We've been building Shopify stores since 2017. Not just good-looking ones, but stores that actually move product. Clean Liquid code, mobile-first from the start, and a handover where you know exactly how to run the thing yourself.
This isn't a theme-and-go service. The full build is covered, from the first call where we map out what you actually need, right through to launch day and the weeks that follow. Every element is configured, tested, and working before anything gets handed over. Everything's built from scratch. No recycled templates. Your brand, your customers, and your conversion goals drive every design decision. The Liquid code underneath is clean and well-structured — the kind that doesn't need a rebuild in 18 months when your catalogue doubles. If you're also considering custom theme development as a standalone piece, that's available too. Since 2011, we've worked with DTC fashion brands in New York, health supplement companies shipping across North America, and international clients spanning multiple verticals. You can get a feel for the range in our portfolio, including projects like Embelliv and Top Gun Store. The demands vary. The standard doesn't.
Four phases, no guesswork. You know what's happening at every stage: what we're working on, what's coming next, and when you'll need to weigh in. No radio silence, no surprises in the middle of the build.
It starts with a proper conversation. Your brand, your customers, what your competitors are doing, and what you actually want this store to achieve. From there, we map out the site architecture, agree on scope, and set a timeline with real milestones. Nothing gets designed until that's locked in.
Wireframes come first. Structure and flow before any colour or polish. Then high-fidelity mockups for every key page. You review them, give feedback, and revisions happen until you're satisfied. Only after sign-off does development begin. That sequence matters because changes are cheap at this stage.
The approved designs go into Shopify's Liquid templating language. A staging environment is available throughout, so you can see progress as it happens. Products, collections, payments, shipping rates, and any third-party integrations, including anything requiring custom app work, are all configured during this phase.
Full QA across devices and browsers before anything goes live. On launch day, the DNS cutover is handled, everything gets checked, and you get a walkthrough of the admin. The post-launch window means we're reachable if anything unexpected comes up in the first few weeks.
Our Shopify store design and development service starts from $1,000. The final cost comes down to the scope of the design, how many page templates are required, any custom features, and third-party integrations.
Straightforward stores with a standard set of pages typically land in the $1,000–$5,000 range. Fully custom builds with advanced functionality — product builders, complex integrations, or Shopify Plus-level features — typically run from $5,000 to $20,000+.
After a discovery call where we get clear on your requirements, we put together a detailed, itemised quote with no surprises.
A standard custom Shopify store typically takes 4–8 weeks from kick-off to launch. That covers the discovery phase, UI/UX design and client approval, Liquid development, content population, QA testing, and the final go-live.
Smaller stores with fewer templates can be done in 2–3 weeks. Larger builds with advanced features, multiple integrations, or Shopify Plus customisations may need 10–16 weeks.
You’ll get a specific, milestone-based timeline during the scoping process so you know exactly what’s happening and when.
The service covers the full build from discovery through to launch:
Design: Site architecture planning, wireframes, and high-fidelity mockups for all page types, including homepage, collection, product detail, cart, and information pages.
Development: Full Liquid theme development, mobile-first responsive build, browser QA testing, and Shopify best-practice coding standards.
Setup: Product and collection import and configuration, navigation and menu structure, payment gateway integration, shipping and tax configuration, domain connection.
Launch: Pre-launch QA checklist, go-live support, admin training, and a post-launch support window.
Both options are available, depending on your budget, timeline, and design requirements.
Fully custom themes are built from scratch in Liquid and give you complete creative control. It’s the right call when your brand needs a genuinely unique storefront, or when a standard theme structure can’t accommodate what you need.
Theme-based builds take a premium Shopify theme such as Dawn, Impulse, or Prestige as a structural starting point and customise it extensively to fit your brand. This approach is faster and more cost-effective, while still delivering a professional, on-brand result. More detail on that approach is in our theme development service.
The best approach gets recommended after the discovery session once we understand your goals and budget.
Every store includes solid SEO foundations as standard: clean URL structures, semantic HTML with proper heading hierarchy, optimised page titles and meta descriptions, image alt text, canonical tags, XML sitemap, fast load times, and mobile responsiveness. These are strong positive signals for search engines and they’re baked into the build, not added afterwards.
For a proper SEO programme, including keyword research, content strategy, technical auditing, and ongoing optimisation, the Shopify SEO service can run alongside or after the store build. Speed is also part of that equation, and our speed optimisation service covers Core Web Vitals if that’s a priority.
Yes. Shopify store redesigns are among our most common project types. The process starts with an audit of your existing store, identifying UX, conversion, and technical issues, then the redesign is focused on fixing those and improving revenue.
Your existing product data, customer records, order history, and SEO redirect structures are all preserved. The new store is built and tested in a staging environment before anything switches over, so your live store stays operational right up until you’re ready to launch.
Yes. All new store builds include a post-launch support period to catch and resolve anything that surfaces in the first weeks of going live.
After that, ongoing support and maintenance is available, ranging from pay-as-you-go fixes starting at $20 through to monthly retainer plans for clients who need regular updates, new features, and priority response times. Our 98% client retention rate means most people stick around.
Yes. Integration work is a regular part of what we do: email marketing platforms such as Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and Omnisend, review apps including Judge.me, Yotpo, and Okendo, CRM and ERP systems, loyalty programmes, subscription services, live chat, analytics platforms, and payment gateways.
Where a required integration isn’t available through the Shopify App Store, the development team can build a custom private app to connect your store to any third-party system via API.
Yes. Axis Web Art has been an Official Shopify Partner since August 2017 and is listed on the Shopify Partner Directory. There are 37 verified client reviews on the directory, all 5 stars.
That status means demonstrated expertise in Shopify development, operating to Shopify’s professional standards, and access to the latest platform features, beta programmes, and direct Shopify support channels. All of that feeds into every client project. The team is 30+ in-house specialists, no freelancers and no outsourcing, based out of our New York office.
"Axis Web Art developed our website. They are easy to work with, thorough, and responsive. We have been very happy with their service."
"Great work, they know how to change your theme effectively without any issues. Fixed a few tiny issues moments after identifying them. Always a pleasure to work with this team of highly skilled players."
"We crafted a soothing online shopping experience for Bubbaroo, a leading Australian baby sleep bag brand. Our Shopify store design and development focused on safety, comfort, and parent peace of mind."
Tell us about your brand, your goals, and your timeline. We'll put together a clear, itemised proposal. No obligation to proceed, and no vague estimates.
No-obligation conversation · Response within 24 hours · Official Shopify Partner since 2017