Shopify is a strong platform for online shops, but most stores end up with more apps than they need, collection pages with no useful content, and templates that fight against search. I build custom Shopify sections, templates and tools that load fast, fit your theme and help both shoppers and search engines understand what you sell.
Shopify handles a great deal for you, which is why the things it does not handle are the things nobody notices.
What Shopify development covers
Shopify development covers custom Liquid sections and templates, blog and content layouts built to the theme’s conventions, collection and product page improvements, structured data, app-style tools such as product builders that sync with the live catalogue, and work across stores for different markets. The aim is a store that converts and ranks, without relying on a stack of apps.
Who it’s for
Shopify development suits stores that:
- want custom sections or features without adding another monthly app
- have collection pages that are just a product grid with no buying guidance
- publish blog content that doesn’t display or link properly
- sell complex products that need a builder or guide to choose the right parts
- run separate stores for different countries
Common Shopify issues I fix
| Issue | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Duplicate H1s on blog posts | Shopify’s blog template usually outputs the article title as the H1, so a heading in the body creates a second one |
| Thin collection pages | Collections compete with retailers who explain the range and answer questions |
| Titles built from product names plus a long suffix | Characters wasted in search results on shipping messages |
| Too many apps | Extra scripts slow pages down and add monthly costs |
| Tables that overflow on mobile | Comparison content becomes unreadable on phones |
| Content naming discontinued products | Shoppers sent to dead ends, and trust lost |
What I build
Custom sections and templates. Liquid sections for guidance, comparisons, FAQs and features, built once and editable in the theme editor.
Blog and content HTML. Articles and guides formatted to the theme’s conventions: no duplicate H1, tables that scroll on mobile, working tables of contents and FAQ schema.
Collection page content. Buying guidance, FAQs and schema added to collection templates, with every named product checked as live.
Product builders and tools. App-style tools that run inside the store, such as a kit builder that lets customers choose the right parts and add them to the basket together, synced with the live catalogue.
Multi-market stores. Content and templates for separate UK and US stores, in the right spelling, units and pricing for each.
How a project runs
- Review the theme, apps, templates and Search Console data
- Agree what to build and how it will be edited afterwards
- Build in a development or duplicate theme, never on the live theme first
- Test on mobile and desktop, check speed and validate schema
- Publish with your approval, then check the live store and Search Console
What you get
- Custom sections, templates or tools, built and tested in a duplicate theme first
- Documentation on how to edit and use what’s been built
- Schema and SEO settings checked on the live store
- A handover call, if it’s easier to walk through
Results
- GaraDry kit builder: a six-question configurator for GaraDry’s US store that returns the exact threshold seal kit, with prices synced live from the Shopify catalogue, built and awaiting installation
- GaraDry: content and product pages across separate UK and US Shopify stores
- FalseEyelashes.co.uk: collection page rewrites with buying guidance, verified products and FAQ schema
Limitations
Some Shopify limits can’t be changed on a standard store, such as the fixed /products/ and /collections/ paths. Theme updates from the theme developer can affect custom code, which is why custom work is documented and kept in sections where possible. Very complex requirements may genuinely need a paid app or a headless build.
What Shopify development won’t solve
Better templates help content rank, but they don’t replace the content itself, which is covered by product and category page copy. Moving an existing store’s platform or theme without losing rankings is covered by Shopify migrations.
Talk to the person doing the work
There is no account manager here and no team to be handed to. If you get in touch, it is me who reads it, me who looks at your site, and me who does the work if we go ahead.
Get in touch, or start with a free assessment.
Engagement and price
There are no list prices here, and that is deliberate. What a piece of work costs depends on the state of the site, how much of it there is and what you actually need, none of which I know before looking at it.
So it starts with a free analysis. I look at your site, your Search Console and who you are really competing with, then come back with what I would do first and what it would cost to do. No obligation attached, and if the honest answer is that you do not need me yet, I will say so.
How the work gets done
Structured data is built and validated with the schema toolkit, and speed and rendering are checked with the technical SEO checks. Every build is reviewed by me before it goes live. This service is part of web development. For content on the store, how to build a content plan from search data and which schema types still matter are useful reads.
FAQ
Do I need custom Shopify development or an app?
It depends on what you need. Apps are quick to add but can slow a store down and cost a monthly fee. Custom Liquid sections and templates are built once, load faster and fit your theme exactly, which often makes them the better option for content and simple tools.
Why do Shopify URLs include /products/ and /collections/?
Shopify uses a fixed URL structure, with products under /products/, collections under /collections/, pages under /pages/ and blog posts under /blogs/. Those paths can’t be removed on a standard Shopify store, so collection and product handles, internal links and canonicals need planning around them from the start.
Can Shopify run UK and US stores?
Yes, either as separate stores or one store with Shopify Markets for different countries. Separate stores give each market its own content, pricing and spelling, which suits businesses like GaraDry with distinct ranges and competitors. One store with markets is simpler to manage when products and content are shared.
Build something better into your store
Get in touch with what you’d like to add, or start with a free assessment.