Shopify builds and optimisation that put speed and conversion first
Theme vs headless trade-offs, app-bloat speed impact, real Lighthouse deltas.
Request a store auditPain points
Where you lose money
Pain points
Where you lose money
App bloat is killing conversion
Every app injects scripts and external calls that slow the storefront, conflict inside the theme, and crowd the UI. Brands add tools reactively, reviews, loyalty, upsell, support, until the store carries overlapping systems and technical debt nobody owns. The damage shows up as falling mobile conversion long before anyone blames the apps.
Shopify's gaps force app dependency
Shopify lacks a lot of basic features, so owners bolt on third-party apps for vital functions, and the moment those critical apps load, LCP and INP plunge. You're trapped between missing features and the speed cost of adding them back.
The theme is doing too much
Page builders and heavy themes stack render-blocking CSS and JavaScript. A visually rich theme that scores under 60 on mobile Lighthouse loses the paid traffic you're paying to send it.
No one owns performance
Speed gets treated as a developer nicety, not a revenue line. Without a budget for it, every marketing gain leaks back out at a slow product page and a checkout that stalls on mobile.
Benchmarks
The numbers
Benchmarks
The numbers
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average cart abandonment (all devices) | 70.22% | Baymard Institute (avg of 50 studies) (2026) |
| Mobile cart abandonment | 80.02% | Baymard Institute (2026) |
| Desktop cart abandonment | 66.41% | Baymard Institute (2026) |
Channel mix
What we'd run
Channel mix
What we'd run
We audit every installed app for script weight and overlapping function, remove or replace what's dragging you down, and move critical logic into the theme, LCP and INP first, because every channel multiplies off the store's speed.
We measure your current Core Web Vitals and checkout conversion, then go headless (Hydrogen/Next.js) only when the theme is genuinely the ceiling, not as a default upsell.
Shopify's checkout is largely fixed, so the wins are upstream: product-page speed, trust, and reducing friction before the buyer hits a checkout that seven in ten already abandon.
We make sure the paid traffic you buy lands on fast pages. Spending on ads that dump into a slow storefront is the single biggest silent leak in most stores.
Engagement
What's included
Engagement
What's included
Engagements start with a paid audit of installed apps, store speed, and checkout conversion, then a fixed-scope build or a monthly retainer, no open-ended hours.
FAQ
Will removing apps break my store?
We map every app's function first, replace the critical ones with native theme code or a lighter alternative, and stage changes so nothing goes dark. Most stores run 15-25 apps and genuinely need only a handful.
Do we actually need to go headless?
Usually not until you're past the point where the theme is the real bottleneck. Headless buys speed and design freedom but adds build and maintenance cost. We decide from your measured Core Web Vitals, not a pitch.
How fast will speed fixes show up?
App and theme fixes can move conversion within days, because they change how your existing traffic converts, no waiting on an algorithm.
Who owns the store and the code?
You do, always. On final payment, all theme code, app configuration, and account access transfer to you in full.
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