Shopify
Guides for Shopify store owners.
Building, moving, fixing and looking after a Shopify store.
How much a Shopify store costs in Canada in 2026
8 min read
A Shopify store in Canada has two costs. Shopify's own bill: the Basic plan is $37 CAD/mo paid yearly or $49 CAD/mo paid monthly, plus a fee on each card sale and any apps, with a paid theme as a one-time extra. Then t…
A Black Friday Shopify checklist for the week before
7 min read
A Black Friday Shopify checklist for the last week is about removing risk, not adding features. Stop theme and app changes, then check speed on a phone. Test every discount together, and make sure checkout is out of te…
Shopify theme broke after an update: what to check first
9 min read
When a Shopify theme breaks after an update, the cause is usually one of three things: code edits that did not carry over to the updated copy, an app that relied on code the update changed, or custom CSS aimed at parts…
How to remove a Shopify app without leaving its code behind
8 min read
Uninstalling a Shopify app removes the app, but not always the code it added to your theme. Apps built on theme app extensions use app blocks and app embeds that leave your theme files alone. Older apps, and snippets p…
A Shopify store audit checklist you can run yourself
7 min read
A Shopify store audit you can run yourself checks six things in order: the theme and the apps it carries, how heavy your key pages are, the product pages, the checkout on a phone, whether tracking records each order on…
How to move to Shopify without losing your Google traffic
5 min read
Search traffic survives a move to Shopify when every old address that earns visits points at its new home before launch day. Export the pages Google sends visitors to, map each one to its Shopify address, import the ma…
Why a Shopify store gets slow, and what to check first
4 min read
Most Shopify stores are quick at launch and slower a year later, because apps, tracking tags, fonts and large images arrive one at a time and each looks harmless. Start with Shopify's own web performance report, which …
Hiring a Shopify developer: what to ask and what to keep
4 min read
Before you hire a Shopify developer, decide what you are buying: a defined fix, a build, a move from another platform, or ongoing help. Ask for a written scope with a firm price, for the work to happen on a copy of you…
WooCommerce vs Shopify for a small store
6 min read
Moving a small store from WooCommerce to Shopify trades control for a platform that runs itself. You stop paying a host and patching plugins, and start paying Shopify a monthly plan and card fees, plus a surcharge if y…
When a custom mobile app is worth building
5 min read
Most small businesses do not need a custom mobile app. A fast mobile website handles browsing, booking, quoting and payment for most local and online firms. It also costs far less to keep alive. An app earns its place …
Calls and bookings
Guides for service businesses.
Missed calls, answering, bookings, reminders and follow-up.
AI receptionist or answering service: which fits a small business?
8 min read
An AI receptionist and a human answering service both pick up the calls your team cannot take. A human service puts a person on the line and usually bills by the receptionist minute, which suits calls that need judgmen…
How to follow up on a quote without being pushy (with templates)
6 min read
Follow up on a quote two or three times, then stop. Send a short text within two working days to check it arrived, an email about a week later with something that helps them decide, and a final note around two weeks in…
What an AI receptionist really costs in Canada
7 min read
An AI receptionist in Canada is usually a one-time setup fee plus a monthly fee that includes a set number of voice minutes. As one published example, Carrtel's Launch plan is $299 a month with a $299 setup fee and 200…
What a missed call actually costs your business
5 min read
A missed call costs you the chance at a job, not the value of one. The usual calculator multiplies three numbers you supply: calls missed per week, average job value, and close rate. Treat the result as a ceiling. It a…
The after-hours workflow for HVAC and plumbing calls
5 min read
Write down which problems justify waking someone. Write down which ones can wait until morning. Capture the same short set of facts on after-hours calls. Name and callback number, service address, one line on the probl…
How to reduce no-shows without annoying clients
6 min read
Send a short confirmation at the time of booking, then one reminder a day or two ahead. Add a same-day note for early or long appointments. Keep the count low, use the channel the person chose, and put a reschedule lin…
How to ask for more Google reviews
6 min read
Ask soon after the job is done, while the customer still remembers the detail. Have the person who did the work make the request, in plain words, once. Send a link that opens the review form in one tap. Ask each custom…
What speed to lead actually buys you
5 min read
Replying quickly helps because the person who contacted you is still mid-task and still comparing options. A reply inside that window continues a conversation. A reply the next day starts a cold one. But speed does not…
How to automate a service business, in order
5 min read
Automate in the order the work arrives. First, make sure a person who contacts you gets a prompt, useful reply. Then handle booking and confirmation. Then follow up on quotes that went quiet. Then invoicing and reminde…