How Shopify works
Shopify isn't software you install on your own server; it's a subscription service. You sign up, choose a plan and get an admin panel that already has everything you need to sell:
- a catalog with collections, product variants and inventory across multiple locations;
- a secure checkout that the platform continuously improves on its own;
- multiple languages and currencies, plus tax and shipping settings for different countries;
- customer management, discounts, gift cards and post-purchase emails;
- an app store where you can add reviews, subscriptions, a loyalty program and more.
The look of the store is defined by a theme. There are free and paid themes, or you can have a custom one built around your brand design.
Shopify advantages
- No servers to worry about. Hosting, updates, attack protection and backups are the platform's responsibility.
- Fast launch. A simple store can go live much faster than building your own from scratch.
- Easy international selling. Languages, currencies, taxes and shipping to different countries are configured in the admin panel.
- Multichannel sales. Shopify products can be shown on Instagram, Facebook, Google and marketplaces from one place.
- Reliable checkout. It works well on mobile and is familiar to shoppers from other stores.
Limitations and drawbacks
- Ongoing fees. On top of the subscription, you pay for paid apps, and depending on your plan and payment method, transaction fees may apply. It's worth calculating this in advance.
- You play by the platform's rules. Checkout, URL structure and database access can only be changed within the limits Shopify allows.
- Some providers need extra work. Certain regional payment services and shipping carriers connect only through third-party apps or a custom integration, and each case needs to be checked.
- Apps slow the store down. Every installed app can add its own code to your pages, so it pays to be selective.
When to choose another platform
Shopify isn't always the best value. We suggest considering alternatives if:
- you want a self-hosted store without a platform subscription and with full freedom over payments and shipping: OpenCart on your own server is often more practical;
- you need complex logic: customer-specific wholesale pricing, product configurators, many sellers on one marketplace;
- you don't want to depend on a subscription and want full control over your code and data.
Ready-made theme or custom theme
A ready-made theme is the fastest route. We pick a theme that suits your product range and configure colors, fonts, homepage sections and the product page. The downside is that your store will look similar to others using the same theme.
A custom theme is built from your design. We include sections your marketer can assemble in the Shopify editor without a developer: banners, product collections, benefit blocks and reviews. It takes longer and costs more up front, but your store looks like a natural extension of your brand.
Another option is to use Shopify only as the "inventory and checkout" and build the storefront separately, for example with Next.js. This makes sense for large brands with complex content, but it significantly complicates development and maintenance.
Migrating from another platform
If your store already runs on WooCommerce, OpenCart or another system, the migration consists of several parts:
- exporting and cleaning up products, variants, images and descriptions;
- migrating customers and order history, if needed;
- redirecting old page URLs to new ones so you don't lose search traffic;
- setting up analytics and ad pixels from scratch.
Before migration, we show you what will change in your team's day-to-day work so there are no surprises after launch.
Apps and integrations without unnecessary subscriptions
The Shopify App Store is both the platform's strength and a trap. Almost every feature is available there, but most apps charge monthly, and over a year the total can exceed the cost of custom development. That's why for every task we compare three options: Shopify's built-in features, an off-the-shelf app and a custom solution.
What we set up most often:
- product, price and inventory sync with your accounting system or warehouse;
- sending orders to your CRM and shipping provider;
- loyalty programs, reviews and abandoned cart emails;
- sales analytics in GA4 and conversion tracking for Google and Meta ad accounts.
If there's no suitable app or the existing ones fall short, we build a custom app for your store that works through the platform's official API.
What affects the cost
- Theme: configuring a ready-made theme or developing a custom one from your design.
- Number of markets: languages, currencies, pricing and shipping rules by country.
- Apps: whether ready-made apps are enough or a custom app or integration is needed.
- Catalog: how many products and variants, where the data comes from and who prepares photos and descriptions.
- Migration: the volume of data from the old store and the number of pages that need redirects.
Separately from our work, we remind you about fees paid to the platform itself and to app developers; we calculate these together with you during planning.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my preferred payment and shipping providers on Shopify? Often yes, but some providers require separate solutions. We check the available options for your situation before work begins.
What happens to my store if I stop paying for the subscription? The store stops working. Products, customers and orders can be exported, but the theme can't be moved to another platform.
Can the checkout be customized? Partially: logo, colors, fields and some blocks. Deeper changes depend on your plan and what the platform allows.
Is Shopify suitable for wholesale? The platform is designed primarily for retail. Wholesale pricing and separate terms for business customers are added through apps or built-in features whose availability depends on your plan, so we evaluate these requirements before choosing a platform.
Does a Shopify store get indexed well by Google? The basics are there: sitemap, meta tags and clean URLs. The limitation is the URL structure, which can't be changed, so we account for it when planning the catalog.
Who will add products and promotions? Your team; the Shopify admin is straightforward. We set it up and walk you through the key tasks, and we can take on more complex work as part of our support.
Why Promodex
Promodex has been in business since 2015 and has launched 750+ projects, including many online stores on different platforms. That's why we're not tied to Shopify and can honestly compare it with alternatives for your needs. Design, development, analytics and marketing are handled by our in-house team of 30+ specialists with no outsourcing, and after launch we stay with you so your store grows along with your business.
