How to pick the best Shopify theme for your online store?

When it comes to setting the right tone and feel for your Shopify store, you may feel overwhelmed if there isn’t help or anything to refer to. Luckily, Shopify offers a range of themes, so you don’t need to build anything from scratch. 

There are currently nearly 2,000 different Shopify themes available, each with unique features and selling points. While picking the right theme is the first and the most fundamental step in building your unique branding, you might want to know the differences between free and premium themes before setting up your store.

SleekFlow has prepared you with the ultimate Shopify theme how-to guide and the 20 best Shopify themes in 2023. So let’s take a look and see what suits you!

What is a Shopify theme?

If you’ve used any content management tool such as WordPress and Wix, you wouldn’t be puzzled by the built-in themes and templates Shopify has offered for the user. This is because a Shopify theme is made to be incredibly simple for you to control your store’s organisation, features, and style as a built-in function. You can fully mix and match different themes to find what’s right for your brand. 

For example, if you’re running an online store on craft beer, you might want to set up a theme that conveys the quirky and relaxed side of a good ol’ IPA (India Pale Ales). Or, if you’re selling pet toys online, the last thing you want is to make your page look like something out of a Netflix thriller. 

This is why custom Shopify themes have given you the option to customise your page in different sections of blocks, add different dynamic sources for specialised information, let customers filter collections in your stores by their needs, and add in different apps without installing any codes. 

In short, a Shopify theme is more than a template. It is a tool to help you customise the look and feel of your store. It is the professional hairdresser or even the accomplished fashion designer assigned for your store top down, from head to toe.

Differences between a free and a premium Shopify theme

While there are many free Shopify theme options available, there are also many premium options. Similar to everything else in today’s online freemium world, a paid upgrade could open doors to many more opportunities. So, if your business is scaling and the incoming traffic is growing by the day, you may consider upgrading to Shopify’s premium themes.

Here are a few reasons why a premium Shopify theme may help:

More options

Since 75% of customers make their split-second decision on an eCommerce store based on its design, having a breathtaking and relevant page does make a difference. 

Shopify Premium themes offer more varieties for you to choose from, so you would have a better shot at shaping your optimised customer experience. Apart from making the page pretty, Premium themes offer different functionalities, from “quick-buy” CTAs and slideshows to embedded videos and even Instagram feeds. These will help you create the best user experience you can offer.

More mobile-friendly

Forecasts have predicted that the retail sales of mobile commerce in the UK are expected to surpass 100 billion GBP by 2024. This explains the importance of mobile-friendly shopping sites in the current digital landscape.

Hence, incorporating Shopify’s Premium themes which are also customised for mobile users, can be of great help. People entering a premium Shopify page from their mobile devices are more likely to find the experience smoother and more streamlined. This little difference is instrumental in giving the extra chance of generating conversions from potential customers. 

Since mobile sales could count for up to 40% of all sales in key eCommerce peak seasons, making your page mobile-ready will be beneficial if you plan to go big. 

More efficient checkouts

In the present speed-obsessed world, offering a quick checkout experience could enhance your standing in customers’ eyes. Shopify Premium’s Quick Pay feature lets shoppers quickly add products to their carts without leaving the page.

This way, Shopify users can browse freely in their own time, add items along the way then hit the checkout button without having to face the frustration of being led to pages they don’t need to go to. 

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

How important is a Shopify theme?

While it’s true that you could get by with a free Shopify theme, upgrading to a better, more refined theme can make a huge difference and help you stand out in the crowd. Here are a few factors in deciding whether a Shopify page is competitive:

• Professional branding and presentation: whether it looks relevant and trustworthy as a consumer brand

• Unique page design and consumer journey flow: whether it has something to offer and differentiate 

• Page performance and loading speed: whether the purchase experience is streamlined instead of being tedious and frustrating

• Ability to support your business to scale: whether it can accommodate a large amount of traffic

• Customisation and tweaks: whether it allows you to add different modifications to your page

The better your page hits these factors, the better the overall customer experience and your chance of success. And the fastest way to hit all these points is to find the right theme, whether it’s a free or a Premium one. 

5 things to consider for the best Shopify theme

We’ve gone through the advantages of having a good Shopify theme. How about choosing one? Don’t worry, we’ve compiled a criteria list for you. 

Money matters

If you’re opting for the paid option, think about how much you’re willing to spend. Themes with more functionalities may cost more, so it helps to weigh between your options. 

Your niche position

After deciding on your needs and budget, let’s look into your unique positioning. Most themes are developed for specific industry types, so it’s best to make sure the theme is the right fit for your brand positioning. 

Your actual needs

What are the main features that will benefit your business? For example, do you need videos and slideshows, or do you prefer a more minimalistic design? Find a theme that serves the right functionality and aligns with your goals, and you’ll be in a good position. 

Your design and mark

Just like understanding the theme’s niche position, you’ll need to spend some time browsing through the web for an attractive storefront with brand-appropriate palettes which are easy for the customers’ eyes. 

Mobile friendliness and fast checkout

Mobile-friendliness and loading speed are crucial for your eCommerce success in the contemporary retail world. Therefore, it is crucial for you to pick a fast, lightweight theme that doesn’t have fancy but unnecessary features when possible. Instead, go for something that loads quickly and is easy to navigate. 

Where to get the Shopify theme?

There are different places to find your ideal Shopify theme. First, you can go through Shopify’s official theme list and browse through their different offers. You can also set filters, browse through categories and designs, and set between free and paid themes. 

Other good sources for themes include Theme Forest and Creative Market. 

20 great 2023 examples of Shopify themes

Clothing and accessories

No matter whether you’re a fast-fashion lover or a luxurious fashionista, a bit of research will land you the appropriate theme for your glamourous brand. Referring to other clothing stores on Shopify, for instance, is a great place to begin. 

1. Dawn

2. Colorblock

3. The Luxe Edit

4. Be Yours

5. Streamline

Sports and Recreation

Vibrant, energetic themes are often seen in Shopify stores offering sportswear and activities. Here are a few Shopify themes to showcase the vigour and vitality of your brand. 

1. Ride

2. Mr Parker

3. Boost

4. Impulse

5. District

Electronic and home appliances

Similar to physical stores, an online shopping site with an outlook that is inviting for clients and guests is essential. Something homey, artistic, and easy-to-use will be perfect. 

1. Expanse

2. Craft

3. Foodie

4. Warehouse

5. Context

Health and beauty

For a trendy industry with tough competition persisting over time, little details matter. Stay refreshed. Stay nourished. Stay profitable. 

1. Beyond

2. Sense

3. Foodly

4. Uray

5. Oworganic

Looking for more references? Get more examples of other promising, successful Shopify stores.

How to install a Shopify theme?

To add a free Shopify theme:

1. After logging in, go to Online Store > Themes.

2. Find the Free themes section near the bottom of the page, then click Explore free themes. 

3. Click any theme to read about its features and preview the available theme styles.

4. Click the Add button to use the theme. 

To add a paid Shopify theme:

1. Go to Themes

2. Choose a theme and click Try theme to add the theme to your online store.

3. Click Preview.

4. Click Buy to finish the transaction.

Find out more about adding and buying Shopify themes here. 

SleekFlow’s latest integration with Shopify

If you want to make your Shopify theme work even better for your business, you might want to integrate your Shopify shop with SleekFlow. 

With SleekFlow-Shopify integration, you can significantly boost the level of convenience in running your Shopify site. For example, you can instantly synchronise all customer information. When a customer adds items to the shopping cart and does not push to the checkouts, an abandoned cart reminder will come into play, and you can send them an automated discount code later. This will then lead the customers to reconsider the purchase, accelerating sales in the long run.

You can also integrate your shop with their WhatsApp accounts and past purchases to organise them into segments, customise your promotions, and send them straight to their inbox. These personalised messages and promotions are no doubt going to escalate the level of customer trust and satisfaction, other than enhancing the overall shopping experience.

SleekFlow upgrades its integration with Shopify. Learn how to utilise the native Shopify integration to reinforce your eCommerce ecosystem.