Launching and growing a Shopify store can be an exciting journey, but it’s not without its challenges—especially for developers. Even experienced professionals sometimes overlook small issues that can cause poor performance, slow loading, and low conversions. If you’re a Shopify developer (or working with one), knowing what mistakes to avoid can save you time, money, and frustration.
In this article, we’ll highlight 5 of the most common Shopify development mistakes and show you exactly how to avoid them. Let’s dive in.
Top 5 Shopify Development Mistakes Developers Must Avoid (And How to Fix Them)
1. Overloading the Store with Unnecessary Apps
The Mistake:
Many store owners and developers install several apps to add functionality or features. While apps can be helpful, too many of them can slow down your website and bloat the code.
Why It Hurts:
Every app you install adds scripts to your site. The more scripts, the longer your store takes to load—especially on mobile. This creates a poor user experience and can hurt your SEO rankings.
How to Avoid It:
- Audit your installed apps regularly.
- Remove any unused or low-impact apps.
- Look for all-in-one apps that can handle multiple tasks efficiently.
- Use Shopify-native features when possible instead of relying on third-party plugins.
2. Ignoring Mobile Optimization
The Mistake:
Focusing solely on desktop design and neglecting mobile responsiveness.
Why It Hurts:
More than 70% of eCommerce traffic comes from mobile devices. If your store isn’t optimized for smaller screens, you’re losing potential customers.
How to Avoid It:
- Choose a mobile-responsive Shopify theme.
- Test your store across different mobile devices and browsers.
- Use large, easy-to-click buttons and legible fonts.
- Ensure mobile checkout is smooth and frictionless.
Pro Tip: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check your site.
3. Poorly Written or Unoptimized Code
The Mistake:
Writing messy or redundant code during theme customization or app development.
Why It Hurts:
Bad code can break functionalities, cause rendering issues, and make debugging difficult. It also impacts load time and SEO.
How to Avoid It:
- Follow Shopify’s official theme development standards.
- Keep your Liquid, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript clean and well-organized.
- Minify CSS and JavaScript files where possible.
- Use version control tools like Git for collaborative development.
Consider using tools like Shopify Theme Inspector for Chrome to catch rendering performance issues.
4. Not Optimizing Images and Media Files
The Mistake:
Uploading large, uncompressed images directly to your store.
Why It Hurts:
Large image files slow down your store’s performance, particularly on mobile networks, leading to higher bounce rates.
How to Avoid It:
- Use image compression tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim.
- Stick to proper image formats: JPEG for photos, PNG for transparent images, and WebP for next-gen performance.
- Set appropriate dimensions before uploading.
- Use Shopify’s built-in image optimization and lazy loading features.
5. Failing to Set Up SEO and Analytics Properly
The Mistake:
Skipping basic SEO settings and not integrating analytics tools during development.
Why It Hurts:
Without SEO optimization, your store may not rank on search engines. Without analytics, you can’t track performance or customer behavior effectively.
How to Avoid It:
- Set unique title tags and meta descriptions for each page.
- Use descriptive URLs and proper heading tags (H1, H2, etc.).
- Add alt text to all product images.
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console.
- Install Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel for traffic and conversion tracking.
Use apps like Plug in SEO or SEO Manager for assistance with on-page SEO.
Final Thoughts
Shopify is a powerful platform, but even the best tools need to be used wisely. By avoiding these five common development mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to creating a fast, user-friendly, and high-converting store.
