Summary of "The Secrets of a Shopify Plus Partner - Exclusive Interview with a Shopify Plus Agency Owner"

Summary of “The Secrets of a Shopify Plus Partner - Exclusive Interview with a Shopify Plus Agency Owner”

Company & Agency Overview

Agency: Char, a certified Shopify Plus agency with offices in London and Manchester; fully remote team across the UK.
Client Base: Diverse merchants across sectors including fashion, food & drink, and B2B.
Client Revenue Range: Average client revenue between £1M - £8M annually; some clients reach £20-30M; also supports startups growing their businesses.
Shopify Plus Clients: Approximately 60% of clients are Shopify Plus merchants; others use standard Shopify or Shopify Advanced plans but generate significant revenue.

Shopify Plus Partner Program Insights

Certification Meaning: Shopify Plus accreditation is a high-tier partnership reserved for agencies serving enterprise-level clients with complex needs and high revenue.
Requirements:
- Proven track record with big brands
- Strong team structure and processes
- Commercial two-way partnership: agency brings new merchants to Shopify, Shopify refers merchants to the agency
Freelancers: Becoming a Shopify Plus certified partner as a freelancer is impractical due to the scale and complexity of enterprise clients.
Benefits of Shopify Plus:
- Enhanced Shopify support
- Lower payment processing fees at scale
- Access to advanced features such as checkout UI extensions, Shopify Functions, up to nine expansion stores, and B2B features (volume discounts, net terms)

Client Acquisition Strategy

Multi-Channel Approach:
- Active LinkedIn presence with valuable content and connections to eCommerce managers
- Cold emailing (necessary but less favored)
- SEO and paid social/media targeting
- Hosting and participating in events and dinners
- Podcasting (Char Chats) to build brand awareness and credibility
Soft Selling: Focus on adding value and educating prospects rather than hard sales pitches.
Case Studies: Essential for showcasing work, emphasizing business benefits (e.g., improved conversion rates) rather than technical jargon.
Long-Term Play: Building a community and pipeline is a consistent, long-term effort without shortcuts.

Recommendations for Landing First Shopify Plus Client

Do Not Chase Plus Exclusively: Focus on brands you are excited about and that can pay your fees.
Build Portfolio with Smaller Shopify Clients: The approach to winning Shopify and Shopify Plus clients is similar; case studies from smaller brands can springboard to bigger clients.
Consider Future Revenue Potential: Even smaller projects can lead to ongoing work and bigger opportunities.
Use Platforms like Fiverr: Some Plus merchants might be looking for freelance help without agencies onboard yet.

Specialization vs Full-Service

Shopify itself is a niche.
Recommended Approach:
- Master foundational skills (landing pages, themes, migrations, SEO, checkout functions)
- Develop one or two specialty areas (e.g., performance, migrations, SEO) if interested
- Ensure enough demand exists for the specialty to fill your schedule
Avoid Overstretching: Do not offer services outside your expertise (e.g., paid ads) to maintain quality and client satisfaction.
Agency Focus: Char focuses on two areas: custom Shopify builds and monthly membership retainers for ongoing support and strategy. They do not run marketing campaigns like paid ads or SEO themselves.

Common Client Requests & Product Focus Areas

Popular Projects:
- New store builds from scratch
- Loyalty programs
- Branded reviews platforms
- Upsells and product recommendations (homepage, product page, cart)
- Gift with purchase features
- Landing pages, product and collection pages
- Navigation improvements and advanced search/discovery (Shopify Search & Discovery app, Algolia, Clarity)
Checkout Customization: Increasingly popular due to Shopify Plus features, including marketing upsells in checkout, local delivery options, and other Shopify Functions-based customizations.

Hiring & Talent Requirements

Team Composition: Juniors (no Shopify experience, trained internally), Mid-level, Seniors, Head of Development.
Key Skills for Developers:
- Strong fundamentals: HTML, CSS, vanilla JavaScript (moving away from jQuery)
- Shopify-specific knowledge: Liquid templating, Shopify platform concepts (storefront API, theme management)
- Familiarity with CSS frameworks used by the agency (e.g., Tailwind CSS)
- Experience with GitHub workflows, branching, merging, and Shopify-GitHub integration
- Awareness and interest in emerging Shopify tech (Shopify Functions, checkout extensibility)
Soft Skills: Passion, creativity, problem-solving, leadership potential, understanding UI/UX impact even as a developer.
Common Candidate Weaknesses:
- Poor grasp of Shopify platform beyond basic Liquid knowledge
- Lack of understanding about theme management and build tools (e.g., webpack)
- Not following Shopify ecosystem updates or new features actively
Experience Expectations:
- Juniors: Might not have agency experience but should have built Shopify themes or stores independently.
- Mid-level and senior: Relevant agency or commercial experience required.

Freelancers vs In-House Teams

Char primarily works with in-house teams due to complex internal processes.
Occasionally hires contractors for short-term or specialized skills but does not operate on an agile freelancer basis.

Actionable Recommendations & Frameworks

Client Acquisition Playbook:
- Build multi-channel pipeline (LinkedIn, SEO, paid ads, events, podcasts)
- Create detailed, non-technical case studies focused on business outcomes
- Build community and brand over time; no shortcuts
Hiring Framework:
- Assess foundational web skills + Shopify platform expertise + platform engagement
- Evaluate soft skills: creativity, passion, leadership potential
- Test knowledge on theme management, GitHub workflows, Shopify functions
Product & Service Focus:
- Prioritize projects that increase customer lifetime value (loyalty, upsells, reviews)
- Leverage Shopify Plus exclusive features (checkout extensions, B2B capabilities)
Growth Strategy:
- Focus on delivering results to clients that can pay for quality service
- Use smaller clients to build credibility before targeting enterprise clients
- Maintain discipline focus; avoid overextending into unrelated services like paid ads

Resources & Further Learning

Char Chats Podcast: Strategic discussions with UK brands about agency challenges and eCommerce trends.
LinkedIn: Follow Char and Nick for ongoing Shopify ecosystem and business insights.

Presenters & Sources

Yan (Interviewer): Host from codingwithy.com
Nick (Interviewee): Founder of Char, a certified Shopify Plus agency owner based in the UK.

This summary captures the core business strategies, operational insights, hiring frameworks, client acquisition tactics, and product focus areas discussed in the interview with a Shopify Plus agency founder.