Whether you're already on Shopify or Shopify Plus, sooner or later you'll need an expert to customize your theme, develop custom features, or simply optimize your performance. But between freelancers, specialized e-commerce agencies , and offshore developers, it's easy to get lost.
In this article, we give you a simple and effective method for choosing a reliable Shopify developer , comparing quotes, and avoiding unpleasant surprises... in order to develop your store with complete peace of mind.
What to do before choosing a freelance Shopify developer?
First, before you can choose your Shopify developer , you'll need to do a little homework and start listing what you want them to do. And yes, this is step number one, even before contacting them. Why? Because the number of requests, their complexity, and their urgency are all essential points to communicate when selecting the right developer for your Shopify store.
What should you list? You can create an Excel document, a Google Doc, or even an Airtable or Notion or similar document and start listing the areas you want to optimize on your site. They may not all be under the control of a developer, but at least you'll already have a good list.
Step two: Specify what you expect from each point. What is the problem you are facing, why it is important for you to solve this problem, and how you see things.
Here is an example:
Point to optimize: Add reassurance to the product sheet
Detail: I would like to be able to have 4 interchangeable logos on the product sheet just below the add to cart button to upload logos and a line of text in order to reassure customers about delivery, deadlines, stocks and product quality.
This doesn't need to be a technical description, don't detail the languages to be used or the technical way of doing things and try not to be too vague. "I want to install an ERP" is not enough for example.
In short, once you have your list and you have detailed it, you have to prioritize! And yes, it's up to you to decide what should be done first (in your opinion). Even if this order is not definitive, it allows you to think about your priority and in the event of a budget discussion with the Shopify developer, to be able to choose, or even divide, some of the features.
Additionally, some developers will be more comfortable implementing certain features or more comfortable with certaine-commerce CMSs , while others will prefer to pass on their turn. You may end up selecting several Shopify developers or one Shopify agency for the whole thing.
Once you have your to-do list organized, detailed, and timed, you have all the elements you need to get interesting and relevant answers from a Shopify developer. It's time to start the consultation.
Picture Checklist: How to Find a Shopify Developer?
Choosing a Shopify developer, or looking?
To choose a Shopify developer, you'll need to receive quotes. You'll need to contact several Shopify developers, who will respond to you based on their availability, skills, experience, and responsiveness. But how do you contact them? Here are several solutions
Contact developers on networking platforms.
You may have heard of platforms like “MALT” or “fiverr” or others that allow you to find developers or digital agencies in Bordeaux .
First thing to do, create an account on malt and post your request. Malt is a serious site with a lot of good profiles, sometimes a little expensive but that's the price of quality.
Normally, you should have several answers quickly if you provide them with the elements you have previously prepared.
But there are also other solutions for finding developers
Find an offshore Shopify developer
There are also platforms specialized in “offshore” or “nearshore” development. That is to say, with Shopify developers based in Africa, Asia or South America, sometimes in Eastern Europe. Often in low-cost countries, like India. You can come across many very competent profiles, but intercultural management is something to take into account. If you have no experience in the field, it's a bit of a hit and miss. If budget is your main criterion, this is still where you will have the lowest costs, but keep in mind that if you don't have technical skills or don't speak English, it will remain a complicated adventure.
Submit a development request on Linkedin
This is a practice that is becoming more and more widespread, but you should know that it is possible to take advantage of it even if your network is not very large and you do not have thousands of followers on Linkedin.
Linkedin is a global professional network and perhaps even with a bit of luck, by putting “owner” or “manager” of a Shopify site in your profile, you have already had requests from developers for modifications.
Once again, there is everything, serious people, offshore people, Frenchies... But it doesn't cost much to ask for a quote to compare
Make a request on Facebook dev groups
This is a common approach on the groups I follow, so I can't help but mention it here as a way to find a developer to modify your Shopify site. However, the answers I see are often not very qualitative, sometimes simply taken from chatgpt or before that from stack overflow or sometimes just wrong. However, this can also give good results. For my part, I found a CTO developer for a project on a Facebook group with a collaboration over several years.
Before choosing a Shopify developer, compare!
Now that you've identified one or more potential Shopify developers, it's time to shop around! Often, the easiest way is to request a quote in exchange for your pre-prepared list. The more detailed the quote, the better.
But how do you compare quotes?
You will receive several proposals, generally in PDF format. The idea is to see the elements and details provided in one quote compared to the others. This should generate questions: hold on, such a developer thinks about this point, he has planned so much time but the other plans 10 times less time.
It's time to understand the quotes: spend time talking with each developer to understand their vision of things in relation to your requests. If a developer does not want to explain their quote, very well, just do not select them. Talk about everything: payment terms, bugs, response time, warranty period, satisfaction, testimonials from previous customers, etc.
And above all, even if you're not a developer, don't let technical language fool you. You're about to sign a proposal that commits you financially, and you have the right to understand what you're being sold.
And what if the developer doesn't want to give a quote?
No quote, no project. Don't waste your time with a developer who doesn't want to take the time to understand your project and formalize a proposal that meets your needs. Look for another developer who uses the methods explained above.
There's no shortage of Shopify developers in the world.
Some rules for choosing a freelance Shopify developer
Here is a list of some tips/reminders to help you better choose a developer.
- The cheapest is not necessarily the best value for money.
- The most expensive developer is not necessarily the best one for you
- You can discuss to understand everything but do not negotiate all the points of the quote
- 90% of problems can be avoided by systematically contacting former clients of the developer before signing to verify (reference taking)
- It is often possible to discuss payment terms.
- If the developer doesn't give you a quote or doesn't ask for a deposit, he's a beginner. Choose him knowingly and above all: pay him a deposit anyway (25/30% of the project) and establish a payment schedule. Many beginner freelance developers get scammed
- If the developer does not communicate or explain: do not sign
- If you don't feel it, don't sign
- If you don't understand, don't sign
- If you have any doubt, don't sign.
- If you have doubts about something in the middle of the project, don't wait and communicate.
- If the developer turns out to be the wrong one, discuss it with him and see how we can find a solution together.
- Interact with your developer: don't leave them alone in their corner, the quality will suffer.
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Don't use Chatgpt to tell your developer what to do and how to do it.
So, with all this, you have the keys to finding the Shopify developer of your dreams and engaging in a beneficial, long-term relationship to develop your site.
Finding the right Shopify developer takes some preparation, but the results are worth it. Take the time to list your needs, compare multiple profiles, ask all your questions, and only sign when you're confident.
And if you want to go further than a freelancer and work with an expert Shopify team , capable of managing your projects from A to Z with method and responsiveness, the Pikka agency is there to support you .
Contact us today to turn your ideas into real-world features on your Shopify store!
