Shopify’s Theme Store provides merchants with a few pre-made free themes that they can use to start selling instantly. These free themes are perfect for new merchants. However, many merchants do opt for a custom Shopify design for their store.
But, as a merchant, how do you know if your Shopify store needs a custom design or if you can make do with a pre-made theme available on the Shopify Theme Store?
In this blog, we’ll help you understand what a custom Shopify design is and whether your Shopify store needs it.
Also read: Complete Guide to Shopify Store Design for New Online Merchants
What is Custom Shopify Theme?
A custom Shopify theme is usually designed and developed from scratch by a Shopify expert, based on highly specific needs you have as a merchant. Unlike pre-made themes, a custom Shopify design caters to what the merchant wants, based on their priorities and their vision for the brand.
A pre-made theme, on the other hand, is already built and merchants work around the existing structure to set up their store.
Let’s look at the key differences between a custom theme and a pre-made theme.
Cost
Pre-made Shopify themes are free. However, many merchants can also buy a pre-made theme from the Shopify Theme Store or through Shopify experts. However, paid pre-made themes have fixed prices.
On the other hand, a custom Shopify theme is paid and the cost depends on the features and functionalities the merchant needs. Shopify design experts set up a cost for their custom theme based on the requirements and the time they would take to design and develop.
Feature set
A pre-made theme has limited feature sets. Many merchants enable other apps to enhance their pre-made themes. Custom themes, however, are set up with the features that merchants want on their Shopify store, ensuring you don’t have to set up any add-ons or apps.
Also read: 8 Best Practices to Enhance Your Shopify Store’s Design
Mobile responsiveness
Your pre-made theme may or may not be mobile responsive, depending on the way the theme is made. Custom themes are made by Shopify experts and made keeping in mind the influx of mobile shoppers who would be visiting your store. Custom Shopify themes are optimized for mobile.
Which kind of merchant should set up a custom theme?
To start with, small and new merchants can set up their Shopify store by using a free and pre-made theme. It’s crucial to start gaining sales and acquiring customers before you commission an expensive custom Shopify design. However, if you are growing as a brand, have started your business with an advanced Shopify plan, or have just taken your successful retail business online, you need a custom Shopify theme that checks all your specific needs.
Custom Shopify themes are perfect for brands who are seeing success online and want long-term growth or want to enable highly advanced features without adding more apps that will clutter their code.
Work with Xgentech to set up a custom Shopify design for your eCommerce business. Reach out to info@xgentech.net now!
Reasons to Set Up a Custom Shopify Theme
Here are the 5 reasons and benefits of setting up a custom Shopify theme:
1. Unique design
Pre-made themes are a one-size-fits-all structure. When using these themes, your Shopify store’s content needs to be adapted to that structure.
Your custom Shopify theme is unique, built from scratch, and based on your needs, expectations, industry trends, and consumer preferences. It isn’t confined to a pre-defined structure like a pre-made theme is.
2. Specific functionalities built into your design
When setting up your custom theme, your Shopify design expert will develop the unique functionalities you need within your store design. This way, you don’t have to depend on third-party apps to enable minor features. Moreover, unlike a third-party app that might bulk up your code, your custom design will enable these customized features within your store while keeping your code clean.
3. Flexible and made for long-term scale
A custom Shopify design is made keeping in mind your needs in the long-term as well. You can work with your Shopify expert to plan your needs presently as well in the long-term, even accounting for customizations needed for the holiday season and product launch.
Your custom Shopify theme can be improved and upgraded over time, as your business grows.
Want to get a consultation to understand your store design needs? Reach out to our Shopify design experts at info@xgentech.net now!
4. Personalized support
With pre-made themes, getting help from the theme developers is a little hard. However, with your custom theme, you can get direct support from your Shopify design experts and get issue fixes, optimizations, and design updates with a quick turnaround.
Your Shopify design experts will work with you closely, helping you set up a delightful on-site experience.
5. Built to take customers through the sales funnel faster
Every Shopify store’s on-site sales journey is different. A pre-made theme is not built to simplify the customer journey but instead, just serves one purpose— to allow shoppers to buy.
However, with a customized Shopify design, your shoppers could be led through the sales funnel without any friction. A custom Shopify theme can help you structure your site in such a way that shoppers can easily flow through your Shopify store with ease.
Also read: 10 Ways to Improve the Online Shopping Journey On Your Shopify Store
Set up a custom design for your Shopify store with XgenTech
A custom Shopify design is not for every store. As a store owner, you can evaluate the requirements you have and the features you need on your Shopify store. Check if a pre-made theme matches these requirements you have and speak to a Shopify expert to see if these specific features you want require a customized theme.
If you want a Shopify theme that adapts as you grow, a custom Shopify design is perfect for you.
Setting up such a custom design is easy with the right Shopify expert. Our team of Shopify design experts is well-versed with industry benchmarks, practices, and trends. See the other Shopify stores we’ve worked with to set up stunning store designs.
Here’s how we approach custom design:
- Brainstorming: When setting up your custom Shopify design, we work with you to understand the needs you have.
- Research: We conduct market research to understand your consumer preferences and industry practices.
- Planning: We then create a structured plan on how to approach your custom design, from feature requirements to design style.
- Mockup and Feedback: We then draw a mockup and share this with you to get feedback and make tweaks to the design.
- Development: Once this mockup is finalized, we develop the custom Shopify design and take it live.
- Post-Launch: As your Shopify expert, we work with you closely for any optimizations and changes you need post-launch, whether you want to promote your big sale or add a new feature. This support can help you keep your store design updated without any delays.
Reach out to us at info@xgentech.net and we’ll help you plan 8nd set up your custom Shopify store design!
Author Bio: This guest post was contributed to our blog by XgenTech. XgenTech is a Shopify agency that works with global brands to create store designs that are high converting.
