Managing a Shopify project: tips from project manager Frances Teves

When the pandemic started and businesses had to build up their online presence, Shopify became a go-to platform for businesses and technology teams building e-commerce sites. We use Shopify for our e-commerce clients so we don't have to code from scratch, which makes development faster and more affordable for them.

Frances Teves, one of our project managers, has handled many of our clients' Shopify stores. Here she shares her advice for project managers who are new to Shopify or might handle a Shopify project soon.

What's challenging about managing a Shopify project?

"Sometimes the feature or functionality that a client wants is not available or compatible. There's already a lot of plug-and-play features and themes, and in an ideal scenario this should work already... you don't need to make code changes. In reality, you will see spaces or weird colors that don't match your branding, etc.

The most challenging part is finding the balance between customizing and finding what's already embedded in Shopify, making the most of what is available to you."

What have you learned from managing Shopify projects?

"I would not suggest building something from scratch if you're using Shopify because that's the main reason why we are using a platform like that: to avoid custom coding as much as possible by using ready-made designs and then we take it from there.

Given that Shopify is a plug-and-play type of platform, you have a lot of apps and themes to choose from. I highly suggest to utilize existing apps to save on time and cost for the client as well as working with developers, designers, or an external team."

What are the fun parts of working with Shopify?

"The first Shopify project I managed was Abaca Eats, and I was excited about it!

It was something we conceptualized and launched in the midst of the pandemic. Seeing a client's online store getting customers and orders makes it (the experience) rewarding.

I also find it amazing to see how the clients use them in their own headquarters: how Shopify helps from printing labels, delivery tracking, customized email templates, and getting reviews and feedback. It's those simple things yet convenient and useful features that make the work worth it."

What are your tips for managing a Shopify project for a client?

"If an entrepreneur is not technical, we should explore or make recommendations based on what resources are available in Shopify.

At Symph, our goal is to help business owners launch their stores online as early as possible so they can compete competitively and get a huge percentage of those buyers who prefer convenience and are now accustomed to buying online."

Our team has built many e-commerce websites for clients with Shopify, and they have helped those clients grow their brand presence and their sales. If you want to bring your store online, we can help.

Story by Venny, our copywriting intern