Should You Choose the Narrative Shopify Theme? Answer Here

The Narrative Shopify theme is unique because it focuses on storytelling with images. It has various styles, each with stylish designs and elegant text. It also works well on phones and tablets, showing Shopify’s commitment to mobile-friendly websites.

With the Narrative theme, you can highlight your products by sharing their stories. You can add large pictures and detailed descriptions to explain each item. Check its features to see if it fits your online store

Quick Overview Of Narrative Shopify Theme

The Shopify Narrative theme is no longer accessible for new stores. Yet, it was previously a favored choice among individuals seeking a visually oriented method to convey their brand’s story. There are three options available for the Narrative theme, each with unique colors and layout styles to choose from. They are referred to as light, cozy, and chilly. While there are similarities between them, each one possesses distinct characteristics. Every page will display the brand name at the center on top. The menu button is located to the left, while the shopping cart icon is situated on the right side. Underneath the company name, there is a broad slider available for each of the three versions.

Related topic: Top 40 Best Shopify Themes

Benefits and Drawbacks of Narrative Theme

On the plus side, Narrative Theme can: 

• The standard package includes frequent updates, keeping your store up-to-date and protected without any extra charges.
• It was specially created for companies that sell only one product or a few items, making it perfect for targeting specific markets.
• It is especially suitable for marketing products of moderate to high value and for targeting customers seeking quality rather than quantity.
• It offers many beneficial features to boost sales. These features are built-in marketing tools and flexible checkout options.
• By offering four pre-made styles, the setup process is made easier. This saves you time and energy

However, there are some potential downsides to consider

• Users have shown discontent by giving low ratings. This suggests possible problems with the service’s functionality or user interface.
• The platform offers some basic customization choices. However, it might have restrictions regarding more advanced features and design adaptability, which might limit your capacity to customize your store according to your requirements.

Two Styles Of Narrative Shopify Theme

The Narrative Shopify theme offers three distinct styles to match your brand’s personality: Light, Cold, and Warm. Each style caters to a specific product category and customer experience.

Light And Cold Styles

• Focus: Video Slider. Ideal for showcasing features and functionality of complex products.
• Perfect for: Stores selling high-tech gadgets, innovative devices, or advanced electronics.

This theme’s aesthetic design complements products that can be showcased through dynamic demonstrations. These are advanced technology, inventive gadgets, or complex electronic devices. By using videos instead of still images, the store can effectively prove the capabilities and attributes of its products. This gives customers an immersive and engaging shopping experience.

Warm Style

• Focus: Image Slider and Carousel Menu. Creates a warm and inviting atmosphere.
• Perfect For: Stores specializing in comfort and relaxation products ( such as cozy loungewear, knitwear, artisanal crafts, home goods, and candles.

The inclusion of charming visuals in the slider boosts the store’s aesthetic charm and creates a welcoming atmosphere. Simultaneously, the carousel menu provides a convenient and interactive way to display product categories or collections. 

When Should You Use A Narrative Theme For Your Shopify Store?

When aiming to create a storytelling experience for your brand or products, it’s recommended to utilize a narrative theme for your Shopify store. Below are a few examples of scenarios in which a storytelling motif could prove to be highly impactful:

• Brand Storytelling: Utilizing a narrative theme on your website can effectively communicate your brand’s captivating story or mission to customers.
• Origin and Production of Products: Highlighting the craftsmanship or production process through storytelling can deeply engage customers when your products have unique origins or are handmade.
• Emotional Connection: Creating an emotional connection with your audience can be achieved by utilizing a narrative theme. This is to evoke emotions and establish rapport. You can do this through sharing customer stories, testimonials, or the journey of your offerings.
• Educational Material: When selling advanced or intricate products in stores, you can utilize a storytelling approach to describe their characteristics, advantages, and usage. This can make it easier for customers to grasp.
• Seasonal Campaigns or Collections: When starting seasonal campaigns or new collections, a narrative theme can connect these offerings thematically, improving the overall customer experience.

What Use Talk About Narrative Shopify Theme?

Antonio Ramirez highlights that ” the narrative theme is really easy to use. Although it has its limitations, the way it is structured makes it simple for any user. The only problem I could find, however, was finding the correct image size and dimensions. I want my website to run fast, and I find myself playing with the dimensions of an image and exploring that image with less than 100kb of storage.”

Another user, Aknazar Arysbek stated:  “This is one of the best free themes available. Very useful, with lots of good features. It is more appealing than simple, minimalist ones, and elegant. The design of the mobile version is modern and responsive. Easy to navigate if there are not so many pages. My shop uses only a minimum number of sections so it was perfect. The drop-down menu is efficient and its animation is pleasing. Overall it is a solid theme for shops centered on one product or a category without too many pages. It looks best with big visuals and less text.”

Meanwhile, Teresa Villegas said: “This theme was used for a service-based client. Her “services as products” were writing workshops. This is the perfect theme for a new service-based business because it was easy for the client/owner to manage and take over themselves after only a few tutorials from me (the designer.) The theme developers were very supportive and helpful to her on the few occasions I wasn’t available to help her myself. This is exactly what I search for when selecting themes for my clients: easy, straightforward in use, and a supportive theme dev team.”

Overall, these reviews showcase the Narrative theme’s strengths: user-friendliness, clean design, and responsiveness. However, its limitations in handling extensive product catalogs and text-heavy content are important considerations.

Narrative Shopify Theme Features

The Narrative theme is a popular option among small businesses. It’s ideal for those who own a dropshipping or e-commerce store. Different from other themes, its purpose is not to showcase many products at the same time. You have the freedom to add an unlimited number of products. Yet, it is important to note that you can only showcase one story on your main page. Now, let’s examine a few crucial aspects.

Focus on Storytelling, Not Just Product

Unlike other themes that cram tons of products on a page, Narrative is designed to tell a story about your brand and products. You can add as many products as you want, but the main focus is showcasing one story at a time on your homepage. This lets you create a more immersive experience for your customers.

Easy Customization

Narrative offers a lot of flexibility to customize your store’s look and feel. You can easily rearrange sections on the homepage and throughout your store. However, it’s important to remember that this theme works best for stores with a curated selection of products, as the emphasis is on quality over quantity.

Product Pages with Details

Product pages come with variation labels and interactive suggestions to help customers find exactly what they’re looking for. While there’s no zoom function when hovering over product images, customers can easily filter and sort products on collection pages for a more focused browsing experience.

Visual Storytelling with Images and Text

The Narrative theme lets you shine with beautiful visuals. Your homepage can be designed like a storybook, showcasing your products in action and highlighting their best features. Imagine selling speakers – you could include images of the speakers, close-ups of the buttons, and the USB port. You can even add captions for each image to explain what’s being shown.

Captivate with Hero Videos

Instead of static images, you can use videos on your hero pages, sliders, or banners. Videos are a great way to grab attention and tell your brand story in a more engaging way. They’re more likely to hold viewers’ interest, leading to a better understanding of your products.

Simple and User-Friendly Menu

The navigation menu is conveniently located on the left side of the page, keeping things clean and clutter-free. This placement makes it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for without getting lost.

Add Quotes and Reviews

Narrative allows you to insert customizable block quotes between images. These are perfect for showcasing your brand values, customer testimonials, blog snippets, or inspirational quotes to add personality to your store.

Streamlined Shopping Cart

Adding items to the cart is a breeze with the shopping cart icon located at the top of the store. The cart itself pops up on the right side of the screen, eliminating the need for a separate page, simplifying the checkout process. Plus, customers can leave detailed instructions for their orders, like requesting no receipt for gifts. The “Quick Buy” button allows for a one-click purchase, making the checkout process even faster and encouraging impulse purchases.

Read more: Shopify Cart API: Optimizing E-commerce Experiences

Unique Vertical Slideshows

Forget the typical horizontal slideshows. The narrative uses a vertical format on the bottom of the page for browsing products in a specific category. It features a large product image on the left and a vertical slideshow showcasing multiple products on the right. This format allows for a more visually interesting way to explore product options.

Fullscreen Layouts Create Impact

Unlike some themes that center content, Narrative lets you use the entire width of your page. Large, high-quality images will enhance your store’s look and feel, making it visually impactful and engaging for your customers.

Successful Example Of Narrative Shopify Theme Stores

Drizzle Honey

The Narrative is used to tell a tale that promotes the sale of Drizzle Honey’s raw honey from bee-friendly sources. They utilize traditional images frequently. Additionally, they place customer reviews in large boxes to ensure they are noticeable. Drizzle Honey alters the hues and text on its website to enhance the credibility of its honey.

Crazy Horse Craft 

Crazy Horse Craft promotes its leather products using images accompanied by text. Its strong logo font contrasts with the more subdued fonts of Narrative. So, its design combines Western influences with a sleek online store aesthetic. Its website features grid displays, a fixed menu, and a newsletter sign-up option for easy navigation.

Sweet Tooth Hotel

At Sweet Tooth Hotel, they break away from the norm of using neutral colors seen in other similar establishments. Instead, they opt for vibrant images and plenty of flashy pink to attract notice. In addition to their blogs and photo collections, they encourage individuals to subscribe to their newsletters to maintain their engagement.

FAQs

Q: Does the Narrative theme suit my store well?

A: The Narrative theme is perfect for stores with a small inventory, especially those that aim to emphasize brand storytelling and visual elements. However, it may be advisable to make better decisions for stores that have a large number of products or intricate product variations.

Q: Can beginners easily use the Narrative theme?

Yes, the theme has been created to be easy to use. Shopify’s drag-and-drop interface allows for easy content addition and editing. Users can do this even without coding skills.

Q: What is the maximum number of products I can feasibly display using the Narrative theme?

The Narrative theme is most appropriate for stores with a limited selection of products. It can manage a decent number of products. Yet, potential restrictions in layout could render it inappropriate for stores with many products.

Q: Are there any inherent features in the Narrative theme that can help increase sales?

The topic arranges products by price or popularity. It also displays an age verification pop-up for age-restricted items.

Conclusion

The Narrative Shopify theme is an excellent option for those with a limited inventory in their small store. It is ideal for companies with a small number of products. This theme focuses on sharing the narrative of your brand. This contributes to the sale of your items. 

Narrative enhances shopping enjoyment with great videos, images, easy layouts, and helpful functions. Additionally, there is no cost involved. You have the flexibility to make adjustments as desired with assistance available from Shopify. Make sure to check out this theme if you need a great theme for your online store!