How to choose the right shopify migration partner.

Author
Luke Green
Date Posted
Jan 20, 2026

What you’ll learn in this section

Once you’re ready to migrate and your internal team is aligned, the next decision is, who’s going to deliver this?

  • How to choose the right agency or partner for a migration
  • The simple, no-nonsense process that filters out weak candidates
  • The core criteria that actually matter when assessing teams
  • What Inspira values in a migration partner relationship
  • Red flags vs green flags when reviewing proposals and comms

Where to start when choosing a migration team

Once you’re ready to migrate and your internal team is aligned, the next decision is:

Who’s going to deliver this?

Yes, you can put a call out on LinkedIn, but you’ll drown in replies.

More reliable starting points:

  • AI Search (but beware: it surfaces those with the loudest marketing, not necessarily the best delivery)
  • Shopify Partner Directory (strong filter for verified expertise)
  • Your network (often the best source of vetted teams)

Before searching, be intentional about:

  • Your budget
  • Expected working style
  • Cultural preference
  • Required skillsets
  • Appetite for collaboration
  • Appetite for hand-holding vs autonomy

This reduces noise and makes the selection process far more efficient.

A no-fuss selection process

Here’s the simple approach that gives you the best results with the least wasted time:

  1. Identify up to three teams that match your ideal profile
  2. Give them problems to solve, not a fixed brief
  3. Assess their responses, clarity, competence, curiosity
  4. Meet the strongest teams
  5. Repeat until the right partner becomes obvious

This approach exposes weak teams quickly and pressures strong teams to demonstrate actual thinking.

Inspira founder Luke on what's important when hiring a migration team

Key Requirement What to look for Why
Experience, competence Recent case studies, client endorsements. Extra points if you can speak directly to existing clients. Removes doubt about delivery capability and gives insight into how the team actually operates.
Comms Timely responses, senior team involvement early, willingness to discuss problems face-to-face and ask the right questions from the outset. Communication quality is often the difference between a nightmare project and a challenge well handled.
Team skills & culture Settled teams, engaged people, strong culture and track record. Always ask to meet the delivery team, not just sales. Project skills and cultural alignment are critical to productive, long-term working relationships.
Integrated partners within the ecosystem Strong ecosystem partnerships and aligned working communication. Enables access to the right specialists and coordinated support as the business grows.
Consultative, strategic, generous A team keen to understand business goals, not just immediate tasks. Value offered before invoices is a strong signal. Solutions and relationships grounded in real commercial understanding.
Processes & risk management Battle-tested processes and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risk. Less time managing issues and fewer disruptive operational surprises.
Honesty and directness Clear, truthful communication without jargon. Complex work explained simply. You stay grounded, informed, and confident in decisions and outcomes.
Clear commercials Early clarity on costs, fair pricing, predictable payment terms, and no surprise extras. Builds trust and allows effective budget and resource planning.
💡 Tip

What’s Important to Inspira

For us, two things determine a successful migration:

1. Planning

Not planning in theory, planning with rigour, commercial context and clarity.

2. Execution

A great plan is pointless without a team who can deliver it under real-world constraints.

This requires:

  • Domain experience
  • Cultural fit
  • Teams who ask the right questions
  • A process hardened by real commercial projects

When this alignment exists, planning becomes focused, intentional and predictable, not a bureaucratic checklist that teams hide behind.

Inspira has delivered hundreds of migrations.

We’ve learned that success is driven as much by great relationships and comms as it is by technical excellence.

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