Choose the delivery model before the postcode
A London team can be useful when you need in-person workshops or regular on-site collaboration. For a project delivered through shared previews, written decisions and scheduled calls, a remote Shopify studio can also be a suitable choice. Confirm working-hour overlap, who leads the work and how feedback becomes a release.
Finstark works remotely and does not have a London office. We are a founder-led design and development studio. If local workshops, dedicated account management or a large multidisciplinary delivery team are essential to your project, include those requirements in the shortlist from the start.
Compare like-for-like scopes
Ask each agency to separate discovery, design, theme development, content work, integrations and post-launch support. A lower headline quote can cover fewer templates or leave content entry and app configuration to your team. A higher quote may include services you do not need.
- A redesign: which homepage, collection, product and content templates are included?
- A migration: who owns product data, customer records, redirect mapping and the launch plan?
- Ongoing support: how much capacity is reserved, how are tasks estimated and what happens to urgent requests?
- Marketing: are SEO, email and paid media actually included, or does another team own them?
Put the UK store details in the brief
Share the markets you sell to, your fulfilment setup and the practical questions customers ask before ordering. For a UK-facing store, examples can include GBP presentation, how delivery information is shown, returns content and the relationship between the online store and physical locations. Your business should supply and approve tax, policy and legal wording.
If international sales matter, specify the languages, currencies and market-specific content you need. A currency selector alone does not define an international shopping experience. Ask how your existing Shopify setup and apps will support the agreed markets.
Look past the homepage screenshot
Ask to see work that matches your most difficult requirement. A large catalogue needs convincing navigation and filtering. A supplement needs clear product education and purchase options. Fashion may need careful photography, size guidance and quick-add behaviour. Ask the agency what it personally delivered and what another partner supplied.
Our Kernow Furniture work illustrates category navigation and collection browsing for a UK furniture retailer. V-IOTIC illustrates product education and subscription choices. Princess Jewellery illustrates a detailed catalogue, language choices and boutique connections. These are relevant feature examples; they are not claims of London offices or measured revenue increases.
Kernow Furniture project · V-IOTIC project · Princess Jewellery project
Five questions worth asking before you sign
Treat specific answers and relevant implementation examples as stronger evidence than a long list of services. Request the commercial terms in writing, including third-party costs, feedback rounds, dependencies and who owns the delivered work.
- Who will design and build the store, and who will I speak to day to day?
- Which page templates, custom sections and app integrations are included in this price?
- Which parts can my team edit without a developer after handover?
- How will you test mobile behaviour, the cart and the existing integrations before launch?
- What is the feedback process, what counts as additional scope and what happens after launch?
A brief you can send to your shortlist
You do not need a long presentation to start a useful conversation. Send these details to each shortlisted partner so their recommendations are comparable.
- Your store URL and the main business problem you want to solve.
- The pages or customer journeys that matter most.
- Two or three references, with a note on what you like about each.
- The theme and important apps, if known, plus any existing designs.
- Target markets, required integrations, budget range and intended launch date.
- Who supplies copy, photography and approvals.