Articles and guides

Your store’s visibility, site speed, and conversions are directly affected by your template. 2025 brings smart features and an updated template framework, so choosing a template is no longer just a matter of design. Reading time: ~5 minutes TL;DR: Looking for templates that deliver both speed and flexibility? Here are the standout templates for rapid growth, Hyper for performance and large catalogs, Sleek for converting product pages and clean design. Alongside them, there are 5 more free templates worth checking out. What's new in the world of templates in 2025 Flexible page structures: A modular section system that allows you to change layouts without overloading applications. Smart search and filtering: faster product discovery, predictable and convenient filtering. Built-in personalization: Smart blocks for recommendations and dynamic messages. Mobile First: Emphasis on speed, accessibility, and global support. Quick choices by business model DTC or B2C: Sleek, Zest, Be Yours, Prestige, Stiletto, Impulse, Blum, Mavon, Broadcast, Concept B2B or Wholesale: Hyper, Normcore, Enterprise, Zest, Mavon DTC+B2B Hybrid: Hyper, Normcore, Zest Single product or small catalog: Be Yours, Sleek, Blum, Broadcast, Prestige Large catalog: Hyper, Symmetry, Enterprise, Normcore, Impulse 15 Recommended Premium Templates for 2025 1) Hyper, about $400 A DTC and B2B template that handles performance, complex layouts, and volume pricing, while maintaining fast loading. Wholesale tools, quick order lists, tiered pricing, quantity limits. Smart search, predictive filtering, smart blocks, promotion logic. Modular and flexible sections, dedicated presets, conversion tools like sticky cards and timers. 2) Sleek, about $350 Clean and modern design with conversion-focused product pages, a fluid mobile experience, and modern UX. Subtle animations that direct attention, video, and text overlays. Built-in nulls and bundles that increase AOV without breaking flow. Side cart, Quick buy, gift options and promo menu management. 3) Zest, about $330 Mobile first, smooth thumb interactions, quick navigator, and smart variant views. Conversion tools include timers, sticky cards, and gift wrapping. Collection navigation with images, Quick buy from collection pages. 4) Prestige, $400 Luxury brands looking for elegant typography and cinematic image display. Hotspots, lookbook, zoom and video, rich navigation. Limited in deep structural flexibility, sometimes requires a key. 5) Impulse, $400 Powerful visual merchandising with seasonal promotion tools, suitable for medium and large catalogs. Banners, timers, collection subs, menu promos. Pay attention to poster images on mobile, requires correct adjustments. 6) Taiga, about $490 Very fast performance, a visual story for the outdoor and lifestyle audience. Over 10 video sections, sidecar, smart search, infinite scroll. For very unique layouts you may need a key. 7) Concept, about $380 Sharp and modern aesthetics, 48 ​​modular sections, mega-menu tabs with visuals. Shop-the-feed with video, branded sidecart. Relatively low mobile performance, less adapted to new capabilities. 8) Symmetry, about $380 Clean, systematic design for large stores, good documentation, and a developer-friendly structure. Advanced mega menu, predictive search, infinite scroll. There are reports of localized deficiencies in adjustments in Potter areas. 9) Broadcast, $400 Lifestyle brands that lead with content and visual identity. Promos within a menu, sticky cards, text + product blocks. Pay attention to reviews about SEO and slow support in some cases. 10) Enterprise, about $380 Optimized for large catalogs and high traffic, with rich product sheets and real-time promotion tools. Multi-column mega menu, smart search, quick view. Support can be delayed on complex projects. 11) Be Yours, about $320 Easy and fast, inspired by Dawn, with more built-in trading capabilities. Quick buy, side cart, timers, menu promos. Simple structure, less advanced flexibility. 12) Normcore, about $320 Focus on quick navigation and managing large catalogs, also suitable for B2B. Order lists, tiered pricing, deep layered navigation. Good mobile but not the fastest. 13) Stiletto, about $380 Bold editorial storytelling, suitable for fashion and jewelry. Sticky cart, pre-order, lookbook, hotspots. Reports of support delays and issues with in-app browsers. 14) Mavon, about $280 Fast and modern with lots of tools without loading up on apps. Predictive search, mega menu, rollover, 3D models, video. 15) Blum, about $170 Clean and fast template, excellent on mobile, wide set of presets. Galleries, hotspots, lookbook, intuitive navigation. Support may be slow in some cases. 5 free templates you should know about 1) Horizon Very flexible block editing, many presets and smart creation tools. May require further optimization on mobile. 2) Refresh Clean and fast, suitable for small to medium catalogs, SEO friendly. 3) Spotlight Visual-First is simple and fast, excellent for an initial jump, less rich in promotion tools. 4) Craft Storytelling for artists and creators, good performance, clean code. 5) Taste Adapted for food and beverages, large product cards, pleasant cart experience. How to Choose a Template That Converts in 2025 Business model and catalog: DTC needs storytelling and flexibility, B2B needs quick ordering and tiered pricing. 2025 capabilities: flexible layouts, smart search, personal blocks, built-in conversion tools. Mobile first: large buttons, quick buy collection shelves, clear menus. Try a demo and check reviews: Don't rely on screenshots alone. Frequently Asked Questions Where is the best place to buy a template? Shopify's official template store, where each template undergoes speed, security, and usability testing. It's less recommended to purchase an external code-based template Is it worth paying for a premium template? In most cases, yes. Saves applications, development time, and brings a polished user experience. What to look for in a mobile inspection? Thumb navigation, Side cart, Quick buy, galleries that don't get cut off, and filtering that feels natural. Recommended template for dropshipping Impulse and Mavon are strong in promotion and conversion, there are also dedicated templates that come with SocialProp and Urgency. Summary In 2025, the template needs to be fast, flexible, and ready for smart tools. Hyper and Sleek are great starting points, and there are other excellent premium and free options. Choose by business model, catalog size, and mobile UX, and measure conversion before deciding on further upgrades.

Shopify Checkout brings together everything merchants need to sell more, faster, and more securely. With smart customizations, localization, performance, and security, it turns the most critical step in the customer journey into a real growth engine.

Shopify Plus and a winning customer experience, how to build a CX that increases growth From a commerce focused on basic functionality to a customized, intuitive, and seamless experience at every touchpoint, Shopify Plus shifts the focus to the customer, generating loyalty and sales. Category: CX · eCommerce Reading time: ~7 minutes TL;DR: Today's customer expects a personalized, fast, consistent, and secure shopping journey. Shopify Plus provides an infrastructure that combines performance, personalization, and efficient operations to close gaps at every stage of the funnel, from discovery to post-purchase. The key is smart experience design, converting checkout, automation, and data that drives decisions. Why CX has become the key growth engine In the past, we just wanted the website to work. Today, customers expect more: speed, clarity, contextualization, and service that precedes the cure. A good customer experience shortens time to decision, increases conversion rates, reduces returns, and increases loyalty. Consistent across all channels: same branding, pricing, and information across mobile, desktop, and POS solutions. Minimal friction: as few clicks as possible, fewer fields, fewer surprises at the checkout. Contextuality: Suggestions, language, and content that are appropriate for the user and the buying situation. How Shopify Plus enables modern CX 1) Checkout that converts Checkout Extensibility: Add fields, banners, trust messages, and invalidations without affecting performance. Fast wallets: Fast payment options that shorten the path to payment. Pricing and gift card rules: coupons, quantity promotions, gift wrapping, and upgrades. 2) Customization that feels natural Smart recommendations: complementary products based on catalog, browsing history, and context. Dynamic content: Shipping notifications, delivery times, and policies that match the customer's destination. Segmentation: promotions, pricing, and communication based on audiences and behavior. 3) Automation and code-free operation Flows and events: order confirmations, inventory updates, returns management, service triggers. Cross-system processes: ERP, WMS, CRM and marketing platform connections in a clean and stable approach. 4) Global commerce and omnichannel Stores and markets: languages, currencies, local payments, and tax display by region. Connected POS: Inventory, coupons, and credits that work online and offline in the same experience. 5) Performance and trust Speed ​​and stability: Infrastructure that holds loads and loads quickly to reduce abandonment. Security and compliance: Up-to-date standards, script control, and clean permissions. Work model, CX throughout the journey 1. Discovery and examination Fast collection pages with predictable filtering and complementary automatic search. Clear titles, smart variant display, and images that show scale and usage. 2. Decision and purchase Product pages with social proof, frequently asked questions, highlights on shipping and returns. Party cart with subtle upsell, gift options and order notes. Short checkout, minimal fields and transparent cost display. 3. Post-acquisition and retention A thank you page that recommends the next step, registration, a complementary combo, or a user guide. Emails with shipping status, guides, product reviews, and repurchase offers. Proactive service support, chat, and simple return scheduling. Metrics that reveal whether CX is working Conversion Rate: Conversion rate on the website and at the checkout. AOV: Average Cart Value, mainly after Upsell and Bundles. Time to Buy: Time from arrival at the site to purchase. Cart Abandonment: Cart and checkout abandonments. Repeat Rate and LTV: Rate of repeat customers and customer lifetime value. NPS and CSAT: Post-purchase service experience. 90-day action plan, improving CX without breaking tools Week 1 to 2: Full funnel mapping, basic data collection, identifying bottlenecks. Week 3 to 4: Improving product page, adding social proof, FAQ, and clear shipping. Week 5 to 6: Shortening the checkout, adding fast wallets, trust messages. Week 7 to 8: Upsell components and subtle handoffs in the cart and checkout. Week 9 to 10: Smart post-purchase email, product review, repurchase offer. Week 11 to 12: Fine tuning according to metrics, ongoing A/B testing. Anti-patterns to avoid Too many pop-ups: harm concentration and confidence. Non-required fields at checkout: Every field reduces conversions. Cost surprises: shipping, taxes, or fees that appear late. Duplicate apps: slows down speed and creates bugs. Want to turn your CX into a sales engine? At Spiky, we will build a CX plan based on your data, upgrade product pages and checkout, and measure real results. Talk to us