Shopify developer in Manchester

Customising an existing theme keeps the initial setup lighter and makes later theme updates simpler. It suits a store whose product pages and buying flow fit the available layouts. A custom theme gives you more room for unusual products and a distinct brand, but later layout changes need development work. Think about who will make those changes after launch, as well as what you need the store to do now.

Apps are a quick way to add features, though each can bring a recurring fee, extra scripts and reliance on its maker. Custom code or a custom app fits a specific requirement more closely and needs maintenance as Shopify changes. Write down the feature you need before choosing either route, and include its upkeep in your decision.

For international selling, a single store can use markets for local currencies, translations and domains. Separate stores are worth considering when countries need different catalogues or teams, or payouts in different currencies. The choice affects how you organise the store as well as what customers see.

Customers buying online must be told about their cancellation rights. We include that information in the store’s returns and cancellation pages, so buyers can find it as they make a purchase. Your policy needs to reflect how your business handles returns.

Marketing emails to individual customers require permission, and each email must offer an opt-out. We set up the email signup to record permission and include an unsubscribe option in marketing emails. Agree the wording you want customers to see before the signup goes live.

These materials help us understand the store and prepare its setup.

• A Shopify account and plan in your business’s name, with its own billing.
• A product sheet with titles, descriptions, prices, SKUs, barcodes, weights, options and stock by location.
• Consistent product photos, plus the size charts, specifications and care instructions customers need.
• Business and bank details for your payment gateway, and reviewed shipping, returns, privacy and terms policies.
• For a move, exports of products, customers and orders, plus the URLs bringing the most traffic and sales.

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  Adding an app for every small need

  Check the subscription and scripts each app adds. When removing one, check the theme files for code it leaves behind.

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  Editing the live theme

  Duplicate it, make changes on the copy and preview them before publishing. A mistake on the live version is visible to visitors immediately.

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  Moving without redirects

  Map old URLs to their new destinations and import the map at launch. Redirects work only from URLs that no longer load a page.

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  Leaving demo content in place

  Check policy text and notification wording as well as visible page content before launch.