Case Study: Retro Radio Farm boosts online sales and earns $12K with Shopify

Retro Radio Farm - Customer Case Study

Retro Radio Farm of Portland, OR refurbishes and up‑cycles vintage radios—adding Bluetooth and MP3 capability—driven by an electrical engineer’s love of tinkering. Sourcing pieces from garage sales, antique conventions, thrift shops and online, the challenge was turning unique, one‑of‑a‑kind restorations into a consistent, discoverable online business beyond occasional eBay sales.

The owner launched a Shopify store in May 2014 and focused on storytelling product descriptions, careful testing and premium packaging, and using apps like Product Bundles, RetailTower and Shippo to increase average order value and listing efficiency. The result: sales shifted from eBay to newer channels—by January 2015 Shopify accounted for 40% of sales and Etsy 20%—and in the most recent year Shopify generated $12K and Etsy $8K, with growing repeat business and better margins thanks to bundles, strong customer service, and insured shipping.

Retro Radio Farm