There are a lot of choices to be made for your Shopify site. Whether you’re starting a brand new shop or are looking for a redesign, one of the most important choices you’re going to make is what theme to use. This can be a stressful situation. What if you make the wrong decision, or want to change your theme after you’ve already committed a good amount of time and money to building out a theme? Should you use a template or a custom Shopify theme? Fret not. Fyresite works with Shopify themes literally everyday. And we’re here to share their expert opinion with you.

What is the Difference Between Custom Shopify Theme and Shopify Theme?

First, let’s look at the differences between a custom theme and Shopify themes.

Custom themes are essentially what they sound like – your theme is built out by a developer with their own code. This is done to customize the theme to your exact business needs. A designer and developer will work together to make sure that the look and function of your site is exactly what you want.

A Shopify theme is a premade theme made by developers and approved by Shopify that we can use to build your site. Out of the box, It does not offer the same customization that you get with a custom theme, but still can be chosen to fit your brand/products.

Which Option is Right for Me?

Now that you know what a custom Shopify theme is, do you need one? Here are a few things we at Fyresite take into consideration when we start a new project.

Is it a 1:1 Migration Site?

A 1:1 migration is when you migrate the users, orders, and all the website data over to a new server (like Shopify!), but you’re not looking to change anything. In that case, we use a theme like Dawn as a jumping off point and then move the custom design aspects over ourselves.

Is This a New Site?

When the site is brand new and being built on Shopify, we tend to use one of Shopify’s themes. We begin by working with you to find the one that fits your business the best. Since you’re starting from scratch, we can find a theme that fits what you’re looking for. When using a current site, we’d be making a theme that fits around what you have.

What Look Are You Going For?

We understand that the design or ‘look’ of your site is incredibly important. You need a site that shows who your company is, that allows your branding to stay consistent throughout the site.

What Budget Are You Willing to Allocate to Your Theme?

Budget is the bottom line for many merchants. We understand that. When budgeting, keep in mind that a custom theme will cost more than a built-in Shopify theme. This is because our designers and developers work together to make the design and hand create the functionality for the theme.

Work With Experts

Whether you want a custom theme or a Shopify theme, you want to work with someone who knows what they’re doing. That’s us. Connect with Fyresite today to start the Shopify site of your dreams. Not sure about Shopify? Use our affiliate link to try Shopify today!