What is a Shopify Developer? What a Shopify Developer Can Do for You

Dreaming of a professionally made, high-performance Shopify website that converts visitors into loyal customers? Introducing: the Shopify developer.

Every Shopify store owner dreams of a sleek, high-performance Shopify business, but sometimes, there seem to be a few missing elements that are holding your online business back. The culprit may not be your products, your marketing, or even your target audience. The missing piece could be lurking in the world of code and customization. This is where a Shopify developer can come in.

But, what exactly is a Shopify developer, anyway? And how can they help you materialize the full potential of your Shopify store?

While hiring a Shopify developer isn’t always necessary, they’ll help you stand out from the competition and fine-tune your Shopify business to perform at its peak. Moreover, they’ll certainly take the technical load off your shoulders, so you can focus your energy on the very soul of running your business.

In this article by Ecommerce Pro, let’s talk about Shopify developers, what they are, and the reasons why you should hire them.

What is a Shopify developer?

Imagine a skilled architect and engineer designing and building your dream home for your online business. A Shopify developer brings your vision to light, designing unique themes and layouts that not only captivate your target audience but maximize design for conversion or sales. But it’s more than just about aesthetics, Shopify developers have the deep knowledge of Shopify needed to provide you with all the customized solutions to optimize your store’s code and functions, integrating advanced features that turn your store into a conversion powerhouse.

Below is a list of the most common and valued services that Shopify developers can offer:

1. Custom Theme Development:

While it may be true that Shopify offers dozens of themes and thousands of Shopify apps to help you design your store, sometimes, these templates just don’t do enough to capture your brand’s unique spirit. A Shopify developer can craft a bespoke template and online store for your brand, one that brings your brand vision to life, reflecting your brand’s true persona and resonating with your target audience.

Think custom layouts, product pages, interactive features, and an intuitive journey from landing page to checkout.

As top-rated Shopify experts, Ecommerce Pro will help you select and customize the best-suited Shopify premium theme for your brand. Get a free estimate.

2. Store Setup and Configuration:

Initial store setup and configuration is a big task that you want to get right from the get-go. Since Shopify developers know the ins and outs of Shopify, they can set up and configure your shop quickly and rather efficiently.

The initial setup of your Shopify store will include configuring settings, adding products, setting up payment gateways, and a lot more.

Also worth noting is that Shopify developers can offer you valuable guidance in selecting the best theme, settings, and apps that align with your online business objectives. They have the expertise to ensure that your store is not only highly functional but also optimized for success from the very foundation with the initial setup process.

3. App Integration:

Shopify developers can also help you integrate third-party apps that you may need to run your business operations. They can also develop bespoke codes and apps, as well as solve complex problems. While Shopify does have a thriving native app store, integrating third-party apps may sometimes times necessary to enhance the functionality of your store, such as email marketing, accounting, or inventory management apps.

4. Custom Feature Development:

Need custom solutions? A Shopify developer can help you integrate all of the custom functions you need into your online store. From everything to loyalty programs, advanced search filters, and wishlists, they’ll turn your store into a conversion machine.

Building custom functionalities or features that are not available out-of-the-box with Shopify is one of the primary reasons for hiring a Shopify developer. Aside from integrating custom functions, Shopify developers make sure that these additional features are seamlessly integrated into your existing store design and user experience so that your team and customers don’t experience any bugs or errors across your site.

5. Performance Optimization:

Don’t sleep on what Shopify developers can do for your online store when it comes to performance optimization.

Performance optimization may seem like subtle work, but it’s positively crucial for user experience and improving search engine rankings, as slow-loading pages can lead to high bounce rates and dismal visibility. Shopify developers use performance optimization techniques such as image optimization, code minification, and caching to enhance loading speeds. Additionally, a great Shopify developer will conduct thorough Shopify website audits to identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your store's code or infrastructure that need to be addressed to improve site performance. They’ll make all the necessary adjustments to ensure that your store performs at its peak!

Download your FREE Website Audit Checklist Template click here. Get your website audited by Trusted Experts within just 48 hours. 

6. Maintenance and Support:

More than just a one-time thing, many Shopify developers also offer ongoing support and maintenance to make sure things are up to date and running smoothly, addressing any issues that may come up.

Besides proactive maintenance, you can approach Shopify developers to troubleshoot issues when they do arise, providing you with a quick response and solution with little downtime for your online business. Overall, the support of a Shopify developer is meant to ensure that your Shopify store is open for business 24/7 and optimized for peak performance.

7. Migration to Shopify:

Need to make a switch from some other ecommerce platform to Shopify or Shopify Plus? A Shopify developer can help you make a smooth transition with no downtime and no data loss.

A Shopify developer can handle your entire migration process to Shopify, migrating product listing, customer data, order history, and all, ensuring the transfer is accurate and with little to no disruption to you running your business. Additionally, they’ll help you set up redirects to ensure that your SEO rankings and existing URLs are preserved during the transition. With their efficiency and expertise, you can confidently migrate to Shopify or Shopify Plus without breaking a sweat.

Why hire a Shopify developer?

If you’re not familiar with the Shopify platform, hiring a Shopify developer can take the technical load off your shoulders and may even be one of the best investments you make for your online business.

We explain why below:

Reclaim Time for What Matters; Your Brand

When you aren’t tech-savvy, trying to navigate the development and design aspect of your online store will take up all your time and drain your mental energy. This may be one of the top reasons to hire a Shopify developer, they will allow you to free up valuable time to focus on what truly matters: building and growing your brand.

Instead of spending hours and even days troubleshooting code or trying to figure out how to implement a new feature, you can concentrate on brand strategy, product development, and providing great customer service.

With a Shopify developer handling the backend of your online store, you can focus your energy on your brand, knowing that the technical aspects of your Shopify website are in capable hands.

Gain ROI Faster

Initially, hiring a Shopify developer may seem like an expense, but it may be one of the greatest business investments in your online business’s long-term success. We all know that time is money, and a Shopify developer will help you get the ball rolling on your business much faster and more efficiently than if you were to handle certain aspects of setting up your shop yourself.

What’s more, is that you’ll get professional results that are geared towards conversion, improved customer experience, and reduced operational costs. This all translates to tangible ROI that you might see over a shorter period of time.

How to Find the Right Shopify Developer?

Finding the right Shopify developer may seem overwhelming, as the pool for Shopify developers seems vast and deep.

Ultimately, you need to shop around for a Shopify agency that feels right for your brand, while taking your budget and specific needs into consideration. Don’t forget to always explore a Shopify developer agency’s portfolio, read up on testimonials, and schedule a consultation call to find out if a Shopify developer agency can match your needs and your vision for your brand.

Need a Shopify developer to help you build your Shopify website? You can view our Shopify Experts profile here to see our work or reach out to us by filling out this form.  

About Ecommerce Pro

Ecommerce Pro is a top-rated Shopify Plus Agency that specializes in developing, redesigning, and migrating online stores on Shopify and Shopify Plus.

Established in 2015, our agency has quickly gained a reputation for being one of Shopify’s top-rated Shopify Expert Agencies. As a full-service Shopify Plus Expert Agency on Shopify, we've worked with startups, established businesses, and international brands to provide customized solutions and strategic guidance that supercharged and optimize your Shopify business.

If you're looking for a top-rated and highly experienced Shopify and Shopify Plus Experts Agency to develop your website or online store on Shopify, look no further than Ecommerce Pro. 

Get in Touch

At Ecommerce Pro Shopify 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!