How To Choose the Right Shopify Agency for Your Business?
- Aug 16, 2024
- By Rajeev Nar
Do you dream of building that perfect eCommerce store for your business? If so, then, we are going to help you convert your dream into reality. Shopify Agency is the best solution for building functional eCommerce stores. But choosing one from among the various agencies in the market is a bit tricky!
But don’t worry about it! In this blog, we are going to talk about some of the factors that you must consider while choosing a Shopify Agency.
So, without letting you wait anymore, let’s dive into the blog and understand the basics of selecting a Shopify Agency.
What is Shopify?
In technical words, Shopify is a subscription-based SaaS (Software as a Service) sales platform. However, in layman’s language, Shopify is a comprehensive eCommerce platform that allows businesses to create, manage, and expand their businesses.
Shopify can be used for various purposes, the most important is building an online store.
In addition to this, Shopify also helps you manage customer accounts, sales, and inventory. Also, you can process payments, deliver services, and track inventory using Shopify. You can add more features using Shopify applications.
Now that you know what Shopify is, let us understand what a Shopify Agency is!
What Is a Shopify Agency?
While Shopify is an eCommerce software/ platform, Shopify Agency is an eCommerce business that offers Shopify solutions to customers. It is a group of Shopify Developers who specialise in assisting companies in developing their online store using Shopify. Their main goal is to help a business achieve its eCommerce goals.
Moreover, they offer various services to businesses such as custom design and development, optimization, marketing, etc. As we all know, Shopify is a very complicated tool! That’s why these agencies enter the picture. They help you navigate the challenges and build a robust eCommerce store.
Using Shopify is not a cakewalk! You need to have specialisation and experience to exploit it to the fullest! That’s one of the reasons why hiring a Shopify Agency is so important. Believe us when we say, this is not the only reason why hiring a Shopify Agency is important. There are a lot more! Let’s discuss them in detail.
What Should You Consider Before Hiring a Shopify Agency?
You should select a Shopify Agency based on the below-mentioned criteria. They will surely help you filter out the best among the rest!
Consider Their Experience
The first thing you must consider while choosing a Shopify Agency is their experience. It speaks volumes! So, when you see an experienced Shopify Agency, you can choose it without a doubt in your head. A well-experienced agency has a team of specialised and skilled developers.
So, always reach out to the agencies that have a proven track record of outstanding Shopify projects. Secondly, an experienced agency understands all the functionalities and technicalities of the platform.
Besides, a Shopify agency with years of experience is brilliant at developing, customising, and configuring eCommerce Shopify stores. Also, they have the required expertise and skills to fulfil your business requirements.
But before choosing them, you must have a look at their previous work samples and client references!
Define Your eCommerce Goals:
Before searching for a Shopify Agency, it is important to have a clear understanding of your business objectives. What exactly are you trying to achieve after hiring that eCommerce agency? Do you want a brand-new eCommerce store or renovate an existing one? Make this clear and then move forward.
Having a clear understanding of what you wish to achieve can help you in choosing a Shopify agency that aligns well with your vision and goals. Also, make sure to consider some other factors as well, like deciding the sales target for your business, diversification, expansion to international markets, etc.
If you have clearly defined goals, you can communicate your expectations transparently. Then, choose an agency that matches your requirements!
Review Their Portfolio
The next thing you must consider while selecting a Shopify Agency for your business is there portfolio or past work. By looking at their portfolio, you will have a quick understanding of what they can offer. Also, you will have insights into the quality of work, functionality as well as the overall approach of the agency.
To be more specific, pay keen attention to the projects that they have completed like your industry. This will assist you in deciding. Also, while reviewing their portfolio, find out if the design is user-friendly or appealing. Whether the websites align with the objectives of the business or not? Are there websites mobile-friendly? Most importantly, is there any innovation in their work?
A detailed assessment of the portfolio is crucial to making the right decision. It will help you in finding out whether they can deliver the expected outcome to you or not.
Communication and Collaboration
Communication is also one of the factors that you must keep in mind when selecting a Shopify for your business. To make a partnership successful, communication matters the most. So, doing a proper evaluation of the communication processes of the Shopify agency will help you make the right decision.
While evaluating the communication processes of the agency, understand how responsive they are! A collaborative and transparent approach promotes a positive working relationship. This, in turn, leads to smoother project management processes as well as successful results.
Additionally, find out how they collaborate with the clients. Do they accept feedback and revisions? By properly considering all these factors and engaging in clear communication with the Shopify developers, you can come to an informed decision. This will ensure the success of your eCommerce venture.
Budget Considerations
We can say Budget is one of the most critical factors when choosing a Shopify agency for your business. However, you need to understand that, finding an agency that fits your budget is good. But it is also very important to assess that you get value for your money.
Cheap doesn’t always mean low quality and expensive doesn’t always mean high quality. You must be a little flexible and assess all the factors before choosing a Shopify agency.
The Shopify agencies offer various pricing models like hourly rates, fixed price contracts, and retainer agreements. Understand each model keenly and evaluate their pros and cons. Then select the one that goes well with your requirements and budget.
Next, finalise the eCommerce developers that offers a transparent pricing structure. They should offer a full-fledged breakdown of price, including design, development, testing, as well as extra services.
Remember, as we have said above, a cheap option is not always the worst! So, along with the budget, consider the experience, work quality, and expertise of the agency as well.
Know the cost of creating a shopify store!
After Development Support
This is one of the factors that is often neglected but it should also be kept in mind when choosing a Shopify agency.
Some issues might also occur even after an eCommerce store is launched successfully. To make all the issues right, you need help from your Shopify agency. The reason behind this is that the Shopify developer knows the platform. Also, they can understand and solve the issues easily.
Therefore, always look for a company that offers post-development Website Maintenance and Support to your business.
Technical Expertise
The Shopify agency that you choose must have technical expertise and knowledge. It is very crucial for the success of your eCommerce store. Make sure to inquire about the certifications and qualifications of the developers and the team members of your agency.
A reputed and renowned agency must have a group of certified Shopify experts. They should be proficient in different aspects of the Shopify platform. This includes app integration, custom coding, theme development, and many more.
Trust Your Gut Feeling
Last, but not least, go with your instincts when choosing a Shopify company. If you feel comfortable with a Shopify agency, believe that they understand your vision and have confidence in their knowledge and abilities. Then, the chances are, it’s a good fit.
On the contrary, if you are doubtful and if something doesn’t feel right, then it is better not to go with that agency.
Wondering why Shopify is the best eCommerce platform as compared to other platforms available.
Schedule Interviews and Consultations
After you have shortlisted the Shopify agencies for your business. Then, you can also arrange interviews and consultations with them to discuss the project in detail.
This is a very good opportunity to understand the agencies better. Ask questions and listen to them carefully to understand their expertise. Then, decide whether they can fulfil your expectations or not.
In addition to this, you can also ask them about the approach they use to build stores and how they manage projects. Also, ask them how they tackle the challenges faced during the issues.
Arrive At a Decision
When you are done evaluating the Shopify agencies based on the above-mentioned factors, it is time to decide.
Make sure to compare the different agencies based on their development approach, communication, pricing, and other such factors. Also, consider the compatibility of your business with that agency. Find out whether they align well with your goals, values, and culture.
Finally, select an agency that suits you the most! One more tip, do not make any decisions in a hurry.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Shopify Agency?
The below-mentioned points highlight the importance of hiring a Shopify Agency for your business.
Creative Expertise
The first and foremost point of importance of hiring a Shopify Agency is that they offer a wide variety of services. How wonderful it is that you only need to hire an agency, and you can enjoy hundreds of services offered by them. These agencies can surely make the process of developing an eCommerce store smooth and seamless.
The services offered by them include website management, digital marketing, eCommerce design, eCommerce development, marketing campaigns, Local SEO Services, maintenance and support, custom Web development, and a lot more. They also provide advisory services and offer advice to businesses regarding which services are best and what to do!
We can only say that if you do not hire a Shopify Developer, then you will surely face issues in growing your eCommerce business. So, what are you waiting for?
Effective and Efficient
Developing an eCommerce store using Shopify hardly takes one to two hours. Plus, theme customisation can take about two to four hours, right? When it can be done in just a few hours, why do you need to hire a Shopify Developer? That’s what you must be thinking right?
Honestly, there are Shopify store owners who spend an entire day just inserting one or two lines of code into the backend to get the desired results. Many merchants end up ruining everything and blocking their websites because of the wrong configuration. Then, to make things right, they spend a lot of energy and time to find the correct solution.
Isn’t this all so time-consuming? Not only it consumes a lot of time but also it leads to a waste of money and effort. That’s why hiring a Shopify agency would be the most viable option for your business.
Enhanced Quality
There is a difference in the work quality of professionals and amateurs, right? Shopify developers are professionals who specialise in developing effective eCommerce stores. They deliver the best quality work to their clients, all thanks to their experience and specialisations.
The Shopify developers work on various projects, tackle different situations, and work on the latest technological trends. As they are experts, their expertise will surely bring better results than the ones who do not have experience.
Moreover, Shopify development can succeed when you integrate various technologies, use trendy techniques, and apply unique ideas. And a Shopify Developer possesses all these skills. They are very innovative, knowledgeable, and experienced. Hence, they offer the best quality work to the businesses.
Unique Website Design
Wishing to stay ahead of your competitors? If so, then you should hire a Shopify developer! They will help you create attractive and unique websites that are different from your competitors. Customers are generally attracted to websites that offer great user experience to them. The Shopify developers create websites that appeal to the customers.
Moreover, in today’s world, a business without a good website design is just like a fish without water. So, having a user-friendly and functional website is of utmost importance to your business. It helps in building your online presence, which in turn leads to more conversions. This all is possible when you take the services of a Shopify Agency.
Better SEO and Marketing
SEO is very important for your eCommerce business. Your website/online should rank well on the search engines to get success. But how can Shopify agencies help with SEO?
Shopify agencies that have expert in doing Shopify SEO are the best because they offer full-fledged support to their customers. They assist in making your business visible on search engines.
Not only this, but the Shopify agencies can also assist you with increased conversions, enhanced organic traffic, and high sales volumes. What’s the point of waiting anymore?
Conclusion
That’s all about our blog on “How to Choose the Right Shopify Agency for Your Business?” Picking a perfect Shopify Agency is a very important decision as it impacts the success of your eCommerce business. You can make well-informed decisions after successfully evaluating the different factors that are mentioned above.
Moreover, always keep in mind that the right agency will assist you in building functional websites. Not only this, but it will also provide you with launch support and guidance for the success of your eCommerce business.
By any chance, if you have any doubts or confusion, feel free to get in touch with RVS Media at Web Development Company!