When It Feels Like Your Sales Are Down: What to Do Next

Sales are slow. You’re checking your dashboard, wondering what’s going on.
Your first instinct? Go looking for reassurance.

That’s exactly what Melissa noticed when she stumbled across a thread in the e-commerce subreddit. The original poster asked:

“How’s everyone’s sales going right now? I know there’s a lot of uncertainty… I’m suspicious that mine are down because of what’s going on in the world.”

You may have even read a post like that and felt a wave of relief (because finally someone else gets it).

But here’s the thing: comfort won’t fix your sales. Data will.

Let’s walk through what to do instead when it feels like things are off—and how to figure out exactly what to fix.

Step One: Start With the Facts

First, pull your numbers. You’re looking for three things:

• Your total traffic
  
• Your conversion rate
  
• Your average order value (AOV)

One of these numbers will always be the culprit.
If you’re feeling like “everything’s down” isn’t helpful—this will show you what’s actually happening.

Step Two: Get the Right Context

Comparing August to July won’t tell you anything. You need to compare this month to the same month last year.

Seasonality is real. So is your evolving marketing strategy. Look back and ask:

• Did I send fewer emails?
  
• Did I spend less on ads?
  
• Am I out of a bestseller?
  
• Did I launch something new?
  
• Are my flows underperforming?

If one of your three numbers is down—and you can connect it to one of these activities—that’s your action plan.

Step Three: Figure Out What Needs Fixing

Let’s say your conversion rate is fine. Your AOV is stable. But traffic is down.

That tells you where to focus.

“If I had that traffic, my sales would be at least the same,” Susan explains. “So I have a leaky bucket when it comes to traffic. What do I have to do to get more people to my site?”

You’re not guessing anymore. You’re diagnosing.

Step Four: Create a Tracking Habit

This doesn’t need to be fancy. Just open a Google Sheet once a week and write down:

• Weekly traffic
  
• Conversion rate
  
• AOV
  
• Notes (launches, promos, ads, etc.)

Over time, you’ll start to see what’s working—and what’s not. You’ll stop reacting emotionally and start responding strategically.

Step Five: Ask Better Questions

Melissa put it best:

“Sometimes I feel bad for people who post things like, ‘My sales are slow, what should I do?’ because it’s so vague.”

Instead of asking the internet to solve your mystery, give people the data they need to actually help you.

Try:

• “My traffic is down 20% from last year. Any ideas for organic growth?”
  
• “My AOV has stalled. Has anyone bundled products successfully?”
  
• “My popup submit rate dropped—what’s your favorite incentive lately?”

When you ask better questions, you get better answers.

Step Six: Zoom Out

Every year, there’s a “reason” why sales are down:

• The economy
  
• The algorithm
  
• Ad costs
  
• Mercury in retrograde

But here’s the truth:

“You have more control over your outcome than any of the outside factors you think are impacting your sales,” Susan says.

You’re not powerless. You just need a plan—and a habit of checking in with your numbers.

TL;DR: Stop Spiraling, Start Tracking

Sales feel down? Here’s your action plan:

1. Pull your traffic, conversion rate, and AOV for the last 30–60 days.
   
2. Compare to the same period last year.
   
3. Identify what changed—ad spend, email activity, product availability, etc.
   
4. Make a plan to fix the gap.
   
5. Track those 3 numbers weekly, so you can catch issues early next time.

No spiraling. No self-doubt. Just clarity.

Want help figuring out what to track—and how to fix what’s not working?
Join us in the Inner Circle. We do this with our members every week.

RELATED LINKS:

Want more sales? You might be missing these 3 things.

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/want-more-sales-you-might-be-missing-these-3-things-episode-179/

The biggest opportunity to get more sales

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-biggest-opportunity-to-get-more-sales-episode-136/

How to Stay on Track in Uncertain Times

https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-to-stay-on-track-in-uncertain-times-episode-265/