ChatGPT answers, unedited

If “based in downtown Chicago” means you want agencies with a downtown/Loop or very nearby Chicago office, I’d shortlist these based on their demonstrated CRO + ecommerce redesign capabilities:

My top 3 for your specific brief

1. Praella — best Shopify/ecommerce specialist

They're at 203 N LaSalle St, right in the Loop, and are explicitly positioned around Shopify and Shopify Plus ecommerce. Their work spans design, development, optimization and CRO rather than treating conversion as an add-on. www.conversionex.com

2. Orbit Media — best CRO + redesign combination

Orbit is the one I'd talk to if your primary question is “How do we redesign the store based on evidence and then continuously improve conversion?” Their CRO offering includes audits, behavioral analysis, A/B testing, UX audits, performance work and landing-page optimization. Their ecommerce practice also reports $22M+ in revenue generated by Orbit ecommerce websites. www.orbitmedia.com

One caveat: Orbit's office is in Ravenswood rather than downtown, so it doesn't strictly meet the geographic criterion.

3. ArtVersion — best brand-forward redesign

If the ecommerce brand needs a major visual/brand transformation as well as better conversion, I'd put ArtVersion on the pitch list. They're at 211 W Wacker Dr, and their offering combines branding, ecommerce, UX/UI and research/user testing.

One additional agency worth knowing

UX 4Sight is at 111 W Jackson Blvd and is more of a UX specialist than an ecommerce implementation agency. I'd consider them if you already have a strong Shopify/development team and primarily need customer research, UX auditing and conversion-oriented experience design.

How I'd narrow the list

If you're a DTC/consumer ecommerce brand, I'd prioritize:

Praella → Orbit → ArtVersion

If you're Shopify Plus with significant revenue/complexity:

Praella → Atwix → Orbit

If you're primarily looking for CRO rather than a full rebuild:

Orbit → Sixth City → UX 4Sight

And if you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether you want a full redesign or CRO audit + iterative testing, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their portfolios, client types, likely budget tier, and downtown location.

If downtown Chicago presence is important, I’d narrow the field to agencies that combine ecommerce UX/redesign + CRO, rather than general web-design shops.

My shortlist

1. Praella — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus
   • 203 N LaSalle St, downtown Chicago
   • Strong fit for established ecommerce brands needing a redesign, replatform, UX improvements, and ongoing CRO.
   • Particularly attractive if you have complex Shopify Plus requirements, subscriptions, B2B/wholesale, personalization, or integrations.
   • The downtown location is a real advantage if you want an agency you can meet locally.

2. Invesp — best if CRO is the primary objective
   • The Merchandise Mart
   • More of a dedicated experimentation/CRO consultancy than a traditional ecommerce design agency.
   • Their approach centers on research, funnel analysis, experimentation, and optimization rather than simply making a site look better.
   • I'd shortlist them if you already have a reasonably good ecommerce platform and want to materially improve conversion rate, PDP/PLP performance, checkout, and revenue per visitor.

3. 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best downtown full-service ecommerce option
   • 205 N Michigan Ave, Loop
   • Ecommerce-focused design, development, marketing, and CRO.
   • Their CRO offering includes audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and A/B testing. clutch.co
   • Worth considering if you want one team handling redesign + development + acquisition/optimization.

4. Sixth City Marketing — best for CRO + broader growth marketing
   • 620 N LaSalle Dr, River North
   • Combines CRO with SEO, PPC, web design/development and ecommerce.
   • Better fit if your redesign needs to connect closely to paid acquisition, organic traffic and analytics, rather than being purely a UX project.

5. UX 4Sight — best for UX research/design
   • 111 W Jackson Blvd, Loop
   • A more UX-centric option, useful if the core problem is customer journey friction, navigation, usability, information architecture or product discovery.
   • I'd pair this type of agency with a strong Shopify/ecommerce developer if you need a major implementation.

Also worth looking at

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're a Shopify DTC brand. Their portfolio includes full Shopify redesigns, UX/UI, CRO and replatforming; they report, for example, a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and a doubling of sales for Fire Dept. Coffee. chicagoweb.co

Forix is another strong candidate for Shopify/Shopify Plus. They explicitly combine custom Shopify design with CRO, analytics and A/B testing and publish multiple conversion/revenue case-study metrics. forixcommerce.com

How I'd choose

One caveat: several agencies market themselves as "Chicago" agencies without actually being downtown-based. For example, ConversionEX explicitly says it serves Chicago remotely and is headquartered in Albuquerque, so I wouldn't put it on a downtown-agency shortlist despite its strong CRO positioning. www.conversionex.com

If you tell me your ecommerce platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus, Magento, WooCommerce, etc.), approximate annual revenue, and whether you want a full redesign or CRO on the existing site, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare their likely fit, pricing tier, and relevant case studies.

For a downtown Chicago ecommerce brand looking for conversion rate optimization (CRO), UX improvements, and a full redesign, I’d focus on agencies that combine research/analytics + ecommerce UX + implementation rather than pure branding or generic web design.

Here are strong options:

A few additional ecommerce-specialists worth looking at:

• Forix Commerce — Shopify/Shopify Plus-focused agency with CRO, redesign, analytics, and optimization services. forixcommerce.com
• The Chicago Web Co. — Shopify-focused studio with UX audits, redesigns, and conversion optimization work; their portfolio includes ecommerce redesign examples. chicagoweb.co
• Makro — Shopify Plus agency suited for brands needing larger-scale commerce builds, replatforming, and CRO. www.makroagency.com

My shortlist by scenario

DTC Shopify brand ($1M–$20M revenue):

1. Praella
2. Forix Commerce
3. The Chicago Web Co.
4. 1Digital Agency

Higher-volume Shopify Plus / enterprise ecommerce:

1. Atwix
2. Makro
3. Americaneagle.com

Need a true CRO program (testing, analytics, funnel optimization):

1. Nansen
2. Marcel Digital
3. 1Digital Agency
4. Forix Commerce

When interviewing agencies, I’d ask for:

• 3 ecommerce redesign case studies with before/after conversion metrics
• examples of PDP, cart, and checkout improvements
• their testing methodology (analytics → hypothesis → test → measurement)
• whether they handle implementation or only provide recommendations
• experience with your platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus, Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, etc.)

If you share your platform, monthly traffic/orders, and approximate revenue range, I can narrow this to the 3–5 agencies most likely to be a fit.

If you mean agencies actually based in/around downtown Chicago, rather than firms that merely serve Chicago, I’d shortlist these:

My top 3

1. Praella — best overall for a serious ecommerce redesign.
I'd put them first if you're a reasonably established DTC brand on Shopify/Shopify Plus and want strategy → UX/UI → development → CRO, rather than hiring a design shop and a CRO consultancy separately. Their Shopify profile specifically calls out UX/design, conversions, integrations, migrations and CRO. www.shopify.com

2. 1DIGITAL — best if CRO is the primary objective.
Their positioning is unusually explicit about experimentation: funnel analysis, heatmaps, session recordings and A/B testing, alongside ecommerce redesign. That makes them worth comparing against a more design-led agency.

3. Marcel Digital — best for a measurement-heavy engagement.
If your problem is less "our site looks dated" and more "we have substantial traffic but aren't converting efficiently," I'd talk to Marcel. Their Chicago operation combines CRO/UX with analytics, SEO and development.

One Chicago specialist I'd also interview

The Chicago Web Co. is worth adding if you're specifically Shopify + design-forward DTC. Shopify's directory lists both store redesign and CRO, and its portfolio includes substantial redesign/CRO work. For example, it reports a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and a 57% increase in total sales. www.shopify.com

One caveat: Chicago Web Co. isn't a downtown-office pick in the same way Praella, 1DIGITAL, Marcel, etc. are, so I'd treat it as a "Chicago specialist" rather than strictly downtown.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether you need a full redesign or ongoing CRO, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually send an RFP to, including likely project fit and red flags.

If you mean agencies actually located in downtown Chicago—rather than firms that merely serve Chicago—I’d narrow the field considerably. For an ecommerce brand where CRO + a meaningful redesign are the priorities, these are the strongest options I found:

My top 3

1. Praella — best overall for a Shopify ecommerce redesign

Praella is probably where I'd start if you're a consumer ecommerce brand on Shopify/Shopify Plus and want the agency to own both the strategic redesign and implementation. Its Chicago office is right downtown at 203 N LaSalle, and its positioning is heavily ecommerce/Shopify-oriented. The local business listing specifically describes CRO and performance optimization as part of its offering. clutch.co

Praella website

2. Invesp — best if CRO is the primary objective

If you already have a decent-looking site but believe you're leaving substantial revenue on the table, I'd seriously consider Invesp. It is much more CRO-specialized than a conventional web-design agency: A/B testing, funnel optimization, UX/usability and experimentation are its core services. Clutch's August 2026 rankings list it at 4.9/5 from 30 reviews and 100% conversion optimization as its service focus. clutch.co

Its Chicago presence is at the Merchandise Mart. Invesp

Invesp website

3. 1DIGITAL — best middle ground between redesign and performance marketing

1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency is at 205 N Michigan Ave and is explicitly ecommerce-focused. Its CRO approach includes audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and A/B testing, alongside ecommerce design/development. That makes it attractive if you want a redesign that is grounded in actual customer behavior rather than just a visual refresh.

1DIGITAL AGENCY

Two others worth a look

Nansen is interesting if you're particularly analytics/UX-oriented. Its Chicago office is at 300 W Hubbard in River North, and its ecommerce offering spans UX/UI, analytics, personalization, CRO and customer-lifetime-value optimization. Nansen LLC

Marcel Digital is a stronger choice if your ecommerce operation has a significant analytics, SEO, development or enterprise component. Its downtown office is at 20 N Wacker, and its offering combines CRO, analytics, UX and web development. Marcel Digital

One important caveat

I found several very relevant Chicago ecommerce specialists that aren't actually downtown, so I wouldn't exclude them if "Chicago-based" is more important than having a Loop/River North office.

For example, Uncap is a highly credible Shopify/Shopify Plus option. Shopify lists it as a Platinum Partner, with store redesign, UX/optimization strategy, headless commerce and ongoing website management among its services. Its Chicago headquarters, however, are farther northwest rather than downtown. www.shopify.com

Uncap
Uncap
Web
Address: 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
Phone: +1 312-469-0944

Another is The Chicago Web Co., which Shopify lists as a Chicago partner with 12+ years of Shopify experience and services including store redesign and CRO. www.shopify.com

How I'd shortlist them

If I were hiring for a $1M–$20M/year DTC ecommerce brand, I'd probably take introductory calls with:

1. Praella — if Shopify Plus/design + implementation are central
2. Invesp — if maximizing conversion rate is the central KPI
3. 1DIGITAL — if you want a balanced redesign + CRO engagement
4. Nansen — if analytics/UX/personalization are particularly important

And I'd ask each agency for 2–3 examples where they redesigned an existing ecommerce site and can show the before/after conversion metrics, not merely screenshots of attractive websites.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, Magento, etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether you're looking for a $25k, $50k, $100k+ redesign, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually contact and compare their likely fit.

If you mean agencies physically based in downtown Chicago and specifically want ecommerce CRO + redesign, I’d narrow the field to these:

My top 3

1. Praella — best overall
I'd start here if you're a Shopify/Shopify Plus brand. Their offering explicitly combines UX/design, conversions, CRO, analytics, redesigns, migrations and integrations, rather than treating CRO as an afterthought. www.shopify.com

2. 1DIGITAL — best for a performance/CRO-heavy engagement
Their positioning is unusually aligned with what you're asking for: ecommerce design plus conversion optimization, funnel analysis, heatmaps, session recordings and A/B testing. 1DIGITAL AGENCY

3. Nansen — best if data/personalization is central
I'd put them on the shortlist if you already have meaningful analytics/customer data and want the redesign to be informed by behavioral analysis, personalization and CLV rather than simply "make the site look better."

One important distinction

If "downtown" is flexible, there are a couple of Chicago-area firms I'd add to the competitive bid:

• The Chicago Web Co. — very strong Shopify-specific fit. Their work combines Shopify design/development with UX audits and conversion optimization, and their portfolio includes substantial redesign/CRO results. For example, they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar. chicagoweb.co
• Dumo Digital — particularly compelling for CPG/DTC brands. They explicitly specialize in Shopify CRO, retention, Shopify Plus and analytics and are based in the Chicago area. www.dumodigital.com
• Orbit Media Studios — excellent if you want a broader research → UX → redesign → ongoing CRO partner, although they're in Ravenswood rather than downtown. Their CRO practice includes behavioral analysis, A/B testing, UX audits and performance optimization. www.orbitmedia.com

If I were running the RFP, I'd invite Praella, 1DIGITAL, Nansen, and—if downtown isn't mandatory—The Chicago Web Co. That gives you four meaningfully different approaches to compare rather than four agencies selling essentially the same redesign package.

If you tell me your ecommerce platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus, Magento, BigCommerce, etc.), approximate annual revenue, and whether you're looking for a $25k, $50k, $100k+ redesign, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare their likely strengths, client profile, case studies, and pricing tier.

If you want Chicago-based agencies that can handle both CRO and an ecommerce redesign, I’d shortlist these. I prioritized agencies with an actual Chicago presence and evidence of ecommerce/CRO work rather than generic web-design shops.

Best fits

1. Comrade Digital Marketing Agency — The Loop
   • 332 S Michigan Ave, Suite 900, right in the Loop.
   • Strongest downtown fit if you want CRO + UX/design + broader digital marketing under one roof.
   • Comrade specifically markets CRO services involving analytics, identifying funnel drop-offs, and implementing a customized optimization plan. It also has experience with Shopify builds and conversion-focused design. comradeweb.com
   • Best for: Established ecommerce brands that want CRO connected to acquisition/SEO rather than a standalone UX project.

2. Logical Media Group — River North
   • A Chicago agency with a River North office and an ecommerce-focused practice spanning Shopify development, CRO, SEO and retention marketing. jobgether.com
   • Particularly interesting if you want the redesign to be tied to analytics, paid acquisition and lifecycle marketing, rather than simply rebuilding the storefront.
   • Best for: Mid-market DTC brands wanting a full growth partner.

3. The Chicago Web Co. — Chicago
   • Shopify-focused agency offering custom Shopify design/development, conversion optimization, UX audits and customer-journey redesigns. chicagoweb.co
   • Shopify's own partner directory lists store redesign and CRO among its services and highlights Shopify Plus work, including Mielle Organics. www.shopify.com
   • Its site also publishes strong client-reported conversion results, including a claimed 300%+ increase in sales conversion for one project. chicagoweb.co
   • Best for: A more boutique, design-led Shopify redesign.

4. Dumo Digital — Chicago area
   • Very ecommerce-specific: Shopify CRO, Shopify Plus, lifecycle email/SMS and analytics, with a particular focus on CPG, food/beverage, wellness and other consumer brands. www.dumodigital.com
   • They report client results including a 59% increase in cart-to-checkout rate and 48% average AOV growth, though I'd treat agency-reported numbers as directional rather than independently verified.
   • Best for: CPG/DTC brands where CRO needs to extend beyond the website into retention and merchandising.

5. 1o8 — The Loop
   • 1o8 is at 231 S LaSalle St, making it another genuinely downtown option.
   • I'd consider it if you want a broader digital/ecommerce growth partner rather than a pure-play CRO consultancy.
   • Best for: Brands that want CRO alongside SEO, paid media and broader digital growth.

My ranking for your specific brief

One caveat: I wouldn't automatically equate "Chicago agency" with "downtown office." For example, Forix has a strong Chicago-specific Shopify/CRO offering—including analytics-driven redesigns and A/B testing—but its listed headquarters are in Portland, so I wouldn't put it on a strict downtown-Chicago shortlist. forixcommerce.com

If your brand is Shopify/Shopify Plus and doing ~$5M–$50M+ in annual ecommerce revenue, my first three calls would be Comrade, Logical Media Group, and Dumo; if the primary problem is "our site needs a much better UX/design and conversion rate," I'd move Chicago Web Co. into that top three.

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies with a strong ecommerce + CRO + redesign combination, I’d narrow the field to these:

My top 3

1. Praella — best overall for a DTC ecommerce redesign

Praella would be my first call if you're a Shopify/Shopify Plus consumer brand that needs the site redesigned and then optimized for revenue. Its Chicago office is right downtown, and its positioning centers on ecommerce rather than general-purpose web design. chicagoweb.co

2. Invesp — best if CRO is the core objective

If your existing site already has decent branding/design but you're thinking, "We have enough traffic; we need to turn more of it into customers," I'd talk to Invesp. It's one of the more genuinely CRO-specialist options in Chicago, with a focus on structured experimentation, A/B testing and UX/usability optimization. themanifest.com

3. 1DIGITAL — best middle ground for ecommerce + CRO + redesign

This is attractive if you want one team to handle the ecommerce redesign, development and conversion optimization rather than splitting the project between a design agency and a CRO consultancy. Its Chicago office is at 205 N Michigan Ave.

One important distinction

If by "CRO" you mean actual experimentation after the redesign—analytics → hypothesis → A/B test → measure → iterate—I would prioritize Invesp, Praella and Marcel Digital.

If you primarily mean "redesign our Shopify store so it looks substantially better and converts better," I'd prioritize Praella and 1DIGITAL.

For comparison, there are also excellent ecommerce/CRO specialists that aren't actually downtown Chicago. For example, The Chicago Web Co. specializes heavily in Shopify redesigns and CRO/UX audits, while its portfolio claims 1,200+ stores launched; Orbit Media combines ecommerce redesign with formal CRO and A/B testing. chicagoweb.co

If downtown location is a hard requirement, though, I'd start with Praella → Invesp → 1DIGITAL → Marcel Digital.

Praella
Invesp
1DIGITAL AGENCY
Marcel Digital

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies with a downtown/Loop presence and a real emphasis on ecommerce CRO + redesigns, I’d shortlist these:

My top 3

1. Praella — best overall fit
I'd start here if you're a serious ecommerce brand looking for redesign + CRO + Shopify expertise. Its downtown office and Shopify/Shopify Plus specialization make it particularly relevant. www.shopify.comchicagoweb.co

2. Codal — best for a larger transformation
Choose Codal if the project is more than a facelift—for example, UX research → new information architecture → redesign → Shopify/BigCommerce implementation → integrations → optimization. Its downtown West Loop location is also convenient. www.011bq.com

3. 1DIGITAL — best for performance/CRO emphasis
I'd put this one on the pitch list if you're already on a decent ecommerce platform and want the redesign tied closely to funnel analysis, experimentation and measurable conversion improvement.

One agency I'd add despite not being downtown

The Chicago Web Co. is worth serious consideration if Shopify + DTC is your exact use case. It's Chicago-based and explicitly offers Shopify redesigns, UX audits, conversion optimization, heatmaps and A/B testing. Its published portfolio includes Mielle Organics, Stan's Donuts and other consumer brands, with several case studies reporting substantial conversion/sales improvements. www.shopify.comchicagoweb.co

Another strong Chicago-area option is Dumo Digital, particularly for CPG/food/beverage/wellness brands. It positions itself specifically around Shopify CRO, Shopify Plus, retention and high-converting DTC systems. www.dumodigital.com

If I were running an RFP, I'd invite Praella, Codal, 1DIGITAL and The Chicago Web Co. They give you a useful spread between enterprise/technical capability and Shopify/DTC specialization.

One important caveat: “Chicago-based” doesn't necessarily mean the team working on your account is physically downtown, so I'd ask each agency for the actual location/seniority of the strategist, designer and CRO lead who would be assigned to you.

If you mean agencies physically based in downtown Chicago and you want a partner that can do both ecommerce redesign + conversion-rate optimization, I’d put these at the top of the shortlist:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best Shopify-focused option

Praella - eCommerce Agency
Web
Address: 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
Phone: +1 312-761-3218
203 N LaSalle St, Chicago

Praella is probably the strongest fit if you're a Shopify/Shopify Plus brand. Its focus is ecommerce rather than general web design, with CRO, performance optimization, UX, integrations, and Shopify development.

Best for: DTC brands, Shopify redesigns, improving PDP/collection/checkout conversion, replatforming.

2. 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — strong pure-ecommerce fit

1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency
Web
Address: 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
Phone: +1 888-982-8269
205 N Michigan Ave, Chicago

This is another particularly relevant option because ecommerce is central to the agency's offering. Its CRO work includes audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and A/B testing, alongside ecommerce design and development.

Best for: Brands wanting a combination of CRO + UX redesign + ecommerce development, particularly when measurable conversion improvement is the primary objective.

3. Nansen LLC — best for data/optimization-heavy work

Nansen LLC
Web
Address: 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Phone: +1 312-279-0760
300 W Hubbard St, Chicago

Nansen is interesting if you want more than a visual redesign. Its offering spans ecommerce experience design, analytics, CRO, personalization and customer-lifetime-value optimization.

Best for: Established ecommerce brands with meaningful traffic/data that want experimentation, personalization and analytics to drive the redesign.

4. 1o8 — best for CPG/DTC brands

1o8
Web
Address: 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
Phone: +1 312-324-4970
231 S LaSalle St, Chicago

1o8 is particularly relevant if you're a consumer packaged goods or DTC brand. The agency explicitly works across Shopify, retail/ecommerce, performance marketing and consumer brands. www.1o8.agency

Best for: CPG, food/beverage, beauty, health and other consumer brands where ecommerce redesign needs to connect with paid media, content and retail strategy.

5. Orbit Media Studios — strongest full-service CRO + redesign capability

Orbit Media Studios
Web
Address: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-348-4581
Orbit isn't downtown—it is in Ravenswood—but I'd include it because the fit is unusually strong.

It has a dedicated CRO practice covering user-behavior analysis, A/B testing, UX audits, landing-page optimization, form optimization and conversion copywriting. Its ecommerce practice combines those capabilities with UX/design/development, and Orbit reports generating $22M+ in revenue through ecommerce websites. www.1o8.agencywww.orbitmedia.com

Best for: A substantial redesign where you want research → UX → copy → development → CRO/measurement under one roof.

Orbit Media ecommerce services · Orbit Media CRO services

6. Atwix — best for complex ecommerce builds

Atwix
Web
Address: 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
Phone: +1 833-462-8949
20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago

Atwix is more technically oriented: ecommerce architecture, integrations, complex commerce implementations and ongoing optimization. I'd favor it when the redesign involves substantial backend/platform complexity rather than simply improving the storefront UX.

My shortlist by use case

If I were selecting three agencies to pitch for a typical established DTC brand, I'd start with Praella, 1DIGITAL, and Nansen. I'd add Orbit if you're comfortable going outside downtown because its combination of CRO, UX, content and development is especially compelling.

One important distinction: I would not choose purely on whether an agency says "CRO." Ask each candidate for examples where they changed an ecommerce experience and can demonstrate the resulting conversion/revenue impact, rather than just showing attractive redesigns.

If you want Chicago-based agencies that can handle both CRO and an ecommerce redesign, I’d shortlist these first. I prioritized firms with an actual Chicago presence and evidence of ecommerce/CRO work rather than generic web-design shops.

My top picks

1. Praella — best overall for Shopify Plus
   • Downtown: 203 N LaSalle St.
   • Strong fit if you're a serious DTC/ecommerce brand needing more than a visual refresh.
   • Shopify Plus agency with UX/design, CRO, analytics, integrations, migrations and custom development. Shopify lists it as a Platinum Partner and specifically lists CRO among its services. www.shopify.com
   • Best for: Shopify Plus, larger catalogs, subscriptions, personalization, complex integrations and brands expecting ongoing optimization.

2. 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best CRO-heavy ecommerce option
   • Downtown: 205 N Michigan Ave.
   • Very ecommerce-specific: CRO, UX, funnel analysis, heatmaps/session recordings, A/B testing, PDP/PLP optimization and checkout improvements.
   • The Chicago office is right in the Loop.
   • Best for: A brand that already has meaningful traffic and wants the redesign driven by conversion data rather than aesthetics alone.

3. Sixth City Marketing — best for CRO + acquisition
   • Downtown/River North: 620 N LaSalle Dr.
   • Combines CRO and website development with SEO and paid acquisition, which can be useful if the redesign needs to improve the economics of your existing traffic.
   • Best for: Brands wanting one partner across acquisition, landing pages, CRO and ecommerce growth.

4. BlueBolt Solutions — best for technically sophisticated ecommerce
   • River North: 415 N LaSalle Dr.
   • Focuses on Shopify/Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Optimizely, with ecommerce strategy, custom builds, migrations and ongoing optimization.
   • Best for: More complex stores, replatforming, integrations, personalization/experimentation and larger organizations.

5. Marcel Digital — best analytics-led option
   • River North: 445 W Erie St.
   • Particularly interesting if your problem is "we have traffic, but don't know exactly where we're losing revenue." Its CRO/UX work is integrated with analytics, SEO and development rather than treated as purely visual design.
   • Best for: Data-heavy brands that want measurement, attribution and UX/CRO working together.

One smaller specialist worth considering

The Chicago Web Co. is worth a look if you want a more boutique Shopify partner. Shopify lists it as a Chicago partner offering store redesigns and conversion-rate optimization, and its own site emphasizes conversion optimization/UX audits alongside custom Shopify design. www.shopify.com

If I were choosing

One important distinction: don't let an agency sell you a "conversion-focused redesign" without establishing a baseline. For an established ecommerce brand, I'd ask each finalist for a process covering analytics/funnel audit → user research/session recordings → prioritized hypotheses → UX redesign → implementation → A/B testing → post-launch measurement. That separates genuine CRO work from simply making the site prettier.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether you're looking for a full redesign or CRO on the existing site, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit agencies and compare likely project size/pricing, strengths, and relevant case studies.

For an ecommerce brand based in downtown Chicago, I’d prioritize agencies that combine CRO strategy + UX redesign + ecommerce implementation rather than firms that only do visual web design. Here are strong candidates:

A few non-downtown but very ecommerce-specialized Chicago-area options worth considering:

• Ethercycle — Shopify-focused ecommerce consultancy with emphasis on redesigns, custom themes, and conversion improvements.
• SEO Design Chicago — More marketing/CRO-oriented; useful if you need conversion audits, UX improvements, and traffic-to-revenue optimization.
• Marcel Digital — Also worth shortlisting if CRO is the main objective rather than just a site rebuild.

My shortlist by scenario

Shopify / Shopify Plus DTC brand ($1M–$50M revenue):

1. Praella
2. Uncap
3. Ethercycle
4. The Chicago Web Co. (strong Shopify UX/redesign portfolio) chicagoweb.cochicagoweb.co

Need a full redesign with measurable CRO improvements:

1. 1DIGITAL AGENCY
2. Nansen
3. Marcel Digital
4. Americaneagle.com

Luxury, fashion, beauty, CPG, lifestyle brands:

1. Praella
2. 1o8
3. The Chicago Web Co. chicagoweb.cochicagoweb.co

When evaluating proposals, I’d ask each agency:

• Do you run user research, heatmaps, session recordings, and funnel analysis before redesigning?
• Will you provide wireframes before visual design?
• What CRO experiments will you run after launch?
• Do you have case studies showing improvements in conversion rate, AOV, checkout completion, or revenue per visitor?
• Who owns analytics setup (GA4, pixels, dashboards, experimentation tools)?

For a downtown Chicago ecommerce brand, I’d probably start conversations with Praella, 1DIGITAL, Nansen, and Uncap because they sit closest to the intersection of ecommerce execution and conversion optimization.

For a Chicago-based ecommerce brand looking for conversion rate optimization (CRO) plus a redesign, I’d prioritize agencies that combine UX research, Shopify/ecommerce expertise, analytics, testing, and implementation—not just visual design. Here are strong options, especially with downtown Chicago proximity in mind:

A few more ecommerce-specialist firms worth looking at:

• The Chicago Web Co. — Shopify-focused agency with UX audits, conversion optimization, redesigns, and Shopify builds. Their portfolio highlights ecommerce redesign and CRO work. chicagoweb.co
• Makro — Shopify Plus-focused agency for brands needing replatforming, enterprise ecommerce, custom integrations, and CRO. www.makroagency.com
• Dumo Digital — Good fit for CPG/DTC brands wanting Shopify CRO, retention, analytics, and lifecycle marketing. www.dumodigital.com
• Web Tonic — Shopify-focused team emphasizing CRO-led storefront design, checkout optimization, speed, AOV, and retention. www.webtonic.io

My shortlist by scenario

If you’re a Shopify/DTC brand doing $1M–$50M revenue

1. Praella
2. The Chicago Web Co.
3. Dumo Digital
4. Web Tonic

If you’re a larger ecommerce operation ($10M+ or complex catalog/integrations)

1. Makro
2. Nansen
3. The Office of Experience
4. Americaneagle.com

If your biggest problem is “we have traffic but conversion is weak”

1. 1DIGITAL
2. Marcel Digital
3. Web Tonic
4. The Chicago Web Co.

When interviewing them, I’d ask for:

• 3 recent ecommerce redesign case studies with before/after conversion metrics
• examples of PDP, cart, and checkout improvements they personally implemented
• whether they run A/B tests after launch or only deliver a redesign
• their process for using GA4, Shopify analytics, heatmaps, and user testing
• expected lift targets (conversion rate, AOV, revenue per visitor)

For a downtown Chicago ecommerce brand, I’d probably start conversations with Praella, The Chicago Web Co., Makro, and Nansen because they cover the strongest mix of ecommerce specialization, CRO capability, and Chicago presence.

If downtown Chicago is a hard requirement and you want an agency that can do both CRO + ecommerce redesign, I’d shortlist these:

1. Praella — Best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus
   • 203 N LaSalle St, Suite 2100, right in the Loop.
   • Strong combination of UX, design, CRO, analytics, Shopify Plus, integrations, and replatforming.
   • Shopify lists Praella as a Platinum Partner and specifically includes conversion-rate optimization, checkout upgrades, analytics, and redesigns among its services. www.shopify.com
   • Best for: established DTC brands doing a substantial redesign/replatform, particularly Shopify Plus.
   • Praella

2. 1DIGITAL AGENCY — Best if CRO/testing is the priority
   • 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810, Loop.
   • Their CRO offering covers audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and A/B testing, alongside ecommerce design/development.
   • Best for: a brand that already has meaningful traffic and wants to identify and test conversion opportunities rather than simply make the site prettier.
   • 1Digital Agency

3. Comrade Digital Marketing Agency — Best for CRO + broader acquisition
   • 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Loop.
   • More of a full-service growth agency, with conversion-oriented web design/development alongside paid media, SEO and other marketing capabilities.
   • Best for: brands that want the redesign tied closely to paid acquisition and overall digital marketing performance.
   • Comrade Digital Marketing Agency

4. ArtVersion® Creative Agency — Best for premium brand + UX redesign
   • 211 W Wacker Dr, Suite 1130, downtown.
   • Particularly interesting if the problem is both brand perception and conversion: they combine branding, UX research, web design/development and digital strategy.
   • Best for: premium/luxury brands where the redesign needs to elevate the brand while improving the shopping journey.
   • ArtVersion

5. Marcel Digital — Best for analytics-led optimization
   • Chicago-based, with its listed office at 20 N Wacker Dr, Suite 1285.
   • Combines CRO/UX with analytics, SEO, paid media and web development, making it a good option when you want optimization decisions grounded heavily in measurement.
   • Best for: brands with an existing ecommerce operation and substantial data/traffic that need systematic optimization rather than a purely creative redesign.
   • Marcel Digital

My ranking for an ecommerce brand

One notable non-downtown option: The Chicago Web Co. is worth considering if you're willing to relax the downtown requirement. It is exceptionally aligned with your brief: Shopify-focused, CRO/UX audits, redesigns, and a portfolio of ecommerce work. Its portfolio reports, for example, a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar after a Shopify redesign and CRO work. chicagoweb.co

If I were selecting three agencies to pitch, I'd start with Praella, 1Digital, and ArtVersion—giving you three different approaches: Shopify/ecommerce specialist, CRO/testing specialist, and brand/UX specialist.

If you mean agencies actually located in downtown Chicago—not just firms that serve Chicago—I’d narrow the field to these:

My shortlist

For an ecommerce brand where the primary objective is increasing revenue/conversion, I'd interview these three first:

1. 1Digital — best overall fit for CRO + redesign.
They explicitly combine ecommerce redesign with CRO, experimentation, personalization and funnel optimization. Their published redesign portfolio is also useful for evaluating their actual design thinking. www.1digitalagency.comwww.1digitalagency.com

2. Praella — best for a larger Shopify Plus transformation.
I'd lean toward them if you're an established DTC brand with meaningful revenue, a complicated tech stack, subscriptions, international selling, B2B/wholesale, or a migration involved. praella.com

3. Marcel Digital — best if measurement/testing is the priority.
Their documented ecommerce CRO work is unusually relevant: they analyzed checkout behavior, redesigned the flow, A/B tested it, and reported a 72% conversion-rate increase. Their Chicago team is also in-house. www.marceldigital.com

One caveat: Marcel is more B2B/enterprise-oriented, so for a consumer DTC brand I'd put 1Digital or Praella ahead of it.

If I were sending out an RFP

I'd ask each agency for the same five things:

1. Three ecommerce redesign case studies where conversion rate—not just traffic—improved.
2. Their methodology for determining what to redesign vs. what to A/B test.
3. A sample CRO audit / experiment roadmap.
4. Which team members would actually work on the account.
5. Their experience with your exact platform—especially Shopify vs. Shopify Plus—and your approximate monthly traffic/revenue scale.

That will separate genuine CRO specialists from traditional web-design agencies that simply use “conversion-focused” as a selling point.

If you want, I can also narrow this to 5–7 Chicago agencies specifically experienced with DTC/consumer brands doing $1M–$50M+ annually, and compare their typical project size, Shopify expertise, notable clients, CRO methodology, and likely fit.