Meta description: Compare 10 Shopify experts in NZ for 2027, from Shopify Plus builds to store migrations, with verified clients.
Quick answer: Pocket Square is the pick for established retailers that need enterprise ERP integration, and Zyber suits omnichannel and wholesale merchants. Moustache Republic fits trans-Tasman brands that want 24/7 support, Atlas Studios and Playceholdr handle complex replatforming and integrations, and Studio Almond and NJL Studio suit design-led fashion and lifestyle labels.
New Zealand has a deep bench of Shopify specialists, from Shopify Plus partners serving national retailers to small studios building bespoke stores for fashion and lifestyle labels.
Shopify is a popular platform with Kiwi online retailers, and New Zealand has a well-established community of Shopify partners. Finding the right Shopify experts in NZ matters because a store rarely stands alone: most merchants here need their site to talk to Xero, a 3PL, a POS system or an ERP such as NetSuite or Cin7, and many sell into Australia as well. The strongest local agencies combine design and development with that integration know-how, and several have been working on the platform for more than a decade.
This guide covers top Shopify experts in New Zealand, with what each one does best, who it works with and, where published, how it prices its work.
| Agency | Core Services | Best For |
| Pocket Square | Shopify Plus consulting, UX and UI design, development and integration | Established retailers needing enterprise integration |
| Zyber | New builds and replatforming, B2B, Shopify POS, Klaviyo, SEO for Shopify | Omnichannel and wholesale merchants |
| Moustache Republic | Shopify Plus and BigCommerce builds, migrations, 24/7 support | Trans-Tasman brands wanting ongoing support |
| Atlas Studios | Shopify Plus builds, replatforming, B2B, ERP and 3PL integration, POS | Mid-market and lower enterprise brands in ANZ |
| Playceholdr | Custom Shopify and Shopify Plus builds, migrations, B2B, custom apps | Technically complex builds |
| Studio Almond | Shopify strategy, UX and UI, custom apps, migrations, CRO | Premium fashion, beauty and lifestyle labels |
| Elemental | Bespoke Shopify design and development, integrations, support | Growing NZ brands wanting automated operations |
| Skyrocket | Shopify and Shopify Plus design, redesigns and migrations, audits | Established businesses needing a commercially led rebuild |
| Decent Exposure | Shopify setup, custom design and development, migration, workshops | South Island retailers and omnichannel stores |
| NJL Studio | Bespoke Shopify and Shopify Plus stores, theme customization, migration | Design-led fashion and homeware brands |
Pocket Square describes itself as the first Shopify Plus Partner in New Zealand and one of the first three in the Asia Pacific region, and it has been working with Shopify since 2014. The agency lists more than 45 Shopify Plus deployments across New Zealand and Australia. Its work is organized around discovery and consulting, UX and UI design, and development and integration.
Pocket Square is now part of Fusion5, which adds ERP, CRM and business application capability to its Shopify practice and gives clients access to a much larger in-house team. That combination suits retailers whose storefront has to sit on top of complex back-office systems. Its Auckland office is at Level 20, 88 Shortland Street, with further offices in Wellington, Christchurch, Nelson and Dunedin.
Zyber is an Auckland eCommerce agency that carries Shopify Premier Partner status and cites more than 15 years of eCommerce experience. Its core offer is new builds and replatforming, with a strong focus on conversion and user experience. Beyond the build, it runs growth strategy packages, Klaviyo marketing automation (it is a Klaviyo Master Platinum Partner), SEO for Shopify and custom applications and integrations.
Wholesale and physical retail are a big part of the picture. Zyber builds B2B solutions that handle sophisticated pricing models, deploys Shopify POS, and has a specific wine eCommerce offering. Its client roster includes several household names in New Zealand retail and hospitality.
Founded in 2013, Moustache Republic is an award-winning agency specializing in Shopify Plus and BigCommerce. It has launched more than 100 sites and says it has helped clients reach over a billion dollars in total GMV. Services run from digital strategy and audits through UI and UX design, web development, data handling and integration, and AI services.
A distinguishing feature is its 24/7 support model, delivered by a multi-time-zone team and tailored to each client’s budget. That makes it a practical fit for brands that trade around the clock across Australia and New Zealand. Its headquarters is in Takapuna, with a second office on Pitt Street in Sydney.
Atlas Studios is a certified Shopify Plus Partner that works exclusively with Australian and New Zealand merchants, positioning itself between boutique studios and large enterprise consultancies. It handles custom Shopify Plus builds, theme rebuilds and replatforming from WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce and Salesforce, with attention to keeping product data, customers and search rankings intact during a move.
Integration is a core strength. The team connects stores to ERPs such as NetSuite, Cin7 and Unleashed, builds B2B and wholesale solutions with company accounts and pricing logic, and delivers checkout customization with Shopify Functions and unified commerce for retail and POS. It is also a Klaviyo Master Gold Partner and reports a 95% client retention rate.
Playceholdr is a New Zealand eCommerce agency whose motto is “If it’s difficult, we’re interested.” It designs and builds on Shopify Plus and BigCommerce, covering custom theme development, bespoke storefronts, redesigns and performance work. Migrations from Magento and WooCommerce are part of the offer, as are B2B builds.
Engineering depth is where Playceholdr stands out. It builds custom apps and middleware and integrates stores with NetSuite, PIM, POS and loyalty platforms, while aiming to keep sites simple for the internal teams who run them. Ongoing support is sold as prepaid hours, and projects finish with documentation and a proper handover.
Studio Almond focuses on lifestyle brands on Shopify that want to position themselves as the premium choice for their customers. Its service mix covers digital strategy, UX and UI design, Shopify development, custom Shopify apps, technical audits, CRO and Klaviyo strategy, plus Webflow development for brands that need it.
Migrations to Shopify and Shopify Plus are a core service, and several of the studio’s clients run on Plus. The portfolio leans toward fashion, beauty and wellness, with well-known New Zealand and Australian labels among them.
Operating since 2013 and a Shopify partner for more than a decade, Elemental builds bespoke Shopify stores for emerging and established New Zealand brands. Its pitch is automation: the team connects stores to Xero, Starshipit and social channels so day-to-day operations need less manual work.
Alongside design and development, Elemental offers SEO, branding, photography and ongoing support, and it helps merchants move from legacy platforms. It has also launched an AI Ready Audit aimed at preparing stores for agentic commerce. The client base spans electronics, beauty, furniture, food and homewares.
Skyrocket is a Shopify Select Partner and certified Webflow Partner that builds commercially led websites for established New Zealand and Australian businesses. On the Shopify side it offers store design, Shopify Plus services, redesigns and migrations, as well as website audits, landing pages and white label development for other agencies.
The team works strategy first, setting commercial goals before design begins. Named case studies include fashion, homewares and sauna brands, and its office in Newmarket is complemented by a base in Arrowtown near Queenstown.
Decent Exposure is a Christchurch eCommerce studio that designs, develops and grows businesses on Shopify. Its services start with Shopify store setup and extend to custom design and development, site improvements and migration to Shopify from other platforms.
The studio also runs digital advertising and strategy and training workshops led by founder Joel Kendall, which helps merchants who want to manage more of their store in-house after launch. Portfolio work includes omnichannel retail on Shopify for Corcovado and eCommerce for Joe’s Garage.
NJL Studio is an official Shopify Select Partner that has been building ecommerce stores since 2011. It has delivered more than 100 Shopify and Shopify Plus stores for clients across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, translating strong creative direction into reliable, scalable stores.
The studio is intentionally small and takes on a limited number of projects each year, so clients deal directly with the people doing the work. It suits fashion, food and homeware brands that care about craft and want hands-on collaboration from strategy through launch. Prospective clients email for an estimate and studio availability.
Shopify agencies in New Zealand range from single-developer studios to teams backed by national IT groups. These questions help narrow the field.
If you run high order volumes, sell wholesale, need checkout customization or operate several storefronts, look for an agency with a track record on Shopify Plus. Ask for Plus case studies rather than relying on a partner badge alone, and check that the team has shipped the features you need, such as B2B company accounts or Shopify Functions.
Most Kiwi merchants rely on Xero, a courier or 3PL tool such as Starshipit, and often a POS or ERP. Ask how the agency handles those connections, whether it builds custom middleware or uses off-the-shelf apps, and who maintains the integrations after launch.
Moving from WooCommerce, Magento or another platform carries risk. A good Shopify partner will map redirects, migrate customer and order history and protect existing search rankings. Ask for a migration plan in writing before you sign.
Support models vary widely, from prepaid hour blocks to retainers and 24/7 coverage. Match the model to how often you change the site and how critical uptime is during sales peaks such as Black Friday.
Most New Zealand Shopify agencies quote per project rather than publishing prices, because cost depends on catalogue size, design complexity and the number of systems the store must connect to. A theme-based store for a small retailer is usually far cheaper than a custom Shopify Plus build with ERP integration, so ask two or three agencies for a scoped quote in NZ$.
Any agency can join Shopify’s partner program, and partners are grouped into tiers such as Select and Premier. Shopify Plus Partners are agencies Shopify recognizes for delivering projects on its enterprise plan. Both can build excellent stores; Plus experience matters most for larger or more complex merchants.
Yes. Several agencies on this list have offices or clients in Australia and build for trans-Tasman brands.
A specialist knows the platform’s apps, limits and upgrade path, which usually means faster builds and fewer workarounds. A general agency can suit a simple store if it already handles your branding or wider marketing, but check its Shopify portfolio first.
Comparing ecommerce and web partners elsewhere in New Zealand? These ReVerb lists can help.
The right Shopify expert depends on where your business is today. Enterprise retailers with complex back-office systems will lean toward Shopify Plus partners with integration depth, while emerging brands often get more value from a boutique studio that offers direct access to senior designers and developers.
Whichever route you take, ask for relevant case studies, a clear migration and integration plan, and a support model that fits your trading calendar.
Bookmark this guide to make a well-informed decision. If you want to add your company to this list, drop us a line or submit a form in the Top Choices section. After a thorough review, we will decide whether it is an appropriate addition.