Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
How to Check a Shopify Developer's Past Work
A portfolio page is a sales document. Here is how to turn it into evidence in about an hour.
Key takeaways
- Only trust live stores you can open yourself. Screenshots and mockups prove very little.
- Confirm each store runs on Shopify and see which theme it uses, then ask the developer exactly which parts they built.
- A Shopify Partner Directory profile shows facts that are hard to fake, such as time as a Partner and featured clients drawn from real collaborations.
- Speak to at least one past client, and treat any request for your store password as a red flag.
- Who it is for
- Store owners comparing developers
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- A phone and the developer's links
To check a Shopify developer's past work, open every store in their portfolio, confirm it really runs on Shopify, and use it on your phone the way a shopper would. Then ask the developer which parts they built, and speak to one or two of those clients. Live stores and named references tell you far more than a polished portfolio page.
I should say up front that I'm one of the developers you might be checking. Apply every step here to me as well: my case studies are on my work page and my client feedback is on my reviews page.
Start with live stores, not screenshots
Ask for links, not images. For each link, run it through my free Shopify platform checker to confirm the store is on Shopify, then the Shopify theme detector to see which theme it uses.
The theme result matters. A store on a stock theme can still be good work, but if the developer calls it a "custom design" and it's the theme's demo with a new logo, you've learned something. Also check the store is still trading: a closed or password-protected store can't show you how the work held up.
Find out what they actually built
Many stores have had several developers. Ask for each portfolio item: what the brief was, what they changed and what was already there.
| Claim | Ask for | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Built the store | Theme name and custom parts | Can't name the theme |
| Custom design | Design files or before and after | Theme demo with a new logo |
| Speed work | Dated before and after reports | One score screenshot |
| CRO | What was tested and changed | Promised conversion lifts |
| Custom app | A demo and how it's hosted | Vague on who maintains it |
Test the stores like a shopper
Spend ten minutes on two or three of their stores, on your own phone:
- Browse: open a collection, use the filters and search for a product.
- Buy: add to cart and go to checkout. Stop before paying.
- Look for breakage: overlapping text, images that jump as the page loads, menus that don't close.
- Check speed: run a product page through a speed test and compare it with your own store.
You aren't judging the brand's photos or products. You're looking at whether the build works, because that part was the developer's job.
Check references and the Partner profile
If the developer is a Shopify Partner, look them up in the Shopify Partner Directory. Shopify says each profile shows location, languages, team size, current shop count, time as a Partner and the industries and markets of past clients. Featured clients are chosen from eligible merchant collaborations and store transfers, which makes them harder to invent than a logo wall. Partner tiers help too: Shopify describes Select partners as typically preferred by small and medium businesses.
Then ask for one or two client contacts and actually email them. Ask what went wrong and how it was handled. Every project has a problem at some point; you want to hear how it got fixed.
Red flags worth walking away from
- They ask for your store password. Shopify tells Partners never to ask for it and to use collaborator access instead.
- Every past project is "under NDA", so you can't see a single live store.
- They guarantee revenue or conversion numbers before seeing your store.
- Their portfolio links go to theme demo stores, not client stores.
By country: ask for work in your market
If you sell in the UK, Netherlands or Australia, ask for at least one store in that market and check the local details: prices that show VAT, BTW or GST the way local shoppers expect, local payment methods such as iDEAL in the Netherlands or Clearpay in the UK and Afterpay in Australia, and shipping set up for carriers like Royal Mail, PostNL or Australia Post. A developer who has only built US stores may miss these.
What to do next
- Ask for three live store links and run them through the platform checker and theme detector.
- Send the "what did you build" questions from the table for each one.
- Test two stores on your phone as a shopper.
- Email one past client before you sign anything.
- Agree access and ownership terms using my answer on who owns your store when a developer builds it.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
What should a Shopify developer portfolio include?
Live store links, the developer's role on each project and what was custom versus stock. Good portfolios also say which theme was used and give at least one client you can contact.
How can I tell if a store was built on Shopify?
Use a platform checker on the live URL. It reads the store's public code and tells you whether it runs on Shopify, and a theme detector shows which theme it uses.
Is it bad if a developer used a stock theme?
No. A well-chosen theme with careful setup is often the right call. It only becomes a problem if it's sold to you as a fully custom design.
Can Shopify Partner Directory reviews be trusted?
They are more reliable than testimonials on a developer's own site, because the profile is run by Shopify and featured clients come from real collaborations or store transfers. Still contact a client directly.
What if all the developer's work is under NDA?
Some agency subcontracting is genuinely confidential, but a developer with no viewable work at all is a risk. Ask for a small paid test task instead.
How many references should I ask for?
Two is enough for most projects. Ask each one what went wrong during the project and how it was handled.
Sources
- Hiring and working with Shopify Partners, Shopify Help Center
- Working on client stores, Shopify Help Center
- Collaborator accounts, Shopify Help Center
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
More guides
-
Why Shopify Stores Lose Sales on Mobile: A Practical CRO Checklist
Mobile visitors decide fast, with one thumb and plenty of distractions. Here is how to find the leaks on a Shopify store and fix them in the right order.
-
Shopify CRO Audit Checklist for DTC Brands
The checklist I use to audit DTC Shopify stores, from checking that the data can be trusted to deciding which fixes to ship first.
-
When to Build a Custom Shopify App Instead of Adding Another Subscription
Another subscription is the quickest fix, until you are paying for five apps that still don't match how your business works. Here is how to decide.
-
How to Find Out What Theme a Shopify Store Uses
Every Shopify store names its theme in the page code. Here is where to look, how to read what you find, and what it means for your own theme choice.
-
How to See What Apps a Shopify Store Uses
Apps leave traces in a store's page code: scripts from their own servers, app embed folders and pixel settings. Here is how to read them, and what to do with the list.
-
How to Name a Shopify Store (and Check the Name Is Free)
A store name has to be easy to say, free as a domain and a handle, and clear of other brands. Here is the process I use with clients, and what Shopify lets you change later.
