A Shopify Plus RFP is a written brief you send to several agencies so their proposals answer the same questions and can be compared side by side. Without one, each agency quotes a different scope, and you end up comparing prices that don't measure the same thing.
This guide covers what to put in the brief, how to run the process, and a weighted scoring matrix you can adapt. It assumes you've already chosen Shopify Plus. If you're still deciding between platforms, that needs a separate ecommerce platform RFP.
Do you need a Shopify Plus RFP?
Usually yes, when the budget is large, several teams are involved, or the store must connect to ERP, OMS or warehouse systems. For a simple build with a clear scope, a one-page Shopify agency brief and two or three calls are enough.
What should a Shopify RFP include?
Here are ten sections to begin your Shopify RFP template:
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Business context: what you sell, who you sell to, what you want to reach and why you’re building or moving now.
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Current Stack: Platform, ERP, OMS, CRM, payment, and Shipping tools
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Scope: This becomes your Shopify project scope document. State what’s in and what’s out, including markets, currencies, B2B, theme or headless, and number of templates.
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Integrations: each system, how the data flows, and who owns the other side.
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Timeline: your launch date and the fixed dates behind it, such as a sale season.
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Budget: give a range. Agencies propose better when they know it.
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Team and Decisions: who approves, and how quickly.
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Post-Launch Support: hours, response times and what you expect.
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Response format: ask for a line-item price, stated assumptions, named team members and a sample plan.
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Evaluation: your criteria, weights and dates.
If you're moving from another platform, add data and redirects to the scope using our Shopify migration checklist.
How to run the process
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Write the scope first. Agree it internally before any agency sees it.
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Build a shortlist of four or five agencies. Use referrals and Shopify's Partner Directory. Shopify Plus agency selection works best when you shortlist on relevant work, not logos. A tier badge shows commercial volume, not fit. If Premier agencies are on your list, read about choosing a Shopify Premier partner.
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Send the same brief to everyone. Set one date for questions, then send every reply to all agencies.
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Ask for a written proposal and a live walkthrough.
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Score independently. Each reviewer scores alone, then you compare.
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Test the finalists. Speak to references from brands of your scale, and run a paid discovery workshop with your top two.
Step 6 matters most for large Indian brands. A reference with a similar catalogue size, integrations and traffic tells you more than a case study page.
How to evaluate agency proposals with a scoring matrix
An ecommerce agency scoring matrix turns opinions into numbers. Score each criterion from 1 to 5, multiply by the weight, and add up. These weights suit high-growth brands. Treat them as a starting point, not a standard.
|
Criterion |
Weight |
What to check |
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Scalability and architecture |
20% |
Handling of traffic peaks, catalogue growth and new markets |
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Integrations |
20% |
Experience with your ERP and OMS, error handling, ownership |
|
Post-launch support |
15% |
Reply speed, a named contact, and written support terms |
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Relevant Plus experience |
15% |
Similar scale and complexity, reference calls |
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Scope clarity and pricing |
10% |
Line items, stated assumptions, change process |
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Team and project management |
10% |
Named people, reporting, governance |
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Timeline realism |
5% |
Dependencies and testing time |
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Commercial terms |
5% |
Payment milestones, IP, exit terms |
If your launch is tied to a sale date, raise the timeline weight. With a small team, give support more weight. This is how agency proposal comparison becomes fair: every proposal gets the same test.
What makes a Shopify agency proposal hard to compare
A Shopify agency proposal is hard to compare when it hides something. Watch for these:
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A fixed price with no assumptions listed.
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Integrations missing, or written as "to be confirmed".
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Support described as "as needed".
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No named people, only roles.
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Soft phrases like "if relevant" or "where possible".
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One agency quotes a theme build, another quotes headless, and neither says so.
What your Shopify Plus statement of work should cover
Before you sign, a Shopify Plus statement of work should list deliverables and the acceptance criteria for each one. It should also set out a change-request process, payment milestones, a bug-fix period after launch, and who owns the code. Ask how the agency will manage project management, since that's where timelines usually slip.
Use the RFP to decide, not to delay
A good brief shortens the decision. If you want help with the earlier step of knowing what to look for, read our guide to picking the right ecommerce agency. Then write the brief, score the proposals, and test your top two.
Frequently asked questions
1. What should a Shopify RFP include?
Business goals, your current systems, a scope with what's in and out, integrations, a timeline, a budget range, support expectations, and a required response format. The response format matters most. If every agency gives a line-item price and lists its assumptions, you can finally compare quotes.
2. Should I Use an RFP for Hiring a Shopify Plus Agency?
Not always. If your scope is small and clear, a short brief and a few conversations are enough. An RFP pays off when the budget is large, several teams must approve, or the store connects to ERP, OMS or other systems.
3. How many agencies should I send a Shopify RFP to?
Four or five is a good number. Fewer gives you little to compare, and more means you spend weeks reading proposals that won't win. Shortlist before you send the brief, using relevant work and references.
4. How to Compare Shopify Agency Proposals Fairly
Send everyone the same brief, ask for the same response format, and score against the same weighted criteria. Have each reviewer score alone first. Then confirm every proposal assumes the same scope (e.g., theme-based vs. headless) before you compare prices.
5. Which agency builds Shopify Plus stores for large Indian brands?
No single agency fits every brand, so a name alone won't help. Shortlist agencies from referrals and Shopify's Partner Directory, ask for references from brands of your scale, and test the top two with a paid discovery workshop. Your scoring matrix decides the rest.
6. How should I weight scoring for a high-growth brand?
Put the most weight on scalability, integrations and post-launch support, because they cause the costliest problems later. A reasonable split is about 20%, 20% and 15%. Adjust it to your situation. The matrix helps you compare agencies, not rank the whole market.
7. What should a Shopify Plus Statement of Work include?
Acceptance criteria for deliverables, change requests, payment milestones, period for post-launch bug fixes, support and ownership of code and designs. Be sure it is what is proposed. Verbal promises mean nothing if the document doesn't say so.
