Coldsmoke
Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency that designs, develops, and optimizes Shopify stores for $20-200M apparel, beauty, and lifestyle brands through migrations, custom themes, Hydrogen headless builds, and CRO retainers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Coldsmoke does
Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency founded in 2016 and headquartered in Washington, United States, specializing in e-commerce platform development for 8- and 9-figure apparel, beauty, and lifestyle brands. The firm delivers four core service lines: Shopify Migration (from Magento, BigCommerce, and other platforms), Shopify 2.0 Design & Development (custom Liquid theme builds), Hydrogen headless commerce development (Shopify's React-based framework paired with the Pack Digital CMS layer), and Conversion Rate Optimization (continuous A/B testing via Visually.io and Intelligems). Underlying technology competence spans Shopify 2.0 architecture, Liquid templating, Hydrogen/Oxygen hosting, and 12 named ecosystem integrations spanning CRM, subscriptions, marketing automation, analytics, support, video, and reviews.
The business operates as a professional services agency on a hybrid revenue model: project-based engagements ranging from $5K to $300K+ (with most builds spanning 6–12 weeks) complemented by recurring monthly retainers for ongoing optimization and site support. The go-to-market motion is consultative and direct — prospects enter via a structured Discovery process, qualify through a strategy call, and are scoped through free discovery audits before engagement. Coldsmoke markets primarily through Shopify Partner Directory presence (4.8-star rating, 30+ reviews), case-study-led content, a monthly newsletter, and direct outreach, with no marketplace or reseller channels.
The company maintains a globally distributed team of senior Shopify developers, UX/UI designers, project managers, and strategists led by founder and CEO Mark Shesser. With 250+ brands in its portfolio and 300+ Shopify sites launched over 9 years, Coldsmoke operates as a specialized boutique agency for category-leading direct-to-consumer brands, with named clients including BYLT Basics, ILIA Beauty, Mashburn, Bodega, Savannah Bee Company, Hot Ones, and Epic Gardening. Premier Partner status, gained in 2025, provides differentiated access to Shopify Solutions Engineers and internal escalation resources.
Coldsmoke firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coldsmoke
- Legal name
- Coldsmoke Creative
- Website
- https://coldsmoke.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency that designs, develops, and optimizes Shopify stores for $20-200M apparel, beauty, and lifestyle brands through migrations, custom themes, Hydrogen headless builds, and CRO retainers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Coldsmoke is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Coldsmoke business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Project-Based Development: One-off Shopify design and development projects including site launches, replatforming, and theme customization. Revenue generated through fixed-price project engagements scoped during Discovery phase.
- Ongoing Retainers: Retainer arrangements for ongoing optimization, site support, and continuous improvement. Provides recurring revenue through monthly service agreements.
- CRO Services: Conversion rate optimization program including strategy, testing, design, development, project management and QA as an all-in-one package.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Project-based pricing from $5K to $20K+ |
| Subscription | Monthly | Ongoing optimization retainers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Coldsmoke product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency that provides ecommerce design, development, and optimization services. The agency delivers Shopify platform migrations from Magento, BigCommerce and other platforms, custom Shopify 2.0 theme builds, Hydrogen headless commerce implementations, and ongoing conversion rate optimization programs for established ecommerce brands.
Product overview
Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency since 2016 offering a portfolio of ecommerce development services: Shopify Migration (platform transitions from Magento, BigCommerce, and other platforms), Shopify 2.0 Design & Development (custom Liquid theme builds and design agency collaboration), Hydrogen Development (headless commerce using Shopify's React-based Hydrogen framework), and Conversion Rate Optimization (continuous A/B testing with Visually.io and partner tools). The agency specializes in growing 8- and 9-figure apparel, beauty, and lifestyle brands, with a portfolio of 250+ brands including BYLT Basics, ILIA Beauty, Bodega, Mashburn, KLOO, and Savannah Bee Company. Services are delivered through a globally distributed team of senior developers, designers, project managers, and strategists using a Discovery-first engagement model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shopify Migration Migration services that move ecommerce brands from platforms such as Magento or BigCommerce to Shopify or Shopify Plus, including discovery, technical requirements capture, implementation, and post-migration support. Targeted at ecommerce brands experiencing platform pain or seeking replatforming.
- Shopify 2.0 Design & Development Full-service Shopify 2.0 theme design and development with custom Liquid code implementation, design agency collaboration, and flexible engagement models for design, development, or both. Built for ecommerce brands seeking custom Shopify storefronts.
- Hydrogen Development Headless commerce development using Shopify's React-based Hydrogen framework for custom storefronts, enabling faster load speeds, unlimited design possibilities, and infrastructure for international expansion, omnichannel sales, and wholesale growth. Targeted at brands seeking modern headless architecture.
- Conversion Rate Optimization Continuous A/B testing and data-driven conversion rate optimization program that includes ecommerce strategy, testing roadmapping, UX/UI design, development, project management, and QA, with results reporting for iterative improvement. Delivered in partnership with Visually.io and Intelligems.
Quantifiable outcome
- 48.25% increase in revenue post-migration (Mashburn)
- +12 more outcomes
Companies that use Coldsmoke
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Coldsmoke technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
Feature5 records
Coldsmoke partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ShopifycoreCertified Shopify Plus Partner since 2016 with Premier Partner status gained in 2025. Enables access to Shopify Solutions Engineers and internal resources. Specializes in Shopify design, development, migrations, and optimization services. Platform serves as primary technology foundation for all client work.
- Pack DigitalcoreHeadless frontend partner for Hydrogen storefront development. Streamlines creation of Shopify Hydrogen storefronts with low-code platform combining ease of use with powerful customization. Enables rapid development and iteration with visual headless CMS and built-in CRO tools.
- RebuysupportingCross-sell and upsell personalization platform for Shopify stores. Provides AI-driven product recommendations and automation tools to increase conversions and order values.
- KlaviyocoreEmail and SMS marketing automation platform with AI features. Utilizes customer data for targeted communications driving engagement and sales. Integrated for customer retention and lifecycle marketing.
- Visually.iocoreNo-code CRO platform for Shopify merchants enabling creation, testing, and optimization of on-site marketing experiences through visual editor. Provides A/B testing, personalization, and AI-powered product recommendations without requiring coding.
- GorgiassupportingAll-in-one customer support platform for ecommerce. Streamlines interactions across email, live chat, phone, and social media from single dashboard. Integrates with 100+ ecommerce tools for enhanced customer satisfaction.
- RechargecoreSubscription management platform for Shopify stores. Offers flexible billing, dynamic bundles, dunning and retention automation, and subscriber analytics for managing subscription models.
- HeatmapsupportingRevenue-centric on-site analytics platform for ecommerce. Ties website elements to actual revenue, enabling brands to optimize based on financial impact rather than just clicks or pageviews.
- FueledsupportingFirst-party data and attribution platform for ecommerce brands. Connects customer touchpoints, surfaces real-time behavioral insights, and operationalizes data across marketing, analytics and BI.
- OkendosupportingReview platform designed specifically for Shopify stores offering customizable reviews, targeted surveys, and quizzes. Builds trust through reviews, boosts conversion with rich UGC, and improves SEO.
- YotposupportingEcommerce marketing platform accelerating growth through customer reviews, loyalty programs, SMS marketing, and user-generated content solutions. Increases customer lifetime value and drives repeat purchases.
- VideowisesupportingEcommerce video platform helping brands create interactive and shoppable video experiences on online stores to increase engagement and uplift conversion.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Coldsmoke competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Groove Commerce: Groove Commerce is a Shopify Plus agency providing platform migrations, custom theme development, and CRO services. They compete directly for enterprise Shopify engagements with comparable pricing structures and client segment focus.
- Pixel Union: Pixel Union is a Shopify Plus design and development agency specializing in custom themes and CRO for direct-to-consumer brands. They compete in the same niche as Coldsmoke with similar service offerings and target customer profiles.
- Fuel Made: Fuel Made is a Shopify Plus Partner agency specializing in design, development, and CRO for direct-to-consumer brands. They share Coldsmoke's premium positioning and similar target market of $20-200M lifestyle and apparel brands.
- Outerbox: Outerbox is a digital marketing and ecommerce agency providing Shopify Plus design, development, and CRO services. They target similar enterprise brands with comparable project-based pricing and ongoing optimization retainers.
- Blend Commerce: Blend Commerce is a Shopify Plus agency specializing in custom theme development, platform migrations, and CRO for direct-to-consumer brands. They compete in the same premium agency segment with similar apparel and lifestyle brand focus.
- We Make Websites: We Make Websites is a UK-based Shopify Plus Partner agency providing design, development, and CRO services to enterprise brands. It competes directly with Coldsmoke for global Shopify Plus engagements with similar project-based pricing and retainer models.
- The Stable: The Stable is a commerce agency offering Shopify Plus implementation, design, and integration services for enterprise brands. Their omnichannel and headless commerce capabilities position them as a direct competitor in the same premium agency tier.
- EYStudios: EYStudios is a Shopify Plus Partner agency providing design, development, and ongoing optimization services. They share Coldsmoke's target market of mid-market to enterprise ecommerce brands with comparable project pricing and retainer offerings.
- Pepper Shopify Agency: Pepper is a Shopify Plus Partner agency offering design, development, and CRO services for enterprise brands globally. Their focus on custom builds and conversion optimization makes them a direct peer in the premium Shopify agency market.
- Sculpted Media: Sculpted Media is a Shopify Plus Partner agency offering design, development, and CRO services to enterprise ecommerce brands. They share Coldsmoke's focus on custom Liquid themes, Hydrogen headless builds, and conversion optimization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coldsmoke social profiles
Digital presenceColdsmoke financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coldsmoke leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Coldsmoke funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coldsmoke M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coldsmoke
What does Coldsmoke do?
Coldsmoke Creative is a Certified Shopify Plus Partner agency that provides ecommerce design, development, and optimization services. The agency delivers Shopify platform migrations from Magento, BigCommerce and other platforms, custom Shopify 2.0 theme builds, Hydrogen headless commerce implementations, and ongoing conversion rate optimization programs for established ecommerce brands.
Is Coldsmoke a public or private company?
Coldsmoke is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Coldsmoke founded?
Coldsmoke was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Coldsmoke based?
Coldsmoke is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coldsmoke make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Project-Based Development is the primary driver. The others are ongoing Retainers and CRO Services.
Who are Coldsmoke's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Groove Commerce, Pixel Union, Fuel Made, Outerbox, Blend Commerce, We Make Websites, The Stable, EYStudios, Pepper Shopify Agency and Sculpted Media.
Does Coldsmoke have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coldsmoke.