How to choose a Shopify agency in Malaysia

A portfolio shows what an agency can make look good. It does not show whether they understand how your business takes orders, counts stock and reports to the mall and to LHDN. This checklist covers that gap.

We are a Shopify agency ourselves, so we do not name or rank other agencies here. The checklist works whoever you are talking to.

What do Shopify partner tiers actually mean?

A tier reflects an agency's commercial activity with Shopify, measured by Shopify. It is useful, but it is not a quality certificate for your project.

According to Shopify's Partner Program pages (checked 18 October 2026), every partner starts on the Registered tier and can progress to Select, Plus, Premier and Platinum "based on your performance". Higher tiers unlock more business development, training and marketing benefits from Shopify.

Shopify publishes the bar for its Partner Directory. Plus is the minimum tier for guaranteed directory eligibility, and qualifying needs, among other things, at least US$500,000 a year in referral and co-sell revenue to Shopify (or US$2.5 million from existing merchants), at least 2 Plus or 40 standard merchant stores acquired over five years, and at least 10 Shopify Verified Skills across the team.

Two points that often confuse buyers:

• "Plus partner" is not the same as Shopify Plus. Shopify retired its old Plus Partner program in December 2024. "Plus" is now a partner tier name, separate from the Shopify Plus plan a merchant subscribes to.
• A higher tier measures volume. An agency can reach a high tier through many standard stores without ever running a multi-outlet POS rollout. Ask about work like yours.

For reference, WebCEO is a Shopify Select Partner.

What should you ask a Shopify agency?

Ask about your operation, not their design awards. Good answers are specific and come with an example.

Question	What a good answer includes
Who will work on our store?	Named roles, who is in-house and who is subcontracted
How do you decide between an app and custom code?	A rule, such as native feature first, then an app, then custom work
How many apps will the store run at launch?	A list with monthly cost for each
How do you handle a migration?	Data mapping, redirect plan and a rehearsal before cutover
What happens after launch?	Support terms, response times and how work is charged
How do you test before going live?	Test orders, payment tests and a written launch checklist

Which Malaysian requirements should the agency already know?

A Malaysian store has local requirements that an overseas template will not cover. The agency should raise them before you do.

• Payment gateways. Shopify Payments is not on Shopify's list of supported countries for Malaysia, so Malaysian stores use third-party payment providers. Shopify then charges a third-party provider fee of 2%, 1% or 0.6% on Basic, Grow and Advanced (checked 18 October 2026). The agency should help you choose a plan with that fee in mind, and test cards, FPX and e-wallets before launch.
• LHDN e-invoicing. If you issue e-invoices through MyInvois, ask how the store will handle customer requests, consolidated e-invoices and refunds, online and in store. Our e-invoice app page covers the workflow.
• Mall GTO reporting. Outlets on GTO rental must send daily sales to the mall. Ask how POS sales will reach each mall's system. See mall GTO on Shopify.
• POS. If you run outlets, ask about inventory per location, staff permissions, hardware and how a rollout avoids stopping trade. Our multi-outlet POS guide sets out the questions.
• Language. If you sell in Malay or Chinese as well as English, ask who sets up and maintains translations.

How do Shopify agency pricing models work?

Most agencies charge in one of three ways. Each suits a different stage of a store.

Model	How it works	Suits	Watch for
Fixed build	A set price for a defined scope	New stores and migrations with clear requirements	What counts as a change request, and its rate
Retainer	A monthly fee for a set amount of work or availability	Stores with continuous change and campaigns	Unused hours that expire, notice periods
Credit hours	Prepaid hours drawn down per job	Irregular changes after launch	Validity period, how jobs are estimated

Our own prices are published. Store setup packages range from RM 850 to RM 30,000, and support is RM 350 per hour or prepaid credit hours valid for 365 days. See Shopify development for the packages. For the full running cost of a store, see what Shopify really costs.

Whichever model you choose, ask for the estimate in hours or deliverables, not only a total.

Who should own the store, domain, theme and apps?

You should. Put it in the contract before work starts.

Item	What to agree
Shopify store	The store is registered to your business, with your email as owner
Agency access	Through a collaborator account, which the store owner approves and can change or remove
Domain	Registered in your company's name, with login details held by you
Theme licence	Bought on your store. Shopify licenses a Theme Store theme to the store where it was purchased
Apps	Installed and billed on your store, with a list of what each does
Custom code	Source code and documentation handed over, with your right to use and change it
Accounts for integrations	API keys and service accounts created under your business

Insist on collaborator accounts. The owner approves the specific permissions, the accounts do not count towards your plan's staff limit, and you can remove them when the relationship ends.

What are the red flags?

Most problems come from vague scope and unclear ownership, not from bad design.

1. The store or domain will be registered under the agency's account.
2. The quote is a single total with no list of deliverables.
3. Ten or more apps are proposed before anyone has looked at native features.
4. No one asks about your payment gateway, outlets, malls or e-invoicing.
5. A migration quote has no mention of redirects or data mapping.
6. Support after launch is "to be discussed".
7. Partner status or Shopify badges are claimed but cannot be shown.

A short way to decide

Give two or three agencies the same brief listing your ten core business processes, and ask for a written approach and a priced scope. Compare how well each understood the processes, not how good the proposal looks.

If you want to see how we would approach your store, talk to us or read more about WebCEO.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Shopify partner better than a freelancer?

Not automatically. A freelancer can do excellent theme work. An agency is usually the better fit when you need several skills, cover during staff leave and support after launch.

How can I check an agency's partner tier?

Ask the agency to show it. Shopify's Partner Directory guarantees listing only from the Plus tier upwards, so a Registered or Select partner may not appear there.

Do we need a Malaysian agency?

You need an agency that understands Malaysian payments, e-invoicing, mall reporting and languages. Being local makes outlet visits, training and same-time-zone support easier.