App overload
Too many apps slowing the store and adding monthly fees.
Custom Shopify builds, theme development, migrations and integrations from a team that has run its own global online store. Fast, SEO-safe and tracked from launch, with no lock-in support.
We’re a Shopify PartnerWe build, migrate and grow Shopify stores for Australian brands.
Month-to-month care after launch. Cancel any time.
We have run our own store, so we build for real selling.
Your rankings protected when you move to Shopify.
GA4, Google Ads and Meta tracking live at launch.
A Shopify store should earn its keep from the day it launches. For every store we build, purchase tracking is live at launch, so you can see exactly how the store performs.
The team in these photos plans, builds and tests the stores we launch.
Good design matters, but only because it helps shoppers trust you, find the right product and check out without friction.
Shopify is a great platform. Most underperforming stores aren’t let down by Shopify itself, but by how they were built. These are the patterns we see most.
Problem 01 of 05
What usually happens
A template is stretched with apps and code patches until it is slow and fragile.
How we do it
A clean theme built on Shopify's modern theme system.
Problem 02 of 05
What usually happens
Every feature is an app, each adding scripts and monthly fees.
How we do it
Built-in features and custom sections where they beat an app.
Problem 03 of 05
What usually happens
A move to Shopify breaks old URLs and traffic drops overnight.
How we do it
Full URL mapping, redirects and monitoring after launch.
Problem 04 of 05
What usually happens
Inconsistent titles, variants and attributes hurt search, filters and ads.
How we do it
Clean, structured product data that works everywhere.
Problem 05 of 05
What usually happens
Purchases are missed or double-counted, so nobody trusts the numbers.
How we do it
GA4, Google Ads and Meta tracking tested before launch.
Our approach is built to fix every one of these problems. It starts with a clear idea of what success looks like.
Send us your store. We’ll go through it the way your customers and Google do, then send you a plain-English list of what to fix first. It’s free, with no lock-in and no hard sell.
Your review is done by a Shopify Partner team.Need it sooner?
Call or email and we’ll fast-track your review.
By John Conigliaro, Director and Lead Consultant, Anahaw Media. Updated September 2026
Shopify makes it easy to open a store. Building a store that ranks, loads fast, converts and runs smoothly behind the scenes is a different job.
Many Shopify stores are held back by the same things: a generic theme stretched beyond what it was designed for, a pile of apps slowing every page, messy product data, tracking that misses sales, and migrations that lost years of rankings.
Our job is to build Shopify stores that work as hard as you do. We plan the store around how your customers shop, design and develop a fast theme, connect it to the systems you already use, move your data and rankings across safely, and set up tracking before launch. Then we keep improving it based on real sales data.
Builds are scoped and quoted upfront. After launch, support runs month to month with no lock-in, and your store, theme and data are yours.
Four areas, one goal: a Shopify store that sells more and runs smoothly. Pick a tab to see exactly what we do.
Launching on Shopify, or starting fresh? We plan, design and build your store around how your customers shop.
We learn about your products, customers, operations and goals, and agree what success looks like.
We plan collections, navigation, filters and product organisation so shoppers find the right product fast.
A store designed around your brand, not a template everyone else is using.
Fast, flexible themes built on Shopify’s modern theme system, with custom sections you can edit yourself.
Products, variants, images, metafields and collections set up cleanly, so search, filters and ads all work properly.
Payment providers, shipping rates, local pickup and GST set up correctly for Australian customers.
Checkout, payments, emails, tracking, redirects, speed and mobile layout, all tested before launch.
Already on Shopify, but your theme is holding you back? We improve what you have or rebuild it properly.
New sections your team can add and edit in the theme editor, without touching code.
Better galleries, size guides, delivery information, reviews and add-to-cart layouts that lift conversion.
Filters, sorting, product cards and quick views that help shoppers browse and compare.
We remove unused code, optimise images and scripts, and reduce app bloat to make the store faster.
Moving from an old theme to a modern one without losing your content, design or features.
Readable text, strong contrast, keyboard navigation and alt text, so more people can shop easily.
Moving from WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Wix or another platform? A careful migration protects your sales and your rankings.
Products, variants, customers, orders and content moved across accurately.
Every old URL mapped to its new home, with redirects set up and tested before launch.
Meta data, headings, structured data and important content carried across, so rankings are protected.
Product reviews and customer accounts moved across where the platforms allow.
Email, accounting, inventory and shipping connections set up again on Shopify.
We watch Search Console, traffic and sales closely for several weeks after launch and fix issues fast.
Shopify is powerful on its own, but most growing stores need it connected to other systems. We make those connections reliable.
We recommend the fewest, best apps for what you need, and remove ones that slow the store or duplicate features.
Where no existing app fits, we can build a custom app or feature for your store.
Connections to your inventory, accounting and warehouse systems, so stock and orders stay in sync.
Integration with your email platform or CRM, so customer and order data flows through properly.
Trade pricing, customer-specific catalogues, quick ordering and payment terms for business buyers.
Subscription and repeat-order features for products people buy again and again.
GA4, Google Ads, Meta Pixel and Conversions API set up and tested, so every purchase is counted properly.
| Area | What we check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout | Payments, shipping and GST | Every order goes through smoothly |
| Tracking | GA4, Google Ads and Meta | You can trust your numbers |
| SEO | Redirects, meta data and schema | Rankings are protected at launch |
| Speed | Core Web Vitals on mobile | Faster stores sell more |
| Products | Data, variants and images | Search, filters and ads work |
| Emails | Order and shipping notifications | Customers stay informed |
Every store is different, but most projects follow the same clear stages. Here is what usually happens.
We learn how your business runs, audit your current store or platform, and agree the scope, timeline and quote.
You will see: A clear plan and a fixed quote.
We design key templates, such as the home page, collections, product pages and cart, and refine them with your feedback.
You will see: Designs you can approve before anything is built.
We build the theme, set up products, apps and integrations, migrate data and prepare redirects.
You will see: A working store on a development preview for you to test.
We test every path through the checkout, launch, monitor closely and keep improving based on sales data.
You will see: A live store that is fast, tracked and ready to sell.
More products and variants take longer to set up.
Unique sections and custom apps add time.
Moving platforms adds data and redirect work.
Inventory, accounting and B2B needs add complexity.
Quick decisions keep the project moving.
We give you a clear scope, timeline and fixed quote before we start, and keep you updated at every stage.
Every Shopify store we build is planned around measurable results, and our support after launch runs month to month. Here is what that means in plain English.
We judge a store by what it sells: conversion rate, average order value, revenue and repeat customers. Design, speed and SEO all matter because they drive those results.
That shapes every decision, from how collections are organised to how product pages are laid out and how smoothly the checkout flows. If a feature doesn’t help people buy, it doesn’t earn a place.
Builds are scoped and quoted before we start. Your store, theme, apps and data belong to you, and you have full admin access.
After launch, our care and growth plans run month to month. If you want to manage the store yourself or move to another team, you can.
A quick note on honesty: a new store rarely doubles sales on its own. What it does is make every channel work better. Your SEO, ads, email and social all send shoppers to your store, and a faster, clearer store turns more of them into customers.
Search, ads, social, email and direct.
Product views, add to carts, checkouts and purchases.
Revenue, average order value and repeat orders.
Core Web Vitals and real-world speed on mobile.
A common question as stores grow. Most stores don’t need Plus. Some can’t grow properly without it.
Standard plans suit most Australian stores, from new brands to well-established businesses. They include everything you need to sell, with a huge range of themes and apps.
With good theme development and a smart choice of apps, a standard plan can take a store a very long way.
Shopify Plus is built for high-volume and complex businesses. It adds features such as deeper checkout customisation, advanced B2B tools, extra stores for different markets and priority support.
It costs considerably more, so it only makes sense when those features solve real problems or pay for themselves.
We will look at your sales volume, operations and plans, and give you an honest recommendation. If a standard plan does the job, we will tell you.
Every store we build has purchase tracking set up before launch. For stores on a care or growth plan, we bring your Shopify, Google Analytics 4, Search Console and ad data together in a live AgencyAnalytics dashboard.
We track every step of the buying journey, from product views to purchases, and match it with your actual Shopify orders. That shows conversion rate, average order value and revenue by channel, device and landing page.
It also shows where shoppers drop off, so we know exactly which part of the store to improve next.
For stores on a growth plan, you get a short monthly summary: what sold, what changed, what we improved and what comes next.
Planning a new Shopify store, a redesign or a migration? This guide explains the decisions that matter, in plain English.
Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms for good reason. It is reliable, secure, fast to launch and easy for your team to run day to day. Hosting, security updates and checkout are all handled for you.
That means your time goes into selling, not managing servers or plugins. For most Australian online stores, it is the platform we recommend.
Shopify isn’t perfect for everyone. Businesses with very complex product configurations, heavy content needs or unusual checkout requirements may be better served elsewhere, or by Shopify combined with other tools.
We will tell you honestly if another platform, like WooCommerce, would suit your business better.
Shopify has many good themes, and for some stores a well-chosen theme with light customisation is the right answer. The problems start when a theme is pushed far beyond what it was designed for, with apps and code patches stacked on top.
A custom theme is built around your brand, your products and how your customers shop. It is usually faster and cleaner, and it gives your team exactly the sections they need, without the clutter.
Costs vary widely, depending on whether you customise a theme or build a custom one, how many products and variants you have, whether you are migrating from another platform, and which integrations and custom features you need.
Remember to budget for ongoing costs too: your Shopify plan, apps, payment fees and any support. We give you a fixed quote for a clear scope, and explain the running costs upfront.
Modern Shopify themes let you build pages from sections and blocks in the theme editor, and use them on almost any page.
That means your team can create landing pages, reorganise product pages and add content without a developer. We build custom sections so your store has exactly the building blocks you need.
Apps make it easy to add features, but each one can add code to every page, a monthly fee and another thing that can break. Many stores we audit have apps they no longer use that still slow the site down.
We review your apps, remove what you don’t need, and build some features directly into the theme when that is faster, cheaper or more reliable over time.
Every second counts in eCommerce. Slow stores lose shoppers, especially on phones, and you pay for those lost visitors if they came from ads.
We keep stores fast with clean theme code, optimised images, careful app choices and lazy loading, and we test against Google’s Core Web Vitals before launch.
A migration is the riskiest moment for your search traffic. Shopify uses its own URL structure, so almost every old URL changes.
We protect your rankings by exporting every old URL, mapping each one to its new page, setting up redirects, carrying across meta data and content, and monitoring Search Console closely after launch. Done properly, a migration should protect your rankings, and a faster site can help them grow.
Shopify handles a lot of SEO basics well, but it has quirks, like duplicate URLs for products inside collections, fixed URL folders and tag pages that can create thin content.
We build themes that handle these properly, with clean internal links, correct canonical tags, structured data for products and reviews, and room for helpful content on collection pages.
Good product data powers everything: search, filters, product pages, Google Shopping and Meta catalogues. Metafields let you store extra information, like materials, dimensions, care instructions or compatibility, in a structured way.
We set up product data properly from the start, so it displays consistently on the site and feeds cleanly into your ads and marketplaces.
Shopify’s checkout is one of its biggest strengths. It is fast, trusted and built for conversion. Options like Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and buy now, pay later providers can make buying even easier.
We set up payments, shipping and GST correctly for Australian customers, and test every path through the checkout before launch.
Unclear or surprise shipping costs are one of the biggest reasons shoppers abandon their cart. Clear delivery times, costs and free shipping thresholds on product pages and in the cart build confidence.
We set up shipping rates that reflect your real costs, and display delivery information where shoppers need it.
If you sell to trade or wholesale buyers, they need different things from retail shoppers: price lists, bulk ordering, account logins and payment terms.
Shopify has strong B2B features, especially on Shopify Plus, and there are apps and custom options for standard plans. We recommend the right approach for your volume and needs.
Shopify Markets lets you sell internationally from one store, with local currencies, languages, pricing and domains.
We can set up international selling properly, including the right technical setup so each market can be found in search.
Headless means using Shopify for products, inventory and checkout, while building the storefront with a separate technology. It offers maximum design freedom for very large or complex brands.
It also costs more to build and maintain. For most stores, a well-built Shopify theme is faster to launch, easier to manage and better value. We will tell you honestly if headless is worth it for you.
If a few of these sound familiar, it may be time. Sometimes targeted theme improvements are enough, and we will tell you if that is the case.
Not every store needs a new theme. If your theme is modern and well-built, targeted improvements to product pages, collections, speed and apps can deliver most of the benefit for less.
A rebuild makes sense when the theme is outdated, heavily patched, slow at its core or no longer fits your brand. We will give you an honest recommendation after reviewing your store.
The first weeks after launch matter most. We watch orders, checkout, tracking, speed and search rankings closely and fix issues quickly.
After that, the best stores keep improving. We look at where shoppers drop off, which products and pages perform, and what customers search for, then make changes based on real sales data.
Yes, and many successful brands started that way. Shopify is designed to make it possible.
Where a developer helps is with the parts that are easy to get wrong: custom design, speed, migrations, SEO, integrations and tracking. Those are the parts that decide whether the store keeps growing.
Every build follows the same careful stages, so you always know where things stand.
Your product page is where the buying decision happens. Shoppers need to see the product clearly, understand it quickly and feel confident before they add it to the cart.
Strong product pages have clear photos from several angles, a short summary of the key benefits, detailed information further down, visible delivery and returns details, genuine reviews and an add-to-cart button that is always easy to reach on a phone.
Collection pages help shoppers narrow down what they want. Good filters, sensible sorting and clear product cards make browsing easy, especially in larger catalogues.
Collections also matter for SEO, because they often target the broad searches shoppers use first. We build collection templates with room for helpful content without pushing the products out of sight.
Shoppers who use your store search often know exactly what they want, and they tend to buy at a higher rate. If search returns poor results, you lose them.
We set up search so it handles product names, types, synonyms and common misspellings well, and we review what people search for to spot gaps in your range or product data.
If you also sell at a shopfront, market or event, Shopify POS lets you run in-person sales from the same system as your online store. Stock, customers and orders stay in one place.
We can set up POS alongside your online store, so inventory stays accurate and customers get the same experience wherever they buy.
For products people buy again and again, like coffee, skincare or pet food, subscriptions can smooth your cash flow and increase customer value.
We set up subscriptions with a suitable app, design them to be easy to manage for customers, and make sure they are tracked properly in your analytics.
Shopify can automate a lot of routine work, such as tagging customers, flagging risky orders, alerting your team when stock runs low or sending orders to the right warehouse.
Tools like Shopify Flow make this possible without custom code. We look at the repetitive tasks your team does every day and automate the ones that are worth it.
Customer accounts make it easier for shoppers to reorder, track orders and save details. Loyalty programs give them a reason to come back.
We set up accounts and loyalty features that are simple to use, and connect them to your email platform so you can reward and re-engage your best customers.
Before launch, place real test orders with each payment method, check order and shipping emails, try the store on your own phone, confirm GST and shipping rates, and make sure old URLs redirect properly. Ask for the redirect list and tracking setup in writing. We provide both as part of every launch.
Shoppers can’t touch your products, so images and video do that job. Clear photos from several angles, close-ups of details, lifestyle shots that show scale, and short videos all build confidence.
We build product galleries that load fast and look sharp on every screen, and we make sure image files are properly sized and named, which also helps your products appear in image search and Shopping ads.
An accessible store can be used by more people, including shoppers who rely on screen readers, keyboards or zoom. It is the right thing to do, and it often improves the experience for everyone.
We build themes with readable text, strong contrast, clear labels, keyboard-friendly menus and alt text for product images, and we check key templates before launch.
Shopify handles hosting, payment security and platform updates, which removes a lot of risk. The main risks left are apps with too much access, unused staff accounts and weak passwords.
We review app permissions and staff access, remove what is no longer needed, and set up sensible access levels so each person has only what they need.
A great store comes from close collaboration. You know your products, customers and operations. We know how to design, build and launch Shopify stores.
You will have regular check-ins, a preview store to test as it takes shape, and a clear point of contact. After launch, we train your team so they are confident running the store day to day.
Black Friday, Christmas and end of financial year put your store under the most pressure. It is the worst time for a slow page, a broken discount or a checkout problem.
We recommend finishing major changes well before peak season, testing discounts and bundles in advance, and keeping a close eye on speed and checkout during busy periods.
Shoppers are starting to ask AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini for product recommendations. Those tools rely on clear, structured product information to understand what you sell.
We build stores with clean product data, detailed descriptions, structured data for products and reviews, and content that answers common buyer questions. That helps Google, AI tools and real shoppers alike.
Apps are quick to install, but they are built for thousands of stores, not yours. They can add weight, cost and limits you don’t need.
For features you rely on every day, such as a custom product builder, size finder or special delivery rules, a custom-built feature can be faster, cheaper over time and exactly fit how you work. We help you weigh up the trade-offs.
The design and code that controls how your Shopify store looks and works.
Building blocks of a page that you can add, remove and reorder in the theme editor.
Extra structured fields for products and other data, like materials or dimensions.
Shopify’s template language, used to build themes.
Shopify’s plan for high-volume and complex businesses.
Shopify’s fast checkout that saves customer details for next time.
Using Shopify behind the scenes with a separately built storefront.
Shopify’s tools for selling in multiple countries from one store.
Code that tells Google which version of a page is the main one.
A permanent redirect from an old URL to a new one, used to protect rankings.
We work best with brands that have good products and want a store that sells more and runs more smoothly. These are the businesses we most often help.
Businesses on WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce or Wix that want a simpler, more reliable platform without losing their rankings.
Stores that have outgrown their theme, their apps or their setup, and need a faster, cleaner build to keep growing.
Brands with a strong identity and a loyal following. Our director founded a globally recognised cultural eCommerce brand, so we know how to build a store that feels like the brand.
Suppliers selling to trade customers who need price lists, account logins, quick ordering and integrations.
Founders launching a first store who want to get the foundations right from day one.
We review a lot of Shopify stores. These are the problems we see most often. Flip a card to see how we fix it, and tick any that sound like you.
Too many apps slowing the store and adding monthly fees.
Old URLs break, and years of rankings disappear.
Inconsistent titles and variants hurt search, filters and ads.
Surprise shipping costs at checkout drive shoppers away.
Autoplay videos and big sliders that slow the first impression.
Purchases missed or double-counted across GA4, Google and Meta.
Hard-coded content means every change needs a developer.
Most developers have never had to answer customer emails, pack orders or chase a supplier. We have. Our director founded and scaled a globally recognised eCommerce brand and has sourced products directly from manufacturers, including through the Canton Fair.
That changes how we build. We think about how your team will add products late at night, how customers find delivery information, how returns work and what happens when stock runs out, not just how the home page looks.
When you work with us, you get developers who understand the whole business of selling online.
These questions will help you find a Shopify partner who will build a store that sells.
We are happy to answer every one of these on a call. That is part of our free audit.
Straight answers to the questions business owners and marketing managers ask us most.
It depends on whether you need a customised or custom theme, your catalogue size, migration needs and integrations. We give you a fixed quote for a clear scope before we start.
It depends on the size of the store, the content and how quickly decisions are made. We agree a clear timeline upfront and keep you updated throughout.
No. Builds are scoped and quoted upfront, and support after launch runs month to month with no lock-in.
Yes. Your Shopify store, theme, content and data are yours, with full admin access.
Yes. We migrate products, customers, orders and content, map every URL and set up redirects to protect your rankings.
Not if the migration is planned properly. We map every old URL, set up redirects, carry across meta data and monitor rankings closely after launch.
Yes. We build custom themes on Shopify’s modern theme system, with sections your team can edit.
Yes. If your theme is modern and well-built, targeted improvements are often the best value.
Most stores don’t. Plus makes sense for high-volume or complex businesses that need its extra features. We will give you an honest recommendation.
Usually, yes. We clean up theme code, reduce app bloat, optimise images and test against Core Web Vitals.
Yes. We connect Shopify to inventory, accounting, warehouse and CRM systems so data stays in sync.
Yes. GA4, Google Ads, the Meta Pixel and Conversions API are set up and tested before launch.
Yes. We set up trade pricing, customer-specific catalogues, account logins and quick ordering, using Shopify’s B2B features or suitable apps.
Yes. Where no existing app does what you need, we can build a custom app or feature.
Yes. We set up payment providers, shipping rates and GST correctly for Australian customers.
Yes. We can set up Shopify Markets with local currencies, languages and pricing, and the right technical SEO for each market.
Yes. Our care and growth plans cover updates, fixes, improvements and new features, month to month.
Yes. Our eCommerce growth service covers SEO, Google Shopping, Meta ads and conversion work.
We can advise on headless builds, but for most stores a well-built theme is faster to launch and better value. We will tell you honestly which suits you.
Yes. We build with flexible sections and train your team to manage products, pages and content.
Where the platforms and review apps allow it, yes. We check this during scoping.
Often, yes. We review the theme, apps and setup first, then recommend whether to improve it or rebuild.
Yes. We are based in Perth and build Shopify stores for brands right across Australia.
Access to your current store or platform, your analytics, and a conversation about your products, customers and goals.
Yes. We can set up Shopify POS alongside your online store so stock, customers and orders stay in one system.
Yes. We set up subscriptions using a suitable app and make sure they are easy for customers to manage and tracked properly.
Yes. We improve product search so shoppers find what they want quickly, including synonyms and common misspellings.
Yes. We connect Shopify to your email platform so customer, order and browsing data flows through for automated emails.
Your old store stays live while we build the new one. We only switch over once everything is tested, and we keep a full backup.
Yes. We can set up bundles and cross-sells that suit your products and help lift average order value.
Yes. We show your team how to manage products, collections, pages, discounts and orders, and provide simple guides for common tasks.
Yes. We can review your store, speed up key pages and test discounts and checkout before peak season. The earlier we start, the better.
Yes. We set up discount codes, automatic discounts, free shipping thresholds and bundles, and test them before they go live.
Yes. We work on standard Shopify and Shopify Plus stores, including checkout customisation and B2B features where they apply.
Yes. We can build features that let shoppers personalise or configure products, using a suitable app or custom development.
Yes. Our free store review looks at your speed, theme, apps, product data and tracking, and tells you honestly whether targeted fixes or a rebuild will give you the better return.
Where they save time, yes. Shopify’s built-in AI tools can help with product descriptions and store content. We always review and edit the output so it is accurate and on brand.
About the author
Director and Lead Consultant, Anahaw Media
John Conigliaro is the Director and Lead Consultant at Anahaw Media, a Perth digital marketing agency focused on performance. A Filipino-Australian digital marketer now based in Perth, WA, with more than 15 years’ experience across Singapore and Australia, he has led agencies in Australia on technical execution and growth strategy, founded a globally recognised eCommerce brand, and managed almost 300 campaigns, from small businesses to multinational brands, including Canon, Uniqlo, Benefit Cosmetics, Asiana Airlines, Changi Recommends, APM and Golfbox. He completed an MBA and a dissertation on Digital Transformation, holds a specialisation in Computer Applications from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSU-CSB), and is also a consumer tech critic and publisher. His mission is to use his talent and passion for digital marketing to change businesses for the better, in how they win customers and how they build their brand.
Get a free Shopify store review. We will look at your speed, theme, apps and tracking, and tell you what we would fix first.
Free guides
Plain-English, step-by-step guides from our team. Use them to do it yourself, or to know what good looks like before you hire anyone. See all guides
How to Migrate to Shopify (Without Losing Sales or Rankings)A step-by-step plan to move your store to Shopify while keeping your Google rankings, customers, order history, tracking and sales intact.Read the guide 
How to Do Shopify SEO: A Store Owner’s ChecklistA practical Shopify SEO checklist: collections vs products, duplicate URLs, product descriptions, apps and speed, variants, stock and international stores.Read the guide 
How to Increase Average Order Value (Without Buying More Traffic)A step-by-step guide to lifting order size and repeat sales for Australian online stores, without wrecking your margin.Read the guide