SHOPIFY DTC & RETAIL ECOMMERCE
Shopify DTC agency for brands that sell online and in store.
One system for every place you sell
Bristm is a Shopify DTC agency for brands that sell on their own website, in their own shops and at pop-ups. We build the Shopify store, set up Shopify POS, connect stock across locations and add loyalty and retention, so a customer is the same customer wherever they buy.
BRISTM in numbers
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1500
Shopify eCommerce stores built
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40
eCommerce industries served
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98
eCommerce industries served
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24/7
eCommerce industries served
DTC & RETAIL ON SHOPIFY EXPLAINED
What does a Shopify DTC agency actually do?
A Shopify DTC agency designs, builds and runs the Shopify store a brand uses to sell straight to its customers, with no retailer in between. For brands with shops, it also connects Shopify POS, so stock, orders, customer profiles and loyalty points sit in one system instead of two.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce means selling your own products through channels you own: your website, your shops, your emails and your app. BRISTM starts with how your customers buy today, then plans the catalogue, locations and customer data before any design work. We build on Shopify or Shopify Plus, set up Shopify POS for your stores, and connect the apps you already use, from Klaviyo to your ERP. If you only need a new online store, see our custom Shopify store development service.
One Shopify system for your website, your shops and your regulars.
COMMON DTC & RETAIL PROBLEMS
Your website and your shops shouldn't run like two businesses.
Most DTC brands add shops, pop-ups or concessions over time, and the tools rarely keep up. Stock lives in one place, customers in another, and staff can't see what happened online. Omnichannel retail on Shopify fixes this with one shared back office.
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Website stock and shop-floor stock never match
We set up inventory by location in Shopify, so online and POS sales draw from the same counts and sold-out items stop selling twice.
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Store staff can't see who the customer is
Shopify POS pulls the same customer profile as your website: past orders, notes, store credit and loyalty balance, right at the till.
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Returns only work in the channel you bought from
We set up buy online, return in store and exchanges at POS, with refunds and stock updates flowing back to one order record.
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Repeat purchase relies on discount codes
We plan loyalty, subscriptions and Klaviyo flows around real buying cycles, so regulars get a reason to return that isn't another 10% code.
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Every new launch or store opening needs a developer
We build flexible Online Store 2.0 sections and templates so your team can publish drops, store pages and campaigns without code.
DTC & RETAIL SERVICES
DTC ecommerce development for brands with shops, pop-ups and regulars.
Pick the pieces you need or let us run the whole build. Each service below works on Shopify and Shopify Plus, and each one is planned so your online store and your shops share the same data.
A Shopify store built around your product range, brand story and buying habits, with sections your team can edit without a developer.
One catalogue, inventory by location, shared customer profiles and order routing, so your website and shops work from the same records.
Shopify POS Pro set up per location: hardware, staff roles and permissions, receipts, POS UI extensions and hands-on training for store teams.
BOPIS and local delivery with pick-up locations at checkout, ready-for-pickup notifications and a clear pick-up flow for staff at the till.
Sell items that aren't on the shelf: staff order from another location or the warehouse at POS and ship straight to the customer's home.
Points, tiers, store credit, subscriptions with Utterbond Subscriptions and Klaviyo flows that recognise customers online and in store.
Local currencies, languages, duties and domains with Shopify Markets, so shoppers abroad see prices and delivery options that make sense to them.
Bundles and upsells with Rebolt, Checkout Extensibility, Shop Pay and clean product data for Shopify's Agentic Storefronts in ChatGPT and Copilot.
HOW WE BUILD DTC & RETAIL ON SHOPIFY
Our DTC & retail process, from first audit to first store open.
Retail projects touch tills, stock rooms and staff, not just a website. We plan the rollout around your trading calendar and test in one location before every shop goes live.
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01. Discovery & channel audit
Seeing how customers buy today.
We review your store, POS, stock process, apps and customer data, then list what to keep, replace or connect.
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02. Catalogue, location & data plan
Deciding where every record lives.
We map products, variants, locations, customer profiles and loyalty balances, and agree which system owns each one.
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03. Design, build & integrate
Building one system, not two.
We design and build the Shopify store, set up POS, and connect Klaviyo, loyalty, ERP or warehouse tools.
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04. Pilot store & staff training
Testing where the tills are.
We go live in one location first, train staff on sales, returns and pick-ups, then roll out to the rest.
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05. Launch, measure & improve
Getting better every month.
We track online and in-store sales in one view and keep improving with Shopify growth marketing support.
A Shopify retail stack that works on the website and at the till.
We build on Shopify's own tools first, then add apps only where they earn their place. Fewer apps means fewer sync errors between channels, faster pages and a simpler job for store staff.
Commerce
- Shopify & Shopify Plus
- Shopify Markets
- Checkout Extensibility
- Shop Pay
- Online Store 2.0 themes
In store
- Shopify POS Pro
- POS UI extensions
- Tap to Pay on iPhone
- Shopify POS hardware
- Barcode & receipt printers
Retention
- Klaviyo
- Utterbond Subscriptions
- Loyalty apps (Smile.io, Rivo)
- Shopify customer accounts
- Reviews (Stamped, Judge.me)
Data & AI
- GA4
- Shopify Analytics
- Shopify Flow
- ERP & warehouse integrations
- Agentic Storefronts (ChatGPT, Copilot)
SHOPIFY DTC & RETAIL BY INDUSTRY
DTC and retail on Shopify, shaped by what you sell.
Every category sells differently in store and online. Here is what we focus on first for each.
- Fashion & ApparelSize and colour stock by location, in-store exchanges for online orders, and drop launches that hit the website and shops together.
- Beauty & CosmeticsShade finders online, testers and consultations in store, and replenishment reminders timed to how long each product lasts.
- Health & WellnessSubscribe-and-save for daily products, clear ingredient information, and store staff who can see a customer's usual order at POS.
- Jewelry & AccessoriesBook-an-appointment flows, reserve online and try in store, and engraving or sizing notes carried from website to counter.
- Home & FurnitureShowroom selling with ship-to-home at POS, delivery date choices, and fabric or finish samples ordered online.
- Electronics & GadgetsSerial-number capture at POS, warranty registration, accessories bundles, and click and collect for high-value items.
- Sports & FitnessKit launches across channels, club or team pages, and loyalty that rewards regulars who buy in store and online.
- Pet SuppliesRepeat food orders on subscription, local delivery from the nearest shop, and pet profiles that follow the customer.
- Food & BeveragesCafé or farm-shop POS next to the online store, local delivery windows, and gift boxes for seasonal peaks.
- B2B & WholesaleSeparate trade pricing next to your DTC store, so stockists and consumers buy from one Shopify catalogue.
DTC & RETAIL FAQS
Shopify DTC & retail questions, answered.
Still unsure? Write to us at hi@bristm.com and a Shopify expert will reply.
A Shopify DTC agency plans, builds and improves the Shopify store a brand uses to sell direct to its customers. For retail brands, BRISTM also sets up Shopify POS in your shops, connects inventory by location and links loyalty and customer profiles, so online and in-store sales run from one system.
Yes. Shopify POS and your online store share one Shopify admin, so every sale, return and stock transfer updates the same inventory counts by location. You choose which locations can fulfil online orders, and staff can see stock in other shops or the warehouse before they promise a customer anything.
Turn on local pickup for each location in Shopify's shipping and delivery settings, set pickup times and notification emails, then train staff to mark orders ready and collected in Shopify POS. BRISTM also adds pickup messaging to product and cart pages, so shoppers know before checkout which shop has their item.
POS Lite comes with every Shopify plan and covers basic in-store selling. Shopify POS Pro is a paid add-on per location that adds staff roles and permissions, ship-to-customer and endless aisle selling, smart inventory tools and in-store analytics. Most brands with a permanent shop need Pro; pop-ups can often start on Lite.
Not always. Many DTC brands run well on Shopify's Grow or Advanced plans. Shopify Plus starts to pay off when you need Checkout Extensibility customisations, Shopify Functions, more staff accounts, B2B with custom catalogues or many expansion stores. We compare plans against your real order volume and roadmap before recommending one.
Yes. Store credit is native to Shopify and works at checkout and in Shopify POS. Most loyalty apps, such as Smile.io or Rivo, also show points at the till through a POS extension. We test earning, spending and returns in both channels so balances stay correct wherever the customer shops.
A DTC store on a customised theme usually takes 8 to 10 weeks. A fully custom build takes 3 to 6 months. Shopify POS rollout adds time per location for hardware, data checks and staff training, so we pilot one shop first. BRISTM projects start from $5,000.
Yes. We move products, customers, order history and gift card balances from platforms such as WooCommerce, Magento or Lightspeed, set up 301 redirects to protect search rankings, and switch tills over outside trading hours. See our Shopify migration service for how we plan the data move and cutover.
Let's build what's next
Ready to build a Shopify store that works harder?
Tell us what you're building, what's getting in the way, and where you want to go next. We'll turn the challenge into a clear strategy, experience, and development plan.