01
Real fit of Shopify with the case
Catalog, integrations, commercial model (pure B2C, B2B, hybrid), internationalization. Whether Shopify Plus is justified or overkill. Whether an alternative might be better.
Shopify web development
Shopify web development with strategic direction
Strategic consulting for Shopify and Shopify Plus projects directed at the P&L. Before choosing a theme, before installing apps, before closing the plan: we decide whether Shopify is what your business needs and under what conditions.
TL;DR
Elevam directs Shopify and Shopify Plus web development projects from strategic consulting, not from theme programming. We decide whether Shopify is the right CMS, design architecture, SEO and GEO before development, and supervise the technical partner — own or external — throughout execution. We apply the proprietary CREF© framework. We work with DTC brands and mid-market retail of €1M-20M.
The problem
Your Shopify works. But revenue has stalled.
You have your store on Shopify. It launched two or three years ago. It works. It sells. And yet you've spent six months staring at the same chart: revenue has stalled and you don't understand why.
Your Shopify Partner has changed your theme twice, installed four apps that duplicate functions, and every time you open the monthly Shopify + apps invoice you wonder if this was exactly what you were going to pay. You've talked to one SEO consultant who told you Shopify has architecture limitations. You've talked to another who told you to migrate to Shopify Plus. Another told you to migrate off Shopify altogether.
Meanwhile, your potential customers no longer come only via Google. They ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, «which brand should I buy for X?» — and your brand doesn't appear in the answer.
The problem isn't Shopify. Shopify is excellent for what it's designed for. The problem is that no one has directed this project thinking about how it defends itself in the income statement over 3 years, either on Shopify or off it.
This is where we come in.
What we do differently
Strategic direction of the Shopify project, not theme programming.
We apply CREF© — Consultoría de Crecimiento Elevam Framework — to your Shopify development. We don't compete with Shopify Partners: we work above. CREF© connects each technical decision with three variables that defend the investment.
02
Total cost of ownership over 3 years
Shopify license + apps + transaction fees + theme + customization development + maintenance. What a Shopify operation really costs, not just the initial launch.
03
Expected traction per channel
Organic, paid, social, partners, marketplaces. And target CAC per channel at 12, 24 and 36 months.
We don't optimize the theme. We optimize your store's income statement.
Work areas
Work areas on Shopify projects
Prior strategic diagnosis
Before any line of code. Analysis of catalog, sales model, current channel, competition, anticipated internationalization and internal maintenance resources. Output: executive document with the recommendation — Shopify, Shopify Plus, or alternative — and the business case that justifies it.
Architecture of collections, products and navigation
Shopify is fast to launch but rigid in architecture. We design the collections model, navigation hierarchy, tags and facets system, variant management and URL structure before choosing a theme. Poorly designed architecture on Shopify costs silent revenue every month and is slow to reverse.
SEO and GEO on Shopify from day 1
Shopify by default doesn't rank: it has known limitations (pagination, canonical, robots, forced URL structure, thin content in collections). We design semantic architecture, content strategy and GEO plan before development. We work the HSA Protocol and the Prompts × Models Matrix to ensure visibility on Google and in LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) from the origin.
Internationalization and multi-market
One of the most legitimate reasons to choose Shopify Plus. We design the strategy: one store with Shopify Markets?, separate stores per country?, hybrid model? Domain structure, currency management, translation, taxation. Before development, not after.
Theme, apps and stack selection
The Shopify ecosystem has thousands of apps. Most are unnecessary. We audit and select the minimum viable stack: base theme, essential apps, integrations with ERP/CRM/email marketing/PIM. Every app that enters is justified by business impact, not by fashion.
Project direction and technical supervision
We coordinate the Shopify Partner — ours or yours. We validate sprints, review deliverables, ensure that what is built corresponds to what was designed. If your Partner is good, we make sure they stay that way. If not, we detect it early.
Post-launch plan and continuous optimization
The first 12 live weeks are critical: tracking, first CRO iterations, first SEO/GEO push, validation of original plan assumptions. Learnings applied from Elevam Labs.
Cases
Real cases with verifiable metrics.
What we've done directing real projects. The cases are in public projects.
Why Elevam
Why Elevam and not a Shopify agency
We're not an operational Shopify Partner. We don't bill theme programming hours. And this changes three things that matter.
- 01
We have no platform bias. A Shopify agency recommends Shopify. Always. We recommend Shopify when it's the right answer — and WooCommerce, Prestashop or custom development when those are.
- 02
We work with general management or the committee that approves the investment. What we propose has to be defended in the board, not in a technical meeting with the eCommerce manager alone.
- 03
We have proprietary, published and auditable methodology. CREF©, HSA Protocol, Elevam Labs, Prompts × Models Matrix. If you want your trusted consultant to audit us, perfect. It's what we'd do in your place.
- 04
We integrate SEO and GEO from the architecture. A Shopify agency delivers a store «ready to optimize». We deliver it ready to rank on Google and in LLMs from day 1.
How we work
Four phases, no blind sprints.
2-4 weeks
CREF© diagnosis
We analyze the catalog, the current channel, the competition, the digital scenario and the maintenance resources. Deliverable: executive document with the platform recommendation and the business case that backs it.
Before the first commit
Strategic plan of the Shopify project
Architecture, content model, SEO/GEO plan, stack selection, consolidated 3-year budget, team plan. It's the document on which the investment is approved.
Implementation
Execution under Elevam direction
We coordinate the Shopify partner — ours or yours. We validate sprints. We ensure that what is built corresponds to what was designed.
12 weeks post-launch
Launch and iteration (Elevam Labs)
The first 12 weeks post-launch are critical. We apply learnings from Elevam Labs, our internal R&D unit, so we don't experiment on you: we experiment first.
Spokesperson
Asier López
CEO and Founding Partner, ElevamShopify is sold as «launch your store in a week». For many brands, that promise ends up turning into three years paying for apps they don't use and fighting architecture limitations no one explained to them. Elevam exists so that decision is made earlier with judgement. If Shopify fits your business, we build it well. If not, we tell you before starting.
See full profile
Direct contactinfo@elevam.es
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What does a Shopify web development consultancy do?
- A Shopify web development consultancy evaluates whether Shopify (or Shopify Plus) is the right platform for the project, designs architecture, content model and SEO/GEO plan before development, and directs the technical team — own or external — during execution. Unlike an operational Shopify Partner, it doesn't program themes: it directs and supervises. Elevam applies the proprietary CREF© framework to this work.
- When is Shopify the best option versus WooCommerce or Prestashop?
- Shopify is usually the best option when the model is B2C DTC with simple-medium catalog, small internal team, need to launch fast, anticipated internationalization and low appetite for technical maintenance. WooCommerce is better when technical control and editorial content are critical. Prestashop fits more complex catalogs and specific European markets. The right decision depends on the case, not the fashion.
- When is Shopify Plus warranted versus standard Shopify?
- Shopify Plus is justified when there is sustained annual revenue above approximately €1M-2M, need for internationalization with multiple stores, B2B integrated with B2C, advanced automations, complex integrations with ERP/CRM, or customized checkout. Below that threshold, it's usually overkill — and it shows in the income statement.
- Is Shopify SEO friendly?
- Shopify has basic SEO capabilities (clean URLs, basic schema, automatic sitemap, metadata control per product). But it also has known limitations: forced URL structure, poorly controllable pagination, default thin content in collections, limited mass redirect management. A Shopify without an SEO strategy specific to its limitations is a Shopify invisible on Google.
- What is GEO and why does it matter on Shopify?
- GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — is the set of techniques to make a brand and its products appear cited in responses generated by AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews). For DTC brands it matters especially because the average buyer already does comparative queries on LLMs before visiting a store. If your brand doesn't appear in the answer, you lose consideration before the first click.
- Do you develop Shopify or just direct it?
- Both are possible. We execute with trusted Shopify Partners under our direction, or we direct the internal team or the Partner the client already has. What we never do is bill Shopify theme programming hours as our main business: that would reintroduce bias into the initial recommendation.
- How much does a Shopify project directed by Elevam cost?
- We work by project, not by hour. The CREF© diagnosis has a closed price. From there, the strategic plan and project direction are quoted based on scope — catalog, internationalization, integration complexity, standard Shopify vs. Plus. If you need an indicative range before the first meeting, it's delivered in 24h.
- How long does a Shopify project directed by Elevam last?
- A Shopify of medium complexity typically runs from 3 to 7 months from diagnosis to launch. A Shopify Plus with multi-market and ERP/CRM integrations can run from 6 to 12 months. Anyone promising «your Shopify in 2 weeks» is selling a generic template, not a project.
- What type of company do you work with?
- For DTC brands, mid-market retail and B2B companies with a catalog suitable for digital channels, with revenue between €1M and €20M, that are launching their Shopify, migrating from another platform or stalled in the growth of their current store. We don't work with stores in startup phase or with whoever is looking for the lowest budget in the market.
Before investing, validate
If you're going to invest in Shopify, let's ask the right question first.
Request your CREF© strategic evaluation
Initial 45-minute meeting, no cost, no commitment. We only continue if there's a fit.