All You Need to Know Before Purchasing a Shopify Theme: Complete Guide

Launching a new Shopify business or revamping your old one with a complete redesign is always an exciting endeavor, and one of the most important aspects of Shopify website design is choosing the right Shopify Theme.

With all the Shopify themes on the Shopify Theme Store to choose from, it can quickly become overwhelming. They all happen to look good and will have you wondering “Which Shopify Theme is best for your website?”.

With the wide choice between themes, Ecommerce Pro is writing this guide to help you understand the key factors you need to consider before purchasing a Shopify 2.0 Theme. This guide will help you ensure that you make an educated choice in finding and purchasing the best Shopify Theme that aligns with your brand, enhances user experience, and drives you toward your online business goals. We’ll cover all the factors to consider and give you a quick FAQ section that condenses all the information here for your reference.

Let’s get started:

Your Budget

Determining your budget is probably the first step in your journey to finding the perfect Shopify theme. We all set out to establish our online businesses with a budget in mind, and setting a realistic budget upfront helps you narrow your search and prioritize themes that offer features relevant to your current needs.

Remember, you can always upgrade as your business grows, but starting with a theme that aligns with your budget and core online business needs prevents overspending and sets the stage for smooth scaling in the future.

What’s great about Shopify is that they offer 12 free Shopify Themes for you to choose from if you’re on a budget. Free Shopify Themes can be an excellent choice if you’re on a budget, offering distinct and dynamic templates for your online shop. However, if you’re looking for a more premium experience, there are 165 paid themes for you to choose from.

How much are paid Shopify Premium Themes? Paid Shopify Themes start at $150-$400, and are bought once for life.

Browse both free and paid Shopify Themes.

Size of Your Store

One of the key considerations you need to make when choosing a Shopify 2.0 Theme has to do with the size of your store and selecting a theme that matches its requirements. The Shopify Theme Store houses Themes for websites with both large catalogs and small catalogs, so it’s important to recognize whether you need a website template that can support a mega menu or whether it’s not necessary at all.

When it comes to stores with extensive product catalogs, choosing a theme that supports a large catalog can enhance navigation and improve the overall user experience. Large catalog themes on Shopify offer enhanced search and filtering, mega menus, breadcrumbs, and collection page navigation.

On the other hand, smaller catalogs require a simple and focused design, without any unnecessary features. 

Aligning your decision with your store’s specific needs based on its size is going to ensure a harmonious theme choice that will cater to your audience and enhance the online shopping journey.

Explore Large Catalog Shopify Themes.

Explore Small Catalog Shopify Themes.

Branding and Design

The next consideration has to do with selecting a website template with a design that matches your branding. Shopify’s Theme Store is populated by website templates that are contemporary and built for commerce. You’ll find everything from modern and minimal, to vibrant and trendy.

Before selecting a theme, make sure to dive into the various theme options Shopify has to offer, paying special attention to the layouts, palettes, and overall aesthetics of various themes so you can find one that speaks to the spirit of your brand.

Minimalist themes on Shopify are particularly popular for fostering a modern brand image and giving customers a sleek experience overall. Start exploring, and find the perfect template to bring your brand story to life.

Explore Shopify Themes that are trending this week.

Explore Based on Industry

When choosing the perfect Shopify Theme, filtering by industry helps you discover the most appropriate Shopify Themes for your brand. If you explore the Shopify Theme Store, you’ll notice that to the left of the page, Shopify lists 18 industries to filter by, with everything from clothing, arts, and electronics to select from.

Using the Shopify Theme Store filter will show you themes that have been tailor-made for your specific niche. This not only makes the decision-making process more streamlined but also increases the likelihood of discovering a theme that aligns seamlessly with your brand and its goals.

Explore Base on Features

The Shopify Theme Store allows you to explore themes based on features. As you navigate through the Shopify Theme store, you’ll notice a convenient feature-filtering option on the left side of the page, right below the Industry filter.

Shopify provides a range of features to choose from, catering to diverse needs such as quick view, event calendar, and before/after image sliders.

Using the feature-filtering tool enables you to pinpoint themes specifically designed to incorporate the functionalities that you’d like to add to your online business. By refining your search based on features, you can make sure that the selected theme aligns with your brand aesthetics and provides the necessary tools to enhance the user experience.

Reviews and Ratings

Once you’ve found a handful of Shopify Themes that you feel may match your brand and online store, reviews and ratings are the next thing you need to peruse. Reviews and ratings always provide valuable insight into a theme’s performance, features, usability, and the customer support experience of those who are using the theme.

While reading reviews, it’s important to read both good and bad reviews to evaluate if the theme aligns with your expectations and business requirements. Reading about the potential strengths and limitations of the Shopify Themes you are eyeing will help you make an overall informed decision.

Support and Documentation

When it comes to Shopify Themes, clear and comprehensive documentation and great support are invaluable. You’ll find this in the SUPPORT AND DOCUMENTATION section of every Shopify Theme page.

Documentation is vital for Shopify Themes since it provides detailed guides on installation, configuration, customization, troubleshooting, and updates. This all empowers you to fully utilize the theme's potential.

Additionally, reliable support is crucial for addressing questions, concerns, or technical issues. Choose a theme with readily available support to ensure you're never left with your hands upturned and empty from trying to navigate any theme-related obstacles you might encounter.

Hire a Shopify Expert: Ecommerce Pro

When going through the process of choosing the ideal Shopify Theme for your online business, sometimes some expert guidance can make all the difference in making the best choice. This is where Ecommerce Pro can come into play. As seasoned Shopify Experts, Ecommerce Pro offers specialized expertise in Shopify Theme selection and implementation.  Our Shopify Experts will help you select, build, and customize the Shopify premium theme that best suits your business.

For tailored recommendations and Shopify Theme Custom Development schedule a consultation call with Ecommerce Pro today.

Shopify Theme FAQ: All You Need to Know

Budget:

• How much do Shopify Themes cost? Shopify offers 12 free themes and 165 paid or Premium themes starting at $150-$400. You can choose themes based on your budget and needs.
• Are free themes good enough? Yes! Free themes can be a great starting point for online entrepreneurs on a budget. However, paid Shopify Themes may offer more features and customization options that you’ll desire to have in your store.

Store Size:

• What theme is right for my store size? Small stores need themes that support small catalogs while large stores need themes that support large catalogs.
• Where can I find themes for my store size? Shopify conveniently categorizes themes by size (large or small catalog).

Branding & Design:

• How do I choose a theme that matches my brand? Take time to explore different themes and pay attention to layouts, colors, and overall aesthetics to find the theme that resonates the most with your brand.
• What are popular theme styles? These days, minimalist themes are popular for a modern look, while more vibrant themes suit playful brands.

Industry & Features:

• Can I find themes specific to my industry? Yes! Shopify lets you filter themes by industry, for example, clothing, electronics, services, and so much more. You can be certain to find something for your brand.
• How do I find a theme with specific features? Make good use of all the feature filters on the Shopify Theme Store, like quick view, calendar, mega menu, and so on.

Reviews & Ratings:

• Why are reviews important? Reviews are important because they help you make an educated and guided decision. They can offer plenty of insight into theme performance, features, usability, and the level of customer support given by the theme developers.
• What should I look for in Shopify Theme reviews? Read both positive and negative Shopify Theme reviews to assess if the theme meets your performance needs and requirements.

Support & Documentation:

• Why is good documentation important? Clear Shopify Theme documentation helps guide you install, configuring, customizing, and troubleshooting your theme.
• What kind of support should I look for? Choose a theme with readily available support across different support channels.

Hiring a Shopify Expert:

• When should I consider hiring a Shopify Expert? If you need help choosing, building, or even customizing a Shopify theme, a Shopify expert can help you accomplish the results you desire.
• What can a Shopify Expert do for me? Shopify Experts can recommend the most suitable Shopify themes for your brand, they’ll handle the implementation and design, and even create custom themes for a unique online website.

Ready to build an online business? Let’s build your Shopify Store together. Fill out the contact form to get in touch and receive a quote.

Get in Touch

At Ecommerce Pro - Shopify Web Developers Agency, we help entrepreneurs and business owners build better and more successful Shopify businesses. Have a question or a project in mind? Get in touch with us today!