Choosing to hire a Shopify developer is a big decision for the future of your eCommerce business. It can impact everything from the store you have now, to how that store can develop and scale as your business grows. The right Shopify agency needs to combine Shopify development expertise, with wider marketing knowledge to not
Choosing to hire a Shopify developer is a big decision for the future of your eCommerce business.
It can impact everything from the store you have now, to how that store can develop and scale as your business grows.
The right Shopify agency needs to combine Shopify development expertise, with wider marketing knowledge to not only build a Shopify store that looks good, but can attract and convert customers.
If you’re currently researching how to hire a Shopify development agency, these are the things you should be looking at.
What do you want your Shopify agency to do?
Are you looking to develop a Shopify website? Do you need ongoing support with Shopify SEO?
Do you need a bit of everything?
Defining what you actually want your agency to do will help you narrow down what type of agency is right for you.
We’d always recommend looking for an agency that’s a Shopify partner.
Shopify partner agencies typically have greater expertise in the platform, have better access to platform support when you need it, get access to early updates that you can take advantage of and know how to use developer tools more effectively.
Another thing to consider is how much expertise your potential agency has with Shopify’s template language (Shopify Liquid), Shopify APIs and the apps available in the Shopify ecosystem.
Your agency should have experience customising existing themes (or building customised stores from scratch).
A non-negotiable for your potential agency should be a range of Shopify related case studies.
And look for case studies relevant to what you need them to do.
For example, your agency might be great at building good looking websites, but have no experience with Shopify marketing.
A marketing agency might not have the technical or developer expertise to work on your website or build custom apps or functionalities.
It’s also worth looking for case studies from companies similar to yours.
Look at how your potential agency dealt with the challenges they had, how well they understand the brief and what steps they took to overdeliver.
You can see some of our case studies here.
If you’ve worked with agencies before you’ve probably had the experience of getting the directors and heads of department being the ones selling to you, giving the talk about their years of experience.
Then when you sign, you’re working with the inexperienced new members of the team as a “practice” account.
Make sure you understand who you’ll be working with and exactly who will be delivering the project.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with working with newer members of the team, but make sure the experience you’re sold with isn’t just for show.
Technical expertise or marketing capabilities are one thing.
But thing’s aren’t going to work if you don’t like working with the agency you choose.
Ask to speak with the people you’ll be working with. Take note of how the initial communication goes. Ask about the agency culture, like what’s their staff turnover like?
If it’s high it could disrupt your project if people leave in the process.
This culture fit matters for choosing an agency. Your agency should be an extension of your business. They should take an interest in your business so they understand where they can understand where to make the biggest impact.
You shouldn’t just be another project they’ll complete and then move on from.
The best agencies are open and honest with how they operate.
Does your agency provide transparent timelines and expectations on delivery of work?
Is the pricing clear? Is the price you get the final price or are there going to be add ons along the way?
If you’re getting a Shopify store developed, what kind of after launch support are you going to get? And how long is that support available for?
If you’re signing up to a marketing service like Shopify SEO, what kind of SLA is in place around speed of communication and reporting?
You’ve seen the case studies (hopefully) but reviews and testimonials are also a good measure of your potential agency.
Look for trends in what people say in their reviews. Also, do the reviews sound real?
We’re an open book.
If you’ve got any questions about what we can do as a Shopify agency we’re more than happy to answer those questions and give you any information you need.
Our Shopify developers are some of the most experienced in the UK and have worked with national and international brands. Our Shopify marketing team has helped eCommerce
startups and large brands become more visible and make more sales from SEO, PPC and Paid Social.
If you want to know more about us, get in touch and let’s see how we can add some value to your eCommerce business.
Speak to a member of our team and start your project today!
Our experts will be more than happy to help you!
Speak to us today!1. Let’s Talk
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