Challenges of implementing Shopify yourself and common mistakes
Launching a store on Shopify yourself certainly broadens your competences and gives you full control over every element. However, you have to reckon witha lot of time spent on learning and testing and the risk of mistakes resulting from lack of experience. An inexperienced seller can easily overlook important technical or UX details, which will affect the appearance of the store, user experience, and consequently - sales. What's more, lack of professional support in difficult moments means that you have to solve every failure or unusual problem yourself - and such challenges will arise sooner or later. Below we listsome typical mistakes that entrepreneurs make whenimplementing Shopify on their own:
- Incorrect selection of store template (theme): Beginners often decide on a specific graphic theme too quickly, only to regret it later - changing the template is an additional cost and time. A poorly selected theme may force you to buy another, better theme or install many applications for missing functions. A hasty choice also makes it harder to expand your store in the future.
- Too many apps and plugins: Shopify offers thousands of apps, but installing them without moderation canslow down your store, complicate its maintenance, and affect increasedShopify costs. Too many plugins (especially if they are not properly removed) generate unnecessary code and burden the site. This, in turn, worsens the customer experience and positions in search results.
- Neglecting SEO and performance: In the heat of building a store, it is easy to leavethe default SEO settings and not optimize the site for search engines. A common mistake is the lack of unique meta tags, descriptions or alt tags for images, which limits the visibility of the store in Google. Equally dangerous isignoring the speed of the page - unoptimized images, no cache or a theme that is too "heavy" cause long loading times, which discourages customers and worsen SEO.
- Incomplete configuration of key settings: In a hurry, it is easy toforget to configure shipping rates, taxes or payment methods precisely, which can result in lost money or abandoned carts after the store is launched. Equally problematic is publishing a store with missing information (e.g. unfinished product descriptions, no regulations or "About Us" page), which reduces customer confidence.
All of the above errors result from limited experience and resources. Implementing Shopify on your own requires atrial and error approach that can cost you lost customers or the need for corrections after the launch. That's why many experienced merchants, although they could technically do it themselves, ultimately decide towork with experts.
What are the benefits of working with a Shopify agency?
Choosing anofficial Shopify partner to implement a project can bring a number of tangible benefits. Shopify Agency is a team of specialists - programmers, UX/UI designers, marketing and SEO experts - whoimplement stores on a daily basis and know the platform inside out. Such cooperation means access tounique know-how and proven operating procedures. Below are the most importantadvantages of partnering with a Shopify agency:
- Experience and expertise: Agencies havein-depth knowledge of the Shopify platform - its features, limitations, and best practices. Thanks to this, they immediately know how to solve a given issue andavoid typical traps that newbies fall into. This translates intofewer errors and a more refined store from day one.
- Speed and time savings: Working with experts significantlyspeeds up implementation. The agency can quickly identify and solve problems that would be an "impenetrable wall" for a layman. It works according toproven processes, which means a clear schedule and faster results without chaotic wandering. You can spend the time saved on developing your business, instead of on the technical details of the store.
- Security and reliability: Professional agencies attach great importance tostore security, customer data and the stability of the entire platform. Shopify itself provides a high level of protection and availability, but an experienced partner will take care of, for example, error-free payment configuration, backups, correct implementation of SSL certificates and testing of all critical functions. As a result, your store works reliably and is resistant to unpleasant surprises.
- Compliance with good UX/UI and SEO practices: A Shopify agency is not only programmers, but also designers who understand customer behavior in the store. They will provideprofessional store design consistent with your brand identity and optimaluser experience (e.g. intuitive navigation, clear product cards, fast checkout). At the same time, they will take care ofSEO aspects - link structure, meta-tags, speed of operation - so that the store is Google-friendly from the start. All this translates into better positions in search engines and a higher conversion rate.
In practice, cooperation with an e-commerce agency gives you comprehensive support - from design, through technology, to marketing - in one place. Such aholistic partnercan lead the entire projectfrom concept to first sale, advising at every stage. Importantly, therisk of errors is lower, because each element of the store is created and checked by specialists in a given field. In other words,you can be sure that your store will operate at the highest level, and you will avoid costly mistakes.
What does the implementation process look like with a good Shopify agency – step by step
Professional Shopify agencies follow a clearly defined process thatminimizes risk and provides predictable results. While each company has a slightly different methodology, the stages of store implementation are typically as follows:
- Needs analysis and project planning: The agency starts with workshops or consultations, during whichthey learn about your business requirements, target group, product offering, and project goals. Then it helps you choose the optimalShopify plan (Basic, Shopify, Advanced or Plus) and prepares a detailed scope of work along with a cost estimate and schedule. This is thefoundation of a successful implementation, which prevents misunderstandings in the later stages.
- Selection and personalization of the template: Based on the arrangements made during the planning stage, agraphic theme of the store is selected. It can be a ready-made template from the Shopify Theme Store adapted to your needs or a completelydedicated "tailor-made" design. The agency makes sure that the appearance of the store reflects the character of the brand and is functional at the same time (it designs, among other things, the layout of the home page, product card, cart, etc.). At this stage,front-end developers also implement individual modifications to the template code if the standard options are not enough.
- Store setup and content addition: In parallel with work on the design, the teamconfigures the Shopify panel settings. This includes, among others, adding products (with photos, descriptions, variants), creating collections, configuringpayments (e.g. Przelewy24, PayPal) and shipping methods (couriers, Paczkomaty, etc.). taxes, currencies, languages (if you plan to sell internationally) and other key options are set. This stage is the operational heart of the store – once it’s done, you have a fully-filled and configured store ready for testing.
- App installation and integrations: If your business requires additional functionalities, the agency selects and installs the appropriate apps from the Shopify App Store (e.g. marketing automation tools, live chat, review systems). Importantly, a good agency won't overdo it with the number of plugins – it only recommends those necessary for the store to remain fast and stable. At this stage, integrations with external systems are also carried out: e.g. integration with an ERP/CRM system for warehouse and invoice management, with a marketplace platform (Amazon, Allegro) or with a fulfillment (warehouse) system. Thanks to this, your storecommunicates smoothly with other business tools.
- Testing (QA) and optimization: Before the big launch, the team thoroughlytests the store on various devices and browsers. All processes (user registration, purchase, payment, e-mail notifications, integrations) are checked, as well as performance and security. Any detected errors are corrected. The agency also performsspeed optimization - compresses graphics, enables cache and CDN, removes unnecessary code - so that the store is working as soon as possible from the premiere day.
- Store launch (go-live): After passing the tests, it's time fordeployment, i.e. releasing the store to production. The agency helps you connect your own domain, configure the SSL certificate, and make the final marketing preparations (e.g. a landing page announcing the launch, integration with Google Analytics, Pixel Meta, etc.). Then the store is officially opened to customers. A good agency monitors the store live at this point to respond quickly if necessary.
- Post-implementation support and development: Cooperation does not end with the launch. A professional partner offers post-implementation care - from ongoing monitoring of the store's operation, through quick response to reports or errors, tofurther development of functionality. This often includestraining staff on how to use the Shopify panel, consulting on e-commerce strategy, and initiatives to increase conversions (e.g. implementing UX improvements, A/B testing, omnichannel campaigns). This gives you peace of mind that your storeevolves with your business, and you have ongoing technical support.
As you can see, theprocessof implementing Shopify with a good agency is comprehensive and structured. The client is mainly involved at the beginning (needs analysis, acceptance of the graphic design), and later they can observe progress and test the effects of the team's work. A structured approach minimizes the risk of omitting important elements - nothing happens by accident, each step results from the previous one. As a result, you get aprofessionally launched store, ready to sell from the first minutesof operation.
Services and competences of good Shopify agencies (on the example of attomy)
A goodShopify partner has an interdisciplinary team and a wide portfolio of services to meet the various needs of e-stores. For example, theattomy agency (official Shopify partner from Poland) offers both technical and strategic support - from the business planning phase to the optimization of a running store. The main competences of such agencies include:
Source: Shopify Ecosystem in Poland – attomy (DTC Shopify Meetup)
- Store design and configuration: Creating a store from scratch – starting from selecting a template and graphic design, through configuring Shopify settings, to adapting the store to mobile devices. Good agencies provide a unique,dedicated designof the store, developing custom Shopify templates tailored to the brand's visual identity.
- Data migrations from other platforms: Transferring the entire store from the current platform (e.g. WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, Shoper, etc.) to Shopify. This includes exporting and importingproducts, customer database, order history and other data, while maintaining business continuity. Professional agencies use automatic migration scripts to minimize downtime and client-side workload. This allows migration to be carried out efficiently, without data loss or SEO position loss.
- Creating dedicated applications and functionalities: Sometimes Shopify's standard capabilities are not enough - that's when the agency steps in with the help ofapplication developers. Good teams canextend the platform with additional features tailored to the client's needs (e.g. product personalization wizard, configurators, non-standard promotion mechanisms). In Poland, many agencies specialize in buildingapplications for Shopify (including Shopify Plus), providing solutions perfectly tailored to the client's needs. In other words, technically there are no limits – from AI chatbot integration, through non-standard subscription forms, to headless commerce implementations (where Shopify is the backend and the front-end is an independent application).
- Integrations with external systems: E-commerce does not work in a vacuum – you have to connect the store with many services. Shopify agencies have experience in integrations withERP/CRM/PIM systems, marketplace platforms (Amazon, eBay, Allegro), payment gateways (PayU, Przelewy24, PayPal, etc.), logistics companies, marketing automation systems, and wholesalers. For example, attomy integrated Shopify with SAP, Comarch Optima, Odoo, and even local warehouse systems. Thanks to integrations,data on orders, inventory levels, and customers synchronizes in real time, and sales management is largely automated.
- Optimization and development after implementation: After the store is launched, it is crucial tocontinuous improvement and adaptation to changing needs. Agencies offer continuous technical support, performance monitoring, quick removal of potential faults, andconversion optimization (CRO). The latter involves analyzing user behavior and making corrections that increase sales - e.g. improving the shopping path, A/B testing of changes on the site, or personalizing content for different customer segments. Unlike a one-time order, a good Shopify partner remains available at later stages of e-store development, playing an advisory and technical role. So you can be sure that your store is keeping up with market trends and growing traffic, and any problems are solved on an ongoing basis.
All of the above services require specialist knowledge of the Shopify platform and e-commerce. In practice, companies often turn to agencies with specific needs:"We want a unique look for the store", "We need integration with our warehouse and wholesaler", "We are thinking about migrating from WooCommerce", "How to improve conversion in the store?". The Shopify agency is there to comprehensively respond to these needs - by engaging the right experts and providing ready-made solutions. This way, you can focus on developing your product and marketing, knowing that the technical side of the store is in the hands of professionals.
When is it worth considering working with an agency?
Working with a Shopify agency will work in many scenarios, but there are certain "high-risk" situations where expert help can be invaluable. Here are a few cases where it's particularly worth considering involving an agency:
- Migrating or replatforming an existing store: If you're planning to move your store from another platform to Shopify, agency support almost guarantees the success of the operation. Data migration, URL redirects (so you don't lose your current SEO), integrating existing systems - all of this requires experience. The agency will make sure that the platform change is smooth, without downtime or data loss. When replatforming, it is also important to recreate the key functionalities of the old store on the new one - the technology partner will advise on how to best implement them in Shopify or using the application.
- Dynamic development and lack of time: When your business grows quickly or you have a tight schedule (e.g. you want to launch a store before the holiday season), the agency will give you the necessary scale of operation. A team of specialists is able to work on different aspects of the project in parallel, which means faster completion of work than alone. Additionally, they take on most of the technical tasks, freeing you and your team – you can focus on strategy, marketing, and logistics.
- Implementation of complex functions or redesign: If you are planning a store with non-standard functionalities (e.g. product configurator, subscription model, advanced loyalty program) or a thorough rebranding and redesign of an existing store, it is a sign that experts will be needed. The agency will assess the feasibility of ideas within Shopify, propose the best solutions (e.g. dedicated application or integration), and professionally implement them. This way, you will avoid a situation in which after weeks of work you discover that something cannot be done or that the end result differs from the vision.
- International expansion (cross-border): Entering new markets with a store is a big challenge - you have to take into account many languages, currencies, local payment methods, taxes and legal regulations. Although Shopify offers great tools for international sales (e.g. the Shopify Markets function for automatic price conversion, currency handling and translations), configuring them correctly requires practice. An agency experienced in cross-border projects will help you adapt your store to the requirements of local markets - from translating the interface, through integrating local payment gateways and courier companies, to consulting on UX for foreign customers. As a result, your expansion is faster and safer because you avoid costly mistakes from ignorance of a given market.
- Conversion or scaling problems: If your store is already up and running, but you're struggling with low conversion, frequent cart abandonment, or technical problems with increasing traffic, it's a signal that it's worth calling in specialists. The agency will conduct a UX/technical audit, identify bottlenecks in the shopping funneland propose changes (e.g. simplifying checkout, improving product descriptions, implementing faster or headless hosting, etc.). It will also help youprepare your store for increased traffic - whether by optimizing performance or switching to Shopify Plus if necessary. In short, if you're aiming forhigher sales and scale of operations, the agency will show you the shortest path to that goal.
Of course, every business situation is different. Hiring an agency isn't always necessary - small stores with simple products often manage on Shopify on their own or with the help of a freelancer. However, if you're focused on serious growth, want to avoid costly mistakes and want to see results quickly, working with an e-commerce agency is an investment that pays off quickly. As experts emphasize, Shopify agency will be useful for any business that wants to sell online faster and more effectively than if they were to implement the project themselves. With an experienced partner by your side, you can be sure that your store is in the best hands - from the first draft, through the code and configuration, to the final success on the market.
To sum up: choosing a Shopify agency is a choice ofquality, security and speed. In the dynamic world of e-commerce, professional support can determine the competitive advantage of your store. With the help of experts, implementing Shopify becomes not a burden, but a positive experience, and you gain a store ready to conquer the market from the very beginning.
