Questions and answers
Shopify questions, answered.
How working with me goes, how pricing and quotes work, what happens after launch, and quick answers to the Shopify questions store owners ask most.
Working together
Working with me
Who does the work, where my clients are, and how to get started.
Who will actually work on my store?
I lead every project personally and I am your single point of contact from the first message to launch. A team of Shopify specialists helps me deliver, and I review the work before it reaches you.
Where are your clients?
Mostly in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States and Australia, plus stores in many other countries. You can read 719 client reviews, with an average of 4.96.
How do I get started?
Either ask for a free 3‑point store review, or send a project brief through Get a quote. If you are not sure what you need, start with the review.
How quickly will you reply?
Within one working day, by email or on WhatsApp if you prefer. I read and answer every message myself.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. Ask in your first message, or tick the NDA box in the contact form, and I will send one before you share store data or plans.
Do you work with existing themes?
Yes. I regularly customise and fix existing themes, including premium Theme Store themes and custom builds. If a theme has become hard to maintain, I will say so and explain the options.
Pricing
Pricing and quotes
How projects are priced, and what is free.
How much do your services cost?
Every project gets a fixed quote. As a guide, Shopify speed optimization starts from $100, Shopify SEO from $200, store design and development from $300, Shopify CRO from $500, AI and automation from $600 and custom app development from $800. Focused projects start lower: app integrations from $100, theme customisation and landing pages from $150, and monthly maintenance from $150 a month. The services page lists every service and its starting price.
Do you give fixed prices?
Yes. Once we agree the scope, you get the scope, timeline and a fixed price in writing before any work starts, so there are no surprises.
Is the 3‑point store review really free?
Yes. I look at your store by hand and send three practical fixes ranked by impact, with no obligation to hire me. You can see a sample review first.
What if I don't know my budget yet?
That is fine. Describe what you want to achieve and I will suggest a sensible scope and a fixed price before any work starts.
How much does a Shopify migration cost?
It depends on the platform, the catalogue and what needs to move, so every migration gets a fixed quote after a free review. The migration page explains what is included.
Why do quotes from Shopify developers vary so much?
Scope, experience and what is included all differ. I wrote a full answer on why Shopify quotes vary, with the questions to ask before you compare them.
Process
Process and timelines
What happens once we start, from the quote to launch.
See the full processWhat happens after I get in touch?
I reply within one working day. If it is a project, we agree the scope and you get a fixed quote in writing. Work starts on the date we agree, and I keep you updated as it goes.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the scope. Small fixes can be quick, while a full store build takes longer. You get a proposed start date and timeline in writing before work begins. Typical build times are covered in how long a Shopify store takes to build.
Will my live store be affected while you work?
No. Changes are built on a duplicate theme or a development store, tested on phones and desktops, and only published when you approve them.
Will I see designs before you build?
Yes. For design work, layouts are approved in Figma before any code is written.
What access do you need?
Collaborator access to your Shopify admin and read access to GA4. You never need to share your password. See how to give a developer access safely.
After launch
After launch
Support, ownership and keeping the store healthy.
Do you offer support after launch?
Yes. After launch I check what changed against the numbers from before and fix anything that comes up. For ongoing help, see Shopify maintenance and support.
Who owns the store and the code?
Your store, theme and content live in your own Shopify account. The details are explained in who owns a Shopify store if a developer builds it.
Can my team update the store without a developer?
That is the aim. Stores are built with Online Store 2.0 sections and blocks, so your team can change text, images and layouts in the theme editor.
Can you keep improving the store after launch?
Yes. CRO, speed and SEO work often make sense once a store has real traffic to learn from. Each new piece of work gets its own fixed quote.
Is Shopify good for beginners?
Yes, for most people starting an online store. It handles hosting, security and checkout for you. Read the full answer on whether Shopify is good for beginners.
How much does Shopify cost?
Plans start from $19 a month billed yearly in the US, before card fees, apps and a theme. Work out your own numbers with the free Shopify store cost calculator, or read how much a Shopify store costs.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
Not when you use Shopify Payments. With another payment provider, Shopify adds a transaction fee that depends on your plan. See Shopify transaction fees explained.
Do I need Shopify Plus?
Most stores do not. Plus suits high-volume brands that need its extra features. Compare them in Shopify vs Shopify Plus.
Will I lose Google rankings if I move to Shopify?
Not if the move is planned for it, with redirects, matching content and checks after launch. Read will I lose rankings moving to Shopify.