The very first step to creating an online store with Shopify is selecting your theme. This is an exciting time! Shopify offers themes that will determine the structure and flow of your entire store. It's understandable to feel overwhelmed at this stage, as picking from the numerous available options at the Shopify theme store can be a daunting task. Just remember, Hazil Studios follows these three rules for success:
1. Always use Shopify themes
Third party themes are a nightmare, trust us - we’ve been there. Since Shopify at its core is a website, strictly speaking any third party group can create themes to be used on the Shopify e commerce platform. However, when we refer to a “Shopify 2.0 theme” we are referring to themes Shopify has put their stamp of approval on and supply in their theme store. If you can access it via your Shopify account, it means it’s been vetted to adhere to certain standards and guidelines. If you choose to use a third party theme, there are no rules, which more often than not means you (or the freelancers you’ve hired) will spend a lot of time fixing code the theme developers should have caught themselves. This is why we always recommend selecting from the Shopify theme store.
2. Always use 2.0 Shopify themes
This will save you time, money, and a whole lot of hassle down the road. It’s version 2.0 for a reason! If you have been working with Shopify for a while, you probably remember the limited customizability of collections and product pages from the initial version of the Shopify store themes. Shopify 2.0 is a new structure that allows a theme developer to build sections that can easily be reused throughout your store, making for a more cohesive, organized website flow for you and excellent UX for your customers.
Insider Tip: A 2.0 theme in the Shopify store will always have this label: 
3. Always select Shopify themes based on the type and volume of products you plan to sell
Yes, technically speaking, in the hands of the right developer any given Shopify theme can do just about anything in terms of selling online. However, selecting your Shopify theme based on your industry and product volume will always yield the best results.
As to how to select the most advantageous theme for you, the Shopify theme store allows you to filter themes based on industry or to search themes for a specific attribute. To help break down the mystery, we are sharing a handful of our favorite themes and recommendations on where we believe they truly shine.
Best Shopify Theme for a Food & Drink Based Store - Flow
Shopify's 2.0 Flow Theme is a classic. There are three equally vibrant templates to choose from when selecting this theme, but we recommend the “Queenstown” style specifically for a food and/or drink focused online store.
The Flow theme is sharp, modern, and minimalist with a layout that effortlessly features individual products or eclectic collections you are looking to feature, whether you have a big or small store. This is a key component of why it’s a perfect match for food and drink stores. The focus on product imagery is a particular highlight of this theme, so if you have outstanding branding, this is the theme for you. That coupled with purchasing options available directly from the homepage, this theme packs a one-two punch that will keep your conversion rates high.
Best Shopify Theme for a Fashion Store - Beyond
The fashion business fan favorite Shopify 2.0 theme is Beyond in the “Essentials” style. The Beyond theme offers essential fashion forward features such as look books, high-res image galleries, sizing charts, color swatches, and shipping / delivery information to name just a few - basically, anything you need to develop a fast-moving fashion brand can be found here. Using this charming and charismatic theme, you’ll have all the tools needed to visually connect with customers and tell the story of your brand.
A client of ours who has optimized these aspects of the Beyond theme for selling online is Kiwi & Fig, a NYC based clothing boutique with a physical store for the women's collection and a physical store for their men's line. They expanded to include a Shopify store in order to enhance their brand impact and have done so quite successfully.
Best Shopify Theme for a Children’s Store - Boost
If you want to invest your efforts in a children’s online store, the number one place to start for functionality is with Shopify's 2.0 theme Boost in the Spark style. This style sets you up to optimize an adorable brand geared towards young children and their parents. It has everything from moving imagery in the heading banner to promotions and pop ups, keeping your customers engaged for ultimate customer experience, while also creating a visual experience small children will love.
The Boost theme shines when featuring multiple collections of products, such as a group of stuffed animals, books, or games. No matter what you need, Boost has your business covered!
Best Shopify Theme for Dropshipping - Capital
The key to building a successful dropshipping online store is developing a dynamite brand that resonates with your target audience and people at large. To do this, take advantage of highlighting your brand’s personal story and what makes you unique to your competitors in a big way. Enter: Shopify 2.0 theme Capital.
Any of the three styles, Prague, Sofia, or Berlin, are an excellent choice for building out your dropshipping business. Capital is a sleek, no frills set up compared to other themes, giving you the opportunity to showcase high-volume inventory in a clean and precise way to your customers. The layout naturally pulls the customer’s attention to your noteworthy collections while also highlighting your copy in side by side image and text format. This let's you navigate: 1) selling your products at high-volume and 2) telling your story. Happy dropshipping!
Best Shopify Theme for a Fully-Customized Website - Dawn
Shopify's 2.0 theme Dawn is a chic and minimalist design that can be customized as much or as little as you want for your Shopify store. It also gets bonus points for being free! This is a great place to start if you’re a business owner trying to keep costs down or are not entirely sure the customization direction you want your website to take. If you’re taking on this venture alone (i.e. without freelancers), the minimalist design allows for a quick and intuitive setup on your part, while also boasting stunning landing pages for blogs, FAQs, press coverage, and more. This work-horse theme has all the functionality you need to build a successful Shopify online store.
Insider Tip: Of interesting note, Dawn is often used as a base template for custom developments like Allbirds, Alo Yoga and Gym Shark. Its minimalistic design allows for any developer to expand your site, building development work on top of it without having to build the Shopify integrations from scratch. A win for everyone!
