SHOPIFY E-COMMERCE DEVELOPMENT
An online store built to turn more visits into sales
We design and build Shopify stores around your products, your customers and how they actually shop, mobile-first, easy to manage, and ready to grow as your store does.
Mobile-first shoppingConversion-focusedEasy product management
Is Shopify right for your store?
An honest look at when Shopify is a strong choice, not a claim that it’s always the right one.
You sell physical or digital products and want a store built around them
You want simple day-to-day management without technical overhead
You're a fast-growing retailer that needs a platform to scale with you
You'd rather not manage servers, updates or infrastructure yourself
You sell, or plan to sell, across multiple channels, not just your website
You want access to a mature ecosystem of store apps and integrations
This may not be the best fit if…
Worth flagging on a discovery call, we’ll always tell you if another approach makes more sense.
You need deep content publishing alongside commerce, WooCommerce may suit better
Your store has unusual requirements that standard platforms can't support cleanly
You already have significant investment in another platform that's working well
What we build on Shopify
The kinds of stores businesses come to us to build.
New online stores
A first Shopify store built around your products and customers from day one.
E-commerce redesigns
Replace an underperforming store with one built to convert.
Product catalogue websites
A focused catalogue for browsing, with enquiries or simple checkout.
Small product ranges
A lean store for a handful of products, done properly.
Larger multi-category stores
Bigger catalogues with categories, filtering and structure that scales.
Subscription & recurring-product stores
Stores selling on a repeat or subscription basis, where that model fits the business.
Ask us about recurring billing apps →
B2B & trade stores
Wholesale pricing, trade accounts and bulk ordering for business customers.
Ask us about B2B storefronts →
Store migrations
Moving an existing store onto Shopify, or between Shopify themes and setups.
Part of our Website Migration service →
What every Sitemate store focuses on
The buying experience fundamentals, whatever platform a store is built on.
Clear product discovery
Customers can find the right product quickly, through navigation, filtering and search.
Strong product pages
Images, descriptions, variants, pricing and key purchasing information, easy to understand at a glance.
Mobile-first shopping
The complete buying journey works well on the screen most customers actually shop on.
Simple checkout journeys
Unnecessary friction removed between finding a product and completing a purchase.
Conversion-focused design
Clear hierarchy, trust signals and calls to action throughout the buying journey.
Search-ready store structure
Products, categories and content built on a clean foundation for search visibility.
Why businesses choose Shopify
What the platform actually means for how you run your store day to day.
01
A managed platform
Shopify handles hosting, security and uptime, so you're not managing servers or infrastructure yourself.
02
Straightforward product & order management
A simple, well-organised back end for day-to-day product and order handling.
03
A mature payments ecosystem
Built-in support for major payment methods, without complex setup.
04
A huge app ecosystem
Thousands of apps available to extend the store as specific needs come up.
05
Multi-channel selling
Sell through your website, social channels and marketplaces from one system.
06
Room to scale
Built to handle growth in traffic, products and orders without hitting a platform ceiling.
What makes a Sitemate store different
Shopify is the platform. Using it isn’t the differentiator, how the store is planned, designed and structured is. That’s where we spend our effort.
Store architecture planned around how your customers actually shop
Clear product and category structure, not a generic theme layout
Mobile-first design across every page, not just the homepage
Strong product-page hierarchy: images, variants, pricing and buying information
Conversion-focused UX, with clear paths from browse to checkout
Brand-specific design, not an unmodified template
Sensible, considered use of apps, not an unnecessary plugin stack
A search-friendly structure and a store that's easy to maintain after launch
Simple store management
The most common question we get: “will I be able to run this myself?” With Shopify, usually yes, a clean, well-organised admin makes day-to-day store management straightforward.
Products & variants
Inventory levels
Orders & fulfilment
Discounts & promotions
Customers
Collections
Shopify admin dashboard preview
Key e-commerce functionality
Capabilities available based on your project, not everything included automatically. We scope functionality around what your store actually needs.
Storefront & catalogue
Product variantsCategories & filteringProduct searchReviews
Checkout & payments
PaymentsDiscounts & promotionsShipping configurationCustomer accounts
Operations & growth
InventoryEmail notificationsAnalytics & trackingThird-party integrations
A recent Shopify build
From problem to result.
Homepage
Collection page
Product page
Mobile checkout
ShopifyHome & lifestyle retailer
Northfield & Ash
A home goods retailer needed to leave a slow, hard-to-manage store builder before a seasonal sales push, with a catalogue of over 200 products across a dozen categories that had outgrown its old structure.
Result
A Shopify store handling 3× the order volume, managed entirely in-house
How an e-commerce project works
Six steps from first call to a live, manageable store.
STEP 1
Discovery & store planning
Understand the products, customers, catalogue, fulfilment and business requirements.
STEP 2
Store structure & design
Plan navigation, collections, product templates and the buying journey.
STEP 3
Platform build
Build the approved storefront in Shopify.
STEP 4
Products, payments & integrations
Configure catalogue structure, payment methods, shipping and required integrations.
STEP 5
Test & refine
Test mobile shopping, cart, checkout and key store journeys.
STEP 6
Launch & handover
Launch the store and show you how to manage day-to-day operations.
What does an e-commerce website cost?
Cost depends on the scope of the project, every e-commerce quote is based on what your store actually needs.
Number of productsProduct complexity & variantsDesign requirementsCatalogue & category structureMigrationsPayment & shipping requirementsIntegrationsCustom functionality
Shopify, WooCommerce, or something custom?
We recommend the right approach for how you need to sell, not the one we’d rather build on.
YOU’RE HERE
Shopify
Best when straightforward store management and a managed commerce platform are priorities.
WooCommerce
Consider WooCommerce when WordPress flexibility, content and greater implementation control are important.
Custom Development
Consider custom development when the store has unusual requirements that standard commerce platforms can't support cleanly.
Related services
Things businesses often need alongside a new online store.
Paid Ads Management
Drive paid traffic and sales using Google, Meta and other advertising.
Learn more →
Hosting & Care
Ongoing technical support, maintenance and monitoring after launch.
Learn more →
Website Migration
Move an existing store to a new platform or hosting setup.
Learn more →
Business Systems
Connect your store to CRM, internal workflows and other business software.
Learn more →
Common questions about Shopify
How long does an e-commerce website take?
Most Shopify projects take three to six weeks depending on catalogue size, design requirements and revision rounds.
How much does an online store cost?
It depends on the number of products, variants, design requirements and any integrations, every quote is scoped to what your store actually needs.
Can you redesign my existing Shopify store?
Yes, we regularly rebuild and restructure existing Shopify stores, keeping the products and orders you already have.
Can you migrate my current products and customers?
Yes, migrating an existing store's products, customers and order history onto Shopify is part of our Website Migration service.
Which payment methods can I offer?
Shopify supports major card payments and popular methods like Apple Pay and Shop Pay out of the box, plus additional options through apps.
Can I manage products myself?
Yes, Shopify's admin is built for day-to-day product, order and inventory management without a developer.
What about Shopify fees and apps?
Shopify charges a monthly subscription plus transaction fees, and some functionality comes from paid apps, we'll flag any ongoing costs during scoping.
Which is better for me: Shopify or WooCommerce?
It depends on how you want to manage the store day to day and whether you need deep WordPress content alongside commerce, we'll help you decide on a discovery call.
Ready to start selling online?
Tell us what you sell, how your store needs to work and where you are now. We'll help you choose the right approach.
Request a quote