How to Write a Shopify Agency Brief That Gets Results

You have found the perfect Shopify agency. Their portfolio looks great, their reviews are solid, and they specialise in exactly what you need. You fire off an email: "Hi, we need a new Shopify store. Can you send a quote?" Then you wait. And wait. When the quote finally arrives, it is vague, overpriced, or completely misaligned with what you had in mind.

The problem is not the agency. It is the brief — or rather, the lack of one. A well-written project brief is the single most important document in your agency relationship. It saves weeks of back-and-forth, produces more accurate quotes, and signals to agencies that you are a serious, organised client worth prioritising.

Why a Good Brief Matters More Than You Think

Agencies receive dozens of enquiries every week. The ones that come with a clear, structured brief get moved to the top of the pile. A strong brief helps agencies understand your business context, quote accurately instead of padding for uncertainty, assign the right team members, identify potential risks early, and deliver work that actually matches your expectations.

The 7 Sections Every Shopify Brief Needs

Whether you are building a new store, redesigning an existing one, or migrating from another platform, every Shopify brief should cover these seven areas.

1. About Your Business

Start with context. Agencies need to understand who you are before they can help you. Include your company name, website URL (if you have one), industry or niche, current ecommerce platform, and approximate monthly revenue. This is not about bragging — it helps agencies gauge the scale and complexity of what you need.

2. Project Type

Be specific about what you are asking for. There is a big difference between a theme-based store build and a fully custom headless build. Common project types include new store build (theme or custom), store redesign, platform migration (e.g. WooCommerce to Shopify), Shopify Plus upgrade, headless or composable build, and ongoing support retainer.

3. Goals and Requirements

This is where most briefs fall short. Do not just say "we want a new store." Explain what you want to achieve. Are you trying to increase conversion rates? Improve mobile experience? Launch in a new market? List your primary goals, then separate your features into must-haves and nice-to-haves.

• Must-haves: features that are non-negotiable for launch
• Nice-to-haves: features you would love but can live without in phase one
• Be specific: "custom product configurator for 50+ options" is better than "product customisation"

4. Design Preferences

Help agencies understand your aesthetic. Choose a general style direction (minimal, bold, corporate, luxury), share 2 to 3 example websites you admire and explain what you like about them, and note whether you have existing brand guidelines. The more visual references you provide, the closer the first design concept will be to what you want.

5. Technical Requirements

List every integration and technical capability you need. This section has the biggest impact on cost estimates. Cover integrations needed (ERP, PIM, email marketing, loyalty, reviews, subscriptions, accounting, shipping), product catalog size, multi-language requirements, and multi-currency requirements.

6. Timeline and Budget

Many merchants skip budget because they worry about anchoring the price. But omitting it wastes everyone's time. If your budget is $10,000 and the agency's minimum is $25,000, you both want to know that upfront. Include your desired launch date, budget range (not an exact number — a range is fine), and your flexibility on timing.

7. Contact Information

Include the name and email of the primary decision-maker, plus any additional context about your decision process: who else is involved, what your evaluation criteria are, and when you plan to make a decision.

5 Common Mistakes That Weaken Your Brief

1. 1.Being too vague on features — "we want a modern store" tells the agency nothing actionable
2. 2.Skipping the budget range — agencies cannot scope properly without knowing your investment level
3. 3.No example websites — visual references eliminate guesswork and reduce revision rounds
4. 4.Forgetting integrations — discovering a complex ERP integration mid-project blows up timelines
5. 5.Sending the same brief to 10 agencies — tailor your brief to each agency's strengths for better responses

Brief vs RFP vs SOW: Which Do You Need?

For most Shopify projects, a detailed brief is all you need. RFPs are more common in enterprise or government procurement. The SOW comes later, after you have chosen your agency.

Template Walkthrough: A Strong Brief for a $25K–$50K Redesign

Here is what a strong brief looks like in practice for a mid-range store redesign.

• Company: Established DTC fashion brand, 3 years on Shopify, $150K per month revenue
• Project: Full store redesign with custom theme development
• Goals: Increase mobile conversion by 20%, improve brand storytelling, add lookbook functionality
• Design: Luxury and minimal — references Reiss, COS, Aritzia
• Tech: Klaviyo integration, Judge.me reviews, 1,200 products, multi-currency (USD, EUR, GBP)
• Timeline: Launch before September, somewhat flexible
• Budget: $25,000 to $50,000

Notice how specific this is. An agency reading this brief can immediately estimate scope, assign the right team, and produce an accurate quote.

Create Your Brief in 5 Minutes

You do not have to start from scratch. Our free Brief Generator walks you through all 7 sections with guided prompts, then produces a professional PDF you can download and send to any agency.