Quick Answer
Before hiring a Shopify agency, get clarity on five items: scope of the engagement, reporting methodology, account access practices, performance benchmarks, and exit terms. Vague answers on any signal a misalignment with your commercial interest.
The five items
Scope: what is included, what is not. Reporting: which numbers, which attribution, which frequency. Access: read-only vs edit, logging, change history. Benchmarks: what does success look like in month 3, month 6, month 12. Exit: notice period, asset ownership, account transfer.
Common Questions
On record.
What is a red flag in the scope conversation?
Agency offering "comprehensive" or "full-service" without naming specific deliverables.
Should the agency have read-only or edit access?
Edit access only if the engagement includes execution. Audit or advisory engagements use read-only.
What reporting frequency is standard?
Monthly written. Weekly is often overkill; quarterly is often too little.
Do I own my campaigns if I leave?
Yes if accounts are in your name. Get accounts in your name before signing.
What notice period is reasonable?
30 days. Anything beyond 60 is excessive for most engagements.
The Engagement Format
Begin with the diagnosis. Not the proposal.
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