An Insight into Shopify Builds at Venture Stream

January 29, 2021

From a refresh to a complete overhaul, we have a wealth of experience building bespoke Shopify websites that solve problems and meet objectives.

In this post, we offer insight into the step-by-step process of developing a Shopify store, our payment options and take a look at some of our own work with the platform. 

Step-by-step overview

1. Discover

The initial step is to find out who the customer is, the challenges they are facing with their current website (if they have one) and the issues that need to be addressed in order for us to build a seamless customer experience and fully optimised sales funnel. 

2. Design

There will always be some level of design work involved with the development of a Shopify store. Whilst one of the many perks of the platform is the ability to select a theme for your website, meaning minimal design work, it’s important that your store represents your brand and presents a professional image. 

One of the many perks of the Shopify platform is the ability to create attractive websites with minimal design experience. However, at Venture Stream we create custom themes for our Shopify clients, giving you more creative freedom. Our designers will work with the developers to ensure that every aspect of your website is in keeping with your company branding, which we can also assist with if you’re in need of a refresh. 

3. Develop

Once plans are in place, development of your Shopify store can begin. This involves regular testing and reviews throughout, and we’ll always keep clients up to date on progress. This is also the part where we’ll populate your ecommerce store with products, collections and appropriate landing pages, and can assist with set up, copy and product descriptions to give your store the best chance of generating and converting traffic. 

If you are migrating from another ecommerce platform, we’ll take the necessary measures to ensure the process is as smooth as possible –  it’s always a good idea to consult an experienced developer to assist with this. Read our guide on replatforming to Shopify for a full breakdown of everything you need to know before taking the plunge. 

We’ll also make sure that your website functions exactly how you need it to. Need a subscription based service alongside one time purchase options? We’ll accommodate your customers’ needs when developing your Shopify store.

4. Test

Testing is vital, which is why we do a lot of it. Testing is present throughout our project lifecycle, and once your Shopify site is completed, we’ll perform a full end-to-end test before handing it over to you and your team for User Acceptance Testing. 

5. Grow

We’ll work with you on a launch plan to ensure that your Shopify store is a success, with minimal impact to your business or customers. We continuously work with clients after launch day to monitor and review the performance of the website. 

Beyond the build

Our work doesn’t just stop once we hand over your new website. We can also help to ensure that your Shopify store is successful beyond the initial launch, whether it’s SEO, PPC or email marketing you need assistance with. We can also assist with Shopify reporting and analytics, and offer training on any areas you may need to brush up on.

How much does it cost to build a Shopify store?

This is of course a commonly asked question among our clients. The average cost of a custom Shopify store can vary depending on your specific needs and requirements.

At Venture Stream,  the time frame of a Shopify build depends on the complexity of the work involved. To make the cost more manageable, we offer the option to split the total cost into agreed milestones, which are billed at the agreed monthly points. These milestones can be discussed in advance, alongside a 12 month payment plan (we offer 12 months regardless of the length of time taken to build the website) that gives you the flexibility to spread the cost in a way that works for you.

Our work with Shopify

A long standing client, Yogamatters had outgrown their previous platform and began the process of migrating over to Shopify Plus last year. They were spending all of their time and investment on keeping the website running rather than on improving functionality or user experience. Changes to the backend were time consuming and laborious – Shopify Plus was the perfect solution, offering a simple dashboard from which to make whatever changes they needed, in addition to access to thousands of apps that can help to make your store a success with minimal inconvenience. Revenue increased by 50% year on year thanks to an improved user experience and more marketing capabilities. 

You can view the Yogamatters Shopify store here.

If you’re interested in learning more about Shopify builds or are ready to take the next steps with a trusted development team, we’d love to hear from you. Comment below or send us a message and we’ll be in touch soon.