Hire Certified & Professional Shopify Expert in 48 Hours

Each platform caters to specific needs: Share photos? Use Instagram or Snapchat. Need a party dress short on time? Amazon has you covered.

Thus, every application, be it mobile or web, has its dedicated framework on which it is built. Shopify is one such eCommerce platform. It began as an online store for snowboarding products. In fact, its founder created the platform to solve his own snowboarding eCommerce needs!

There’s no doubt Shopify is one of the most sought-after eCommerce platforms, used by over 1,000,000 merchants across 200+ countries.

Considering the popularity Shopify has gained over the years, entrepreneurs and businesses have started adapting this platform to build their online stores. The challenge? Hiring the right Shopify developers. Let us look at some critical questions to ask when hiring Shopify developers.

1. How many years of experience do you have in eCommerce development?

   This seems basic, but your entire project hinges on this answer. Imagine a newbie handling a store with 2000+ products. Optimizing an eCommerce store can be as challenging as building one.

   The reason? Hundreds of pictures, payment gateways, checkout options, SEO-optimized designs, and a million other things. Make sure you build an eCommerce that can withstand time and trends. Only an experienced Shopify developer can execute your vision.

2. What are the recent eCommerce projects you have worked upon?

   Ask this if their experience aligns with your needs. Their portfolio reveals their grasp of modern designs, user-friendly navigation, and error-free checkout processes. Use their work to ask project-specific questions, like: “How would you ensure a store with 2,000+ products loads quickly?”

3. Would you be able to build an SEO-friendly eCommerce store?

   Building a great online shopping portal is not the only objective. I mean, what is the point of building a website that your target audience can't find? The search queries fired must land on your shop. So, it is important to know how your Shopify developer makes the store searchable.

   You might have a limited budget for marketing and advertising, but you'd want your store to enjoy organic traffic too, right? Hire pre-vetted & high-performance remote teams.

4. Can you perform data migration and integration?

   You may need to transfer crucial data from your existing eCommerce website to a new one. And as you know that two of the vital and strategic functions of any eCommerce platform, including Shopify, are data integration and migration. So, I believe an expert must carry it out.

5. What are the Project Management and Communication Tools you use?

   Consider hiring a team of expert Shopify Developers for your project. Now that you are going to lead this team as if you own it, you'll be required to take follow-ups for the tasks delegated. This necessitates clear communication. You will now have to decide the preferred mode of communication with your Shopify Developers.

   With so many Project Management and Communication tools available in the market, your developers might be using Proofhub and Slack. Confirm their flexibility to adapt to your tools—this ensures transparency and smoother feedback cycles.

6. Would you be able to optimize the store for mobile users?

   Mobile optimization isn't an option but a necessity for survival in modern e-commerce. As of 2023, mobile commerce already dominates over 50% of global e-commerce revenue, generating $1.7 trillion in sales. This share has grown steadily from 43% in 2018 and is projected to reach 63% by 2028, making mobile the undisputed engine of retail growth.

   Consumer behavior has shifted irreversibly:

   • 80% of retail website traffic and 66% of all orders now originate from mobile devices.
   • 30% of global shoppers use mobile commerce weekly, with adoption rates even higher in tech-forward markets.

   These numbers reflect how smartphones and tablets have become the primary shopping tools for billions. Stores lacking seamless mobile experiences risk losing traffic and two-thirds of potential sales.

7. Key Skills that are important for Shopify Developers

   Shopify developers play a pivotal role in building and maintaining e-commerce websites on the Shopify platform and they need a set of diverse skills to tailor the online store effectively. Key skills that every Shopify developer for hire must possess are:

   1. Proficiency in Liquid, Shopify's templating language, is crucial for customizing themes and functionalities. This proprietary language allows developers to create dynamic and personalized shopping experiences. Developers use this proprietary language to build interactive shopping experiences that adapt to individual customer needs.
   2. Developing responsive designs and improving user experience needs a comprehensive understanding of HTML and CSS, and JavaScript. Your store relies on these fundamental web technologies to deliver an excellent appearance across devices and maintain smooth user interactions.
   3. Familiarity with Shopify APIs enables developers to integrate third-party applications and manage data efficiently. This extends your store's functionality beyond Shopify's native capabilities.
   4. Knowledge of Core Web Vitals and SEO practices is essential for optimizing store visibility in search engines. Google's 2024 ranking factors emphasize page speed and user experience. Developers must understand how to optimize Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction to Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
   5. Experience with headless commerce architecture is increasingly valuable. More businesses seek to separate their front-end presentation layer from the back-end eCommerce functionality, allowing for more customized and flexible shopping experiences.
   6. Proficiency with Shopify's AI tools, like Shopify Magic, is becoming a must-have skill in 2025. This is especially important for generating product descriptions and optimizing content.
   7. A Shopify developer needs both creativity and excellent problem-solving abilities with exceptional communication skills. Their capacity to interact with clients and team members becomes easier because this ability enables them to understand client requirements for store enhancement and ongoing support.

The current trend among traditional companies involves using online stores to achieve broader markets while speeding up business growth.

The eCommerce industry evolves rapidly because of artificial intelligence progress, consumer shopping pattern changes, and evolving technical requirements. To be successful as a Shopify developer, one needs expertise in both technical fundamentals along skills in emerging trends.

At Uplers, we bridge this dual requirement by merging AI-driven efficiency with human ingenuity. Our developers adopt cutting-edge tools for speed and scalability. Their creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and deep understanding of user behavior ensure your store resonates with audiences and aligns with your business goals.

The right set of questions provides you with an enhanced understanding of a programmer's skills, which helps you make better decisions regarding hiring candidates. Uplers provides eCommerce success by unifying expert Shopify developers who deliver technical excellence and market-oriented solutions through customer-oriented teamwork.

Your search for top-tier Shopify developers starts here.

And at some point, you might also wonder: Which one out of Shopify vs WordPress is more suitable for your business?

In addition to their ability to build successful online stores, both these platforms are very different from one another.

Let’s explore these two options and determine which is suitable for your online store project.

1. What is Shopify?

   People who are relatively new to the concept of website creation can use this tool. For using this, the person does not have to be tech-savvy. It provides online retailers with a service suite, including marketing, payments, delivery, and customer experience tools, to simplify the operation of small merchant online stores.

   It provides a range of templates that can be customized to meet individual businesses’ branding requirements, and it allows the sale of both physical and digital goods.

   With Shopify stores, you will have access to all the excellent features it has to offer for a fixed monthly fee. Even though it is very convenient and easy to use, it also has a drawback. You have minimal control over your website since Shopify handles everything on your behalf.

   Pros:
   • You can choose from over 100 different online store designs.
   • You’ll have access to 24/7 support.
   • Shopify has a clean and easy to use interface
   • Being an E-Commerce platform, Shopify is already a hosted site and thus possesses more robust security.
   • There are several excellent points of sale options.
   • Your store comes with a wide variety of analytics features, including tracking customer behavior, stock levels, and conversions.
   • Shopify now offers AI-powered tools for writing product descriptions, optimizing search rankings, and automating customer support via Shopify Magic.
   • WordPress now supports headless commerce (e.g., WooCommerce + React) for faster performance. Popular 2024 plugins include WooPayments and CartFlows
   Cons:
   • It is imperative that you use Shopify’s payment gateway to collect payments from your customers; otherwise, you have to pay extra transaction fees (0.5%- 2% per transaction).
   • In the event of platform migration, Shopify may not be the most favorable option.
   • If you choose to switch themes, you will have to reformat your content.
   • You have less control over the site with Shopify.
   • It lacks an email hosting facility.

2. What is WordPress?

   WordPress is a widely used platform for building websites. Nearly 40 percent of all the websites on the internet today are running on WordPress. This platform is entirely self-hosted.

   An open-source content management system that relies mainly on PHP and MySQL was initially intended to serve as a blog management tool but has now been expanded into a versatile CMS. Businesses have taken a great deal of interest in WordPress development to create a blog, website, and mobile applications. Today, it is also possible to integrate WordPress plugins into creating an online store.

   Pros:
   • WordPress offers the flexibility that no other website builder can.
   • The WordPress software is free. To use it, you need to choose a web host and buy a domain name. When all is put together, you can get started with WordPress for about $5/month.
   • There is no direct support but a very helpful support community.
   • Since WordPress is an open-source solution, it is an economical option for small and medium-sized businesses.
   • This software is primarily designed for larger markets, and its admin interfaces are friendly and convenient.
   • More powerful and flexible than Shopify, allowing for total customization.
   Cons:
   • It is your responsibility to take care of things like hosting, security, maintenance, etc.
   • WordPress is slower than Shopify because developers have to go through different platforms and internal configurations to build the eCommerce supporting functional platform.
   • For this platform to function effectively, you will need some level of technical knowledge.
   • It lacks some of the essential advanced features that could make store management more effortless.
   • It is not exactly beginner-friendly.
   • As it offers minimal maintenance support, you have to rely on online forums for solutions.

3. Shopify vs WordPress: Detailed Comparison

   Pricing

   A primary consideration when developing an eCommerce site is pricing. You will have to determine the total cost of the entire project, which includes the fee for the website builder and any required add-on services if any.

   Shopify provides five pricing plans:

   • Basic: $29 USD/month billed once yearly
   • Shopify For small teams: $79 USD/month
   • Advanced: $299 USD/month
   • Plus for more complex businesses: $2,300 USD/month starting

   Start for free, then enjoy $1/month for 3 months, and you can select from any of the above plans based on your requirement for features.

   On the other hand, WordPress is free to download and install. However, it’s considerably harder to say how much a WordPress web design costs to build – that’s because there are quite a lot of variables involved. It comes with other additional things that you have to pay for.

4. Customer Support:

   Using these platforms can cause some problems just like any other software, and the support offered by the website builder plays a vital role in deciding whether to choose the platform.

   Support is an area where I think it’s fair to say that Shopify beats WordPress, particularly if you are building your site yourself.

   Providing full 24/7 support and a wealth of community support, Shopify has a robust community backing its e-commerce platform.

   When you buy a Shopify plan, you get support bundled with it. Live chat, email, and phone support are included on all plans, except for the ‘Lite’ one (which limits support to live chat and email).

   It means if something goes badly wrong with your store, there is somebody you can turn to.

   When it comes to WordPress, you might have to look for help all over. A huge open-source community like WordPress has millions of contributors. If you get stuck, just post your query in the community. You will receive plenty of solutions in no time.

5. Control over your content:

   Generally, WordPress users can put whatever they want on their site. Shopify users, however, need to be aware and follow their acceptable use policy, or they’re highly likely to remove the entire site.

   A hosting company has the authority to take down a WordPress site if it doesn’t like the content on it – but in that case, you have more options, such as switching to a more liberal provider.

   On a related note, it’s easier to get content out of WordPress than Shopify, thanks to built-in export tools that facilitate the export and backup of the content.

   Shopify allows you to export product data in CSV format but not static pages and blogs – these must be manually copied and pasted, which seems old-fashioned.

   Ultimately, WordPress allows users more control over their content than Shopify, and depending on the nature and size of your site, this issue should not be overlooked.

6. Ease of Use:

   When it comes to Shopify vs WordPress, the most significant difference is coding.

   The Shopify platform was created keeping both developers and non-technical users in mind. You do not need exceptional programming skills to use this platform. Hence, it does not have a high learning curve because you can manage everything without writing a single line of code.

   The WordPress platform requires some coding knowledge, even if it’s only at an elementary level, to use it. This also isn’t naturally set up to sell online, so you will need to install a plugin to make your website eCommerce ready.

   Many eCommerce plugins are available, including WooCommerce, Ecwid, and BigCommerce. It’s important to research each one before choosing which to use.

   WordPress has its centralized dashboard where you can manage your website. Because WordPress is such a vast platform, it can get a little overwhelming as there are so many tools and options.

7. Shopify vs WordPress: When to choose one over another?

   When to use Shopify for Ecommerce?
   • If you don’t have a website yet, you can use Shopify to launch an eCommerce store with ease.
   • Use it if you don’t have experience in website design, programming, or coding and do not wish to hire a specialist to set up your eCommerce store.
   • To have your online store integrated with an offline store, this is the tool you need.
   • Use it when you’re looking for an eCommerce platform with 24/7 customer support.

8. When to use WordPress for eCommerce?

   • Use it if you already have a WordPress site and you’re familiar with the interface. For instance, WooCommerce uses the same admin panel organization for your products and orders, so there’s no additional learning curve.
   • You can use it if your site is already on WordPress and you wish to avoid investing more money in a new eCommerce platform.
   • Consider using it if you don’t mind experimenting with source code periodically.
   • Use it if you can cope without any fast-reacting customer support.

   One cannot simply choose between Shopify and WordPress for eCommerce as each has its advantages. In the end, it all boils down to your specific needs and requirements.

   You have to keep all the elements of your ideal online store in mind. You must make the right pick; only then will you provide a hassle-free experience for your customers.

And that’s where your hiring decision becomes the make-or-break!

From scaling a SaaS company to building a D2C product company, hiring the right Shopify developer is about finding someone who can build scalable infrastructure, create seamless buying journeys, and optimize for performance - end to end.

In this blog we will take a walk through of the key capabilities that you must prioritize when you hire these experts - so that your next hire doesn’t just develop a store, but an edge over your competitors.

If you are a cookie-cutter store, there are slim chances of scaling. Having a skilled Shopify developer gives you the advantage to architect your store from the ground up. This then aligns with your brand vision, operations, and long-term goals.

• Organized navigation that complements your buyer flow and product catalogue.
• Adaptable back-end logic to facilitate automation and unique workflows.
• Rules for taxes, shipping, and inventory that are specific to your areas and SKUs.
• Simplified admin panel to facilitate updates and management.

This means your store is evolving with your business, whether it’s adding new verticals or entering the global marketplace.

Themes must not only be visually appealing but should also serve as a purpose, they should convert. Skilled developers not only install templates - they shape your storefront to narrate a story.

• Shopify themes that are fully responsive for smooth desktop and mobile experiences.
• Improvements to UI/UX based on conversion best practices and user behaviour.
• Visuals unique to a brand that increase recognition and trust.
• Optimization for improved SEO performance and agile load times.

By hiring a Shopify expert you are bringing on someone who makes your digital storefront as memorable as your product.

Your tech stack keeps scaling as your business grows. A capable Shopify developer makes sure that your store plays well with the essential tools.

• Inventory management systems, ERPs, and CRMs.
• Retargeting tools and email marketing platforms.
• Gateways for payments such as PayPal, Shopify Payments, and Stripe.
• Solutions for the Shopify App Store that increase store functionality.

The checkout experience is where you either convert your visitors or you lose them all together. Developers help improve every step with thoughtful features and performance tuning.

• Checkouts that are one page and lower friction.
• Customized upsells and cross-sells using cart modifiers.
• Custom fields for notes, compliance, or subscriptions.
• Geo-specific shipping, taxation, and pricing reasoning.

When you hire Shopify developers with experience in custom checkout flows it means a lot more than faster checkouts - it results in higher average order value and fewer abandoned carts.

Do you want to outgrow the off-the-shelf tools? A top-tier Shopify expert for hire can develop apps from scratch to address your exact business needs.

• Custom applications for process automation, customer segmentation, or inventory synchronizing.
• APIs that are secure and interface with other systems.
• Internal resources to assist with fulfilment or reporting.
• Long-term adaptability to evolving feature requirements.

Agile, findable, and functional - that’s the expectation when you hire Shopify experts. Skilled developers build a storefront for technical SEO and user performance from day one.

• Site structure optimization and lightweight code.
• SEO-friendly information, schema markup, and URLs.
• Enhancements to page speed through lazy loading and picture compression.
• Mobile-first performance tuning.

Your Shopify store is a product in itself, not merely a way to sell things. And the product quality depends heavily on who builds it.

When you're prepared to grow, hire Shopify developers who will add technical, strategic, and creative thinking to each click rather than simply copying and pasting code and plugging in a theme. A skilled developer does more than just launch your store; they fuel its expansion, from checkout customization to performance optimization.