When it’s time to get professional support for growing e-commerce stores, finding the right Shopify expert makes a big difference in your business’s growth process. This guide covers in detail who Shopify experts are, where they can be found, and what criteria should be used to evaluate them.
After reaching a certain level of success in e-commerce, things get complicated. Themes, applications, payment systems, customer experience, marketing integrations… It’s not possible to manage them all at once. At this point, working with the right Shopify expert optimizes your store, increases conversion rates, and saves you time. So how can you find the professional that best suits your needs? In this guide, we provide the answer to exactly this question.
Who are Shopify Experts, What Do They Do?
Shopify experts are generally freelance or agency professionals approved by Shopify who provide support to store owners on technical, design, or strategic issues.
Areas of responsibility:
- Theme customization: Making your store’s appearance compatible with your brand, creating custom page templates
- Shopify Plus migration: Transition support and configuration for stores rising to enterprise level
- App integrations: Integration of applications that will support your existing business processes
- SEO and performance optimization: Technical improvements that will increase visibility in search engines
- International sales configurations: Multiple currency, language, and tax settings
- E-commerce consulting: Strategic growth plans, conversion optimization recommendations
Types of Shopify Experts
There are different areas of expertise in the Shopify ecosystem:
- Developer Experts: Technical experts who can write code for custom functions and integrations
- Design Experts: Professionals skilled in UX/UI who integrate your visual identity into your store
- Marketing Experts: Strategists focused on increasing your store’s conversion rates
- Full-Service Agencies: Large-team corporate structures that can respond to all your needs
Why Are Experts Working with Shopify Plus Different?
Shopify Plus is an advanced platform offered for high-volume stores. If you’re considering migrating to this infrastructure, you need experienced experts in this field to take advantage of benefits such as custom API access, advanced automation, and checkout customization.
Experts that make a difference:
- Those who can use Shopify Scripts: Developers who can create cart rules, discounts, and custom shopping experiences
- Those familiar with B2B, D2C configurations: Those who can configure stores suitable for different business models
- Teams that can manage ERP, CRM integrations: Experts who can seamlessly connect your existing business systems to Shopify
- Multi-channel sales strategists: Experts who can integrate your online store with social media and marketplaces
7 Critical Points to Consider When Choosing a Shopify Expert:
1. Check if the Expert is an Official Shopify Partner
Experts included in the official Shopify Partner program have been approved by Shopify because they meet certain standards. This is an important indicator in terms of both reliability and having up-to-date knowledge.
How to check?
- Look for the partner badge in the Shopify Experts Marketplace
- Check if there is a Shopify Partner logo on the expert’s website
- Ask if they have official certifications
2. Look at Previously Completed Projects
The real value of an expert is measured by their previous work. Having completed projects similar to your industry is a big advantage.
Checklist:
- Visit the stores in their portfolio
- Look at the diversity of brands they’ve worked with
- Examine case studies and learn about concrete results
- Check customer references or request an interview if available
3. Is the Scope of Service Clear?
A good Shopify expert should clearly define the services they will provide, the timeline, and the results.
Questions to ask:
- How will the project scope be determined?
- What deliverables are guaranteed?
- What is the revision policy?
- Is post-project support provided?
- How is the workflow managed?
4. Do They Have Shopify Plus Experience?
If you are a Shopify Plus user or planning to transition in the near future, it is critically important that your expert has experience in this area.
Evaluation criteria:
- How many Shopify Plus projects have they been involved in?
- Checkout.liquid customization experience
- Ability to use Plus features such as Flow and Launchpad
- Understanding of API Rate limits and big data management
5. Communication and Reporting Capability
As much as technical skills, the expert’s communication ability plays a decisive role in the success of the project.
Ideal communication structure:
- Regular progress meetings
- Clear and timely reports
- Ability to simplify technical issues
- Quick response time
- Problem-solving focused approach
6. Pay Attention to Time and Budget Compatibility
Every project has a time and budget constraint. Your expert should be able to produce quality results within these limits.
Evaluation questions:
- How long have similar projects taken to complete?
- What is the pricing model? (Hourly, project-based, retainer?)
- What additional costs might there be?
- What policy is followed in case of time overruns?
- What are the payment terms?
7. What is the Expert’s Contribution to e-Commerce Strategy?
An ideal Shopify expert not only does technical work but also makes strategic contributions to the growth of your business.
Features to look for:
- Mastery of industry trends
- Knowledge of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
- Data analysis and decision-making ability
- Ability to provide scalable solutions
- Habit of bringing proactive suggestions
Where Can You Find Shopify Experts?
Shopify Experts Marketplace
Shopify’s official expert marketplace is the most reliable source where you can find approved partners. Here you can filter experts by areas of expertise, locations, and ratings.
Advantages:
- Verified experts
- Reliable evaluation system
- Industry and expertise filtering
- Quality standards monitored by Shopify
Freelance Platforms (Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal)
Freelance platforms can be a good alternative for more flexible budget and working conditions.
Recommendations:
- Prefer freelancers with detailed portfolios
- Ask for certifications verifying Shopify expertise
- Start with a small test project if possible
- Read detailed reviews and ask for references
Shopify Agencies
For comprehensive projects, agencies offering full service can provide faster and more holistic solutions with team power.
Agency selection criteria:
- Capacity to understand your business processes
- Project management approach
- Team structure and areas of expertise
- Existing client portfolio
- Pricing transparency
LinkedIn, Forums, Facebook Groups
Social platforms are valuable resources for organic connections and recommendations.
Effective approaches:
- Follow active users in Shopify Community forums
- Search for “Shopify Expert” on LinkedIn
- Ask for recommendations in Facebook Shopify Store Owners groups
- Connect at industry events
Prepare Before Working with a Shopify Expert:
Preparing to work efficiently with an expert is as important as finding the right one.
Clarify your business goals
- Do you want to increase sales, improve customer experience, or increase operational efficiency?
- What are your short and long-term goals?
- Determine measurable success criteria
Identify problem areas
- What points are you having difficulty with in your current store?
- What feedback do you receive from your customers?
- At what stages do your conversion rates drop?
Collect example sites you like
- List Shopify stores that inspire you
- Note the features you like in each
- Analyze your competitors’ strengths
List technical needs
- Systems that need to be integrated (ERP, CRM, marketing tools)
- Custom functions you need
- Provide information about your current theme and applications
Determine your budget
- Create separate budgets for different phases of the project
- Prioritize urgent and long-term needs
- Take into account ongoing maintenance/support costs
Ways to Reveal Who is Really an Expert:
Question customization examples
Ask what kind of customizations they can make beyond installing a theme. Elements such as custom product forms, dynamic content, conditional content display require real expertise.
Can they provide strategic advice?
Do they bring proactive suggestions about your store during the interview? Can they understand your sales process and suggest specific improvements?
How is their code quality?
If they are a developer, examine code samples or have someone with technical knowledge examine them. Clean, sustainable, and well-documented code is a sign of professionalism.
Do they provide information on SEO, speed, UX topics?
Technical SEO, page speed, and user experience are critical factors for e-commerce success. Your expert should have comprehensive knowledge on these topics.
Test questions:
- “How can I improve Core Web Vitals scores in my store?”
- “Why is URL structure important for SEO?”
- “How do you optimize mobile user experience?”
- “What do you do to reduce cart abandonment rate in the checkout process?”
Advantages of Working with Shopify Experts:
Faster and more accurate results
An experienced expert offers directly effective solutions by eliminating the trial and error process. This saves both time and money.
Time saving
While focusing on your e-commerce operations, leaving technical issues to experts increases your business efficiency.
Conversion optimization
Experts can increase your sales rates by knowing the best practices to convert visitors into customers.
Average improvements:
- 15-30% increase in cart completion rate
- 40-60% improvement in page loading times
- 20-25% increase in mobile conversions
Reduced risk of technical errors
Professional support prevents critical errors and ensures the security of your store.
Custom strategic support
Every business has its own unique needs. Experts develop solutions for your specific goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost of working with a Shopify expert?
Costs vary depending on the scope of the project and the expert’s experience. You may need to budget between 500-2,000 TL for simple customizations, and between 10,000-50,000+ TL for comprehensive projects.
What communication tools should I use when working with an expert?
Tools like Asana, Trello for project management, Slack or Microsoft Teams for communication, and Google Drive for file sharing can be preferred.
What questions should I ask before agreeing with an expert?
- Concrete results achieved in similar projects
- Workflow and methodology they will use
- Project timeline and milestones
- Frequency of communication and report format
- Emergency response time
Does it make sense to work with multiple experts?
You can work with different experts for different areas of expertise (design, development, marketing). However, consider coordination difficulties.
Conclusion
As your Shopify store grows, your needs will change. At this point, getting support from a Shopify expert both speeds up your operations and professionalizes your growth process. When choosing an expert, you should pay attention not only to technical skills but also to strategic understanding.
The collaboration you establish with the right expert will help maximize your store’s potential. Don’t rush in the selection process, do your research in detail, and remember to communicate your expectations clearly.
Advice from Digital Pals
With our experience in Shopify Plus projects, we offer customized solutions for your store. We are by your side in all processes from technical details to design optimization.
Our Areas of Expertise:
- Shopify Plus Migration and Optimization
- Custom Theme Development
- Conversion-Focused UX Design
- International E-commerce Configuration
- ERP and Omnichannel Integrations