Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Shopify Developer

Hiring the wrong Shopify developer is expensive in ways that go beyond the invoice. A bad hire costs you time, momentum, and often the extra budget to fix what went wrong. The challenge is that most developers look capable from the outside — polished portfolios, confident communication, and competitive rates don't tell you much about what happens when a project gets complicated.

The questions below are organised into four categories: technical capability, process and communication, commercial terms, and references. Work through each section before you sign anything.

Technical Questions

1. Which Shopify plans and features have you worked with?

Shopify Standard and Shopify Plus are meaningfully different platforms. Plus unlocks checkout extensibility, Shopify Functions, multi-store management, and automation via Flow. If your project requires any of these, confirm the developer has hands-on experience — not just theoretical knowledge.

2. Have you built custom Shopify apps or Shopify Functions?

Many requirements that seem like 'customisations' actually require custom app development — subscription logic, B2B pricing tiers, custom checkout steps, or bespoke loyalty mechanics. A developer who has only done theme work may not be the right fit for these.

3. How comfortable are you with Liquid, Shopify's templating language?

Liquid is the backbone of every Shopify theme. Ask them to walk you through a recent piece of complex Liquid they wrote — a custom section schema, a metafield-driven layout, or a conditional rendering challenge. Their explanation will reveal both skill level and communication ability.

4. How do you handle app conflicts and third-party integrations?

Almost every Shopify store runs 5–20 apps. Conflicts between apps — particularly around theme JavaScript, checkout scripts, and storefront API calls — are one of the most common causes of post-launch bugs. Ask how they identify and resolve these conflicts and whether they test against your specific app stack.

5. What is your approach to page speed and Core Web Vitals?

A slow store costs sales. Ask what their typical PageSpeed Insights scores look like post-launch and what specific techniques they use — lazy loading, critical CSS, image optimisation, script deferral. Vague answers ('we follow best practices') are a warning sign.

6. How do you handle data migration from another platform?

If you're migrating from WooCommerce, Magento, or another platform, ask specifically: how do they migrate product data, customer records, order history, and SEO URLs? What tools do they use? What's their approach to preserving URL structure and redirects to protect your organic rankings?

Process and Communication Questions

7. Who will actually work on my project day to day?

In agencies, work is often sold by seniors and delivered by juniors. In freelance arrangements, work is sometimes subcontracted without disclosure. Ask specifically: will you personally be writing the code? If it's an agency, ask to meet the developer who will be assigned to your project.

8. What does your project management process look like?

Good developers work to a clear structure: a defined brief, a scoped spec, milestones, and a staging environment for review before anything goes live. If their process is 'I'll send you updates when I have something to show', that is not a process — it's a risk.

9. How do you handle scope changes mid-project?

Scope changes are inevitable. Ask what their process is when a client requests something that wasn't in the original brief. A professional developer will have a formal change request process — a written description of the addition, a revised quote, and your sign-off before work begins. An informal process ('I'll add it, we'll sort out cost later') leads to disputes.

10. How often will we communicate, and through what channels?

Establish this upfront. Weekly updates via a project management tool (Linear, Notion, Basecamp) is standard. If their answer is 'whenever you message me on WhatsApp', that's not a professional workflow. Consistent, documented communication protects both parties.

11. What does your testing process look like before handover?

Ask specifically: do they test on multiple browsers and devices? Do they test with real payment methods in a sandbox? Do they run through a checkout QA checklist? Do they test any apps installed during the build? A developer who tests thoroughly will be able to describe their process in detail.

Commercial Questions

12. What is your pricing model — fixed price or hourly?

Fixed-price contracts give you budget certainty but require a watertight scope. Hourly contracts are more flexible but require careful tracking. Neither is inherently better — but you should understand which you're agreeing to and what happens if the scope expands.

13. What is your payment schedule?

Standard terms are 30–50% upfront, with the balance paid on delivery or tied to milestones. Be cautious of 100% upfront requests from unknown developers. For larger projects, milestone-based payments (30% deposit, 30% at staging sign-off, 40% at launch) give you leverage throughout.

14. What is your policy on bugs discovered after launch?

Reputable developers offer a post-launch warranty — typically 14–30 days during which they fix bugs at no extra charge. Ask specifically: what counts as a bug versus a change request? What's the response time for critical issues? What happens after the warranty expires?

15. Who owns the code at the end of the project?

For custom theme development and custom app code, confirm IP ownership transfers to you on final payment. This is standard — but it should be in the contract. Also confirm you'll receive all source files, git repository access, and documentation.

Reference Questions

16. Can you provide 2–3 references from comparable projects?

Ask for references from clients whose projects were similar in scope, budget, and complexity to yours. When you speak to references, ask: did the project land on time and on budget? How did the developer handle problems when they arose? Would you hire them again?

17. What was the most challenging project you've worked on, and how did you handle it?

This reveals problem-solving ability and honesty more than any portfolio piece. A developer who can describe a specific technical or client challenge — and explain clearly how they resolved it — is demonstrating real-world competence. Vague or overly polished answers are a red flag.

The Answers That Should Make You Walk Away

• They can't name who will work on your project
• They send a quote within 24 hours without a proper discovery call
• They guarantee specific SEO rankings or traffic outcomes
• They don't have a post-launch support policy
• They can't describe their testing process in concrete terms
• They're unwilling to provide references from comparable projects
• The contract doesn't specify IP ownership or includes a perpetual licence clause