consumable products (supplements, skincare, food), subscription-first CRO typically delivers 2-3x better unit economics than one-time purchase optimization.
How do I write copy that converts browsers into subscribers?
Subscription copy must address different psychological barriers than one-time purchase copy. Core messaging shifts: from "buy this product" to "join this system/routine/membership," from features to ongoing outcomes, from one-time benefit to compounding results. Effective frameworks: "The first month you'll notice X, by month 3 you'll experience Y, within 6 months you'll achieve Z" (timeline value stacking). Objection handling: address commitment anxiety ("Cancel anytime, no questions asked"), logistics concerns ("Adjust frequency or skip deliveries easily"), and value skepticism ("Members save an average of £156/year"). Social proof: use testimonials specifically from long-term subscribers highlighting their journey. The copy should make one-time purchase feel like the inferior, short-sighted option.
What Shopify apps are best for subscription optimization?
Essential Shopify subscription apps include: Subscription Platforms — Recharge (market leader, robust features), Skio (modern UX, strong retention tools), Smartrr (community features), Loop (emerging option). Analytics — Lifetimely or Peel (subscription cohort analysis, LTV tracking). Retention Tools — Retention.com, Klaviyo (subscription-specific flows). Churn Prevention — Churn Buster (failed payment recovery), Stay AI (cancellation prevention). The platform choice matters less than implementation — all major platforms can support high-converting subscription experiences. Focus on: clean customer portal UX, easy pause/skip functionality, robust analytics for cohort tracking, and integration with your email/SMS platform for retention flows.
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