Choosing a Shopify Agency - The Complete Guide

It is estimated that there are 1,000,000 online stores using the Shopify CMS. This figure clearly shows that this tool is beginning to occupy a special place in the hearts of e-tailers.

Many web agencies have quickly realised this and have started to build their offering around this solution. A large number of these companies specialising in the creation of Shopify stores call themselves, rightly or wrongly, "Shopify agencies".

Essentially, these agencies promise individuals and businesses responsive, engaging and high-performing online sales platforms.

However, given the ease of use that Shopify's editor offers, users are likely to wonder about the true importance of these agencies.

In this article, we'll clarify the advantages of working with a Shopify agency. We'll also help you distinguish the good from the bad service providers.


SHOPIFY AGENCY - THE DEFINITION
A Shopify Agency is a legally registered company that specializes solely in the design and deployment of Shopify stores. It is made up of experts in the platform, capable of supporting you in all aspects of creating an e-commerce business (consulting, design, UI/UX, dev, etc.). At Minima, we put you in touch with the right service provider for the aspects that we do not master.

Before a company can call itself a “Shopify agency,” it must be certified by the Shopify publisher. This is a certificate issued to any agency that has built at least five Shopify stores for its clients. They must also be able to prove that they have built at least one site per year.

Internally, these structures are characterized by the greater specialization of their teams and the diversity of their talents. These include:

Web developers specializing in creating SaaS solutions and coding in HTML, CSS, and Liquid (a variant of Ruby On Rails used by the Shopify editor). Their skills are essential for advanced customization of sites designed with this CMS.
Graphic and web designers specializing in creating an effective and relevant visual identity for your site.
Web marketers specializing in online marketing. They are experts in segmentation techniques and digital communication strategies.
SEO specialists who understand how search engine algorithms and social platforms work.

A Shopify agency also has a methodical approach to its work. The agency ensures efficiency in the face of the complex issues that can arise when developing a Shopify site.

SHOPIFY AGENCY - THE BENEFITS

Shopify Agency: the guarantee of a high-quality, tailor-made site
The specialized skills of the teams that make up a Shopify agency are factors that guarantee the quality of the work. With developers trained in the use of the "Liquid" language and experienced designers, you can be sure of getting a professional, personalized store that lives up to your expectations. These talents will not only help you create a beautiful platform, but also avoid mistakes.


In short, they can offer you the best template, optimized for both search engines and user experience. With these specialists, page loading speed, intuitiveness and responsiveness are guaranteed.

Shopify Agency: the guarantee of a complete service
With Shopify agencies, it's not just a matter of creating a site and that's it - the client is left on their own. First and foremost, they do in-depth work to advise clients on the best market trends for using Shopify. As a result, clients are more aware and better informed about the decisions they make. Clients also benefit from training on how to use their store. In addition, support is offered for

Optimize the performance of the different extensions and tools integrated into the store.
Automate orders
Optimize page loading speed to cope with increased traffic
Correct possible errors
Shopify Agency: the guarantee of better control of available resources
The quality of the service offered allows you to control your resources. Firstly, the agency frees you from long hours of configuration and familiarization with the site. Secondly, the care of the codes and configurations avoids errors and endless repetitions of work. Controlling these factors also helps you to stick to your budget.

WORK WITH A SHOPIFY AGENCY OR CREATE YOUR OWN SITE?

There's no denying that Shopify is one of the easiest solutions for creating e-commerce stores. That said, for a business that's just starting out, the idea is simple:

Or you have time and little money, in which case it is better for you to learn how to use Shopify and create your own store.
Disadvantage: You're not a developer or designer... you'll be developing your site on your own for several months. In the end, it might look like a bunch of features and it might be very slow, or even buggy. Install apps sparingly


Advantage: When your store is up and running and you need to find a service provider to redesign it, because you've reached the limits of the tool, you'll know your store and its back office like the back of your hand!

Or you have little time but money to invest, in which case you can contact a Shopify expert agency, who can speed up the launch process and help you avoid mistakes by advising you on the most suitable tools and guiding you in your choices.
But be careful! Sometimes it's better to learn on your own than to work with a low-cost developer on the other side of the world. The day you have an emergency, you'll probably understand why the price was so low! (to the detriment of your business)


For a large company or a reputable business, the time has come to generate revenue instead of playing the sorcerer's apprentice. So you can't afford a Shopify store with:

-A poor conversion rate
-Complex bugs to solve
-Slow page loading
-Poor visibility


For all these reasons, you should prioritize the professional work of an agency that is an expert on the platform. And, of course, your budget will not be the one that prevents you from offering your online store visitors the best user experience.


SHOPIFY AGENCY RATES

Shopify agency services are obviously expensive. There is no such thing as a “good price.” On the market, the cost of such a service ranges from 200 to 200,000 euros. Find out what prices Shopify service providers charge for your favorite stores. Find out about the prices of the most reputable agencies and the most influential figures in the ecosystem. Events organized by the Shopify community are also a great opportunity to learn more.


Remember that excessive price differences between quotes must be justified by the level of experience. Long experience means impeccable work and fewer problems in the future. So be careful when buying a theme from scratch: a quote of less than 20,000 should be a good warning...


Shopify agency or Shopify freelancer?
Sometimes the option of using a freelancer arises. The budget is often the reason for this choice. It is not usually a good reason! With a freelancer, you have the advantage of:


-A good responsiveness
-A cheaper service in terms of TJM
-Ease of transporting professionals to their offices
-A simpler process than in an agency
-A more humane working relationship
-The drawback of this choice is that you end up with a professional


Less experienced than an agency: it is obvious that you cannot bring together all the experience and skills of an agency. A complex error quickly becomes a slow task that wastes time and money.
who divides his time between you and other clients, but does not have the support of an agency
whose vacations or absences leave their online store without real supervision
which can be easily removed from your project to take on other, longer-term tasks.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A GOOD SHOPIFY AGENCY?

Low prices don't go well with good Shopify agencies. The best factors to choose a good agency are budget, delivery times, references, proactivity, and project management.

Clean sales documents and budgets
Serious agencies always provide detailed quotes. This document is supposed to remove any ambiguity regarding the different costs of the service. It can also be used to compare offers from different service providers. That is why it is important that no information is omitted from the quote.

Be wary of quotes issued without considering your specifications. If you receive a quote without first having expressed your requirements, it is very likely that the agency is dubious.


The agency's reputation in the ecosystem
A large number of positive reviews in the Shopify community are a good indicator of the reliability of an agency. Visit Shopify forums and review sites to learn more. Be wary of overly promotional testimonials, which are often fake reviews.

Agency references
References say a lot about the Shopify agency's ability to work effectively on your online store project. Check that the references include structures similar to yours. If the agency only works with large groups and you are a start-up, you have probably come to the wrong place!


Recommendations
Recommendations are one of the best strategies for finding the right Shopify agency. But don't let your guard down. A good recommendation comes from someone who has experience and is satisfied with the agency's service.


Delivery times
The sooner you get your online store up and running, the sooner you can generate revenue. That's why it's always a good idea to choose a Shopify agency that offers a relatively short delivery time. However, be wary of agencies that offer delivery after a few hours. In most cases, this is simply sloppy work. A professional, modern job can take several weeks to complete and requires careful planning.

Level of understanding of your project
It is almost suicidal to entrust your project to an agency that does not understand the aspects that drive your initiative. In fact, if the developers do not fully understand your vision, they risk creating a site that is completely opposite to what you are looking for.

The quality of trade exchanges
Your cooperation with the agency will be difficult if the commercial exchanges are botched. Therefore, request the presence of a technician during the call. Ask him all your technical questions to limit the risk of disappointment later.

Even with all these criteria, you are not always out of danger. In fact, an agency may turn out to be the best option according to these criteria, but its work will end in failure. It is all a question of feeling, common sense and luck.

WHAT SUPPORT DO SHOPIFY AGENCIES OFFER?
In addition to the above considerations, don't forget to also look at how the support package works! Although some agencies don't even offer support (because it's not a profitable business model for them), this option could be crucial for the progress of your project. In general, expert agencies on the platform offer three models:


The "régie" model: the agency provides you with a member of its team to work in your store on a permanent basis when the need arises. The service can be provided remotely or the professional can travel to the client's premises. This option is best suited to large groups or companies with vertical growth.


Monthly support, with emergency support: The agency monitors the Shopify store on an hourly or daily basis. This can be a partnership contract with or without commitment from both parties. This option is suitable for startups or high/moderate growth companies.


The "oneshot" package: you accumulate tickets over X weeks or months. Once you have enough tickets, you ask for a quote and the agency works on the project for X days. It is a no-obligation collaboration without emergency support. It is suitable for SMEs, professionals in the freelance sector or very early start-ups.

WHAT ARE THE BEST SHOPIFY AGENCIES IN FRANCE?
There are a plethora of companies claiming to be Shopify specialists, but most of them have mixed results in reality. Fortunately, there are a few companies that stand out from the crowd. These are mainly:


Master
Maestrooo is an agency specialising in web development and brand identity creation. It is the first French partner of the Shopify Plus service. The agency has made a name for itself thanks to its Shopify templates (Focal, Kagami and Trademark), which are very popular with e-merchants.


Studio Zerance
Studio Zerance is a web agency specializing in the Shopify niche. It was founded in 2017 and by 2018 had already completed over 130 stores. It offers 360° expertise, including theme creation from scratch, SEO, and branding.


Kercambre
Kercambre is a 360° agency specializing in the development of Shopify stores. The agency was founded in 2014 after creating a successful business on Shopify. It soon became a certified agency for the platform and the darling of e-merchants.


Maukau
In the Paris region, Maukau is the undisputed master of Shopify store development. It is the first French agency specialising in the platform, and has been doing so since 2016. It offers turnkey solutions for creating a store from scratch or migrating from another CMS to Shopify. Its expertise also extends to marketing support and optimising the performance of the sales platform.


PM Agency
Agence PM is a brand identity creation and UX development company. Since 2020, they have been committed to making your Shopify stores the most personalized and the most user-friendly.


W3Lead
W3Lead's trademark is the development of high-performance, custom e-commerce stores. It is a certified agency with dual expertise in Shopify and Shopify Plus. Its services cover audit, design, migration, referencing, and marketing support.


Code.nl (benelux)
Code is an IT engineering agency based in the Netherlands. It has over 15 years of experience in developing web solutions. Despite its recent certification, it is on its way to becoming one of the leading European experts in Shopify Plus.


Eshop guide (Germany)
Eshop Guide is a web agency founded in 2016 in Germany. They offer consulting, training and Shopify store development services. Their motto is to help their clients explore the full potential of their e-commerce stores.

WHAT ARE THE BEST SHOPIFY AGENCIES IN SPAIN?

OHhdigital

https://ohdigital.eu/

Fik

https://fik.life

Crisp

https://www.crispstudio.es/