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If you had asked me a decade ago where I’d end up in my career, I doubt “Shopify developer in Melbourne” would’ve been my answer. Back then, I was playing around with random bits of code, experimenting with design tools, and building small hobby websites with no real plan to turn it into a career. Yet here I am — and honestly, I’m incredibly grateful that this is where I landed.
Working as a Shopify developer in Melbourne has given me an amazing blend of creativity, problem-solving, technical challenges, and collaboration with businesses from every corner of the city. Melbourne is a unique digital hub — a place where e-commerce continues to explode, where small and large brands constantly innovate, and where people value high-quality design and user experience. It’s the perfect environment for someone like me who loves bringing online stores to life.
My journey doesn’t start in a terminal window or the Shopify admin. It begins in Figma, where ideas take shape visually before I write a single line of code. From there, the real fun begins — diving into the Shopify CLI, building custom apps, writing Liquid templates, extending the checkout, or integrating third-party APIs.
Let me walk you through my story, my process, and what it’s really like to be a Shopify developer in such a dynamic city.
My career didn’t start with Shopify. Like many developers, I began with basic HTML, CSS, and experimenting with simple sites. I loved the challenge of figuring out how things worked, how design translated into code, and how different technologies fit together.
Eventually, I discovered Shopify almost by accident. Someone asked if I could help “fix their online store.” I said yes — even though I’d never touched Shopify before. I jumped in, explored the admin, inspected the Liquid code, played around with the theme editor, and something clicked. Shopify wasn’t just a CMS — it was a robust e-commerce engine with limitless potential for customisation.
Before long, I was doing more store setups, custom theme tweaks, and integrations. Then I started diving deeper into the technical side: custom apps, metafields, API development, checkout extensibility, and eventually building private apps for businesses that needed features not available out-of-the-box.
That’s when I realised something important:
I didn’t just enjoy Shopify — I was becoming a full-time Shopify developer without even realising it.
And the demand in Melbourne was insane. E-commerce was growing rapidly, and businesses needed developers who understood Shopify inside out — not just how to install themes, but how to create custom experiences, custom automations, and custom functionality that drives revenue.
There are plenty of e-commerce platforms out there — WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, Squarespace — but Shopify does something special. It blends simplicity with deep technical power, making it perfect for developers and business owners.
Here’s why Shopify became my ecosystem:
The Shopify Admin API, Storefront API, and now GraphQL APIs allow developers to build practically anything:
This opens the door to real innovation.
The moment I built my first private app, I knew Shopify was where I wanted to stay. Apps give you full control to create tailored features for clients. And with Node.js, React, Remix, and the Shopify App Bridge, the possibilities feel endless.
The CLI is one of my favourite parts of being a Shopify developer — it lets me:
It speeds up everything and makes development feel natural.
The old checkout.liquid days were limiting. But Shopify’s new Checkout UI Extensions, Functions, Web Pixel, and Cart Transformations have turned checkout into a flexible, customisable platform — and that excites me every time.
Most platforms break when a business scales. Shopify thrives. That reliability keeps me confident when I’m building stores for fast-growing Melbourne brands.
Melbourne is creative. It’s entrepreneurial. It’s bold.
When you combine those traits, you get a city full of e-commerce ideas — meaning developers like me stay busy, challenged, and inspired.
Whether it’s a minimalist brand in Brighton, a streetwear store in Collingwood, or a wellness brand in Prahran — every business in Melbourne wants:
This pushes me to be a better Shopify developer with every project.
Hackathons, co-working spaces, local developer meetups, Shopify events — Melbourne’s tech energy is real. There’s always something happening, and always someone solving an interesting problem.
Melbourne has become Australia’s unofficial e-commerce capital. Everything from fashion brands to lifestyle products to skincare businesses rely on high-quality Shopify builds to stay competitive.
Every Shopify store I build follows a clear structure. Here’s how I take an idea and turn it into a fully functional online store.
Before writing any code, I sit down with the client to understand:
This helps shape the entire build.
Every project begins in Figma before touching the Shopify CLI.
In this stage I design:
Shopify themes are powerful, but great stores come from great design first, not coding first.
Once the client approves the Figma designs, development begins.
This is the fun part.
Using the Shopify CLI, I scaffold a theme environment that lets me:
I build everything with best practices:
Melbourne shoppers use their phones everywhere — on trams, in cafes, at work — so mobile UX is everything.
This is where I level up the store.
As a Shopify developer, custom apps are one of my biggest strengths.
I create apps that:
I use:
Custom apps let me give clients features that no app store plugin can provide.
Shopify’s extension ecosystem has become incredible. Using the Shopify CLI I can build:
Custom fields, upsells, messages, branding.
Advanced pricing and discount logic.
Using Shopify Functions to create logic like:
These things used to be impossible — now they’re simple for a skilled Shopify developer.
A Shopify store is only as strong as its performance.
I optimise:
Fast stores convert better — it’s that simple.
Once everything is built:
Launch day is always exciting — watching a concept become a real store is one of my favourite parts of being a Shopify developer.
Most clients want to manage their stores independently, so I provide:
But I also stay involved long-term for:
Shopify stores grow — and I grow alongside them.
Working as a Shopify developer in Melbourne gives me the perfect mix of creativity, engineering, problem-solving, and collaboration. I get to help businesses grow, automate, scale, and succeed online — and I get to use some of the most powerful tools in e-commerce to do it.
I’ve worked with:
Every build is different — and that’s what keeps me excited.
Becoming a Shopify developer in Melbourne has been one of the most rewarding journeys of my life. I get to design, build, innovate, and solve problems for businesses of all sizes. From Figma prototypes to custom apps, from Shopify CLI to checkout extensions, every project pushes me to grow.
If you’re a business anywhere in Australia looking to upgrade your Shopify store, build something custom, or take your e-commerce presence to the next level — I’d love to help.
Whether you’re planning a redesign or starting from scratch, we can help you:
Book a call today and let’s make your WordPress site work harder for your business.
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