Shopify stores with a theme we code from scratch, so there is no template to buy, then fully optimised for speed, Google and checkout. Or a fully custom store when Shopify would get in the way. Either way you add products and change prices yourself.
An online store has more moving parts than a website: products, stock, payments, delivery, refunds and the emails customers expect after they order. We set all of it up and test it end to end before launch, so the first real order goes through cleanly.
We use Shopify when it is the simplest answer, which is often the case for shops with a clear product list. On Shopify we code your theme from scratch rather than buying a template, then optimise the store for speed, Google and checkout. We build a custom store when Shopify would get in the way, for example when products are made to order, need a quote, or sit alongside a booking or business system. We will tell you which suits you and why before you pay anything.
Every store is set up so you can add products and change prices yourself, with card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, delivery and collection options, and order emails for you and your customer. You get a walk-through at the end so you are confident running it.
We have built and improved stores for retail and specialist businesses; you can see examples on our work page. Store prices are fixed after a short call, because the work depends on how many products you sell and how you deliver them.
There is no single right answer, so we do not start with one. Shopify is a well-known store platform that you pay for monthly, and for a shop with a clear product list it is often the simplest choice. A custom store is built for you and runs on your own website, and it makes sense when your products are made to order, need a quote, or have to work alongside a booking or business system.
We recommend one before you pay anything and explain why. If Shopify will do the job well, we will say so, even though a custom build would be bigger work for us. The table below sets out the main differences.
Most Shopify stores start from a ready-made theme: you buy it, then bend your shop to fit it, and you carry every feature it was built with, used or not. We write your theme ourselves instead. There is no template to buy, the design is exactly what your products need, and nothing is loaded that your store does not use.
Then we optimise the whole store before launch: fast pages and properly sized images, product data Google can read, clean page addresses and descriptions, a short checkout, and tracking so you can see which products and ads actually sell.
Every store takes card payments, Apple Pay and Google Pay. On Shopify, payments run through Shopify's own payments or another provider it supports. On a custom store, we connect a payment provider such as Stripe or PayPal, and the money goes straight to your account.
Payment providers charge their own fees on each payment, paid to them, not to us. We test payments end to end before launch, including a refund, so you know exactly how it works before your first real customer.
Delivery is where many stores lose sales, because the price or the options are unclear at the last step. We set up delivery the way you actually send things.
Every order arrives with an email to you and a confirmation to your customer. Stock goes down as items sell, and you can set products to show as sold out, or to keep selling for made-to-order items.
If you also sell in a shop, at markets or to trade customers, stock can be kept in step across all of them. For businesses with suppliers, purchasing and trade accounts, the store can sit on top of a full system; see stock and trade systems and systems for made-to-order businesses.
Good product pages answer questions before people have to ask them: size, what is included, delivery time and returns. We lay out your products and photos so they look right on a phone, and help you write descriptions that sell without overselling.
We load the products agreed in your quote. After that, you can add products and change prices yourself, and we show you how in a walk-through at the end. You can see stores and business systems we have built on our work page.
| Shopify | Custom store | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Shops with a clear product list that sell in a standard way | Made-to-order products, quotes, or stores linked to a booking or business system |
| Monthly costs | A Shopify subscription paid to Shopify, plus any paid apps | A hosting and care plan with us, agreed in your quote |
| Payment fees | Charged by Shopify's payments or the provider you use | Charged by the payment provider you use, such as Stripe or PayPal |
| Adding products yourself | Yes, in Shopify's admin | Yes, in your own dashboard |
| Extra features | From Shopify's app store, often with their own monthly fee | Built to fit, quoted at a fixed price |
| Linking to a business system | Through Shopify's connections, where the system supports them | Built in from the start |
| Time to set up | Usually quicker | Longer, because it is built for you |
| Leaving later | Products, customers and orders can be exported | Your data exports as spreadsheets, and stays yours |
No surprises on price, no locking you in, and no going quiet once the site is live.
The full details are in our terms.
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