Choosing a Shopify agency: the eight questions that decide it
A store commits a brand for years; so does the agency that composes it. Eight questions to choose well.
5 min read
To choose a Shopify agency, ask eight questions: do its stores resemble yours, can you verify its Shopify Partner status, has it led a move to Shopify Plus, is its process written down, who will own the code and accounts, is its quote itemized, does it know Quebec, and who will lead your project? Compare two or three agencies on those eight points.
A store commits a brand for years, and so does the agency that builds it. Our own approach is on our Shopify page. What follows applies to any agency, ours included.
1. Look at stores, not promises
Open two stores the agency built for a brand close to yours, on your phone. Check the speed, the product pages and the checkout. Then ask how long it has worked with its main clients: a relationship of several years says more than a beautiful launch.
2. Verify Partner status yourself
Shopify keeps an official Partner directory. Look the agency up there rather than trusting a logo on its website. Note that “Shopify Partner” and “Shopify Plus Partner” are different: the second is a separate certification. An agency can have solid Shopify Plus experience without that title, so ask for concrete examples.
3. Look for a real move to Shopify Plus
If you plan to grow, ask whether the agency has taken a store to Plus, and what it set up afterwards. Changing plans is simple; the useful work starts after.
4. Ask for a written process
| Stage | What it should produce | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | An understanding of your customers | No questions about them |
| Strategy | Priorities and site structure | Straight to design |
| Design | Mockups, mobile first | Desktop only |
| Development | A theme tested on real devices | No testing period |
| Launch | Go-live and training | Handover without training |
5. Settle who owns what
The store should be in your name, on your billing. The theme and its code should come back to you, in writing. So should your advertising and analytics accounts. If you ever change agencies, these points decide whether the handover takes a day or three months.
6. Compare quotes line by line
Two quotes with the same total can hide two different projects. Ask for the detail: templates, features, content, migration, training and follow-up.
7. If you sell in Quebec, choose an agency that knows it
A store selling to Quebec consumers must be in French and comply with Law 25. A local agency builds both in from the start rather than patching them after launch. French language requirements · Law 25
8. Listen to the first call
A good agency asks more questions than it makes promises, talks about your customers before design, and tells you when a premium theme would do. Check, too, that the person on the first call will lead the project.
FAQ
How many quotes should I ask for? Two or three, each detailed.
Agency or freelancer? A freelancer suits a simple store; an agency suits a project where strategy, design, development and marketing need to hold together over time.
How do I check Partner status? In the official Partner directory on Shopify’s website.
A question about your project? Let’s talk it through. Write to us
