The difference
positioningWERZ
WERZ builds custom Next.js storefronts with Shopify as the commerce backend (Shopify Hydrogen / Storefront API) — keeping the inventory and checkout but unlocking design freedom, performance, and content depth that the standard Shopify theme runtime can't match.
Shopify
Shopify standard themes are excellent for fast launch and proven conversion patterns. Most DTC brands under $5M annual revenue do best on a polished standard theme — paying for custom is overkill until growth and scale demand it.
Side-by-side
feature comparisonUnlimited (custom Next.js)
Anything React can do
Theme-bound
Excellent themes, but bound to the runtime
Sanity / Contentful CMS
Long-form, editorial, video
Shopify pages + blog
OK for short content
Lighthouse 95+
Edge cache + image opt
Lighthouse 60–85
Theme + apps add overhead
Shopify checkout (unchanged)
Trust + conversion intact
Shopify checkout
Industry-leading flow
Headless-compatible apps
Subset of Shopify apps work
Full app store
8,000+ Shopify apps
Unlimited templated pages
Buyer-guide pages, comparison pages
Manually built
Per-page editing
$30–$120K + retainer
Bigger investment
$0 + theme + apps
Days to launch
>$5M GMV with custom needs
When platform is the bottleneck
<$5M GMV or simple model
Standard theme outperforms custom
FAQ
WERZ vs shopifyWhen does headless Shopify make sense?
Roughly when annual revenue passes $5M AND you have specific custom needs — programmatic SEO at scale, complex content marketing, custom product configurators, or unique design requirements that themes can't deliver. Below that threshold, standard themes win on math.
Do we lose access to Shopify apps?
Some, not all. Apps that operate through the admin (inventory, fulfillment, support) work unchanged. Apps that inject UI into the storefront (popups, reviews widgets, upsells) need headless-compatible alternatives. We map the gap during discovery.
What's the SEO impact of going headless?
Net positive in our experience. Custom storefronts hit Lighthouse 95+, where standard themes typically run 60-85 mobile. Combined with programmatic SEO at scale, headless storefronts often see 30-100% organic traffic lift in 6-12 months. Migration done with proper redirects has minimal short-term impact.
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