Trusted by leading retail brands
We work with ambitious retailers to build, improve and support ecommerce experiences that are designed around their customers and commercial goals.
Magento for lifestyle brands
Magento eCommerce for ambitious lifestyle brands
From premium food and drink to fashion, beauty, homeware and specialist retail, we help ambitious brands create exceptional eCommerce experiences that turn more visitors into customers.
Real results
Measurable results we have achieved for retailers with Magento
See how other merchants are scaling their brands and workflow with Magento and our support packages.
+47%
Increase in conversions after a migration to Hyvä in 2025
+24%
Increase in transactions YOY after a migration to Hyvä
+300%
Increase in speed for placing bids on Currys Magento B2B auction platform
+104%
Increase in Data Capture after CRO activity
41%
Increase in Revenue after the Hyvä migration
1/5
Signs that you're ready to migrate to a new eCommerce platform
You may find yourself needing functionality that isn't available out of the box, relying on apps to fill gaps or adapting your processes around the platform.
The benefits
Why choose Magento?
Built for complex product catalogues
Magento gives you greater control over how products, categories, attributes, variants and pricing are structured.
Designed around your customers
From bespoke merchandising to tailored customer journeys, Magento lets you shape every touchpoint around how your customers actually shop.
Connect your entire operation
Integrate ERP, PIM, fulfilment and marketing tools so your store works as one connected system rather than a series of workarounds.
Scale without compromising flexibility
Magento grows with your catalogue, traffic and ambitions, without forcing you to rebuild or migrate as your business evolves.
Magento is an open-source platform without limits
Discover the comparisons between Magento and other eCommerce platforms.
| Consideration | Shopify (SaaS) | Magento Open Source (self-hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| Platform ownership | Shopify manages the platform infrastructure, hosting and roadmap. Merchants operate within Shopify's ecosystem and policies. | Merchants own their platform, hosting environment and development roadmap, giving greater control over how their store evolves. |
| Management & usability | Shopify provides an intuitive dashboard with hosting, security and updates managed by Shopify, making it simple for teams to manage daily operations. | Magento provides a powerful admin experience designed for more complex operations, including advanced catalogue management, order workflows, customer groups and multi-store management. |
| Customisation | Offers extensive customisation options, but development takes place within Shopify's framework and available functionality. | Allows businesses to build bespoke functionality around their specific requirements without being limited by a fixed platform structure. |
| Scalability & future growth | Scales well for many businesses, though more complex requirements may require additional apps, integrations or higher-tier plans. | Designed to support growing businesses with complex catalogues, bespoke functionality, advanced integrations and changing requirements. |
| Total cost of ownership | Lower upfront costs make Shopify attractive for businesses starting. However, subscription fees, apps, transaction fees and additional services can increase costs as requirements grow. | Requires investment in development and hosting, but gives businesses greater control over long-term costs. Functionality, integrations and experiences can be adapted as the business evolves. |
| Complex product catalogues | Well-suited to straightforward and moderately complex product ranges. More advanced catalogues may require additional apps or custom solutions. | Built to manage complex catalogues, configurable products, customer-specific pricing and advanced product structures. |
| B2B & wholesale functionality | Available through Shopify Plus features and third-party solutions. | Greater flexibility for bespoke B2B requirements, including customer groups, trade pricing and tailored purchasing workflows. |
| Integrations | Strong app ecosystem for connecting third-party tools and services. | Flexible integrations with ERP, CRM, warehouse systems and bespoke business platforms. |
| Multi-store capability | Multiple storefronts may require additional configuration, separate plans or third-party solutions. | Native multi-store functionality allows businesses to manage multiple websites, brands or regions from a single installation. |
| Best suited for | Businesses looking for simplicity, speed and ease of management | Businesses looking for flexibility, ownership and long-term growth |
A team built up of eCommerce experts
We combine eCommerce strategy, UX, development, performance optimisation and data analysis to uncover opportunities across your store. From site speed and usability to checkout, integrations and functionality, we focus on improvements that drive better performance, conversion and growth.
Magento expertise with a commercial mindset
Adobe Certified Developers
Our Adobe Certified Developers bring specialist Magento expertise to every project, delivering robust, scalable ecommerce solutions built around your business.
Hyvä Gold Partner
As a Hyvä Gold Partner, we create faster, lighter Magento storefronts designed to improve performance, usability and the customer experience.
Long-term partnership
With every store we work on, we’re in it for the long run. By continually identifying opportunities to improve, we help your eCommerce experience evolve alongside your business and ambitions.
eCommerce specialists
Our team brings together expertise across UX, SEO, CRO, performance optimisation and development, giving your store everything it needs to perform at its best.
Commercially focused
We don’t just build what you ask for. We look at your customers, data and business goals to identify opportunities that can drive growth.
Results driven
We focus on measurable outcomes that demonstrate the commercial value of your eCommerce investment.
"Develo has truly become an extension of our team, consistently bringing proactive advice and innovative solutions that align perfectly with our objectives."
"We stock and sell some unusual products that require a lot of custom development. We’ve always been able to get what we want, no matter how complex it seemed."
1/2
Ready to discuss your project?
Tell us a little about your brand and what you're looking to achieve, and one of our Magento experts will be in touch.
FAQ's
Is Magento a good ecommerce platform for retailers?
Magento is particularly well suited to established and growing retailers with complex products, large catalogues, multiple customer groups, bespoke requirements or integrations with other business systems. Magento Open Source gives retailers significant flexibility and control over their eCommerce store, while Adobe Commerce adds further functionality for larger and more complex businesses.
For retailers whose requirements are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Magento can provide a more flexible foundation for growth than platforms designed primarily around simplicity and standardised functionality.
For retailers whose requirements are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Magento can provide a more flexible foundation for growth than platforms designed primarily around simplicity and standardised functionality.
Is Magento better than Shopify for retailers?
Neither platform is universally better. The right choice depends on the complexity of your business and what you need your eCommerce platform to do.
Shopify can be an excellent option for retailers looking for a straightforward, quick-to-manage eCommerce platform. However, businesses with complex product structures, bespoke functionality, advanced integrations or more specific requirements may benefit from Magento's greater flexibility and control.
If you're considering moving from Shopify to Magento, we can assess your existing setup and help determine whether migration would provide a genuine benefit for your business.
Shopify can be an excellent option for retailers looking for a straightforward, quick-to-manage eCommerce platform. However, businesses with complex product structures, bespoke functionality, advanced integrations or more specific requirements may benefit from Magento's greater flexibility and control.
If you're considering moving from Shopify to Magento, we can assess your existing setup and help determine whether migration would provide a genuine benefit for your business.
Can you migrate an existing eCommerce website to Magento?
Yes. We can manage Magento migrations from Shopify and other eCommerce platforms, as well as migrations between Magento and Adobe Commerce environments.
A successful migration involves much more than moving products and customer data. We consider your SEO, URL structure, integrations, functionality, design, analytics, payment methods and existing customer journeys to help ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
A successful migration involves much more than moving products and customer data. We consider your SEO, URL structure, integrations, functionality, design, analytics, payment methods and existing customer journeys to help ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
Can you improve an existing Magento store?
Absolutely. You don't necessarily need a new Magento website to improve your eCommerce performance.
We can audit an existing Magento or Adobe Commerce store to identify opportunities across performance, UX, CRO, SEO, security, integrations and technical development. From there, we can prioritise the changes most likely to make a meaningful difference to your customers and business.
This can be particularly valuable for retailers who already have a powerful Magento platform but aren't getting everything they could from it.
We can audit an existing Magento or Adobe Commerce store to identify opportunities across performance, UX, CRO, SEO, security, integrations and technical development. From there, we can prioritise the changes most likely to make a meaningful difference to your customers and business.
This can be particularly valuable for retailers who already have a powerful Magento platform but aren't getting everything they could from it.
How can Magento help increase eCommerce conversions?
Magento provides the flexibility to create more sophisticated shopping experiences around your customers and products. However, the platform itself doesn't automatically increase conversion rates.
Conversion comes from getting the whole experience right.
We combine Magento development with UX, CRO, performance optimisation, analytics and SEO to identify and remove friction throughout the customer journey. This could include improving product discovery, simplifying navigation, optimising product pages, improving checkout or making the site significantly faster.
Conversion comes from getting the whole experience right.
We combine Magento development with UX, CRO, performance optimisation, analytics and SEO to identify and remove friction throughout the customer journey. This could include improving product discovery, simplifying navigation, optimising product pages, improving checkout or making the site significantly faster.
What is Hyvä and why is it beneficial for Magento stores?
Hyvä is a modern frontend for Magento and Adobe Commerce that replaces the traditional Magento frontend with a lighter, more streamlined architecture.
This can significantly improve website speed and performance while creating a smoother shopping experience and a more efficient development environment.
Develo is a Hyvä Gold Partner, with experience delivering Hyvä migrations and new Magento and Adobe Commerce storefronts. Our work with retailers including Daylesford Organic, Bamford and BrandAlley demonstrates the potential commercial impact of combining Magento with a high-performance Hyvä frontend.
This can significantly improve website speed and performance while creating a smoother shopping experience and a more efficient development environment.
Develo is a Hyvä Gold Partner, with experience delivering Hyvä migrations and new Magento and Adobe Commerce storefronts. Our work with retailers including Daylesford Organic, Bamford and BrandAlley demonstrates the potential commercial impact of combining Magento with a high-performance Hyvä frontend.
Is Magento suitable for small or growing lifestyle brands, not just large retailers?
Yes. While Magento is well known for supporting large, complex retailers, it's equally suited to smaller and growing lifestyle brands that need more flexibility than off-the-shelf platforms allow.
Using Magento Open Source, brands can start with a lean, cost-effective build and add functionality, integrations and design sophistication as they grow, without needing to migrate platforms later.
We work with lifestyle brands at different stages of growth, helping them build a foundation that scales with their ambitions rather than outgrowing it.
Using Magento Open Source, brands can start with a lean, cost-effective build and add functionality, integrations and design sophistication as they grow, without needing to migrate platforms later.
We work with lifestyle brands at different stages of growth, helping them build a foundation that scales with their ambitions rather than outgrowing it.
Does Magento support subscription or repeat-purchase models for food and drink brands?
Yes. Magento can support subscription boxes, repeat-purchase schedules and replenishment models that are common among food and drink brands.
Through custom development or trusted third-party integrations, we can build subscription logic, flexible delivery scheduling and recurring payment handling around your specific product range and customer journey.
This makes Magento a strong fit for brands looking to build recurring revenue and long-term customer relationships, rather than relying solely on one-off purchases.
Through custom development or trusted third-party integrations, we can build subscription logic, flexible delivery scheduling and recurring payment handling around your specific product range and customer journey.
This makes Magento a strong fit for brands looking to build recurring revenue and long-term customer relationships, rather than relying solely on one-off purchases.
Can Magento manage age-verification for restricted or age-regulated products?
Yes. Magento can be configured to handle age-verification and other compliance requirements for restricted or age-regulated products such as alcohol.
This can include age-gating at entry, checkout-level verification, and restrictions on specific products, categories or shipping destinations, helping you stay compliant with UK regulations as they evolve.
We've written more about the specific challenges facing merchants selling regulated products in our guide to UK merchant restrictions, and can advise on the right approach for your product range.
This can include age-gating at entry, checkout-level verification, and restrictions on specific products, categories or shipping destinations, helping you stay compliant with UK regulations as they evolve.
We've written more about the specific challenges facing merchants selling regulated products in our guide to UK merchant restrictions, and can advise on the right approach for your product range.
Can Magento support wholesale or trade alongside direct-to-consumer sales?
Yes. Magento's B2B functionality allows lifestyle brands to run wholesale, trade or stockist sales alongside their direct-to-consumer store from a single platform.
This can include customer-specific pricing, minimum order quantities, company accounts and dedicated trade catalogues, so wholesale buyers get a tailored experience without duplicating your product data or operations.
Many of the lifestyle brands we work with sell both direct to consumers and into retail partners, and Magento gives them one system to manage both channels efficiently.
This can include customer-specific pricing, minimum order quantities, company accounts and dedicated trade catalogues, so wholesale buyers get a tailored experience without duplicating your product data or operations.
Many of the lifestyle brands we work with sell both direct to consumers and into retail partners, and Magento gives them one system to manage both channels efficiently.
Does Magento support international or multi-currency selling for growing lifestyle brands?
Yes. Magento has strong native support for multi-currency pricing, multiple languages and region-specific storefronts, making it well suited to lifestyle brands expanding beyond the UK.
You can tailor pricing, content, shipping and payment methods by market, while managing everything from a single Magento installation rather than running separate platforms per region.
This makes it easier to test new markets and scale internationally without a costly platform change further down the line.
You can tailor pricing, content, shipping and payment methods by market, while managing everything from a single Magento installation rather than running separate platforms per region.
This makes it easier to test new markets and scale internationally without a costly platform change further down the line.
Can Magento integrate with Klaviyo, Instagram Shopping or other lifestyle-brand marketing tools?
Yes. Magento integrates well with the marketing and social commerce tools lifestyle brands rely on, including Klaviyo, Instagram and Facebook Shopping, review platforms, loyalty schemes and influencer or affiliate tracking tools.
Because Magento is open and API-driven, these integrations can be tailored to your specific stack rather than being limited to a fixed app ecosystem.
We can advise on the right integrations for your marketing approach as part of a wider Magento build or ongoing support package.
Because Magento is open and API-driven, these integrations can be tailored to your specific stack rather than being limited to a fixed app ecosystem.
We can advise on the right integrations for your marketing approach as part of a wider Magento build or ongoing support package.