What Smartebusiness does

Smartebusiness Ltd is a privately held, founder-owned ecommerce growth agency headquartered in Manchester, UK, founded in 2003 by brothers Ian and Mark Hammersley. The company specializes in Magento (Adobe Commerce) and Shopify development for enterprise and mid-market B2B and B2C ecommerce brands, with a 20+ year track record and 15+ years of platform-specific expertise. Its core technology offering includes new builds, migrations, ongoing maintenance, Hyv\u00e4 lightweight React-based frontend implementations for Magento, and complex custom integrations with enterprise ERP systems (Linnworks, AS400, SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Orderwise) plus payment gateways (Stripe, Klarna, Adyen, Mollie).

The business operates as a multi-brand group: Smartebusiness Development (core platform work), Scale Beyond (CRO split testing, UX design, Klaviyo email marketing), Smartebusiness Marketing (Google and Meta Ads management, with an Auckland, New Zealand office), and Hammersley Brothers (growth consultancy, published ecommerce guide, podcast). Revenue is generated primarily through project-based builds plus recurring retainers that bundle in strategic growth support, KPI performance reviews, and director-level oversight. Customer acquisition runs through direct enterprise field sales, sister-agency cross-referral, the Shopify Partner marketplace, and the firm's own paid media.

The customer base is concentrated in UK enterprise and mid-market ecommerce brands across fashion (Brook Taverner, Rose & Grey), supplements (Grenade), security (Aldridge Security), automotive parts (GSF Car Parts, My Motor World), homeware (AGA Cookshop), and industrial supply (Barriers Direct, Hayloft Plants, UK Water Filters), with multiple relationships exceeding 10 years. Premier-tier platform partnerships with Google, Adobe Commerce, Shopify, Klaviyo, and Hyv\u00e4 underpin the technical credentials, and the firm holds no external institutional funding or public listing.

Name

Smartebusiness

Legal name

Smartebusiness Ltd

Website

https://smartebusiness.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smartebusiness is a Manchester-based ecommerce growth agency founded in 2003, specializing in Magento and Shopify development plus paid media for enterprise and mid-market B2B and B2C ecommerce brands in the UK, operating through a multi-brand group with sister agencies in CRO, UX, email, and growth consultancy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Magento Development Services: New builds, ongoing maintenance, and migration services for Magento (Adobe Commerce) platforms with Hyvä frontend implementation. Revenue generated through project-based fees and long-term retainer agreements with strategic growth support included.
2. Shopify Development Services: New builds, migrations from competing platforms, and ongoing Shopify Plus support. Delivered by UK-based senior team members with retainer-based ongoing support.
3. Paid Search Advertising Management: Google Ads and Meta Ads management with a focus on ROAS optimization. Revenue likely generated as a percentage of ad spend or fixed retainer fees.
4. Strategic Growth Retainers: All development clients receive strategic growth packages including regular performance reviews with director-level oversight, KPI alignment, and ongoing development roadmaps focused on ecommerce growth.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Smartebusiness is an ecommerce growth agency that builds, migrates and maintains Magento (Adobe Commerce) and Shopify (including Shopify Plus) stores for B2C and B2B ecommerce brands. Development work is bundled with a KPI-driven Strategic Growth Support retainer that aligns every engineering decision with conversion and ROI outcomes. The group also delivers paid search advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads), CRO split testing, UX design, Klaviyo email marketing and ecommerce growth consultancy through sister agencies.

Product overview

Smartebusiness is an ecommerce growth agency with over 20 years of experience, operating as a multi-division group. The core offering consists of Magento Development (including Hyvä frontend) and Shopify Development (including Shopify Plus), both supported by Strategic Growth Support packages that align development with KPI-driven growth strategies. The group includes sister agencies: Scale Beyond (CRO Split Testing, UX Design, Klaviyo Email Marketing), Smartebusiness Marketing (Google Ads, Meta Ads, Paid Search Consultancy), and Hammersley Brothers (Growth Consultancy, ecommerce book, podcast). All development clients receive strategic growth support as part of their retainer, ensuring every project is built with conversion and ROI focus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Magento Development Expert Magento (Adobe Commerce) development services including new builds, migrations and ongoing maintenance for B2C and B2B ecommerce brands, with 15+ years of experience and full Hyvä frontend expertise for modern, lightweight stores.
• Shopify Development Comprehensive Shopify development covering new builds, migrations from Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, EKM, Visualsoft and other platforms, plus ongoing maintenance. Supports all Shopify tiers including Shopify Plus for enterprise brands like Grenade.
• Strategic Growth Support Growth-focused consultancy bundled with every development retainer, including regular performance reviews with UK-based client management team and director-level oversight to align all development work with key ecommerce growth KPIs.
• Google Ads Management Paid search advertising management for Google Ads, engineered for efficiency, scale and stronger ROAS. Delivered as a Google Premier Partner service with over 20 years of experience generating revenue for ecommerce brands.
• Meta Ads Management Meta (Facebook and Instagram) advertising management driven by experience, precision targeting and creative discipline for ecommerce brands seeking growth via paid social.
• Paid Search Consultancy Strategic paid search consultancy shaped by real-world experience, offered as part of Smartebusiness Marketing services to optimize performance and growth via paid channels.
• CRO Split Testing Conversion Rate Optimization through split testing methodologies, delivered via sister agency Scale Beyond to improve ecommerce conversion performance.
• UX Design User experience design services for ecommerce websites, delivered by a dedicated UX design team at sister agency Scale Beyond.
• Klaviyo Email Marketing Email marketing automation and campaign management using Klaviyo, delivered via sister agency Scale Beyond as a Klaviyo Platinum Master partner.
• Hammersley Brothers Growth Consultancy Ecommerce growth consultancy including the Ultimate Ecommerce Guide Book and Hammersley Brothers Podcast, delivered via sister agency Hammersley Brothers.
• Hyvä Frontend Development Implementation of the Hyvä modern lightweight frontend framework for Magento, replacing the heavy Luma frontend to deliver faster page loads, improved Core Web Vitals, better SEO and higher conversion rates.
• ERP Integration Services Custom integration services connecting Magento with external ERP and inventory systems including Linnworks, Orderwise, SAP, Sage, AS400, NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics, with deep expertise in complex ERP-driven builds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Doubled sales in under 6 months (Brook Taverner)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• HyväcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Hyvä partner providing frontend development services using Hyvä's modern lightweight React-based frontend framework for Magento. Hyvä replaces Magento's heavy Luma frontend with improved performance, SEO, and conversion benefits.
• Scale BeyondflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister agency and primary integration partner providing UX design, CRO split testing, and Klaviyo email marketing services. Clients can access these services under one combined agreement with Smartebusiness.
• Smartebusiness MarketingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister agency providing Google Ads and Meta Ads management services. Operates from Manchester UK and Auckland, New Zealand offices with integrated service access for Smartebusiness development clients.
• Hammersley BrotherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister agency and brand focused on ecommerce growth consultancy. Ian Hammersley is the founder of Smartebusiness. Provides growth consultancy services and authored the Ultimate Ecommerce Guide Book.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Premier Partner status indicating certified expertise and performance standards in Google Ads management. Generated hundreds of millions in revenue via Google Ads for ecommerce clients.
• Adobe CommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Adobe Commerce (Magento) development partner with extensive certification coverage across multiple Magento specializations. 15+ years of Magento development expertise.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Shopify development partner for both standard Shopify and Shopify Plus implementations. Manages 8-figure brands on Shopify Plus platform with proven migration expertise from competing platforms.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tryzens: UK ecommerce consultancy delivering platform implementation and growth services across multiple commerce platforms, similar in service mix and enterprise client focus.
• Elogic Commerce: Magento-focused ecommerce development agency serving enterprise merchants, comparable in platform specialism, ERP integration work, and growth-oriented delivery model.
• Kobe Digital: Manchester-based digital agency providing ecommerce development and marketing services, directly comparable on geography and target market overlap.
• We Make Websites: UK-based Shopify Plus agency focused on enterprise ecommerce brands, directly comparable to Smartebusiness's Shopify Plus development offering and shared B2C/B2B client base.
• Velstar: UK Shopify Plus agency serving enterprise ecommerce brands, overlapping with Smartebusiness's Shopify Plus capability and premium positioning.
• Blueclaw: UK-based digital agency specializing in Magento/Adobe Commerce SEO and ecommerce growth, comparable in platform focus and target customer (UK enterprise ecommerce).
• Outerlyn: UK Magento and ecommerce development agency with overlapping capability set in platform builds, migrations, and ongoing support for enterprise merchants.
• Pinpoint Collective: UK ecommerce agency offering platform development and growth services to mid-market and enterprise brands, with comparable customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte Digital: Global incumbent providing large-scale ecommerce and digital transformation services to enterprise clients, overlapping with Smartebusiness's enterprise ecommerce work but as part of a much broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Novicell: Nordic Magento and ecommerce agency with similar platform specialism, comparable on technical capability but operating in a different geographic market than Smartebusiness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smartebusiness1
• Facebookfacebook.com/smartebusinessgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartebusiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smartebusiness