How to speed-up your Shopify Store

Website speed is one of the most critical factors in the success of any eCommerce business, and yet many Shopify store owners struggle with a slow-loading website.

Page speed doesn’t just affect the user experience, it can also impact your conversion rates, bounce rate, and even search engine rankings. So if your Shopify store has been running sluggishly, you’re certainly not alone.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the most common reasons why a Shopify site might slow down and what you can do to fix it.

Too many unoptimised apps

It’s tempting to install every new app that promises to improve your store’s functionality, but each app you add increases the amount of code your site has to load. Many apps inject scripts into your store’s theme, and over time, this can lead to significant bloat. Audit your installed apps regularly and remove any that you’re not actively using. After removal, check your theme code for any leftover script tags, they often remain even after uninstalling the app.

Large or uncompressed images

High-resolution product images are important for visual appeal, but they can be a major culprit in slowing down your site. Unoptimised images take longer to load, especially on mobile devices or slower connections.

Use image compression tools before uploading product photos to your store. Shopify recommends using JPEGs for product images and PNGs for logos or graphics that require transparency.

Poorly coded themes or customisations

Not all Shopify themes are created equal. Some are built with performance in mind, while others contain bloated or inefficient code that slows things down. Custom edits made to your theme, especially those by inexperienced developers, can also introduce inefficiencies.

Choose a well-reviewed theme from the Shopify Theme Store and have any customisations reviewed by a qualified developer. If you suspect a particular theme is slowing your site, test it using Shopify’s Theme Inspector or Google's PageSpeed Insights.

External scripts and trackers

Third-party scripts (Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics, or other marketing tools) can also affect site speed. While some are necessary, excessive tracking scripts or poor implementation can slow down your store dramatically.

Consolidate your tracking tools where possible and make sure they're loaded asynchronously so they don’t block the rendering of your main content.

When to call in a Shopify developer

If you’ve reviewed the above and your site is still slow, it may be time to bring in a professional. A Shopify developer can audit your theme, streamline your code, and ensure everything is loading as efficiently as possible. Often, even minor adjustments like lazy loading images, deferring scripts, or cleaning up unused code can have a big impact on performance.

**Contact me if you'd like to discuss these or other Shopify development further. **

Optimising site speed isn’t just a technical exercise - it’s a strategic one. Every second counts when it comes to keeping your customers engaged. Don’t let a slow store drive them away.*