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Shopify
Shopify store development in the UAE
Launch or upgrade your Shopify store with custom design, UAE payment gateways, delivery integrations, Arabic support and connections to your ERP, built by Shopify developers in Dubai.
About Shopify
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that lets businesses create and run online stores without managing servers or software. Founded in Canada in 2006, it provides hosting, security, checkout, product and order management, themes, and an app ecosystem in one subscription-based service. Merchants of all sizes use Shopify, from new brands to large enterprises on Shopify Plus. Because Shopify handles infrastructure, updates and PCI-compliant checkout, store owners can focus on products, marketing and customers.
Is Shopify available in the UAE?
Yes. Businesses in the UAE can build and run Shopify stores selling locally and internationally. A few practical points matter: some Shopify features, such as Shopify’s own payment processing, may not be available to UAE-based merchants, so stores typically connect to third-party payment gateways that support UAE businesses; delivery is handled through integrations with local and international couriers; and VAT settings must be configured for UAE requirements. Arabic storefronts and multi-currency selling are supported through Shopify’s language and market features and apps. We set all of this up correctly.
What ITConnect does
Store setup and launch
Products, collections, settings, policies and checkout
Custom theme development
Branded, fast themes and Online Store 2.0 sections
Payments
UAE payment gateways, Apple Pay and buy-now-pay-later
Shipping and delivery
Courier integrations, rates and tracking
Arabic and multi-market stores
Translations, right-to-left and currencies
Apps and integrations
ERP, inventory, CRM, marketing and custom apps
Migration to Shopify
From WooCommerce, Magento or other platforms
Ongoing support
Updates, optimisation and new features
Why choose Shopify
Fast to launch
A professional store can go live quickly.
Reliable and secure
Hosting, security, updates and PCI-compliant checkout are handled by Shopify.
Easy to manage
Intuitive admin for products, orders, discounts and content.
Scales with you
From first sales to high-volume stores and Shopify Plus.
App ecosystem
Thousands of apps for marketing, reviews, subscriptions, loyalty and more.
Omnichannel
Point of sale, social commerce and marketplace channels in one place.
Shopify vs WooCommerce
| Shopify | WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and updates | Managed by Shopify | Your hosting; you manage updates |
| Speed to launch | Very fast | Fast to moderate |
| Flexibility | High within Shopify’s framework | Very high, full code access |
| Maintenance | Low | Higher |
| Best for | Brands wanting simplicity and reliability | Businesses wanting full control or tight WordPress integration |
See E-commerce Development and WordPress
How we work
1
Discovery
Products, customers, markets, operations and integrations.
2
Design
Conversion-focused, mobile-first theme design in English and Arabic.
3
Build
Theme development, product setup, payments, shipping and apps.
4
Integrate
ERP, inventory, marketing and analytics.
5
Test
Checkout, payments, shipping rules, speed and devices.
6
Launch
Domain, SSL, redirects and tracking.
7
Grow
Optimisation, new features and campaign support.
Not sure what to build first?
Book a free discovery call. We’ll help you decide what to build, buy or leave out.
Custom Shopify theme development
Many Shopify stores use the same popular themes with minor changes, which makes brands look alike and often loads unnecessary code. We design and develop custom themes using Shopify’s Online Store 2.0 architecture, with flexible sections and blocks your team can rearrange without code. We focus on fast product pages, clear delivery and returns information, strong mobile navigation, trust signals and a smooth path to checkout. Themes are built to Shopify’s performance and accessibility standards.
Shopify speed and SEO
Apps and heavy themes can slow Shopify stores. We audit installed apps, remove unused scripts, optimise images and fonts, and reduce render-blocking code. For SEO, we structure collections and product pages, write unique titles and descriptions, add structured data, manage redirects during migrations, and configure language and market settings so search engines show the right version to the right visitors.
Shopify apps: use, don’t overuse
Apps add powerful features, but each one can affect speed, cost and complexity. We help you choose reliable apps for essentials such as reviews, subscriptions, loyalty and translations, avoid overlapping apps, and build custom functionality when an app would be overkill or unreliable. Regular app reviews keep stores lean.
Who uses Shopify with us
Fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, food and specialty retailers, electronics and accessories sellers, startups launching direct-to-consumer brands, and established retailers moving from slow or hard-to-maintain platforms.
Choosing a Shopify agency in Dubai
Ask to see live Shopify stores they’ve built and test them on your phone. Ask about custom theme development, UAE payment and delivery integrations, Arabic stores, ERP connections and migrations. Make sure the store and all accounts are in your name, and that they provide support after launch.
Moving your store to Shopify without losing sales
Migrating from WooCommerce, Magento or another platform involves more than copying products. We plan the move carefully: exporting and cleaning products, variants, images and collections; migrating customers and order history where needed; recreating discounts, gift cards and content pages; mapping old URLs to new ones with 301 redirects to protect search rankings; reconnecting payments, shipping and integrations; and testing the full purchase journey before switching the domain. Launch is scheduled for a quiet period, and we monitor closely afterwards.
Payments and checkout in the UAE
Checkout is where sales are won or lost. We configure payment gateways that support UAE businesses, Apple Pay and Google Pay where available, cash on delivery rules if you offer them, and buy-now-pay-later options to increase conversion. Checkout settings, VAT display, delivery options and order confirmation emails are tested in both Arabic and English.
Connecting Shopify to your operations
Growing stores need Shopify connected to the rest of the business. We integrate orders, inventory and customers with ERPs such as Odoo, connect warehouse and courier systems for fulfilment, sync customers with email marketing and CRM, and set up analytics and conversion tracking. Automation reduces manual work as order volumes grow. See ERP · API Integration
Selling across markets
Shopify Markets helps you sell to customers in different countries with local currencies, languages and pricing rules, which is useful for UAE brands selling across the GCC and beyond. We configure markets, translations, duties and shipping zones so international customers get a local-feeling experience.
Shopify Plus for growing brands
For high-volume merchants, Shopify Plus adds advanced checkout customisation, automation tools for repetitive tasks, expansion stores for different markets, B2B features and priority support. We help growing brands decide when Plus makes sense and implement its features to support scale, without unnecessary complexity for stores that don’t need it yet.
What you get at launch
A fully configured store with custom theme, products and collections, payments, shipping and taxes set up, apps installed and configured, analytics and tracking, SEO basics and redirects, admin training for your team, and documentation of settings and integrations.
Case study
A UAE beauty brand launched a bilingual Shopify store with local payment options, same-day courier integration and loyalty rewards.
Shopify questions, answered
What is Shopify?
A hosted e-commerce platform for creating and running online stores, including hosting, checkout, product management and apps.
Is Shopify available in the UAE?
Yes. UAE businesses can run Shopify stores, typically using third-party payment gateways and local delivery integrations.
Can my Shopify store be in Arabic?
Yes, with translated content and right-to-left support through themes and apps.
Can Shopify connect to our ERP?
Yes, including Odoo and other ERPs, through apps or custom integrations.
Can you migrate our store to Shopify?
Yes, including products, customers, orders and SEO redirects.
Do you build custom Shopify apps?
Yes, when existing apps don’t meet your needs.
What is Shopify Plus?
Shopify’s enterprise plan for high-volume merchants, with advanced checkout customisation, automation and support.
Do you provide Shopify maintenance?
Yes, including theme updates, app reviews, speed checks and content changes.
Can Shopify handle B2B wholesale?
Yes, with Shopify’s B2B features or apps, depending on your plan.
Who owns the Shopify store?
You do. The store, domain and all accounts are registered to your business.
How long does a Shopify store take?
A standard store can launch in a few weeks; custom themes and integrations take longer.
Can Shopify work with our physical shop?
Yes. Shopify POS can connect in-store and online sales and stock.