A Shopify agency in Glasgow building stores that actually convert.
Apex West is a Glasgow-based Shopify agency for ambitious UK DTC brands. We build Shopify and Shopify Plus stores designed for brand and engineered for conversion — then run paid, SEO and CRO alongside so the build keeps earning.
Shopify done four ways — pick the one that fits the business.
Most agencies sell one Shopify approach. We pick the right tool for the job — usually a customised theme, occasionally headless, sometimes a quick CRO sprint on what you already have.
Shopify & Shopify Plus builds
Customised theme builds and Plus-tier development with checkout extensibility, scripts and apps. Designed by our brand team, built for conversion, shipped on schedule.
Headless commerce
Next.js Hydrogen-style front-ends on Shopify Plus when there's a real reason — content-led editorial, bespoke configurators, complex personalisation. Same stack we built this site on.
Replatforming
Migrations from WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce or legacy custom builds. Full data migration, 301 redirect mapping, SEO preservation, no traffic drop at launch.
Conversion optimisation
Structured CRO programme post-launch: hypothesis backlog, A/B testing in tools like Convert or Optimizely, monthly tested winners shipped to your live store.
UK DTC brands that take ecommerce seriously.
Most of our Shopify work is for brands doing £500k–£15m GMV annually who've outgrown a templated Shopify theme and want a build that reflects the brand and actually converts. We're opinionated about ecommerce: speed matters, the cart matters, the PDP matters more than the homepage, and most agencies over-design and under-test.
Geographically, we work with DTC brands across central Scotland — Glasgow, Paisley, East Kilbride and Edinburgh — and across the rest of the UK and Ireland. Builds happen at the studio; launch workshops and post-launch reviews happen wherever you're based.
- Fashion and apparel
- Beauty and personal care
- Premium home and homeware
- Food, drink and supplements
- Outdoor and lifestyle
- Considered-purchase verticals
Common questions about Shopify in Glasgow.
How long does a Shopify build take?
A standard Shopify build on a customised theme — homepage, PLPs, PDPs, cart, checkout, transactional email, basic CMS — takes 6–10 weeks from kickoff to launch. Shopify Plus builds with custom checkout extensibility, headless front-ends, or complex integrations run 12–20 weeks. Replatforming from WooCommerce or Magento adds 2–4 weeks for data migration and 301 mapping.
Should I be on Shopify or Shopify Plus?
Most DTC brands stay on Shopify until they hit ~£1m GMV or need features like B2B wholesale, custom checkout, scripts, or multi-store. Plus is £2k+/month versus Shopify Advanced's £300/month — only worth it when you have a specific feature need. We'll model the breakpoint in your discovery call rather than upselling you on Plus by default.
Do you only work with Glasgow brands?
No — most of our Shopify clients are UK-wide (London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol). We're based in Glasgow but the build work happens remotely; only kickoff workshops and post-launch reviews need to be in person, and most clients prefer those on Zoom anyway.
What's your Shopify app stack?
We're opinionated but not rigid. Defaults: Klaviyo (email/SMS), Shopify Inbox or Gorgias (support), Judge.me or Okendo (reviews), Loop (returns), Rebuy (upsell), Searchanise (search). For analytics: GA4, server-side via Stape, and a customer data warehouse if the data volume justifies it. We'll trim apps, not add them — every app is a tax on speed and complexity.
Can you handle headless or composable Shopify builds?
Yes — we build headless Shopify Plus front-ends in Next.js (the same stack this site uses) when there's a real reason: bespoke product configurators, complex personalisation, or a content-led editorial side that needs full design freedom. For most brands, a well-built customised Liquid theme is faster, cheaper, and easier to maintain — we'll tell you which makes sense for your business.
Do you support stores after launch?
Yes — most of our Shopify builds roll into a monthly retainer covering CRO, paid social, email, SEO and ongoing development. Some clients prefer dev-only retainers for new features and bug fixes. Either works; we don't lock anyone into post-launch services.
Let's map out the next 90 days of growth — together.
A 30-minute discovery call, a clear-eyed plan, and zero obligation. We'll only take you on if we're the right fit.