Shopify Development for Dubai & UAE Businesses
We build and extend Shopify stores for UAE brands. That covers theme work, app choices, payment setup, Arabic storefronts with Shopify Markets, B2B selling and migrations from other platforms.
Who this fits
- Retail and D2C brands that want to sell rather than run servers, and are happy to work within Shopify's checkout rules.
- Businesses on WooCommerce, Magento or a marketplace-only setup that want a store their own team can run.
- Brands selling to both consumers and trade customers from one catalogue.
- Stores that need Arabic and English, or several GCC markets, from one admin.
If your store needs checkout logic Shopify does not allow, or it depends on WordPress content, compare the options on our ecommerce development page first.
Theme, customised theme or custom theme
| Approach | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Premium theme, configured | New stores, tight timelines, standard catalogues | Looks like other stores unless the photography and content are strong |
| Premium theme, customised | Most brands: a tested base with custom sections, product page logic and brand styling | Keep changes in sections and blocks so theme updates stay possible |
| Custom theme (Online Store 2.0) | Brands with a distinct design system or unusual merchandising | More build and QA time; you own the maintenance |
| Headless (Hydrogen or Next.js on the Storefront API) | Content-heavy brands or stores that are part of a larger app | Two systems to host and maintain; many apps only work on the standard theme |
Whatever the route, we check RTL support before choosing a theme. Some popular themes break in Arabic, with icons, carousels and price layouts that do not mirror. Replacing the theme later costs more than choosing one that already handles RTL.
Apps: a lean stack
Every app adds a subscription, a script on the storefront and another company with access to your data. Stores that grow by installing apps end up slow, expensive and hard to debug. We start with what Shopify does natively, add apps only where they cover a real gap, and write small custom code for simple requirements instead of paying monthly for them.
- Each app is listed with its purpose, cost, data access and an owner on your side.
- Apps are tested for storefront speed and Arabic display before they go live.
- Uninstalled apps are checked for leftover code in the theme.
Shopify Payments or a third-party gateway
Shopify Payments availability depends on the country your business is registered in and on Shopify's eligibility checks, and the list of supported countries changes. We confirm the current position for your entity during scoping. Where it is available and suits you, it is the simplest option: one payout, one dashboard, no extra Shopify transaction fee.
Many UAE stores still connect a local gateway such as N-Genius, Telr or PayTabs, often because the business already has a merchant account or needs local card acceptance and settlement terms. Shopify can charge an additional transaction fee on orders paid through third-party providers, depending on your plan, so we include it in the comparison. Tabby and Tamara are added through their own apps, and cash on delivery through Shopify's manual payment methods with rules for when it is offered. For gateway work beyond the standard apps, see payment gateway integration.
Arabic, RTL and Shopify Markets
- Languages
- Arabic added as a store language, with translations for products, collections, pages, navigation and notifications. Machine translation is a draft; your team or a translator reviews product copy.
- RTL layout
- Theme sections tested in Arabic on mobile, including menus, sliders, price and quantity fields, and the cart drawer.
- Markets
- Separate markets for the UAE, other GCC countries or international buyers, each with its own currency, prices, domains or subfolders and shipping rules.
- Search engines
- Language versions on their own URLs with hreflang, so Arabic pages can be indexed rather than switched by script.
B2B selling on Shopify
Trade customers need company accounts, their own price lists, minimum order quantities, payment terms and sometimes quotes instead of instant checkout. Shopify's native B2B features cover much of this, but which features you get depends on your plan, so we map your trade rules against your plan before promising anything. Where native features stop, we use a focused app or a small custom app, and connect orders to your ERP so credit terms and invoices stay in one place.
Migrating to Shopify
Inventory
Products, variants, images, customers, order history, reviews, gift cards and every URL that receives traffic or links.
Data mapping
Old fields mapped to Shopify products, metafields and customer records, with a test import checked by your team.
Redirects
Old product, category and page URLs redirected one to one, so search rankings and ad links keep working.
Customer accounts
Passwords cannot be moved between platforms, so customers are invited to activate their account, with a message that explains why.
Cutover
A final delta import, DNS switch, test orders on every payment method and monitoring of 404 errors in the first weeks.
Deliverables, exclusions and cost drivers
- Included: store setup and theme work, product import, payments, shipping rates by emirate, courier app or integration, notification templates, GA4 and ad pixel setup, staff training and a handover document.
- Not included unless scoped: product photography, copywriting at scale, ongoing ad management, and opening your merchant or Shopify Payments account, which your business does directly.
- Cost drivers: theme approach, catalogue size and data quality, number of languages and markets, B2B rules, ERP or inventory sync and the size of any migration.
We give a fixed quote after a scoping call. For a first estimate, use the website cost calculator. Post-launch support is covered by website maintenance.
Questions buyers ask
Which Shopify plan do we need?
It depends on staff accounts, reporting, B2B needs and transaction volume. We compare plans against your actual requirements at scoping, including any third-party transaction fees, rather than defaulting to the largest plan.
Can we offer cash on delivery on Shopify?
Yes, as a manual payment method. We add rules and apps where needed to limit COD by order value or area, and make sure COD orders reach the courier with the amount to collect.
Will our Arabic store look right?
Only if the theme and apps support RTL. We test every template in Arabic on mobile before launch and fix the sections that do not mirror correctly.
Can Shopify connect to our ERP?
Usually, through Shopify's API and either an existing connector or a custom integration. We scope which system owns stock, prices and customers before building the sync. See API integration.
Will we lose SEO when we migrate?
Some movement is normal after any migration. A complete redirect map, preserved content and a check of indexing after launch keep the risk low, but nobody can guarantee rankings.
Tell us your current platform, catalogue size, payment methods and whether you need Arabic or B2B. We will reply with a recommended approach and a scoped proposal. Get a project proposal.
Ready to build your growth system?
Send a short brief or message us on WhatsApp. We reply with questions, a suggested scope and the sensible next step.