How to Build and Transfer a Shopify Development Store

0 comments | Shopify | Updated: December 04, 2024

Summary

A Shopify development store setup is a game-changer for any developer who needs to ensure the smoothness of client projects and effectively showcase their work.

Creating a development store means more than just getting an accessible, flexible environment to test and build. Instead, you unlock valuable tools to make collaboration with clients more manageable and effective in such processes.

If you plan to provide long-term Shopify store development services, joining the Shopify Partner Program will be great. It offers ongoing support for your clients, partner resources, and other revenue opportunities that help your business grow by building long-lasting connections with your clients.

A Shopify development store is necessary to make developing and testing an eCommerce store easy for developers.

These development stores let you experiment with apps, themes, and customizations under the Shopify Partner Program without any monthly fee.

eCommerce sales are predicted to exceed $7.9 trillion by 2027, so shoppers anticipate upgraded online shopping experiences.

This is where Shopify's program can help. This robust program involves commission opportunities, so developers and clients are in for a win-win.

A good Shopify development store supports troubleshooting, refining, and then releasing a polished store to ensure client satisfaction and to remain competitive in today's eCommerce industry.

What is a Shopify Development Store?
How to Create a Development Store in Shopify?
Customizing and Building the Shopify Development Store
Preparing the Store for Transfer
How to Transfer a Shopify Development Store to a Client?
Post-Transfer Considerations
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Best Practices and Tips for a Smooth Transfer

What is a Shopify Development Store?

A Shopify Development Store refers to a sandbox environment within the Shopify platform that enables developers to create, test, and enhance eCommerce stores without the additional baggage of going live and publicizing the site.

It's a secure, experimental space where you can try out different ideas, customize features, and develop functionalities before launching the online store.

Shopify Development Store is exceptionally versatile.

Developers mainly use it to build client sites, allowing them to have hands-on experiences with the customizations and layouts they will use.

It's also perfect for testing apps in real-world scenarios, ensuring everything runs well, from functionality to the user experience, before any new app or feature is released.

⇨ Key Features of a Shopify Development Store

The most appealing aspect of a development store is that it doesn't require a subscription fee. Shopify allows developers and partners to work on such stores for free until they go live, saving money during the design and testing phase.
With access to almost all of Shopify's customization tools, developers can accommodate the store's cosmetic and functional elements for specific needs. This becomes helpful for testing custom themes and unique layouts and adjusting design elements.
Another great benefit is that with Shopify Partners, developer resources include direct access, exclusive discounts in many cases, and support. This will make troubleshooting issues and developing innovative solutions easier without causing roadblocks.

How to Create a Development Store in Shopify?

Creating a Shopify development store is likely one of the most important tasks because no subscription fees are involved in creating, testing, or customizing Shopify stores.

Here are the steps to get your Shopify development store up and running.

⇨ Step 1: Sign Up for the Shopify Partner Program

You will first need to sign up to Shopify's Partner Program. The program offers access to many tools and resources, and it provides a dedicated dashboard from which you manage your development stores and client accounts. You can sign up this way:

Follow these steps on Shopify's website at the Shopify Partner page:
Enter the information requested by Shopify—your name, email, and the business or development services you provide.
You will receive an email confirming that your application has been acknowledged. To finish the sign-up process, simply follow the instructions in that email.

⇨ Step 2: Navigate the Partner Dashboard

Once you create your account, you will be granted a portal into the Shopify Partner Dashboard. That is where it all gets centralized—you'll be able to control all of your development stores, track your clients, and monitor performance in general.

Scroll down to the main menu and click the tab labeled "Stores." Here, you will add a development store or manage your existing stores.
Shopify's dashboard offers numerous features, so take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with it. Understanding where to find analytics, resources, and support will prove helpful as you set up the first stores for testing and development.

⇨ Step 3: Creating the Development Store

After setting up your Partner Account and access to the dashboard, you will set up a new development store. A development store doesn't incur monthly fees and is only used for testing and building.

Add a new store: In the "Stores" section, click "Add store."
When prompted, select "Development store." This is a no-subscription shop where one can build.
Fill in the details: name, password, and purpose. The best practice would be to select a name that describes the project or client to which the store pertains for easy referencing.

Pro Tip: If available, enable the Developer Preview setting. This setting commonly allows you early access to Shopify's future features; you can play with new tools before they are officially released. It is useful when preparing for updates or testing compatibility with new features.

Customizing and Building the Shopify Development Store

Once your Shopify development store is set up, you can customize it to fit your brand and enhance the online shopping experience.

Here's how to do it:

⇨ Choose a Theme and Customize the Design

Shopify also offers a Theme Store full of unique industry-specific themes. These are free and paid options to choose the best theme for your brand's style and objectives, such as layout and mobile responsiveness.
Once you've chosen the theme, you can customize it further based on your preferences regarding colors, fonts, and other layouts. The theme editor in your Shopify admin panel makes all of this possible so your brand's visual identity will be consistent and engaging throughout the store.

⇨ Set Up Basic Configurations

Explain your products clearly on product pages. Provide high-quality images, rich descriptions, and correct pricing information to inform and attract shoppers. Offering variant choices like size or color will enrich the browsing experience.
Keep your store's navigation clean by grouping relevant products into collections and creating menu structures that are easily followed. This will help customers quickly find what they're looking for, making your site more usable overall.
In the checkout settings, you can decide whether or not to turn on guest checkout, customize the payments, and provide customer notification, among other things. This improves the purchasing flow and makes the process more secure.

⇨ Customize Permissions for Multiple Users

Adding staff accounts with customized permissions lets you collaborate with your team on Shopify. This is beneficial when working with developers, designers, or marketers because you can control who can access the sensitive areas of payment settings.
Through the Partner Dashboard, you can add and remove users and assign them specific roles/permissions according to responsibility. This ensures that settings and data on your store are safely backed up while the team workflow remains efficient.

Preparing the Store for Transfer

You want the handoff of the Shopify development store to be clean and flawless by the time you have to give it to the client.

So, here is a step-by-step method to get everything in order.

Start by testing all areas of the store. Ensure that all themes, applications, and custom settings are on. Look at and test payment settings, shipping options, and product pages. Here, you aim to present an optimized and error-free store that your client could confidently launch at the last minute without a hitch.
Before the handover, the client needs to be prepared for billing purposes so they can manage their subscription fees and all expenses directly without interruption in services. This allows for a smooth transition in which operations in the store will run as usual as soon as they assume responsibility.
The final step is to confirm that all features are enabled and to remove any limits that apply to development stores. Development stores are usually restricted, like disabling the checkout functionality, and should be lifted to make the store live. Confirming these are resolved will ensure the client gets all the functionalities needed to operate and sustain their store.

How to Transfer a Shopify Development Store to a Client?

Transferring a Shopify development store to a client is easy. Still, a few key steps are involved to ensure everything is handed over smoothly and securely.

Here are the necessary steps, from accessing the store in your Partner Dashboard to transferring ownership and assisting your client with the final setup:

⇨ Step 1: Accessing the Store in Your Partner Dashboard

Log in to the Shopify Partner Dashboard, listing all your managed stores. Then, find and select the store you want to transfer to.
Once you're inside the store settings, you'll find several options, including the transfer of ownership.
The first is really important because it sets up your store to prepare for transfer and ensures you're in the right place to oversee a smooth handover.

⇨ Step 2: Transferring Ownership

Now that you are at the settings page of your store, you can start initiating the ownership transfer. It is pretty easy for Shopify, but it is very crucial to get it done step by step below:

Go to Users and Permissions in the store's Settings tab.
Select Transfer Ownership. You'll be prompted to assign a new owner.
Enter your client's details here. Make sure the email you enter is correct so nothing gets delayed.

When transferring your Shopify store, the company ensures that you and your client are protected from fraudulent transfers.

For instance, you may be asked to identify yourself to confirm if the client's contact information is accurate.

These are safety features against all unauthorized transfers; therefore, do not omit them. After the transfer, you will not have admin privileges in your store; ensure all configuration and customization work is completed before the transfer.

⇨ Step 3: Client Acceptance and Billing Setup

In an ownership transfer, your client will receive an email prompting them to accept the transfer. It is better to notify them of this first so they are alerting them of something to be expected of such an email.

As soon as your client accepts the transfer to the store, prompt them to set up their billing details.

Now would be the time to make recommendations regarding the Shopify plans pertaining to the size and functionality of the stores.

For a small business or a first-time store, Basic Shopify is probably all that is needed. However, for more extensive or complex stores, Shopify or Advanced Shopify might provide better tools and capacity for scaling up.

⇨ Post-Transfer Considerations

Once you have transferred a Shopify store to a client, here are a few things you might want to do to make sure they have a smooth handover and feel empowered to manage the new site:

⇨ Provide Access to Support Resources

You must ensure that your clients have access to the necessary support resources to provide a seamless transfer after it leaves your hands. This may include a link to Shopify's official help center, tutorials or articles relevant to their setup, or documentation of the customizations made in their store.
It is also very helpful to give them a list of reputable Shopify experts they may contact if they need additional support. This gives them the assurance that you're invested in their long-term success rather than just a quick fix.

⇨ Educate Clients on Basic Shopify Management

Most clients want some essential support controlling their Shopify stores. This can involve a brief walkthrough of the core features, such as updating product listings, tracking inventory, or fulfilling orders.
Make checklists or even train them in short sessions, making them feel comfortable with what is going on daily. This step also equips them to handle simple tasks, but trust is also built, as they can turn to you for questions or concerns.

⇨ Discuss Recurring Revenue or Commissions

Going forward, there is also potential for pay: commission from applications or plugins installed on the client's store or subscription fees if you continue to provide support.
It is a good practice to discuss agreements for ongoing revenue or commission before the transfer so that clients are aware of the details and transparent about any charges beyond the initial project.
Communication on such points will ensure that you and your client clearly understand how the financial post-transfer relationship will continue.

Post-Transfer Considerations

Once you have transferred a Shopify store to a client, here are a few things you might want to do to make sure they have a smooth handover and feel empowered to manage the new site:

⇨ Provide Access to Support Resources

You must ensure that your clients have access to the necessary support resources to provide a seamless transfer after it leaves your hands. This may include a link to Shopify's official help center, tutorials or articles relevant to their setup, or documentation of the customizations made in their store.
It is also very helpful to give them a list of reputable Shopify experts they may contact if they need additional support. This gives them the assurance that you're invested in their long-term success rather than just a quick fix.

⇨ Educate Clients on Basic Shopify Management

Most clients want some essential support controlling their Shopify stores. This can involve a brief walkthrough of the core features, such as updating product listings, tracking inventory, or fulfilling orders.
Make checklists or even train them in short sessions, making them feel comfortable with what is going on daily. This step also equips them to handle simple tasks, but trust is also built, as they can turn to you for questions or concerns.

⇨ Discuss Recurring Revenue or Commissions

Going forward, there is also potential for pay: commission from applications or plugins installed on the client's store or subscription fees if you continue to provide support.
It is a good practice to discuss agreements for ongoing revenue or commission before the transfer so that clients are aware of the details and transparent about any charges beyond the initial project.
Communication on such points will ensure that you and your client clearly understand how the financial post-transfer relationship will continue.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Focusing on the common issues and their solutions can help you successfully build and transfer a Shopify Development store.

Here are a few common issues when transferring a Shopify development store to a client.

⇨ Addressing Common Transfer Errors

Sometimes, when you're set up to transfer a store, the client doesn't receive or accept the transfer invitation. Perhaps there are some email problems or spam filtering, or they just forgot about it. So, following up with your client to confirm whether they actually received the invitation will solve the problem. Resend the invitation if necessary or verify the correctness of their email address.
Shopify requires a method of payment to be added once a development store is transferred to a client. Transfer procedures will likely be delayed or declined if billing information appears incomplete or absent. Remind your client to set up his billing details once he accepts the store so that no services are interrupted.

⇨ Handling Post-Transfer Restrictions on Development Stores

After a store is transferred, some development stores converted to paid stores will have limits; for example, certain developer features may no longer be available to the client. This will protect the integrity of the development store environment.
Such things should be explained to the client beforehand, and they should be prepared to make a smooth transition into a live, fully managed store. If they need access to specific development features on an ongoing basis, you could maintain a backup or demo store for them to refer to.

⇨ Contacting Shopify Partner Support for Additional Help

If your issue cannot be resolved using standard troubleshooting, Shopify Partner Support will assist you. This support is specifically geared to helping Shopify Partners with technical matters, transfer issues, and any particular partner need.
Contact them and advise if the issue has something to do with account permissions, access levels, or anything unusual regarding technical errors. Be sure you provide complete details and error messages so the support can be completed quickly.

Best Practices and Tips for a Smooth Transfer

When transferring a store, it is essential to be confident that the client's transition goes as smoothly as possible.

Here are a few best practices to help you make the transition seamless and productive:

⇨ Maintain Regular Communication with the Client

Update the client on regular stages to keep them informed during every process of the transfer. This develops trust and creates minimal uncertainty for the client.
When starting, present the whole process, timelines if they have one, probable problems that may arise, and what is needed from the client. When a client knows what to expect, there is an increased probability of having a confident individual who feels involved in the process.
Most clients will have questions and require clarification as you go along. Make sure they know how to contact you and be comfortable with it by email, phone, or project management tools.

⇨ Organize Assets for Easy Transfer

Organize all images, product descriptions, and everything else into well-labeled folders. Ensure your assets are named logically so that a client or another developer can easily locate something if needed without digging through a million files.
All third-party apps, plugins, or custom integrations used within the shop will also be documented. Your login credentials, subscription information, and any other custom settings will be noted so that you know what's powering your store and what to expect in terms of service disruptions.
Before transferring a store, one should ensure a full backup of the store that includes theme files, customer data, and order history. This would give extra security in case of any problems during the transfer and would allow you to restore the shop.

⇨ Provide Documentation and Training Resources

Another way to help a client is to create an easily readable document about managing and maintaining the store. This might include updating products, processing orders, managing the apps, and monitoring analytics. A clear guide gives the client much confidence and reduces the time needed to follow up for support post-transfer.
Make videos for recording training or establish live sessions to walk them through complex processes. Visuals can simplify these, especially for clients who prefer hands-on learning.
Describe any post-transfer support you offer, like follow-up support for a certain period, a maintenance package, or hourly consulting by the hour. Clients appreciate knowing they're not alone after the transfer.

Jennifer

Jennifer Simon is a highly experienced ecommerce expert and business consultant with a proven track record of driving growth and success. With over 15 years of industry experience, Jennifer has developed a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges faced by ecommerce businesses. As a thought leader in the ecommerce space, Jennifer has helped numerous businesses optimize their operations, improve efficiency, and increase revenue. Jennifer is also a contributing author to various ecommerce publications and blogs, providing actionable tips and advice to the ecommerce community. You can find her actively on LinkedIn

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How to Build and Transfer a Shopify Development Store

Summary

Table of Contents

What is a Shopify Development Store?

⇨ Key Features of a Shopify Development Store

How to Create a Development Store in Shopify?