Book a ConsultationE-commerce & Headless Commerce Development
Build a storefront that isn't constrained by a theme editor — custom Next.js frontend, headless commerce backend, and a checkout experience you own end to end.
A Shopify theme gets a store live fast. It stops being enough when the brand needs something the theme can't express, when performance matters and every app installed adds to a bloated storefront, or when the product catalogue and checkout logic are complex enough to need real software behind them. Headless commerce separates the frontend from the commerce engine, so each can do what it's best at.
I build on Next.js for the storefront — fast by default, SEO-friendly, and deployable to a CDN — connected to Shopify, Medusa, or a custom backend depending on what the product actually needs. Checkout and payments are built to convert, not borrowed from a template.
Who this is for
- Brands outgrowing Shopify themes who want a fully custom, high-performance storefront
- Teams building a marketplace, subscription product, or multi-vendor store that needs real commerce logic
- Existing stores that need a performance and UX overhaul without migrating the backend
What you get
Custom Next.js storefront
Product listing, collection, and detail pages built to your brand, not a theme default.
Cart and checkout
A checkout flow designed for conversion, with payment integration (Stripe or Shopify Payments) built in from the start.
Commerce backend connection
Shopify Storefront API, Medusa, or a custom backend — whichever fits your catalogue complexity and ownership requirements.
CMS for content sections
Homepage, landing pages, and editorial content managed without a developer, connected to a headless CMS.
Performance-first deployment
ISR for catalogue pages, CDN configuration, and image optimization so product pages load fast at scale.
Search and filtering
Product search and faceted filtering that works on your actual catalogue, not a demo dataset.
How the engagement runs
- 01
Commerce stack decision
Shopify headless, Medusa, or custom — chosen based on catalogue complexity, ownership requirements, and what already exists.
- 02
Design handoff
Storefront components built from your designs, or from a brief if designs aren't ready.
- 03
Storefront build
Product, collection, and content pages built and connected to the commerce backend.
- 04
Checkout and payments
Cart, checkout, and payment integration built and tested against real transactions.
- 05
Launch and CDN config
Deployed with ISR, CDN caching, and a runbook for managing catalogue and content updates.
Engagement options
MVP Sprint
Idea to shipped product, fast
4–8 weeks
Founders who need a real, usable v1 in front of users this quarter.
- Scoping workshop and a written technical plan
- Production build — app, API, database, auth, deployment
- CI/CD and a live deployment you own
- Regular demo checkpoints, async updates in between
Monthly Retainer
An embedded senior engineer, minus the hiring cycle
Rolling, one-month minimum
Teams shipping continuously who need senior capacity without a headcount req.
- A fixed block of engineering hours each month
- Feature delivery, code review, and refactors
- Works inside your existing tools — Slack, board, standups
- Cancel or pause with notice
Architecture Audit
An honest read on what's already built
1–2 weeks
Teams inheriting a codebase, pre-fundraise diligence, or diagnosing 'why is this so slow'.
- Codebase, infrastructure, and cost review
- Written findings ranked by risk and effort
- A prioritized remediation plan
- A walkthrough call to go through the findings
Frequently asked questions
Shopify headless or Medusa — which should I use?
Shopify headless if you want to keep Shopify's ecosystem (payments, apps, inventory) and just replace the frontend. Medusa if you need full control over the backend logic, don't want Shopify's transaction fees, or have complex multi-vendor or subscription requirements. I'll give you a direct recommendation after understanding your catalogue and constraints.
Can you migrate us from an existing theme store?
Yes — catalogue, customer data, and order history can be migrated. The scope depends on what's in your current store and how much customization the existing theme has. That assessment is part of the initial scoping call.
How does content get updated after launch?
Non-product content (homepage, banners, editorial pages) is managed through a headless CMS — your team edits without deploying code. Product catalogue changes go through Shopify or Medusa as normal.
How does SEO work for a headless storefront?
Next.js renders product and collection pages server-side or via ISR, so search engines get fully-rendered HTML. Metadata, structured data (Product schema), canonical URLs, and sitemaps are all handled — the same way I approach SEO on other Next.js projects.
Related services
Ready to talk about e-commerce & headless commerce?
Book a call or send a message — you'll hear back within a day.