Whole Design Studios

What Whole Design Studios does

Whole Design Studios is a Shopify-specialist ecommerce marketing agency founded in 2012 by Giles Thomas in London, UK, and now operating as a fully remote distributed business (Whole Design Studios Ltd., UK private limited company) with a team of 35+ designers and marketers working from more than 10 countries. The firm sells two core product lines: (1) one-time custom Shopify theme design and development services (Foundation, Redesign, and Replatform packages starting at $4,999 USD), and (2) recurring monthly marketing services covering SEO, PPC (Google Ads and Facebook/Instagram), Klaviyo email and SMS marketing, UGC, influencer and affiliate programs, Instagram growth management, and conversion rate optimization, on a cancel-anytime, transparent-pricing model.

Its underlying technology footprint is built almost entirely on the Shopify/Shopify Plus ecosystem, with formal core partnerships with Shopify, Klaviyo, Google, Meta and Stripe, and a long tail of Shopify app integrations (Searchanize, Recharge, Smile.io, Gorgias, Aftership, Weglot, Stamped.io, Bold, Hotjar, OptinMonster). The business model blends one-time project revenue ($4,999+ themes, $1,399 brand package, $99 domain setup, $499 post-launch support) with tiered monthly subscriptions (SEO Lite/Grow/Pro at $1,499-$3,999/mo), a structure that produces a mix of lumpy and recurring revenue and supports the firm's stated 100+ active monthly brand client base and 500+ completed projects since inception.

The company's go-to-market is direct sales via its own website — quote requests, free 30-minute discovery calls with the CEO, and tiered transparent pricing — serving primarily direct-to-consumer Shopify and Shopify Plus merchants concentrated in fashion, apparel, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, and luxury. Named case-study customers (ByCharlotte, Elizabetta, Athletic Greens, Japanese Chef Knife, Haute Hijab, Project Social T, Hudson Bleecker, Baltic Beauty, Hampton & Astley, Mickey Lynn, Tablet2Cases, and others) are uniformly SMB/DTC brands rather than large enterprises, and the firm additionally runs the AcquireConvert content platform as its top-of-funnel marketing channel.

Name

Whole Design Studios

Legal name

Whole Design Studios Ltd.

Website

https://wholedesignstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whole Design Studios is a UK-based, fully remote Shopify-expert agency of 35+ designers and marketers that builds custom Shopify themes and runs recurring monthly SEO, PPC, email, UGC and CRO services for 100+ DTC fashion, apparel, jewelry and luxury brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston upon Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Custom Theme Design & Development: One-time custom Shopify theme design and development services with various package tiers from $4,999 to higher for complex projects
2. Monthly Marketing Services: Recurring monthly marketing services including SEO, PPC, email marketing, and social media management with cancel-anytime policy
3. Consulting Services: Monthly strategy and consulting services for direct-to-consumer brands on Shopify
4. Add-on Services: Additional services including SEO packages, branding, copywriting, app integrations, and post-launch support

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Whole Design Studios is a Shopify Expert agency that designs and develops custom Shopify themes and delivers recurring monthly marketing services (SEO, PPC, email/SMS, social, CRO, UGC, influencer programs) to direct-to-consumer brands on the Shopify platform. The firm packages its offerings into one-time theme build projects and monthly retainer engagements with transparent, cancel-anytime contracts.

Product overview

Whole Design Studios is a Shopify-focused ecommerce marketing agency offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around two core offerings: Custom Shopify Theme Design & Development and Shopify Monthly Marketing Services. The agency provides bespoke theme development through Foundation, Redesign, and Replatform packages, complemented by monthly marketing services spanning SEO, PPC advertising (Facebook/Instagram and Google Ads), Klaviyo email/SMS marketing, UGC services, influencer/affiliate programs, Instagram growth management, and conversion rate optimization. Add-on modules include speed optimization, Searchanize advanced filtering, two-step email opt-in, custom blog/size guide/account page designs, and tiered SEO packages (Lite/Grow/Pro) alongside brand and legal template packages. The company operates on a productized service model with monthly cancel-anytime contracts and transparent pricing, serving 100+ direct-to-consumer brands with a team of 35+ designers and marketers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Shopify Theme Design & Development Bespoke Shopify theme design and development for new stores, theme redesigns, and replatforming from Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other platforms. Delivered through Foundation, Redesign, and Replatform packages for DTC ecommerce brands on Shopify or Shopify Plus.
• Shopify Monthly Marketing Services Recurring monthly retainer bundling SEO, PPC, email marketing, social media, UGC, influencer/affiliate programs, and CRO for Shopify ecommerce brands, with cancel-anytime contracts.
• Shopify Consulting Monthly strategy and consulting service for direct-to-consumer brands on Shopify covering replatforming, app selection, CRO, analytics setup, retention strategies, and customer development interviews.
• Shopify SEO Services Monthly SEO retainer including keyword research, site architecture, on-page SEO, link building, and technical SEO to grow organic traffic and revenue for Shopify stores.
• Shopify PPC Services Pay-per-click advertising management covering Facebook & Instagram ads, Google Shopping, and Google Search ads for targeted traffic and sales growth for Shopify stores.
• Klaviyo Email & SMS Marketing Email and SMS marketing services using the Klaviyo platform, including flow setup, list growth automation, and revenue optimization for ecommerce brands.
• Shopify Speed Optimization Performance optimization service to improve Shopify store page load times, SEO rankings, and conversion rates.
• UGC Agency for Shopify User generated content service leveraging UGC throughout the ecommerce sales funnel to increase social proof and conversions.
• Influencer Affiliate Program for Shopify Program to grow brand reach and sales through influencer partnerships, driving advocates, building trust, and increasing conversions with social proof.
• Shopify CRO Services Conversion rate optimization services including heuristic analysis, A/B testing implementation, UX improvements, and data-driven testing roadmaps.
• Brand Package Brand development service including a 1-hour brand workshop, brand guidelines booklet, logo with vector files, and social media exports, priced at $1,399 USD.

Quantifiable outcome

• ByCharlotte achieved 79% increase in organic traffic and 45% revenue increase from SEO
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration19 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary platform specialization. Whole Design Studios is a Shopify Expert agency focused exclusively on Shopify and Shopify Plus ecommerce businesses.
• KlaviyocoreTechnology or IntegrationCertified Klaviyo experts offering email and SMS marketing services for Shopify stores. Multiple case studies demonstrating successful Klaviyo implementations.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party payment processor for processing payments. Used for all payment processing on the website.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Ads and Google Analytics integration partner. Provides PPC management services using Google platforms.
• Facebook/MetacoreTechnology or IntegrationFacebook and Instagram advertising platform integration. Provides social media ad management services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 1Digital Agency: 1Digital Agency is an ecommerce web design and marketing agency specializing in Shopify, BigCommerce, and other platforms. Comparable on Shopify design, replatforming, and digital marketing service offerings for DTC merchants.
• The Good: The Good is a Shopify Plus partner agency offering custom theme design, development, and digital marketing services for DTC brands. Closely comparable to Whole Design Studios in platform focus, customer segment, and integrated design-plus-marketing delivery model.
• Yard: Yard is a Shopify Plus partner agency focused on custom theme design and development for direct-to-consumer brands. Highly comparable to Whole Design Studios on Shopify Plus specialization, theme development, and DTC customer profile.
• Fuel Made: Fuel Made is a Shopify-focused design and development agency serving fashion, apparel, and lifestyle brands. Comparable to Whole Design Studios on Shopify specialization, custom theme design focus, and SMB-to-mid-market DTC client base.
• IronPlane: IronPlane is a Shopify Plus agency providing design, development, and digital marketing services. Comparable on platform specialization (Shopify Plus), end-to-end service model, and mid-market DTC client focus.
• OuterBox: OuterBox is an ecommerce digital marketing agency offering web design, SEO, and PPC services for online retailers. Comparable to Whole Design Studios on the integrated design-plus-acquisition marketing stack for ecommerce merchants, though broader in platform support.
• BVA Commerce: BVA Commerce is a Shopify Plus partner agency delivering ecommerce design, development, and digital marketing for fashion and lifestyle brands. Comparable to Whole Design Studios on Shopify-first positioning and DTC apparel/accessories customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Disruptive Advertising: Disruptive Advertising is a digital marketing agency offering PPC, SEO, and CRO services across multiple verticals. Comparable on the paid acquisition and SEO service offerings, but broader in client base and not specialized in Shopify ecommerce.
• WebFX: WebFX is a large full-service digital marketing agency offering SEO, PPC, web design, and ecommerce services. Comparable on the integrated marketing stack, though WebFX operates at significantly larger scale across many platforms beyond Shopify.

Emerging players

• KlientBoost: KlientBoost is a digital marketing agency focused on PPC, paid social, and CRO for ecommerce and SaaS clients. Comparable on PPC and CRO service lines that overlap with Whole Design Studios' paid acquisition offerings, though not specialized in Shopify theme design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/acquireconvert
• Facebookfacebook.com/acquireconvert
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whole-design-studios

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Whole Design Studios