Custom Shopify Theme Development for Australian Brands
For AU brands that have outgrown a marketplace theme. We hand-code Online Store 2.0 themes from your design, fast, accessible, and editable by your team without a developer on call.
When a bought theme starts holding you back
Off-the-shelf themes get you live. A custom theme is what you build once the store has to earn its keep.
Your brand looks like everyone else's
A popular marketplace theme means a familiar layout. A custom theme puts your brand, not a template, in front of customers.
Every edit needs a developer
Simple content changes turn into support tickets. Online Store 2.0 sections hand that control back to your team in the editor.
Speed is stuck
Bloated theme code and unused features drag your Core Web Vitals down. A lean, purpose-built theme is fast because it only ships what you use.
Design compromises pile up
You bend the brand to fit the theme's limits. We build the other way round, the theme fits the design, not the reverse.
Accessibility was never considered
Bought themes rarely meet WCAG. We build to AA from the first component, so accessibility isn't a retrofit later.
Conversion levers are locked away
You can't test layouts or move sections without touching code. Editable sections let you optimise pages without a redeploy.
Bought theme vs custom theme
Where a hand-built theme earns back the difference.
| Bought theme | Custom theme with Nexly | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Template everyone recognises | Built to your brand and design |
| Editing | Developer needed for most changes | Your team edits sections in the editor |
| Performance | Carries code you never use | Lean, only what your store needs |
| Accessibility | Rarely WCAG-compliant | WCAG 2.1 AA on every template |
| Flexibility | Limited to the theme's options | Sections and blocks built for you |
| Ownership | Vendor updates on their schedule | Documented code that's yours |
Is custom theme development right for you?
A fit if
- You have a design, or brand ambitions, a stock theme can't deliver
- You want your team editing pages without a developer
- Speed and Core Web Vitals matter to your revenue
- You're on standard Shopify and don't need headless
- You're moving off a bought theme you've outgrown
Not a fit if
- You're validating an idea and a stock theme covers you
- You want the cheapest possible theme install
- Your content and speed needs point to headless instead
- You need enterprise checkout customisation, that's Plus
What custom theme development covers
A complete Online Store 2.0 theme, designed, built, and handed over so your team can run it.
Design to Shopify
- Figma-to-Shopify builds, pixel-accurate to your design
- Custom sections and blocks for every template
- Reusable component system for consistent pages
- Responsive layouts tested across real devices
Editable without a developer
- Sections everywhere so pages are built in the editor
- Metafields and metaobjects for structured content
- Theme settings for colour, type and layout control
- Clear content guidelines handed to your team
Performance & accessibility
- Hand-coded Liquid with no unused theme bloat
- Core Web Vitals budget enforced before launch
- WCAG 2.1 AA baked into every component
- CRO-minded layouts built to be tested
How we build your theme
Six to ten weeks, scoped after discovery, with you in the loop throughout.
Discovery & scope
We map your templates, content model and edit needs, then agree scope and success measures.
Design review
We pressure-test the Figma design for Shopify, flag edge cases, and plan the section architecture.
Component build
We hand-code the theme as reusable sections and blocks in a dedicated staging environment.
Content & settings
Metafields, metaobjects and theme settings configured so your team can edit without code.
QA & performance
Cross-device QA, Lighthouse, accessibility and template regression before sign-off.
Launch & handover
Managed cutover, documentation and content guidelines, then a warranty window with your team.
Quality controls on every theme build
What we check before your theme goes live.
- Lighthouse 90+ on key templates
- Core Web Vitals measured on real mobile devices
- WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility across every template
- Cross-browser and cross-device QA
- Editor tested by a non-developer before sign-off
- Documented code and content guidelines at handover
Investment
Typical AUD bands, scoped after discovery. Excludes design, which we can provide or build from your Figma.
Theme from a template
Customised Online Store 2.0 theme on a strong starting point
Bespoke theme build
Hand-coded theme from your Figma design, single storefront
Design + build
Design and custom theme together, with deeper content modelling
Custom Shopify theme development FAQs
Related services
Ready for a theme built around your brand?
Book a call and we'll scope your templates, content and edit needs, then map the build.
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