Erickson positions itself as a versatile, story-driven Shopify theme. Across the three presets tested (“Default,” “Hawke,” and “Moksha”), the demos showcase a consistent toolkit: a sticky header with search, an announcement bar for promos, hero imagery up top, variant-aware Quick Add that feeds a slide-out cart with free-shipping progress, predictive search suggestions, and product pages that layer galleries, cross-sell modules, FAQ accordions, and sticky add-to-cart bars. What changes by preset is how these ingredients are staged—what the visitor sees first, which modules are emphasized, and how much promotional energy is dialed in. Below, we focus each preset’s truly unique staging choices, then consolidate the theme-level behavior in the conclusion.
Pros.
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Pros. 〰️
✚ Variant-aware Quick Add with a reliable cart drawer
Across the demos, product cards commonly surface variant selectors alongside Quick Add and feed a slide-out cart that reflects quantities and free-shipping progress. It shortens the path from browse to basket, letting shoppers commit without context switching. The drawer keeps momentum high, particularly for multi-variant items.
✚ Navigation that scales: sticky header, predictive search
A persistent header keeps core actions in reach. Predictive search gently routes intent before a full results page is needed. Together, these tools trim hesitation for both first-time and returning visitors.
✚ Product storytelling that does more of the selling
On PDPs, Erickson layers big galleries with cross-sell modules, FAQ accordions, testimonials, and sticky add-to-cart bars where enabled. The pages read like compact landing pages, guiding questions and surfacing complements without plugins. That scaffolding can lift confidence and average order value.
✚ Campaign and content surfaces built-in
Sale marquees, featured-product callouts, values/icon rows, and blog teasers give merchants a first-party way to run promotions and content without patchwork apps. Shoppers encounter timely nudges woven into the brand story, rather than bolted on.
✚ Progressive collection loading keeps browsing fluid
On collections, the ability to auto-load additional products as you scroll reduces pagination dead-ends. It makes larger ranges feel approachable and keeps shoppers in a single uninterrupted flow.
Cons.
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Cons. 〰️
− Uneven Quick Add coverage by context
In the Moksha preset, collection-page product cards omit Quick Add entirely, pushing an extra click to reach the product page. Shoppers acclimated to in-grid adds may feel the slowdown, especially when building outfits or comparing variants.
− Search-results Quick Add can redirect unexpectedly
From the search results page, Quick Add sometimes routes to the full product page instead of opening the cart drawer. That jump breaks the “stay in flow” promise and can add friction in high-intent moments.
− Cross-sell add-to-cart reliability
On PDP cross-sell blocks, the plus-to-add behavior can misfire when variants are involved. Shoppers expecting a one-tap add face an extra selection step—or no action—eroding trust in the assistant modules.
− Easy to overcrowd if you enable everything
With sliders, carousels, marquees, and mission blocks at your disposal, it’s simple to over-decorate. Without editorial restraint, the page can feel busy and dilute the intended narrative.
− Cart page instability observed in one preset
During testing in Moksha, the cart page failed to load and presented only a spinner. Any instability at checkout adjacency creates anxiety, so merchants should QA this path thoroughly before launch.
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Soft neutral colors and generous spacing give Default a modern homewares boutique feel; ceramics and natural textures sit comfortably against airy white space, which lets photography do the selling. The overall cadence—hero slider, then category callouts, then a horizontal collection carousel—nudges visitors into browsing without feeling rushed. It’s a calm, tactile presentation that keeps attention on materials and finishes rather than flashy UI.
What works in this preset
The sequencing from a full-width hero into tightly curated category callouts creates an easy on-ramp to exploration. Because those callouts stay visually restrained, the following carousel feels like a considered extension rather than a hard sell. The result is a homepage that invites wandering while still signposting where to go next.
Trust builders—testimonials, an FAQ block, and a newsletter callout—are placed lower on the page to wrap up the story after browsing begins. It reads like a gentle handover from discovery to reassurance: first browse, then validate, then subscribe if the brand clicked. That pacing suits higher-consideration décor purchases.
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Hawke turns the dial toward editorial energy: darker accents and punchy photography carry a grooming and self-care aesthetic, while motion elements add campaign heat. A two-panel hero leads straight into “Popular right now,” and promotional messaging is given permission to speak up. It’s intentionally more kinetic than Default.
What works in this preset
The twin-panel hero feels magazine-clean, setting an editorial tone before handing off to a best-sellers carousel. That relay keeps urgency front-of-mind without abandoning brand storytelling, a handy balance for drops or seasonal pushes. The transition reads as intentional rather than opportunistic.
Hawke’s featured-product callout leans into immediate action with an on-card purchase path. Framed by hero-grade imagery, it lets shoppers commit right there if the pitch lands. The composition comes off as a hero-story turned micro-landing page rather than a generic tile.
An illustrated values row—those quick, legible icons that call out ethics or sourcing—adds an emotional hook between sections. It’s a small staging choice that makes the brand feel less transactional and more mission-literate, which suits grooming and self-care audiences. A blog teaser block then bridges into longer-form content for shoppers who want to linger.
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Moksha shifts the palette to warm earth tones and slower breathing room, clearly speaking to yoga, wellness, and athleisure. The page favors narrative over speed: mission statements, values-forward copy, and guided category browsing keep the scroll meditative. It’s a “feel the brand first” composition.
What works in this preset
A contemplative hero flows into a “Shop by Category” grid that treats each category as a vignette, not just a tile. That rhythm encourages unhurried exploration across sets like mix-and-match outfits or newly arrived gear, which pairs well with wellness storytelling.
Moksha’s mission-led sections are given generous real estate, so the product story is framed by brand purpose. When a sale marquee appears, it reads as a pulse rather than a siren—another staging choice that keeps the calm intact. The net effect is community-first rather than conversion-first.
Niche Suitability
Not Ideal For
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Brands in décor, apparel, or lifestyle categories that balance story and speed. If you want rich content blocks alongside in-grid purchasing and a cart drawer that keeps momentum, Erickson fits neatly.
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Merchants with ultra-small catalogs or a mandate for the starkest minimalism may find Erickson’s feature canvas too expansive, especially if you won’t use its storytelling tools. Simpler templates can feel snappier with less curation.
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Medium — you get a broad set of sections and commerce helpers, but you’ll need to curate to avoid crowding and verify Quick Add coverage plus cart behavior in your chosen preset. Most of the work is editorial: deciding what to show, not fixing what’s missing.
Final Recommendation
★ 7.8/10
Rating
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Variant-aware quick add, a slide-out cart, cross-sell modules, and multilingual demos deliver a modern toolkit; points come off for uneven quick-add coverage and the cart hiccup seen in Moksha.
8
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For shoppers, sticky navigation and clear CTAs help; for merchants, the abundance of sections demands curation and path testing.
7
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The desktop layouts collapse cleanly and touch targets appear generous; mobile specifics weren’t directly tested in this pass and should be verified per device.
8
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Sliders and drawers felt responsive in testing, but the cart-page spinner and occasional Quick Add redirect can dent perceived performance.
7
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Multiple presets and a wide section library let you build content-rich or commerce-forward pages without custom code.
9
FAQ
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FAQ 〰️
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👑 Yes. Default’s image-assisted navigation and smooth browsing pace suit décor catalogs.
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📱The demos suggest touch-friendly patterns and a cart drawer that should translate to smaller screens, but merchants should validate on their own devices.
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🎨 Very—each preset leans into a different palette and staging, with modules you can enable or mute to match your voice.
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⚡ General browsing felt smooth; isolated issues—like a cart spinner in Moksha—mean a quick checkout-path QA is wise post-install.
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👕 Yes; variant selectors pair with Quick Add so shoppers can commit without bouncing to PDPs.
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🔎 While SEO itself is standard, you get native modules like sale marquees, blog teasers, mission sections, and values rows to support campaigns.
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💱 The demos expose language and currency switchers for international audiences.
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⚙️ Erickson is built on Online Store 2.0 patterns and should play well with common extensions surfaced in the Shopify App Store.
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🛒 Yes—Shopify previews for Default, Hawke, and Moksha let you click through features before paying.
This review is based on hands‑on testing of the publicly available “Default,” “Hawke,” and “Moksha” presets of the Erickson Shopify theme as of 28 September 2025. Theme features, preset availability and performance can change with subsequent updates from the theme developer.