Shopify Premier Partner → What does this mean?

Shopify Agency Australia

We help brands that give a damn grow on Shopify.

We design, build and grow Shopify and Shopify Plus stores that turn browsers into buyers. 450+ brands since 2008.

Jo Mercer - Shopify Plus store designed and developed by The Hope Factory
Robert Gordon - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
Cancer Council - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Ecobranders - Shopify store designed  and developed by The Hope Factory
Welcome to Country - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Patagonia - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
  • Robert Gordon Australia animated gif

    Robert Gordon

    ↑ 233% Online Revenue
    ↑ 175% Online Orders
    ↑ 23% Average Order Value

    Learn more
  • Write To Me

    ↑ 52% Product View Sessions
    ↑ 24% Return Customers
    ↑ 12% Conversions

    Find out more
  • EcoBranders

    EcoBranders

    ↑ 102% Average Order Value
    ↑ 50% Online Orders
    ↑ 104% Conversions

    Learn more
  • W. Titley & Co

    ↑ 177% Return Customers
    ↑ 108% Online Orders
    ↑ 54% Conversions

    Find out more
Andrew Cox Founder of The Hope Factory and Harley Finkelstein President of Shopify

Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of starting, moving or growing your store?

We get it. There's a lot to figure out — platforms, payments, shipping, apps, design, SEO — and most of it sounds urgent at the same time.

We've been doing this for 17+ years as a Shopify agency in Australia. 450+ projects. 191 verified reviews on Shopify. We've seen every version of "my store isn't working and I don't know why" and we've built a process that actually solves it.

  • Our sole focus is Shopify and Shopify Plus
  • We're not interested in slapping together cookie-cutter websites
  • And we sure as hell aren't here for soulless dropshipping experiences

Book a free discovery call and we'll have a straight-up conversation about your store.

No BS. No hard sell. No "one-size-fits-all" solutions.

Jo Mercer - Shopify Plus store designed and developed by The Hope Factory
Venezziano Coffee Roasters - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Robert Gordon - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
Coco & Lola - Shopify Plus store designed and developed by The Hope Factory
Cancer Council - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Tontine - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
Ecobranders - Shopify store designed  and developed by The Hope Factory
Birkenstock in the Hills - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
The Salty Fox - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Axil Coffee - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Sole Motive - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Write To Me - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
Just Hockey - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
Peninsula Gourmet Co. - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Zjoosh - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Welcome to Country - Shopify store developed by The Hope Factory
Patagonia - Shopify Plus store developed by The Hope Factory
W. Titley & Co - Shopify Plus store designed and developed by The Hope Factory
shopify agency

Ecommerce Services

  • Shopify Design

    You can tell when a Shopify site was designed by someone who's never actually sold anything online. It looks great in a portfolio but shoppers can't find the buy button. We design Shopify and Shopify Plus experiences that start with your analytics, not a mood board — figuring out where people drop off and building a design that fixes the leaks. Designing for brands like Jo Mercer, Tontine, Coco & Lola, Ecobranders and The Salty Fox since 2013.

  • Shopify Development

    Custom Shopify and Shopify Plus themes. Checkout extensibility. Subscription stacks. B2B portals with buyer-specific catalogues and pricing. Integrations into Xero, NetSuite, Klaviyo, Gorgias and whatever else lives in your tech stack. Working with Shopify since 2013, now a Shopify Premier Partner — 4.9 rating across 191 merchant reviews, 450+ builds launched. Built for Coco & Lola, Patagonia, Cancer Council, Robert Gordon and Wittner. All built so your team can run the store day to day without waiting on developers.

    Explore Shopify development
  • Shopify Migration

    Platform moves from WordPress, Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce or Neto since 2008. We handle the design, the build, the data migration, and the launch plan. Where rankings are on the line, we work alongside your SEO partner to map redirects and protect organic traffic. A coordinated launch, no finger-pointing when something breaks.

    See how we run a Shopify migration
  • Shopify Consulting & Growth

    At some point, hiring another developer stops being the answer. When your store is past $1M, more hands won't help. You need a senior operator inside the business. Our team works as your fractional ecommerce lead: auditing what's leaking revenue, prioritising what compounds, and shipping the fixes that move the number. The Shopify brain behind Tontine, Jo Mercer, Veneziano Coffee Roasters, Birkenstock Hahndorf and The Salty Fox.

Experience Matters

Built for the Way Australians Shop Online

Selling online here isn't the same as selling anywhere else. Your peak sales season hits when the Northern Hemisphere is on holiday. Boxing Day is bigger than Black Friday. EOFY sales are a thing. And your tech stack needs to play nicely with Afterpay, Zip, Australia Post, StarTrack and Xero — not the US-centric defaults that come out of the box.

Our team is based in Melbourne, working in your timezone, across your retail calendar. We've handled GST compliance, AUD multicurrency setups, and the specific integrations that local merchants actually need — not the features that look good in a demo.

That experience matters when things get complicated. A checkout flow built for US shoppers will lose local buyers if shipping zones aren't right, if delivery estimates don't reflect domestic carriers, or if the returns process assumes a US address. We've fixed these problems across 450+ builds because we've lived them.

Brands like Sennheiser, Patagonia, Cancer Council, Jo Mercer and Veneziano didn't pick an agency from a directory listing. They chose a team that understood their business, their market, and the specific challenges of delivering ecommerce in this part of the world. That's the difference between a development company that builds websites and a Shopify agency that builds businesses.

'We worked with The Hope Factory to move our website from the NETO platform across to Shopify Plus. The process was very involved and with the integration of our POS adding an additional element we wanted to make sure we had an experienced team to lead the move. Gati and her team were always available for any technical questions throughout the journey and no changes, updates, reviews were too difficult to execute.
The Hope Factory team went above and beyond to ensure we were happy with the end result. I would highly recommend The Hope Factory to any business.'
Johanna Lark, Coco & Lola

E-commerce Insights

  1. Read more: GEO & AI SEO for Shopify: How to Get Your Store Visible in AI Search
    GEO & AI SEO for Shopify: How to Get Your Store Visible in AI Search

    GEO & AI SEO for Shopify: How to Get Your Store Visible in AI Search

    by Andrew Cox

    AI search is reshaping how customers discover products. Shopping-related AI searches grew 4,700% in a single year, and AI-referred traffic converts at 5x the rate of Google organic. This guide covers what GEO means for your Shopify store — and the 7 practical steps to make sure you show up when AI goes shopping.

    Read more
  2. Read more: Neto to Shopify Migration: A Complete Guide for Australian Merchants
    Animals migrating

    Neto to Shopify Migration: A Complete Guide for Australian Merchants

    by Andrew Cox

    A complete guide to migrating from Neto (Maropost) to Shopify for Australian merchants. Step-by-step checklists, SEO preservation strategies, and what to expect.
    Read more
  3. Read more: Top 14 Shopify Development Agencies in Australia (2026)
    Top 14 Shopify Development Agencies in Australia (2026)

    Top 14 Shopify Development Agencies in Australia (2026)

    by Andrew Cox

    Honest insights from a Shopify Premier Partner on 14 Shopify Development Agencies in Australia, their specialties, and who suits you.

    Read more

FAQs

  • How involved do we need to be during the project?

    We take care of all the technical and strategic details, but we also value your expertise. You’ll be involved in key decisions such as design direction, brand preferences and business priorities — while we manage the planning, development and optimisation.

    How do you communicate throughout the project?

    We use Basecamp to keep all communication, files and approvals streamlined in one place. You’ll always know what’s happening, what’s coming next and who’s responsible. Regular check-ins ensure we stay aligned with your goals.

    How long does a typical project take?

    Timelines depend on the size and complexity of the work. A standard Shopify setup usually takes 6–8 weeks, while redesigns and platform switches can take 12–16 weeks. From the start, we’ll give you a clear timeline and stick to it.

    What kind of results can we expect?

    Our focus is conversion-driven design — we optimise user experience, speed, checkout flow and trust to help you turn more visitors into buyers. You'll also receive performance reporting so you can see the outcomes clearly.

    Will we receive training and support after launch?

    Yes. We provide hands-on training so you feel confident managing your store. You can also continue with one of our growth or support plans for ongoing improvements and proactive optimisation.

    Are you experienced working with growing brands?

    Absolutely. With 17+ years in ecommerce and over 450 Shopify websites launched — from startups to multi-store retailers — we understand how to build scalable foundations and support long-term growth. We are a Shopify Premier Partner based in Melbourne.

  • No. We don't run ads, manage email marketing, or do branding. We build and optimise Shopify stores — that's our lane. If you need a marketing agency, we can point you to good ones we've worked alongside.

  • E-commerce website development costs vary significantly based on complexity and features. A basic Shopify site with a premium theme starts around $5,000-$10,000. Custom Shopify websites with advanced features typically range from $15,000-$100,000+. Switching platforms (from Magento, WooCommerce, etc.) and enterprise projects sit at the higher end. We provide detailed quotes after a free discovery call where we understand your specific requirements, integration needs, and business goals.

  • Timeline depends on project scope. A standard build takes 6 -8 weeks from kickoff to launch. Complex custom developments or platform moves can take 12 -16 weeks. Factors that affect timeline include: custom design requirements, third-party integrations (ERP, POS, inventory systems), data transfer volume, and custom functionality. We provide a detailed project timeline during our discovery phase and keep you updated throughout the build.

  • Our development process involves five key stages: Discovery (understanding your business, customers, and technical requirements), Strategy & Planning (sitemap, user flows, technical architecture), Design* (custom mockups focused on conversion), Development (building on Shopify with custom functionality), and Testing & Launch (thorough QA, training, and go-live support). We work collaboratively throughout, ensuring the final result aligns with your business goals and brand identity.

    * Design is optional, but recommended

  • We specialise in Shopify and are a Shopify Plus partner because they offer the best balance of flexibility, reliability, and ease of management for most businesses in Australia. Shopify handles hosting, security, and updates automatically, letting you focus on growing sales. For businesses with specific needs, we'll honestly assess if Shopify is the right fit or if another platform makes more sense.

  • Yes, replatforming is one of our core services. We've successfully moved sites from Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, custom platforms, and others. We handle product data, order history, account records, URL redirects, and preserve your SEO rankings. The process includes thorough testing to ensure nothing breaks during the switch.

  • We offer various support and maintenance packages to suit different needs. This can include technical updates, feature additions, CRO, performance monitoring, and strategic growth support. Many clients start with a comprehensive build and then move to a retainer or one-off block of time for ongoing improvements and support.