Shopify: Our agency opinion on its strengths and limitations in 2026
DBM, Shopify Select Partner
Digital agency since 1998 and Shopify Select Partner, DBM supports SMEs and brands in their e-commerce projects.
Our expert opinion on Shopify is positive for the majority of them: the platform is reliable, quick to launch and easy to administer on a daily basis. It also has real limits: costs that add up, framed customization, advanced B2B reserved for Shopify Plus. Here is what we see about our projects, the profiles for which we recommend Shopify and those for which we recommend another solution.
How does Shopify work?
Shopify is an e-commerce platform in SaaS mode, i.e. a hosted software that you rent by monthly or annual subscription, without a server to manage. You create your shop from an administration interface, you choose a theme (the graphical model of the site), you add your products and Shopify takes care of hosting, security and updates.
According to the page prices of Shopify, all packages include unlimited hosting, free SSL certificate, unlimited products, themes, Shopify payment tunnel and sales on social networks and marketplaces. More specific functions (customer reviews, loyalty, billing, logistics connectors) are added via applications.
The platform weighs heavily in global online commerce: in 2025, Shopify handled 378.4 billion dollars in orders, up 29% over a year, according to its 2025 annual report.
Is Shopify reliable?
Yes, Shopify is a reliable platform for selling online, both technically and on payment security. Shopify is certified to PCI DSS Level 1 standard, the credit card data security standard. Accommodation, security fixes and upload during traffic peaks (balances, Black Friday) are managed by Shopify, not by you.
For an SME, this is a significant change from an open source CMS such as WooCommerce or Magento, where server updates and security are the responsibility of the provider or internal team. The counterpart is dependence on a proprietary platform, which we detail below.
Shopify’s 5 forces according to us
1. Quick launch and light maintenance
Shopify allows you to put an online store in a few weeks when the project starts with a suitable theme. As the platform manages the infrastructure, the technical maintenance budget is lower than on a self-hosted solution: no server update or CMS version to be planned.
2. An Administration Your Teams Take Charge
Once the shop is designed and configured, the Shopify administration allows your teams to manage daily life independently: add a product, create a promo code or track an order is done in a few clicks. The agency’s work then concentrates where it creates the most value: customer experience, design, integration with your tools and site performance.
3. A proven payment tunnel
Shopify’s payment tunnel (checkout) is one of its strengths. Shop Pay, its accelerated payment system, records customer information for the following purchases. According to Shopify’s annual results, the volume of orders placed via Shop Pay increased by 62% in 2025.
4. An ecosystem of applications and partners
Thousands of applications cover most of the current needs, and a network of certified agencies accompanies more complex projects. For a manager, it is the assurance not to depend on a single claimant.
5. A platform that invests in B2B and AI
The B2B volume processed by Shopify increased by 96% in 2025, and the platform integrates the AI in administration: all packages include the IA Sidekick assistant. Shopify also prepares the sale via the conversational assistants, with an offer called Agentic that allows to sell its products on the channels of the AIA, without subscription, paying only a fee on sales.
Is Shopify made for your business?
- Brand B2C in launch or growth : recommended. Fast online, simple administration, efficient payment tunnel.
- Trade with physical stores : recommended. Unified stock and sales between online shop and caisse thanks to Shopify POS.
- SME with ERP or management software : recommended, with integration. Existing connectors or custom development.
- Wholesaler with rates per customer : to study. The advanced B2B is reserved for Shopify Plus, otherwise an alternative is to be considered.
- Catalog very technical or complex business logic : to compare with Magento or Sylius, whose customization is more open.
- Market test or first online shop : recommended. The Basic package allows you to start quickly, and a support at the launch avoids parameter errors that are difficult to correct afterwards.
Watch points before choosing Shopify (and how to anticipate them)
A global cost to anticipate
The subscription price is only part of the budget. It adds payment fees on each sale, paid apps and, if applicable, a premium theme. A project scoping with an agency makes it possible to estimate this overall cost over several years and make the right choices from the start.
A framed customization
Shopify leaves great freedom on page design, but some areas remain locked. Complete customization of the payment is reserved for Shopify Plus; it is limited on Basic, Grow and Advanced packages. This is precisely where tailor-made development takes place: an expert agency adapts the theme and creates the features specific to your business (configurator, specific tariff rules), while respecting the platform framework.
Advanced B2B reserved for Shopify Plus
Basic, Grow and Advanced packages are limited to 3 B2B catalogues, compared to an unlimited number on Shopify Plus. For a wholesaler who manages prices per customer or group of customers, upstream support allows you to choose the right package from the start and configure the catalogues, rates and conditions of sale specific to your professional customers.
Dependence on a proprietary platform
You do not have access to the server or the source code of the platform, and the functionality changes are decided by Shopify. Your data (products, customers, orders) remain exportable. Hence the importance of properly structuring your catalogue and your content from the time of creation of the shop, in order to maintain full control over the duration.
The stacking of applications
Each application adds a subscription and, often, code that can slow down the site. A shop that accumulates 20 or 30 applications becomes more expensive and slower. An agency helps you select really useful applications, tailor-made development of what can be and regularly audit extensions installed as part of maintenance.
Should we call on a Shopify expert?
Calling on a Shopify expert such as De Bussac Multimedia (DBM), it is based on a specialized agency for create, Recast or migrating its online shop in the best conditions. Our expertise allows us to support you at every stage of your project: choice and customization of the theme, custom development, shop settings, SEO optimization and performance improvement.
Whether you want to create a Shopify shop, re-build an existing site or migrate from another CMS such as PrestaShop or WooCommerce, our teams offer solutions tailored to your technical and business challenges. We also work on more complex projects: integration with an ERP, design of a custom user experience, preservation of natural SEO during migration or international deployment.
As a Shopify partner agency, De Bussac Multimedia puts its technical, creative and strategic know-how at the service of your e-commerce growth. Our goal is to offer you an efficient, scalable and thought-out online shop to develop your business in the long term.
Opinion of the expert DBM
At DBM, we are Shopify Select Partner and we also develop on Magento, WooTrade and Sylius: our recommendations always start from your needs, to direct you to the solution most suited to your project. Our advice: before choosing, list your needs at 3 years old (B2B, international, integrations, stores), not just those of launch. This is often the choice between Shopify, Shopify Plus and an open source solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shopify reliable for a company?
Shopify is a reliable platform: hosting, security and updates are managed by Shopify, and payments meet PCI DSS level 1. It is used by both independent and major brands. The main point of vigilance is dependence on a proprietary platform, whose tariffs and infrastructure you do not control.
Is Shopify suitable for small businesses?
Yes, Shopify is suitable for small businesses: the Basic package gives access to a complete shop, simple to manage on a daily basis, and the platform evolves with activity. For a very small structure, the point to watch is the cumulation of paid applications, which may exceed the price of subscription.
Is Shopify suitable for B2B?
Shopify allows you to sell to professionals from the Basic package, with up to 3 B2B catalogues. For a wholesaler who manages prices per customer, specific payment terms or many catalogues, Shopify Plus becomes necessary. Beyond this, an open source solution like Magento or Sylius can be more suitable.
Can we leave Shopify easily?
Your data (products, customers, orders) are exportable, but leaving Shopify remains a migration project: you have to rebuild the site on the new platform, take over the content and set up redirections to preserve the SEO. Plan this scenario when choosing the platform.
Is Shopify good for SEO?
Shopify correctly manages the SEO bases: editable URL, title and meta tags, automatic sitemap, SSL certificate. Some constraints exist, such as the imposed structure of certain URLs. Good referencing depends mainly on the content, the speed of the site and the quality of the product sheets.
Do you hesitate to choose Shopify for your shop?
As a Shopify Select Partner, we help you check if the platform meets your needs and budget.
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