Wondering about hiring a Shopify agency? Many resources online exist for hiring a Shopify agency. After reading this article, you’ll gain new insights and tips for hiring a great Shopify development agency.
Congratulations on choosing Shopify to upgrade your online business. Shopify is a popular platform for creating online stores, used by both B2B and B2C organizations worldwide.
Here I unveil the ultimate guide to hiring a Shopify development agency:
1. Understand your business requirements
To create a great online store, hiring the right Shopify website development company is crucial for your business’s success. But before that do your homework precisely. Carefully note each requirement that you would like to have in your E-commerce store. Here is a partial list of requirements
- Attention-grabbing UI of your Ecommerce website
- Hassle-free Signup and Sign in process by the customer
- Attractive display of products
- Ease in products navigation
- Effective showcasing of similar products/ accessories based on the search by the customers
- Product return/ Product replacement
- Secured payment/ checkout
- Feedback
- Customization as per your requirement
- Special offers/ Festive season offers/ Holidays offers
Do not forget the project scope and flexibility for expansion in the future.
2. Look for Potential Agencies
Now that you know your project and have your requirements, it’s time to find the best Shopify development agencies. As you start your hunt follow these Do’s and don’ts:
Do’s:
- Explore Shopify web development agency’s track record.
- Go through their previous work and check if any of them resonates with your vision and goals.
- Check Shopify agency’s ratings and review on different rating agencies like Upwork, Clutch, GoodFirms, and on Google, social media as well.
- Read their clients’ recommendations. You may directly contact their clients and ask for the feedback.
- If required communicate with the potential Shopify agencies and put forward your requirements.
- Try to verify the claims made by the agencies for their work.
Don’ts:
- Do not end your search by settling down with the initial agency. Check all shortlisted agencies.
- Simply ignore the poorly designed website, lack of proper communication, and undisclosed physical location.
3. Expertise in Shopify and e-commerce trends
It is important to hire a Shopify agency that has a good understanding of the Shopify platform. With the help of an experienced and expert Shopify agency, you can reach your business goals in an online environment that is constantly evolving. By leveraging their knowledge of the features of Shopify, a skilled Shopify agency can create customized solutions for your business. To find the right agency for your needs, you should create a shortlist of potential Shopify development agencies based on the do’s and don’ts mentioned above.
4. Engage with potential agencies.
Ask the shortlisted Shopify experts about
- their approach for your online store development
- timeline of the project
- previous similar project experience if any
- Scope and scalability of project
- cost of the project
- Skills and experience of their teams
It’s important to discuss the roadmap that an agency would follow for your project. You should inform them about your vision and goals as they will play a key role in achieving your objectives. It’s also a good idea to seek their advice on any software or tech-related issues you may face in your online business.
Having reliable tech support during and after the project is crucial to ensure everything goes smoothly. Therefore, it’s essential to discuss the type of tech support an agency offers. Additionally, don’t forget to discuss the contract, terms & conditions, and payment terms to avoid any issues later on.
5. Request Proposals
After all the negotiations and deliberations, ask shortlisted Shopify agencies to send their proposals encompassing your discussions. Written proposals will help you to review the agencies.
6. Evaluate
Assess the proposals based on expertise, past work, ratings and alignment with your goals. You may assign a rating scale to the criteria and give your rating.
For example, based on the expertise you can rate each agency on a scale of 10. Similarly, you can rate them on other criteria and aggregate them to finalize.
7. Finalize
Before signing a contract with an agency, carefully evaluate your requirements and negotiate terms that best suit you. Once the contract is signed, the project can be initiated. The agency will then begin its onboarding process, ensuring that they have all the necessary information.
It is crucial to stay in constant communication with the agency and provide them with anything they need from you. You should also review every progressive outcome to ensure that the agency’s strategies are working.
The best part of hiring an agency is that you can focus entirely on running your business and completing your day-to-day tasks without having to worry about marketing.
Conclusion:
Choose an agency that is more than just a service provider; they are partners who help you reach your goals. Your online store is at the forefront of your business in the vast digital landscape so choose the agency with insights and wisdom.
FAQ
1. How do I choose an eCommerce agency?
Explore potential eCommerce development agencies that fit best for your business. Look for agencies that specialize in e-commerce and have experience in your industry. Review case studies and portfolios from the agencies you are considering.
2. What is Shopify used for?
Shopify is a prominent eCommerce platform for all types of businesses to create online stores. Shopify is used for building an online store and running an eCommerce business. You can use Shopify’s suite of tools to manage your inventory, accept online payments, ship products, and more.
3. What are the key features of Shopify and Shopify Plus?
Shopify supports different categories of business. Shopify is the most secure, self-hosted, and easy to setup eCommerce platform. Shopify provides 24/7 customer support. Shopify websites are SEO-friendly. Shopify offers a variety of stunning for different categories of business. Shopify also provides ample design customization and plug-ins.
4. What is a Dropshipping business and why Shopify is used for such a business?
Shopify is a preferred choice for dropshipping businesses. With seamless integration of numerous apps, it lets you easily import products from various suppliers directly into your Shopify store. This eliminates the need for physical inventory and simplifies inventory management and shipping logistics.
5. Are Shopify websites mobile-friendly?
When it comes to mobile-friendly websites, Shopify’s themes guarantee an exceptional user experience on any device. No matter if they’re browsing on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, your customers can easily navigate and view with optimal performance.
6. What is a Shopify agency?
A Shopify development agency or Shopify developer is a web development business that specializes in developing online stores using Shopify or Shopify Plus platforms. Such agencies offer a range of services such as web design, marketing, content creation, SEO, and more. They also provide tech support and post-installation services to their clients.
