How To Hire A Great Shopify Developer – A Step By Step Guide

Shopify is the most popular eCommerce platform. Shopify has worked extensively to enhance its platform and enable retailers to sell more.

More than 1.75 million merchants use Shopify to sell their products online. Besides, it has a 32% market share in the US, the highest of any other eCommerce platform.

And, if you’re also looking to take advantage of the best eCommerce platform out there, you will need to hire Shopify developers. They will take care of the technical area of your business while you focus on other critical aspects (like sourcing products and managing shipping).

But there are even more reasons to hire a Shopify developer. In this article, we will discuss exactly that. We will also enrich you with tips to hire dedicated Shopify developers for your requirements.

Let’s get started!

Why Should You Hire a Shopify Developer?

Being a leading eCommerce platform, Shopify is cost-effective, secure, fast, and has a wide range of features that can help you scale your business effortlessly.

However, you’ll need a Shopify store that stands out from the crowd, which is exactly why you need an expert.

#1. Shopify Developers Can Help Create Unique Store

Shopify has thousands of themes that you can use to create your online store. This also means that many stores are using those themes in their store.

By hiring a Shopify developer, you can customize the theme to create a unique store to stand out from the crowd. You can tailor your website based on the products you sell and your brand’s vision.

#2. Shopify Developers Can Enhance Your Store’s Functionality

Shopify has hundreds of third-party integrations and APIs available. These integrations help you enhance your store’s functionalities without writing additional codes. However, you need to pick the right ones as per your requirements.

A Shopify developer has much-needed experience and knowledge about the right integrations, enabling you to get the most out of your investments.

#3. Shopify Developers Can Help Provide the Best In-Store Experience

With their deep knowledge and skills, Shopify developers can convert your online store into a sales powerhouse with their deep knowledge and skills. They can optimize your website in a way that it loads quickly and offers the best possible experience to your customers.

A Shopify expert can also customize your checkout process to meet your niche requirements. They can also implement advanced searching and filtering algorithms to make finding products easier, thereby increasing sales.

#4. Optimize Your Store for Search Engines

SEO is an integral part of every online business. SEO helps you rank higher on search engines and drives more people to your store.

An experienced Shopify developer will ensure your site is optimized for SEO from a technical perspective. This includes image optimization, ensuring mobile-friendliness, boosting speed, and other aspects.

Tips to Hire the Right Shopify Developer for Your Business

Here are five tips to help you find the perfect developer for your Shopify needs.

#1. Know What You’re Looking For

Before you start looking for your ideal developer, you need to define what you’re looking for. The more specific you’ll be, the easier it’ll be to find the right Shopify developer.

Also, don’t stress over it if you cannot figure out all the minute details of your requirements.

Here are a few questions that will make it easier to define your requirements.

• How do you want your store to look?
• What key features do you want on your website?
• How many pages do you want on your website?
• Do you need other specific functionalities, like a blog, back-in-stock alert, etc.?

Also, decide whether you need a front-end developer, back-end developer, or full-fledged Shopify developer.

For starters,

• Front-end developer: will be responsible for designing and developing the customer-side of your store.
• Back-end developer: will be responsible for developing the server-side logic, maintaining your database, and handling the key operations (e.g., customers orders).
• Full-stack developer: They excel in both front-end and back-end Shopify store development.

This will help you narrow down your search.

#2. Set a Budget and Timeline

Budget plays a crucial factor in Shopify store development. Depending on the developer’s expertise, they can charge anywhere between a thousand to ten thousand dollars (or even more, in some cases).

It is worth mentioning that certified Shopify developers will charge more than those without any certificate. Also, decide on the timeline for the project. This will ensure that your project covers all the aspects of your requirements without compromising delivery time.

#3. Choose Between a Freelancer and an Agency

Now that you have a fair idea of what you are looking for and have set a budget, it’s time to decide whether you need a freelancer or an agency.

Here are the pros and cons of freelancers and agencies:

Freelancer Pros

• Cost-effective
• Access to top-tier talent with no geographic barrier
• Flexible working hours (might even work on urgent requirements)

Freelancer Cons

• Might ghost in the middle of the project
• Might need additional assistance from you at every stage
• Determining how dedicated they’re to your project could be a challenge

Agency Pros

• Has a team of experts for Shopify development.
• Will never abandon your project halfway.
• Can provide regular support even after development, ensuring your Shopify store is running efficiently all the time.
• Turnaround time will be less than freelancers, as multiple people will be working on your project.

Agency Cons

• Charges more than freelancers, but the cost is justified (given the expertise they bring).

Tip: If budget is not an issue, choose a Shopify development company over a freelancer.

#4. Interview Them

Now that you have decided between a freelancer and an agency, it’s time to find the best one for your project.

Create a shortlist of potential agencies (or freelancers) that fit your criteria the best and schedule a meeting with them.

During the interview, ask the right questions to ensure they can handle your project efficiently. Here are some questions to help you begin with.

• What is your experience in Shopify development?
• Can you create a custom Shopify store from scratch?
• Have you created a Shopify store in my industry? If yes, send the links.
• What major problems have you encountered during Shopify development, and how did you solve them?
• How do you ensure the Shopify store is optimized for search engines?
• How do you ensure there are no bugs and glitches in the Shopify website you have developed?

Tip: Look for developers/agencies who can clearly explain what they know and how they plan to help you with Shopify development.

#5. Analyze Their Portfolio

Now that you have further narrowed down your potential developer list, it’s time to analyze their portfolio to better understand if they can handle your requirements.

Most experienced Shopify developers have a portfolio to showcase their work and expertise. However, many even add reviews and testimonials from their previous clients (which is a plus point).

When reviewing their portfolio, check for the following things:

• How easy is it to find products on the website?
• How is the checkout process?
• What are the things that you like or didn’t like about the website?

Summing Up

Ecommerce business owners have to juggle multiple tasks to keep their business running and generating revenue. When you hire a dedicated Shopify developer, they can relieve you from one of the most important tasks and ensure a great website for your business.

Or you can leave all the technical aspects to us. Being a leading Shopify development agency, we’ve experts to take care of your needs and help you get ahead of your competition. Let’s discuss.