E-commerce Development for UK Businesses
Online stores built to make buying easier
Selling online is about more than putting products on a website.
Your store needs to make it easy for people to find the right product, understand what they're buying, complete their purchase and come back again.
DOT IT designs and develops e-commerce websites for businesses across the UK, from new online stores to established businesses looking to improve an existing one.
We work with platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce, as well as custom e-commerce requirements.
Your online store is part of your business
Your website needs to work around the way your business actually sells.
You may have a small product range and need a straightforward store. You may have hundreds of products, different product variations, multiple payment options or more complicated requirements.
Either way, the store should make things easier for your customers and your team.
We look at the complete buying experience, from the first visit through to checkout and beyond.
What we can help you build
Shopify Development
Shopify is a practical option for many businesses that want to sell online without managing the underlying infrastructure themselves.
We design and develop Shopify stores around your products, brand and customers.
- Shopify store setup
- Custom Shopify design
- Theme customisation
- Product and collection structure
- Navigation
- Product pages
- Cart and checkout experience
- Payment setup
- Third-party integrations
- Store improvements
- Mobile optimisation
If you're already using Shopify, we can also help improve or redesign your existing store.
WooCommerce Development
WooCommerce gives businesses more control over their online store and works particularly well for businesses already using WordPress.
We can create WooCommerce stores tailored to your products and business requirements.
- WooCommerce setup
- Custom store design
- Product organisation
- Product variations
- Payment integrations
- Shipping configuration
- Customer accounts
- Custom functionality
- Store optimisation
- WordPress integration
Custom E-commerce Development
Not every online store fits neatly into Shopify or WooCommerce.
If you have specific requirements, integrations or workflows, we can discuss a custom e-commerce solution through our custom software development capabilities.
- Custom product systems
- Bespoke checkout processes
- Customer portals
- Account systems
- Business integrations
- Inventory connections
- Custom pricing
- Third-party APIs
- Internal business systems
We'll first understand what you need before deciding whether a custom build is actually necessary.
Building an online store around your customers
Make products easy to find
Customers shouldn't have to fight their way through your website to find a product.
We consider how products should be organised, how categories should work and how customers move around the store.
- Product categories
- Filters
- Search
- Collections
- Product variations
- Related products
- Clear navigation
Give customers the information they need
A product page should answer the questions a customer has before buying.
- Product descriptions
- Images
- Specifications
- Sizes
- Colours
- Availability
- Delivery information
- Returns information
- Reviews
- FAQs
The exact structure depends on what you're selling and what your customers need to know.
Keep checkout straightforward
Every additional complication at checkout can make buying harder.
We focus on making the checkout process clear and practical, while considering payment options, delivery, customer information and the requirements of your business.
E-commerce design that works on mobile
People shop from phones every day.
Your online store needs to work just as well on a smaller screen as it does on a desktop.
- Navigation
- Product browsing
- Product images
- Product options
- Add-to-cart actions
- Forms
- Checkout
- Page performance
E-commerce SEO
Getting a store online is one thing.
Getting the right people to find your products is another.
We build with SEO fundamentals in mind so your store has a sensible foundation for organic search.
- Search-friendly site structure
- Product and category URLs
- Page titles and descriptions
- Heading structure
- Internal linking
- Product information
- Image optimisation
- Mobile usability
- Crawlable navigation
- Structured data where appropriate
- Technical SEO
For ongoing search growth, we can also work with you through our SEO services.
We don't promise a particular Google position because rankings depend on your market, competition, website and ongoing work.
Existing store not performing as expected?
You don't always need a completely new store.
Sometimes the problem is the structure.
Sometimes the product pages aren't doing enough.
Sometimes the checkout is difficult.
Sometimes the store works on desktop but becomes frustrating on mobile.
And sometimes the technology itself is limiting what you can do.
We can review your existing e-commerce website and identify areas that could be improved.
- Redesigning key pages
- Improving navigation
- Restructuring products
- Improving mobile usability
- Simplifying checkout
- Fixing technical issues
- Improving page performance
- Rebuilding parts of the store
E-commerce websites for different types of businesses
We work with different types of businesses selling different products and services.
Retail businesses
Create an online sales channel alongside your physical business.
Growing online brands
Build a store that can support a wider product range and growing customer base.
B2B businesses
Create product catalogues, enquiry-based purchasing and other business-focused requirements.
Manufacturers
Present products clearly and connect the online experience with your wider sales process.
Established e-commerce businesses
Improve an existing store instead of starting again unnecessarily.
New businesses
Start with a practical online store that gives you room to grow.
Shopify or WooCommerce?
There isn't a universal answer.
Shopify
Shopify may make sense when you want:- A managed e-commerce platform
- Easier store administration
- Built-in infrastructure
- A faster route to selling online
- Access to a large app ecosystem
WooCommerce
WooCommerce may make sense when you want:- WordPress integration
- Greater control over your website
- More flexibility around content
- Custom functionality
- Control over hosting and development
We'll look at your requirements before recommending one.
The platform should serve the business, not the other way around.
Our e-commerce development process
Understand your business
We learn about your products, customers, current sales process and what you want the store to achieve.
Plan the store
We map out the product structure, categories, navigation, key pages and functionality.
Design the experience
We design the store around your brand and the way your customers are expected to shop.
Develop the store
Our developers build the website and implement the required functionality.
Add products and content
We help establish the structure for your products, categories and supporting content.
Test everything
We check the store across devices and browsers and test important customer journeys.
Launch
Once everything is ready, we launch the store and make sure the key functionality is working correctly.
Why work with DOT IT?
120+ digital projects
Our team has worked on more than 120 digital projects across different businesses and requirements.
Design and development together
Your store needs to look right, but it also needs to work properly. We consider both.
Platform flexibility
We work with Shopify, WooCommerce and custom requirements rather than forcing every project onto one platform.
Business-first thinking
We start with your products, customers and goals instead of starting with technology.
UK-wide delivery
We work with businesses across the UK through remote collaboration and online communication.
Support after launch
Your store may need changes as your products, customers and business grow. We can continue helping after launch.
Looking for core web development? Explore our Web Design & Development services.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost depends on the size and requirements of the store. A small Shopify store has very different requirements from a large WooCommerce website or custom e-commerce platform. Factors such as the number of products, design, integrations, payment systems, custom functionality and content can all affect the cost. We can provide a project estimate once we understand what you need.
Ready to sell online?
Let's talk about your store.
Whether you're starting your first online store, moving away from an existing platform or trying to improve a store that isn't performing as expected, tell us what you're working with.
We'll look at your requirements and talk through the options with you.
You don't need to know which platform you need before contacting us.
We'll help you work that out.
Tell us about your project
Whether you need a new website, mobile app, e-commerce store or help with your digital marketing, share a few details and let's talk through what makes sense.