ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies with ecommerce CRO + redesign capabilities, rather than a generic web-design shop, I’d put these on the shortlist:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago. Strong fit for Shopify/Shopify Plus brands needing a substantial redesign, replatform, UX work, and ongoing optimization. Their positioning is specifically ecommerce rather than general-purpose web design.
• Invesp — 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago. Particularly relevant if CRO/experimentation is the core requirement. Their work centers on conversion research, funnel optimization, A/B testing, and implementation rather than simply making a site look better.
• Marcel Digital — 20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago. Combines CRO/UX, analytics, development, and digital marketing. This could make sense if you want the redesign tied closely to measurement and acquisition.
• 1o8 — 231 S LaSalle St, Chicago. More of a creative/performance agency, with ecommerce, UX/UI, web development, and growth marketing capabilities. Worth considering if the redesign also involves brand/creative repositioning.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — 205 N Michigan Ave, Chicago. Ecommerce-first agency offering design, development, platform migrations, SEO, paid media, and CRO. A reasonable option for a broader ecommerce growth engagement.
• Atwix — 20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago. More technically oriented and geared toward sophisticated ecommerce implementations, integrations, and custom development. I'd consider them particularly for larger catalogs or complicated commerce infrastructure.

A couple of strong Shopify specialists

The Chicago Web Co. is another particularly relevant option. Shopify's partner directory lists it for store builds/redesigns and CRO, and its portfolio shows UX audits, full-site redesigns, ecommerce strategy, and measurable conversion work across brands including Mielle Organics, Fire Dept. Coffee, and Southern Scholar. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Dumo Digital is worth looking at if you're a CPG/DTC brand. It focuses on Shopify, CRO, retention, and Klaviyo, and says it is based in the Chicago area. Dumo Digital

dumodigital.com

How I'd narrow it down

One caveat: “Chicago agency” doesn't always mean the actual team is physically downtown. For example, some firms market Chicago services while operating primarily remotely. I prioritized firms where the search results show an actual downtown Chicago presence.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether this is primarily DTC or B2B, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies that are the closest match and compare their relevant case studies, services, and apparent client size.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Fresh Design Studio - 53 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 256, Chicago, IL 60604
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States

If you want Chicago-based agencies that can handle both ecommerce CRO and a substantial redesign, I’d put these on the shortlist:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St, Loop. Strong Shopify/Shopify Plus orientation, with UX/UI, ecommerce builds, migrations, and optimization. This is particularly relevant if the redesign needs to be tightly connected to the underlying Shopify architecture rather than treated as a cosmetic refresh. Web Tonic
• Invesp — The MART, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza. More CRO/experimentation-led than traditional web-design agencies: research, funnel optimization, A/B testing, and implementation. Worth considering if conversion improvement—not just a prettier storefront—is the primary objective.
• Marcel Digital — 20 N Wacker Dr, Loop. Combines CRO/UX, analytics, development, SEO and paid media. Its CRO work explicitly combines analytics, UX, design and development, which can be useful for a redesign where you want measurement built into the project.
• 1o8 — 231 S LaSalle St, Loop. Commerce-oriented creative/performance agency with ecommerce, UX/UI, web development and ongoing optimization capabilities. I'd consider them if brand/creative and conversion performance both matter.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — 200 W Jackson Blvd, Loop. A larger enterprise-oriented option covering ecommerce, UX/design, development, integrations, analytics and digital marketing. Better suited to a complex ecommerce operation than a relatively straightforward Shopify refresh.
• Operation Technology — 211 W Wacker Dr, Loop. More of a full-service web/digital agency, but specifically offers redesigns and conversion-oriented web development.

One specialist worth looking at

The Chicago Web Co. isn't in the downtown core, but it's unusually relevant if you're on Shopify. Its portfolio includes full ecommerce redesigns, UX audits, CRO, Shopify migrations, subscription flows and measurable conversion improvements—for example, its Southern Scholar case study reports a 26% conversion-rate increase after a Shopify transformation. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

How I'd narrow the brief

For an ecommerce brand, I'd distinguish between three types of agency:

One caveat: “Chicago agency” doesn't necessarily mean the team is physically downtown or that the work is performed locally. I specifically checked for downtown addresses where available; the firms above have Chicago locations, while Chicago Web Co. is included because its ecommerce/CRO specialization is unusually close to what you described.

If you tell me your ecommerce platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus, Magento, WooCommerce, etc.), approximate annual revenue, and whether this is a full redesign or CRO of an existing site, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their relevant case studies, likely fit, and typical project scope.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

If downtown Chicago is a hard requirement, I’d shortlist agencies that can do both CRO/experimentation and actual ecommerce redesign implementation, rather than generic web-design firms.

My top picks

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago
• Strong fit for established DTC brands needing a redesign, replatform, UX improvements, and ongoing optimization.
• Their positioning is specifically around Shopify/Shopify Plus and revenue/retention-driven ecommerce experiences.
• I’d put them near the top if you're a mid-market or enterprise Shopify brand.
• Invesp — best for serious CRO/experimentation

• 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago
• This is the most CRO-specialized option on the list: research, conversion audits, experimentation, landing/product-page optimization and funnel improvement.
• Particularly attractive if you already have a reasonably good site but believe conversion rate is the bottleneck.
• Atwix — best for complex ecommerce

• 20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago
• Better suited to technically complicated ecommerce environments, custom integrations and larger-scale transformations.
• Worth considering if your redesign involves ERP/PIM/CRM integrations rather than simply a new Shopify theme.
• 1o8 — best for consumer brands + creative

• 231 S LaSalle St, Chicago
• Combines ecommerce/web, UX/UI, brand strategy, creative and performance marketing.
• I'd consider them if the project is as much about brand/ecommerce experience as it is pure CRO.
• Operation Technology — good boutique downtown option

• 211 W Wacker Dr, Chicago
• Offers web redesign, ecommerce, digital marketing and conversion-oriented design.
• Potentially a better fit than an enterprise agency if you're looking for a more hands-on local partner.

One specialist I'd also interview

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're on Shopify. Their portfolio explicitly includes UX audits, CRO, full ecommerce redesigns and Shopify migrations. They report examples including a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% sales increase for Southern Scholar, as well as conversion improvements for brands such as Mielle Organics and Gigawatt Coffee Roasters. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

They aren't as clearly downtown-based as the firms above, so I'd treat them as a Chicago-area specialist rather than a strict downtown-office pick.

How I'd narrow it down

One other option worth knowing about is Downtown Ecommerce Partners. They specifically focus on ecommerce analytics and optimization and publish a case study where restructuring site taxonomy and optimizing the cart increased AOV 15% and revenue 45%. Downtown Ecommerce Downtown Ecommerce

For a typical established DTC brand, my first three calls would be Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. That gives you three quite different approaches: full-service Shopify transformation, rigorous CRO experimentation, and design-led Shopify optimization.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and whether you need a full redesign or just CRO, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit agencies and compare their likely pricing, client size, strengths, and relevant case studies.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

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

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — Loop, 203 N LaSalle St

• Best overall for a sophisticated Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce brand.
• Chicago-headquartered, Shopify Platinum Partner, with explicit strengths in UX/design, CRO, migrations, integrations, and custom development. Shopify
• Particularly attractive if your redesign involves more than aesthetics—e.g. subscriptions, complex integrations, personalization, or a Shopify Plus migration.
• Best for: mid-market/enterprise DTC brands and substantial redesigns.
• Invesp — The MART

• Best if CRO/testing is the primary objective.
• Invesp is much more CRO-centric than a typical web-design agency, with work spanning conversion audits, experimentation, funnel optimization, and ongoing testing.
• Best for: brands that already have a reasonably good ecommerce site but know they're leaking revenue and want rigorous experimentation rather than simply a visual redesign.
• Ethercycle — Chicago area

• Best Shopify specialist for an established independent brand.
• Shopify-focused rather than a broad digital agency, with an emphasis on ecommerce strategy, design/build and optimization.
• Note: its office is in Skokie rather than downtown, so I'd put it on the secondary list if physical Chicago location is important.
• Marcel Digital — 20 N Wacker Dr

• Best for CRO + analytics + acquisition.
• Their Chicago team combines CRO, analytics, UX/web development, SEO and paid media. That can be valuable if the redesign needs to be evaluated against the entire acquisition funnel rather than just onsite conversion.
• I'd favor them for brands where measurement, analytics and growth marketing are as important as the redesign itself.
• Atwix — 20 N Wacker Dr

• Best for technically complex ecommerce.
• Their Chicago operation handles Shopify/Shopify Plus as well as Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce and other platforms, with commerce UX audits and conversion optimization.
• Better fit if your redesign has substantial integrations, B2B functionality, ERP/CRM requirements, or unusual commerce workflows.

One agency I'd consider even though it's not downtown

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly relevant to your brief. It's a Chicago-based Shopify specialist explicitly offering conversion optimization, UX audits and full ecommerce redesigns. Their portfolio includes Mielle Organics, LoveShackFancy, Fire Dept. Coffee and Southern Scholar; notably, they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar after its Shopify redesign. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

That's arguably a closer match to "CRO + ecommerce redesign for a consumer brand" than some of the larger downtown agencies.

My ranking for your specific brief

If I were selecting three agencies to interview: I'd start with Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. They give you three meaningfully different approaches: full-service Shopify transformation, rigorous CRO/experimentation, and hands-on Shopify UX/redesign.

One caveat: being "downtown" doesn't necessarily mean the agency is the best fit. For an ecommerce redesign, I'd weight demonstrated DTC results, experimentation methodology, Shopify expertise, analytics capability, and ability to implement—not just design—the recommendations much more heavily than office location.

If you tell me your approximate annual ecommerce revenue, platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), and category (fashion, beauty, food, supplements, home, etc.), I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare likely project size/pricing, relevant case studies, and strengths/weaknesses.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

If you specifically want CRO + ecommerce redesign, rather than a general web-design shop, I’d shortlist these Chicago-area firms first:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest overall fit for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• Downtown at 203 N LaSalle St.
• Focuses on ecommerce strategy, Shopify/Shopify Plus builds, migrations, UX and optimization.
• Good choice if you want a full redesign/replatform plus ongoing growth work, rather than just an audit.
• Invesp — strongest pure-CRO option

• Based at The Merchandise Mart.
• More experimentation/CRO-centric than a typical design agency: research, funnel optimization, A/B testing and ongoing experimentation.
• I'd consider them if the existing site is fundamentally sound and you want to systematically increase conversion, rather than primarily redesign the brand/site.
• Atwix — best for complex ecommerce

• Downtown at 20 N Wacker Dr.
• Offers ecommerce strategy, UX, development, integrations and conversion optimization.
• Particularly interesting if your brand has ERP/3PL, B2B, complex catalog or other technical requirements alongside the redesign.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — good broad ecommerce/CRO option

• Downtown at 205 N Michigan Ave.
• Works across Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and Magento, with CRO alongside design/development and marketing.
• Better fit if you want one agency covering redesign + acquisition + optimization.
• 1o8 — good for consumer brands wanting creative + performance

• Downtown at 231 S LaSalle St.
• More of a commerce/performance creative agency, combining brand, creative and measurable growth.
• Worth considering if the redesign needs a stronger brand/creative layer, not just UX optimization.

One additional agency I'd put on the call list

The Chicago Web Co. has unusually relevant ecommerce case studies. Its portfolio includes Shopify redesigns, UX audits, CRO and replatforming; for example, it reports a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and a doubling of sales for Fire Dept. Coffee after redesign work. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

My ranking for your specific brief

If I were hiring for a DTC ecommerce brand, I'd start with Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. Those three represent three useful approaches: full-service Shopify/ecommerce, rigorous experimentation/CRO, and design-led Shopify optimization.

One caveat: I wouldn't choose an agency simply because it advertises “CRO.” For a redesign, I'd ask each one to show before/after conversion data, their research methodology, examples of PDP/cart/checkout changes, and what they do after launch. That's a much better discriminator than portfolio aesthetics.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, etc.), approximate annual online revenue, and whether you're DTC/CPG/fashion/beauty/etc., I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies and compare their likely pricing, strengths, case studies, and fit.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies with a downtown presence that can handle both CRO and an ecommerce redesign, I’d shortlist these:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St, Loop

• Probably my first call for a Shopify/Shopify Plus brand.
• Ecommerce-first, with Shopify migrations, optimization, design, and revenue/retention-focused work.
• Particularly good if the redesign needs to be tied to measurable growth rather than just a visual refresh.
• Invesp — The MART / River North

• Strongest choice if CRO and experimentation are the primary objective.
• Their specialty is conversion optimization, research, experimentation, and funnel optimization rather than conventional web design.
• I'd consider them if you already have substantial traffic/data and want a rigorous testing program.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — 205 N Michigan Ave

• Very directly aligned with your brief: ecommerce strategy, design/development, platform work and CRO.
• A good fit if you want one agency responsible for both the redesign and ongoing optimization.
• Atwix — 20 N Wacker Dr

• Better suited to larger/complex ecommerce operations.
• Strong technical ecommerce background and downtown presence; worth considering if the redesign involves integrations, custom functionality, or a substantial platform rebuild.
• Clique Studios — 20 N Wacker Dr

• More of a strategy/design + digital experience agency, but offers CRO, analytics and ecommerce marketing as well.
• I'd favor them if brand experience and UX are as important as pure experimentation.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — 200 W Jackson Blvd

• Enterprise-scale option with a downtown Loop office.
• Makes more sense for a larger ecommerce organization needing redesign + technology + ongoing optimization than for a smaller DTC brand.

Also worth a look

The Chicago Web Co. has particularly relevant ecommerce case studies. Its portfolio includes Shopify redesigns, UX/UI, ecommerce strategy and CRO; one published redesign case reports a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% increase in total sales. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Forix is another strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option. Its Chicago offering explicitly combines custom Shopify design, CRO, analytics/A/B testing and redesign, and it publishes substantial conversion/revenue improvement figures from client work. Forix

My ranking for your specific brief

One caveat: “downtown Chicago” is doing useful filtering here. I wouldn't restrict the search too tightly to physical office location if the objective is the best CRO partner. For example, ConversionEX has a Chicago-specific CRO program with research, funnel analysis, experimentation, checkout optimization and Shopify Plus work, but its listed office is in Albuquerque rather than downtown Chicago. conversionex.com

If this is for a DTC ecommerce brand, my first three conversations would be Praella, The Chicago Web Co., and Invesp—with the choice depending on whether you prioritize Shopify execution, redesign/UX, or rigorous experimentation, respectively.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Codal - 433 W Van Buren St Ste 205, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

If downtown Chicago is a hard requirement, I’d narrow the field to agencies that combine ecommerce UX/redesign with actual CRO, rather than general web-design firms.

My shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St

• Best overall fit for Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce.
• Chicago-headquartered and specifically focused on ecommerce, Shopify/Shopify Plus, migrations, optimization, and CRO.
• Good choice if you want a redesign + technical rebuild + ongoing conversion optimization, rather than just a visual refresh.
• Codal — 433 W Van Buren St

• Best for larger/complex ecommerce redesigns.
• Strong combination of UX research, strategy, design, engineering, Shopify Plus and BigCommerce.
• Particularly attractive if the redesign involves custom functionality, integrations, replatforming, or a sophisticated customer journey. SOLO MEDIA GROUP
• I'd expect them to be toward the higher end of the budget spectrum.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — 200 W Jackson Blvd

• Best enterprise option.
• Downtown Loop office and a broad ecommerce/digital-experience capability.
• More appropriate if you're an established brand with substantial traffic, multiple integrations, or a complex commerce stack rather than a small DTC startup.
• Invesp — 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza

• Best if CRO/testing is the primary objective.
• Unlike a conventional web agency, Invesp is explicitly CRO/experimentation-focused, including ecommerce funnels, landing pages, audits and ongoing experimentation.
• I'd consider them especially if you already have a decent-looking site and want to answer “why aren't visitors buying?” before committing to a complete redesign.
• Sixth City Marketing — 620 N LaSalle Dr

• Best potentially more accessible option.
• Offers ecommerce, web design and CRO, including A/B testing, UX improvements, cart-abandonment analysis and performance work.
• Worth including in an RFP if you want a more integrated SEO + CRO + redesign engagement.

One non-downtown Chicago specialist I'd also consider

The Chicago Web Co. is worth putting on the list if you're willing to relax the strict downtown requirement. Shopify's partner directory specifically lists it for store redesign, checkout upgrades and conversion-rate optimization, and its portfolio shows substantial CRO/redesign work. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

Its published case studies are unusually relevant: for example, its Southern Scholar redesign reports a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% increase in total sales, while its Fire Dept. Coffee redesign reportedly doubled sales. Those are agency-reported results, so I'd ask for the underlying baseline and attribution methodology during diligence. The Chicago Web Co

How I'd rank them for your use case

My first three calls would be Praella, Codal, and Invesp. That gives you three substantially different approaches: ecommerce transformation, design/engineering, and pure CRO/experimentation.

One important caveat: being based downtown doesn't necessarily mean the agency is particularly strong at ecommerce. For example, Orbit Media is an excellent Chicago redesign/optimization shop, but its sweet spot is more general website/lead-generation work than DTC ecommerce.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify, Shopify Plus, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, etc.), approximate annual online revenue, and redesign budget, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually invite to the RFP and compare their relevant case studies, likely pricing tier, and strengths.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies that can combine ecommerce CRO with a meaningful redesign, I’d narrow the field to these:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• Location: 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago Loop.
• Strong fit if the project involves a Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign, UX improvements, migrations, and ongoing optimization.
• Their positioning is explicitly ecommerce-first, with UX/UI, development, and revenue/retention-focused optimization.
• My take: Probably the first agency I'd interview for a substantial ecommerce redesign rather than just a CRO audit.
• Invesp — best for serious experimentation/CRO

• Location: The MART, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza.
• This is the strongest choice if CRO itself is the core requirement: experimentation, funnel optimization, landing pages, research, and A/B testing.
• Their public case material includes substantial conversion improvements, and they position themselves specifically around conversion optimization rather than general web design.
• My take: I'd shortlist them if you already have a decent-looking site but know you're leaving significant revenue on the table.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best downtown ecommerce specialist

• Location: 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810.
• Ecommerce is central to their offering, including CRO, design, development, platform migrations, SEO and paid acquisition.
• My take: Worth considering if you want one downtown team handling both the redesign and the broader ecommerce growth stack.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for larger/complex ecommerce

• Location: 200 W Jackson Blvd, Floor 22.
• Much larger than the boutique agencies above, with capabilities spanning ecommerce, UX/design, development, analytics and major rebuilds.
• My take: Particularly appropriate for a larger brand, complicated catalog/integrations, or enterprise-grade redesign rather than a lean DTC engagement.
• Marcel Digital — good analytics + UX/CRO option

• Location: Chicago; the agency's downtown presence is around Wacker/West Loop.
• Stronger on analytics, acquisition, UX and conversion optimization than pure ecommerce design.
• My take: A good candidate if the redesign needs to be grounded heavily in measurement and existing customer/traffic data.

One specialist I'd also investigate

The Chicago Web Co. isn't as tightly downtown as the firms above, but it's unusually relevant to your exact brief. They specialize in Shopify and explicitly offer conversion optimization, UX audits, custom redesigns and development. Their portfolio includes a Shopify redesign that they report produced a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% increase in total sales. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

My shortlist

If I were selecting three agencies to pitch the same RFP, I'd use:

• Praella — Shopify redesign + ecommerce strategy
• Invesp — rigorous CRO/experimentation
• The Chicago Web Co. — design-led Shopify redesign + CRO

That gives you three quite different approaches, which should make the proposals much easier to compare.

One caveat: I would not automatically equate “Chicago CRO agency” with “downtown Chicago agency.” For example, ConversionEX and Glued have strong ecommerce/CRO positioning, but they aren't actually downtown Chicago firms. ConversionEX's Chicago page says its work is delivered remotely, while Glued explicitly says it's not a Chicago agency. ConversionEX Glued

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual revenue, and whether this is a full redesign or an optimization of the existing site, I can rank these specifically for your situation and identify which ones have the strongest relevant case studies.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

If downtown Chicago presence is important, I’d shortlist these agencies based on the combination of ecommerce CRO + UX/redesign capability + actual Chicago location:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall for Shopify Plus

• 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago
• Shopify Plus Platinum Partner with dedicated UX/design, conversion optimization, migrations, integrations, and CRO capabilities. Shopify
• Strong choice for an established DTC brand doing a substantial redesign/replatform rather than a simple theme refresh.
• My take: Probably the first agency I'd interview for a sophisticated Shopify/Shopify Plus brand.
• Invesp — Best if CRO/testing is the priority

• 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
• Much more CRO/experimentation-centric than a conventional web design shop. Their model combines conversion research, UX/design, development, testing and analysis.
• My take: Particularly attractive if you already have meaningful traffic and want the redesign driven by behavioral data rather than aesthetics.
• Atwix — Best for complex ecommerce

• 20 N Wacker Dr
• Full-service ecommerce agency covering strategy, UX, implementation, integrations and optimization, including commerce UX audits focused on friction from discovery through checkout.
• My take: Good fit for larger brands with ERP/PIM/CRM/integration complexity.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — Best downtown ecommerce-focused option

• 205 N Michigan Ave
• Ecommerce-first agency offering design, development, platform migrations, SEO, paid acquisition and CRO.
• My take: Worth considering if you want one partner covering both the storefront and acquisition side of ecommerce.
• Nansen LLC — Best for UX + analytics

• 300 W Hubbard St
• Combines ecommerce/digital experience work with UX/UI, analytics, optimization and CRO.
• My take: Interesting option if the project is as much about customer experience and measurement as it is about rebuilding the storefront.

One more I would seriously consider

The Chicago Web Co. isn't as centrally located as the firms above, but its specialization is unusually close to what you're asking for: Shopify design/development, UX audits, conversion optimization and customer-journey redesigns. Its portfolio includes ecommerce redesigns with reported conversion improvements—for example, Southern Scholar reported a 26% conversion-rate increase after its Shopify transformation. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

My ranking for an ecommerce brand

If I were issuing an RFP, I'd invite Praella, Invesp, and Chicago Web Co. first. They represent three useful approaches: enterprise Shopify execution, rigorous CRO/experimentation, and boutique conversion-focused redesign.

One caveat: “downtown Chicago” and “Chicago-based” aren't the same thing. I prioritized firms with an actual downtown/Loop/River North/West Loop presence rather than agencies merely advertising a “Chicago” service page. For example, Forix has a strong Chicago-specific Shopify/CRO offering, including redesigns and A/B testing, but its Chicago location status is less clear from the sources I found. Forix

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and budget for the redesign, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit agencies and compare likely project cost, strengths, and relevant client work.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Verve Marketing Group - 2625 Butterfield Rd #138s, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• Digital Third Coast - 2540 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Awesome Dynamic Tech Solutions, Inc. - 401 N Michigan Ave #1200, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States

If you mean agencies actually based in downtown Chicago, rather than just serving Chicago, I’d shortlist these first:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce

• 203 N LaSalle St, right in the Loop.
• Particularly strong if you're looking for a Shopify redesign + CRO + technical ecommerce work rather than a general-purpose marketing website.
• Their offering includes Shopify migrations, custom development, analytics/tracking, checkout upgrades and CRO.
• Best fit: established DTC brands that need a serious Shopify/Shopify Plus overhaul.
• Invesp — best pure CRO specialist

• Based at The Merchandise Mart, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza.
• This is the one I'd investigate if conversion optimization is the primary objective, rather than simply making the site look better.
• Their focus is experimentation, CRO audits, landing/product-page optimization and ongoing testing.
• Best fit: ecommerce brands with meaningful traffic where you want testing and analytics to drive the redesign.
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. — best for larger/complex ecommerce

• 200 W Jackson Blvd, downtown.
• A much larger agency, with ecommerce strategy, UX/design, development, analytics and ongoing optimization.
• Best fit: larger brands, complex catalogs, B2B/DTC hybrids or organizations needing substantial integrations/replatforming.
• Marcel Digital — best for CRO + analytics + development

• Chicago-based, with its office at 445 W Erie St.
• Their strength is combining CRO, UX, analytics, SEO and development, rather than treating CRO as a standalone audit.
• Best fit: brands that already have substantial traffic/data and want a measurement-driven redesign.
• Design In Chicago — best design-forward option

• 159 N Sangamon St, West Loop.
• Offers Shopify and WooCommerce development alongside branding, UX/design and marketing.
• Best fit: a consumer brand where the redesign needs to significantly elevate the brand while improving ecommerce UX.

One more Chicago agency worth considering

Orbit Media Studios is excellent for CRO and ecommerce redesigns, although it's in Ravenswood rather than downtown. Their ecommerce practice explicitly combines UX, CRO, design, development and analytics, and they support Shopify, WooCommerce and Drupal Commerce. They report $22M+ in revenue generated by ecommerce websites they've worked on and have dedicated CRO/UX-audit capabilities. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

For example, Orbit's CRO work includes A/B testing, user-behavior analysis, UX audits, landing-page optimization and continuous iteration. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

My ranking for an ecommerce brand

If I were hiring for a DTC brand today: I'd talk to Praella, Invesp, and Marcel Digital first. Praella is the strongest Shopify-centric choice; Invesp is the strongest CRO/experimentation-first choice; Marcel is the strongest middle ground between CRO, analytics and implementation.

One caveat: downtown location shouldn't be a major selection criterion for this particular work. CRO/research/testing capability, ecommerce platform expertise, and the agency's ability to actually implement experiments matter much more.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604
• SeedCart | Web Designers In Chicago - 222 S Riverside Plaza #15, Chicago, IL 60606
• WizSpeed - 1 E Erie St Ste 525, Chicago, IL 60611
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency - Three First National Plaza, W Madison St suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602
• Sketches and Pixels, LLC - 1452 E 53rd St 2nd floor, Chicago, IL 60615
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639
• Kahoots Creative Group - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #206, Chicago, IL 60613
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies that can combine ecommerce redesign/UX with conversion-rate optimization, I’d shortlist these rather than generic digital-marketing shops.

My top picks

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for sophisticated Shopify Plus brands

• Downtown at 203 N LaSalle St.
• Shopify Plus agency with a strong combination of UX/design, conversions, migrations, integrations, analytics, and custom development.
• Shopify lists it as a Platinum Partner and specifically includes CRO among its services. Shopify
• Best fit: established DTC/ecommerce brands where the redesign also needs substantial technical or Shopify Plus work.
• Uncap — best for larger/more complex commerce operations

• Chicago-based Shopify Plus Platinum Partner.
• Particularly interesting if your brand has a large catalog, B2B/B2C requirements, ERP integrations, or an aging commerce stack. Shopify lists store redesign, migration, theme customization, headless commerce and website optimization among its capabilities. Shopify
• Best fit: brands where CRO is intertwined with platform architecture and operational complexity.
• The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique/design-led option

• Chicago-based Shopify specialist with 12+ years of Shopify experience.
• Explicitly offers conversion optimization, UX audits, store redesigns, and Shopify development. Shopify The Chicago Web Co
• Their portfolio is particularly relevant: one Shopify redesign for Southern Scholar reportedly produced a 26% increase in conversion rate and 57% increase in total sales. The Chicago Web Co
• Best fit: consumer brands that want a substantial visual/UX transformation without losing sight of conversion performance.
• UX 4Sight — worth considering for UX-heavy CRO

• Located at 111 W Jackson Blvd.
• More UX/design-oriented than a traditional ecommerce implementation shop, which could be useful if your problem is fundamentally customer journey, usability, information architecture, or product-page UX.
• Best fit: brands that already have solid engineering/Shopify resources but need stronger UX/CRO strategy.

One more I'd interview

CQL is another Chicago-based Shopify Platinum Partner, with 30+ years in digital commerce. Shopify specifically lists store redesign, website audits/optimization strategy, and ecommerce strategy among its services. Shopify It's more of a broad enterprise commerce agency, so I'd favor it over a boutique if you're dealing with a complex organization or omnichannel operation.

How I'd narrow it down

My first three calls would be Praella, The Chicago Web Co., and Uncap. The Chicago Web Co. looks especially compelling if you want a brand-forward redesign + CRO, while Praella is the stronger choice if the project has serious Shopify Plus/technical complexity.

One caveat: being "Chicago-based" doesn't necessarily mean the agency's office is in the Loop. The three strongest ecommerce specialists above do have Chicago locations; for example, Praella's current listing puts it at 203 N LaSalle, while Uncap's listed Chicago address is farther northwest. Shopify Shopify

If you tell me your annual ecommerce revenue, platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), and approximate redesign budget, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually send an RFP to, including likely pricing and relevant client/portfolio examples.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies that can handle both ecommerce redesign and conversion-rate optimization, I’d shortlist these rather than generic web-design shops.

My top picks

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• Location: 203 N LaSalle St, Suite 2100, Chicago
• Strong combination of Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, ecommerce development, and optimization.
• Best fit if you're a growth-stage or larger DTC brand and want the redesign tied closely to revenue and retention.
• I'd put this near the top of the list for a serious Shopify redesign.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best ecommerce-first option downtown

• Location: 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810
• Explicitly focused on ecommerce, including CRO, design, development, platform migrations, SEO and paid acquisition.
• Particularly worth considering if you want one agency responsible for the storefront and the growth engine around it.
• Invesp — best if CRO is the priority

• Location: The Merchandise Mart
• This is the more CRO/experimentation-heavy choice rather than a traditional creative agency.
• Their approach centers on research, experimentation, funnel optimization and implementation.
• I'd consider them if your existing store gets substantial traffic and you want rigorous testing rather than simply a prettier redesign.
• Clique Studios — best for a larger strategic redesign

• Location: 20 N Wacker Dr
• Strong UX, strategy, engineering and digital transformation capabilities.
• Better suited to a complex or higher-budget redesign than a straightforward Shopify theme refresh.
• Sixth City Marketing — best performance-marketing + CRO combination

• Location: River North, 620 N La Salle Dr
• CRO is a core service alongside SEO, paid media and web development.
• A good choice if you want the agency thinking about traffic acquisition → landing page → product page → purchase, rather than CRO in isolation.

One Chicago specialist I'd also investigate

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if your brand is Shopify/DTC. They explicitly offer Shopify design/development and conversion optimization, and their portfolio includes substantial ecommerce redesigns. Their published case studies include brands such as Naked Cashmere, Mielle Organics, Fire Dept. Coffee and Southern Scholar, with reported conversion and revenue improvements. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Another strong option is Forix, which specifically markets Shopify/Shopify Plus design, redesign and CRO for Chicago merchants. Its Chicago offering combines UX, development, analytics and A/B testing. Forix

How I'd narrow it down

My first three calls would be Praella, The Chicago Web Co., and Invesp—but for different reasons: Praella for an end-to-end Shopify transformation, Chicago Web Co. for a design-led DTC redesign, and Invesp if maximizing measurable conversion lift is the primary objective.

One caveat: being physically downtown isn't necessarily a good proxy for quality. For example, Glued describes itself as a remote CRO/Shopify specialist rather than a Chicago agency, but says it works with Midwest brands including Vital Proteins. Glued Similarly, ConversionEX has a Chicago-specific CRO practice but is actually headquartered outside Chicago. ConversionEX

If you tell me your ecommerce platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual revenue, and budget for the redesign, I can narrow this to the 3 agencies I'd actually invite to pitch and compare their case studies, client fit, pricing signals, and CRO methodology.

For a downtown Chicago ecommerce brand looking for conversion rate optimization (CRO), UX redesigns, Shopify/Shopify Plus work, and revenue-focused ecommerce improvements, I’d shortlist agencies that combine design + analytics + experimentation rather than pure branding or web development shops. Chicago has a strong CRO market, with several firms specializing in ecommerce optimization and conversion-focused redesigns. Sortlist DesignRush

Best-fit Chicago ecommerce CRO + redesign agencies

Invesp

Best for: rigorous CRO programs, testing, analytics, experimentation

• Strong fit if you already have meaningful traffic and want a true CRO partner.
• Focus areas: - Conversion audits
• A/B testing programs
• User behavior analysis
• Funnel optimization
• Experiment roadmaps
• Better suited for brands that want measurable lift rather than just a prettier storefront. The Manifest

Good match: DTC brands doing $5M+ revenue, Shopify Plus brands, subscription ecommerce, marketplaces.

Forix Commerce

Best for: Shopify/Shopify Plus redesigns with CRO baked in

• Strong ecommerce specialization.
• Services include: - Shopify design and development
• UX improvements
• Conversion optimization
• Product page and checkout improvements
• Store migrations/replatforming
• Good choice if your current site needs a full redesign rather than isolated CRO tests. Forix

Good match: Apparel, beauty, consumer products, lifestyle brands.

Orbit Media Studios

Best for: UX-led redesigns and content-heavy ecommerce experiences

• Long-established Chicago web agency.
• Strong capabilities in: - UX strategy
• Conversion-focused web design
• Analytics
• SEO
• Website redesigns
• May be a better fit for brands where education, storytelling, and trust-building are major conversion drivers. The Manifest

Good match: Premium brands, complex catalogs, brands needing a broader digital experience overhaul.

The Chicago Web Co.

Best for: Shopify storefront redesigns for growing brands

• Focuses on: - Shopify builds
• Ecommerce redesigns
• UX improvements
• Conversion optimization
• Positions its work around improving customer journeys, navigation, product presentation, and sales performance. The Chicago Web Co

Good match: Small-to-mid-market Shopify brands wanting a hands-on design partner.

Downtown Ecommerce Partners

Best for: ecommerce strategy + optimization consulting

• Focus areas: - Analytics
• Ecommerce optimization
• Shopping cart improvements
• Site performance analysis
• Growth strategy
• Their positioning is more consulting-oriented than a pure design studio. Downtown eCommerce Downtown eCommerce

Good match: Brands that already have a store but need strategic diagnosis before rebuilding.

Also worth considering

Chicago SEO Agency

Best for: CRO paired with SEO/traffic growth

• Offers CRO audits, funnel reviews, friction analysis, and optimization work.
• Better fit if your growth challenge is both getting qualified traffic and converting it. Chicago SEO Agency

My shortlist by ecommerce situation

What I’d ask during agency interviews

For ecommerce CRO, I’d avoid agencies that only promise “better UX.” Ask:

1. What conversion problems have you found on similar ecommerce sites?
2. Do you run A/B tests or mainly redesign pages based on best practices?
3. What analytics stack do you use? (GA4, Hotjar/Contentsquare, Shopify analytics, customer surveys, etc.)
4. Can you show before/after metrics? - Conversion rate
5. Revenue per visitor
6. Average order value
7. Cart abandonment
8. Mobile conversion rate
9. Who actually does the work? (senior CRO strategist vs. junior production team)

For a downtown Chicago ecommerce brand, I’d probably start conversations with Invesp (CRO depth), Forix (Shopify redesign), and Orbit Media (UX strategy) and compare approaches. The Manifest Forix

What I’d ask during agency interviews

For ecommerce CRO, I’d avoid agencies that only promise “better UX.” Ask:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

If you specifically want CRO + ecommerce redesign, rather than a general Chicago web-design shop, I’d shortlist these first:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall fit for Shopify/Shopify Plus. Their Chicago office is at 203 N LaSalle St, and they combine ecommerce strategy, Shopify builds, UX, analytics, and CRO. Good choice if you want the redesign and ongoing optimization handled by one team.
• Invesp — Best for serious, experimentation-led CRO. They’re at The MART and are much more CRO-centric than a conventional design agency. Their approach emphasizes research, experimentation, funnel optimization, and measurable conversion improvements. If your existing store already has substantial traffic, I'd put them high on the list.
• Clique Studios — Best for a larger/premium redesign. Their Chicago office is at 20 N Wacker Dr. They're more of a digital experience/transformation agency, with strong UX, strategy, engineering, and conversion-oriented redesign capabilities. Better suited to a substantial ecommerce transformation than a quick Shopify refresh.
• UX 4Sight — Best for UX research + conversion-focused redesign. Located in the Loop at 111 W Jackson Blvd. They specialize in UX research, usability testing, UX audits, UI design, and digital experiences. I'd consider them if the main problem is why shoppers aren't progressing through the site, rather than simply needing a prettier storefront.
• Design In Chicago — Good West Loop option for design + ecommerce implementation. They offer Shopify/WooCommerce development, UX/UI, ecommerce strategy, and ongoing optimization. A potentially good fit for a mid-market brand wanting a hands-on redesign without going all the way up to a large transformation consultancy.
• Nansen LLC — Good for data/analytics-heavy ecommerce optimization. Their Hubbard Street office is in River North, and their offering spans ecommerce, UX/UI, analytics, personalization, and CRO. Worth considering if your redesign needs to be tightly connected to analytics and customer-journey optimization.

A couple of strong Shopify specialists

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're a DTC Shopify brand. Their portfolio shows Shopify Plus redesigns and explicitly conversion-focused projects; for example, they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar after a Shopify transformation, and their work includes UX/UI, ecommerce strategy, CRO, and replatforming. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Forix is another strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option. They explicitly combine custom Shopify design, CRO, analytics/A-B testing, and redesign work. Forix

forixcommerce.com

My ranking for an ecommerce brand

If I were selecting three agencies to interview, I'd choose Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. They represent three useful approaches: full-service Shopify growth, hardcore CRO/experimentation, and Shopify-first redesign + CRO.

One caveat: "Chicago agency" doesn't always mean downtown office. The first group above includes firms actually located in the Loop/River North/downtown area; some Shopify specialists serving Chicago are headquartered elsewhere or operate remotely. For example, ConversionEX markets Chicago CRO services but explicitly says its headquarters are in Albuquerque, so I wouldn't count it as a downtown Chicago agency. ConversionEX ConversionEX

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

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States

If downtown Chicago location matters, I’d narrow the field pretty aggressively. For an ecommerce brand looking for both CRO and a meaningful redesign, these are the strongest fits I found:

My shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify Plus

• 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago
• Shopify Plus-focused, with UX/design, CRO, migrations, integrations, and custom development.
• Shopify lists Praella as a Platinum Partner and specifically includes conversion-rate optimization among its services. Shopify
• Best if you're an established DTC brand and want a sophisticated redesign rather than just a prettier theme.
• My take: probably the first agency I'd interview for a serious Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign.
• BlueBolt Solutions — best for experimentation + redesign

• 415 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago
• Particularly interesting if you want ongoing CRO rather than a one-time redesign. They work across Shopify Plus, BigCommerce and Optimizely and emphasize structured A/B and multivariate testing tied to conversion rate, AOV, retention and acquisition.
• My take: excellent choice if you already have meaningful traffic and want the redesign to become a testing platform.
• Invesp — best pure CRO specialist

• The Merchandise Mart, Chicago
• Their core competency is conversion optimization rather than general web design: research, funnel analysis, experimentation, landing/PDP optimization and ongoing testing.
• Their Chicago practice specifically describes research sprints, prioritized testing roadmaps, experiment implementation and statistical analysis. ConversionEX
• My take: choose them if CRO is the primary problem and you want rigorous experimentation; I'd clarify upfront how much of the actual redesign they will own versus a design/development partner.
• Atwix — best for complex ecommerce

• 20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago
• Downtown/Loop presence and strong ecommerce-development orientation.
• Particularly compelling for complex catalogs, integrations, B2B or technically demanding Shopify/commerce builds, with UX and conversion optimization incorporated into the work.
• My take: more engineering-heavy than a boutique DTC design agency, so I'd prioritize them for a technically complex redesign.
• Sixth City Marketing — best if CRO needs to connect to acquisition

• 620 N LaSalle Dr, River North
• Offers CRO alongside SEO, paid media, web design/development and ecommerce.
• My take: worth considering if your problem isn't just "the site doesn't convert," but also involves paid traffic, SEO and broader acquisition economics.

One Chicago agency I'd also put on the radar

The Chicago Web Co. isn't in the downtown core, but it's unusually aligned with your brief. Shopify's partner directory lists store redesign, checkout upgrades and CRO among its services. Shopify

Their portfolio has especially relevant ecommerce examples: LoveShackFancy (UX audit + Shopify restructuring), Fire Dept. Coffee (full redesign and ecommerce strategy), Southern Scholar (+26% conversion rate and +57% total sales), and Gigawatt Coffee Roasters (redesign + CRO). The Chicago Web Co

So if quality of ecommerce work matters more than having a Loop/River North office, I'd include them in the RFP.

How I'd rank them for your specific brief

If I were sending three RFPs: I'd start with Praella, BlueBolt, and The Chicago Web Co. That gives you three meaningfully different approaches: enterprise Shopify expertise, experimentation/optimization, and boutique conversion-focused design.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce revenue, and industry, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit agencies and pull together their relevant case studies, pricing/project-size signals, and contact links.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• 121eCommerce LLC - 3935 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44121, United States
• Alpha Digital Marketing - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Gapstow - 13477 Prospect Rd Ste 208A, Strongsville, OH 44149, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Gapstow Design Company - Rocky River, OH 44116
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Pilot Digital Marketing - 4753 N Broadway Ste T110, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

If you specifically want Chicago-based agencies that can combine ecommerce redesign with serious CRO—not just make the site prettier—I’d shortlist these:

My top picks

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify Plus

• Downtown: 203 N LaSalle St, Suite 2100.
• Strong fit for established ecommerce brands needing a Shopify/Shopify Plus redesign, UX improvements, development, and CRO.
• Particularly compelling if you have complex requirements such as subscriptions, B2B/wholesale, custom integrations, or personalization.
• Their positioning is much more ecommerce-specific than a conventional Chicago web-design agency. Makro Agency
• Invesp — best for pure CRO / experimentation

• Downtown: The Merchandise Mart.
• This is the one I'd consider if conversion optimization is the primary objective and redesign is part of a broader experimentation program.
• Invesp describes itself as CRO-focused since 2006, with structured research, testing, and revenue/conversion measurement, including dedicated ecommerce CRO. Invesp
• Better choice than a design-led agency if you already have substantial traffic/data and want rigorous testing.
• Orbit Media Studios — best for strategy + UX + redesign

• Chicago-based, though its office is in Ravenswood rather than downtown.
• Strong combination of UX research, redesign, analytics, conversion optimization, content, and development.
• Their published work includes conversion-focused redesigns and ecommerce experiences. Orbit Media Studios
• I'd favor them if the problem is bigger than CRO—for example, brand positioning + UX + information architecture + conversion.
• Sixth City Marketing — best performance-marketing/CRO hybrid

• Downtown: 620 N LaSalle Dr.
• Offers CRO alongside SEO, PPC, web design/development, and broader digital marketing.
• Good fit if you want the agency responsible for both acquisition and what happens after the click, rather than a standalone redesign.
• SITE IT NOW — best smaller downtown/West Loop option

• West Loop: 1016 W Jackson Blvd.
• Ecommerce, Shopify development, website redesign, UX and optimization.
• I'd put them on the shortlist for a smaller/mid-market brand that wants a more hands-on local agency rather than a large CRO consultancy.

One more I'd seriously consider

The Chicago Web Co. is worth interviewing if you're specifically on Shopify and want a design-forward ecommerce redesign with CRO baked in. They explicitly offer conversion optimization/UX audits and describe redesigning customer journeys around sales. Their portfolio includes ecommerce redesigns with reported conversion and sales improvements—for example, Southern Scholar (+26% conversion rate) and Fire Dept. Coffee (reported doubled sales after redesign). The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

How I'd rank them for your use case

If I were running an established DTC ecommerce brand downtown, I'd take three discovery calls first: Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. They represent three meaningfully different approaches: ecommerce transformation, rigorous CRO experimentation, and design-led Shopify optimization.

One caveat: "Chicago agency" doesn't always mean the team is physically downtown, so I've distinguished the firms with verified downtown/near-downtown offices rather than treating Chicagoland agencies as downtown firms.

If you want Chicago-based agencies that genuinely combine ecommerce CRO with redesign/replatforming, rather than agencies that mainly do branding or paid media, I’d shortlist these:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — probably my strongest fit for a design-led DTC brand. They specialize in Shopify, UX audits, CRO, and full-store redesigns. Their portfolio includes LoveShackFancy, Mielle Organics, Fire Dept. Coffee, Southern Scholar, and others; they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and doubled sales for Fire Dept. Coffee after redesign. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

2. Forix — a good choice if you're looking for a more substantial Shopify/Shopify Plus partner with development capabilities alongside CRO. They specifically offer custom Shopify design, CRO, A/B testing, development, and ongoing optimization, and position themselves as serving Chicago brands. Forix

forixcommerce.com

3. ConversionEX — strongest option if CRO/testing is the primary objective rather than simply getting a prettier website. Their Chicago offering includes funnel research, session replays, heatmaps, user research, prioritized experimentation, cart/checkout optimization, and statistical analysis. They also handle Shopify redesigns and replatforming. ConversionEX ConversionEX

conversionex.com

4. Dumo Digital — particularly interesting if you're a CPG, food/beverage, beauty, wellness, home, or other physical-product DTC brand. They're based in the Chicago area and combine Shopify/Shopify Plus, CRO, retention, analytics, and lifecycle marketing. They report an average 48% AOV increase and 59% improvement in cart-to-checkout rate across client work. Dumo Digital

dumodigital.com

5. Web Tonic — worth considering if the priority is high-end Shopify design + conversion-focused UX. They explicitly position their Chicago practice around Shopify design, CRO, mobile speed, and high-performing ecommerce stores. Web Tonic

webtonic.io

How I'd narrow it down

One caveat: I wouldn't interpret "Chicago agency" as necessarily meaning the agency has an office in the Loop/downtown. Several market themselves as Chicago agencies while working throughout the metro or remotely. If being physically located downtown Chicago is a hard requirement, I'd verify the current office address before putting them on an RFP list.

If you tell me your ecommerce platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/Magento/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, portfolio, pricing tier, and strengths/weaknesses.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

If downtown Chicago presence and a real combination of CRO + ecommerce redesign are the priorities, I’d shortlist these first:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall fit. Downtown at 203 N LaSalle. It’s Shopify/Shopify Plus-focused and combines ecommerce strategy, UX/design, development, and CRO. I’d put this near the top if you’re a serious DTC brand rather than a small local merchant.
• Invesp — best if CRO is the primary objective. Located at the Merchandise Mart and much more experimentation/CRO-centric than a traditional design agency. Their approach emphasizes research, funnel optimization, testing, and implementation.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — strong ecommerce/CRO combination. Their Loop office is at 205 N Michigan Ave. They specifically promote CRO involving audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis, and A/B testing, alongside ecommerce design/development.
• Solid Digital — best for a sophisticated brand redesign. Downtown at 100 N LaSalle. More design/UX/development-oriented, so I'd consider them when the site needs a substantial brand and experience overhaul rather than just ongoing experimentation.
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — strong design/UX option. At 211 W Wacker, they combine branding, web design, UX research and development. Better suited if the redesign/brand experience is as important as the CRO work.

Two agencies I'd also investigate

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're on Shopify and want a more hands-on redesign partner. They explicitly offer conversion optimization + UX audits, and their portfolio includes ecommerce redesigns with reported conversion improvements. For example, they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and describe CRO-focused redesign work for multiple Shopify brands. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Forix is another strong Shopify/Shopify Plus option. Their Chicago offering combines custom Shopify design, CRO, analytics/A/B testing and performance optimization; they publish several case-study conversion and revenue improvements. Forix

My ranking for an ecommerce brand

If I were selecting 3 RFP candidates: Praella + Invesp + The Chicago Web Co. That gives you three materially different approaches: Shopify-focused full-service transformation, CRO/experimentation specialization, and design-led Shopify optimization.

One caveat: “downtown Chicago” is a meaningful filter here. Some excellent Chicago ecommerce agencies are outside the Loop, so I excluded them from the primary shortlist even when their ecommerce/CRO credentials were strong.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/Shopify Plus/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual ecommerce 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 pricing, client size, specialties, and case studies.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Aguilera Web Design and Marketing - North Aurora, IL 60542, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States

If downtown Chicago presence and a genuine CRO + ecommerce redesign specialty are the priorities, I’d shortlist these first:

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St

• Best overall for: established Shopify/Shopify Plus brands that need both redesign and ongoing optimization.
• Strong focus on Shopify Plus, ecommerce strategy, UX, CRO, and performance optimization.
• Particularly attractive if you have complex requirements such as subscriptions, B2B/wholesale, personalization, or integrations.
• It is actually downtown/Loop, rather than merely serving Chicago. Shopify
• Invesp — The MART / River North

• Best for: a more rigorous, experimentation-led CRO engagement.
• CRO is the core competency rather than an add-on to web design: research, funnel analysis, experimentation, and optimization.
• I'd favor them if your existing ecommerce site is fundamentally sound but you're looking for systematic conversion gains rather than simply a visual redesign.
• Their Chicago presence is at/around the Merchandise Mart.
• Nansen LLC — 300 W Hubbard St

• Best for: sophisticated ecommerce brands wanting CRO + analytics + UX.
• Their offering combines ecommerce, conversion optimization, personalization, analytics, UX/UI, and digital experience work.
• Good candidate if you want the redesign decisions grounded heavily in customer behavior and data rather than aesthetics alone.
• Atwix — 20 N Wacker Dr

• Best for: larger/technically complex ecommerce operations.
• Particularly strong if the redesign involves Magento/Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, integrations, replatforming, or significant technical work.
• Less of a pure-play CRO consultancy than Invesp, but potentially stronger when the conversion problem is intertwined with commerce architecture.
• Sixth City Marketing — 620 N LaSalle Dr

• Best for: brands wanting CRO integrated with broader acquisition/growth marketing.
• Offers CRO alongside SEO, paid search, and website design/development.
• Worth considering if your goal is more revenue from the entire acquisition → landing page → ecommerce funnel, rather than just redesigning the storefront.

One specialist I'd also interview: The Chicago Web Co.

chicagoweb.co

Although its current business location isn't as clearly downtown as the firms above, The Chicago Web Co. is unusually well aligned with your actual brief: Shopify, ecommerce redesigns, UX audits, and CRO are central to its offering. Its portfolio includes substantial redesign/CRO work for brands including LoveShackFancy, Fire Dept. Coffee, Southern Scholar, Gigawatt Coffee Roasters, and others. It reports a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and a doubling of sales for Fire Dept. Coffee following redesign work. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

My ranking for your specific brief

If I were choosing three to pitch: I'd start with Praella for a full Shopify/ecommerce transformation, Invesp if CRO experimentation is the primary objective, and The Chicago Web Co. if you want a more design-led Shopify redesign with demonstrable conversion results.

One caveat: agencies often use "CRO" to mean very different things. For an ecommerce redesign, I'd specifically ask each candidate to show before/after CVR, AOV, add-to-cart rate, checkout completion, mobile CVR, testing methodology, and the actual research that led to the redesign—not just screenshots of attractive sites.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 2600 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018, United States
• Penguin E-Commerce - 20 Danada Square W #222, Wheaton, IL 60189, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States

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 looking for CRO + UX/redesign, these are the strongest fits I found:

My shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• 203 N LaSalle St, Chicago
• Particularly strong if you want a full ecommerce redesign/replatform plus ongoing CRO, rather than just a one-off UX audit.
• Shopify describes Praella as a full-service Shopify Plus agency focused on UX/design, conversions, migrations, integrations and CRO; it is a Shopify Platinum Partner. Shopify
• Good choice for established/mid-market brands with a meaningful tech stack and enough traffic to justify sophisticated optimization.
• praella.com
• Invesp — best if CRO is the primary objective

• The Merchandise Mart, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza
• This is the one I'd investigate if your priority is increasing conversion rate, rather than simply getting a prettier site.
• Their model centers on conversion research, experimentation, funnel optimization and implementation, with ecommerce as a core use case.
• Particularly compelling if you already have substantial traffic and want a systematic testing/experimentation program alongside redesign work.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — strong ecommerce-specific option

• 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810
• Explicitly combines ecommerce design/development with CRO, funnel analysis, heatmaps/session recordings and A/B testing.
• I'd consider them if you want an agency that can handle the redesign while also addressing SEO, paid acquisition and broader ecommerce performance.
• Atwix — best for technically complex ecommerce

• 20 N Wacker Dr, Suite 1200
• More development/commerce-platform oriented than a pure CRO shop.
• Worth considering if your redesign involves complex integrations, custom commerce functionality, migrations or enterprise-scale architecture.
• Less obvious choice if you're primarily looking for a brand/UX-led DTC redesign.
• Nansen LLC — interesting data/UX/CRO hybrid

• 300 W Hubbard St, Suite 301
• Offers ecommerce experience design alongside analytics, CRO, personalization and customer-journey optimization.
• I'd put them on the shortlist if you want the redesign to be driven heavily by analytics and customer behavior rather than aesthetics alone.

One important non-downtown exception

The Chicago Web Co. is actually one of the more compelling fits for your specific brief, even though I'd verify their current office location before treating them as a downtown option. Their Shopify Partner profile explicitly lists store redesign + CRO, and their portfolio has ecommerce redesigns with reported conversion and sales improvements. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

Their work on Southern Scholar, for example, reports a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% increase in total sales following a Shopify transformation. The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

How I'd rank them for a typical DTC brand

My first three calls would be Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. The right choice depends heavily on whether your problem is primarily “our site needs a better UX” or “we have enough traffic and need a rigorous experimentation program to materially increase revenue.”

One caveat: I wouldn't automatically equate a company's advertised “CRO” service with genuine experimentation expertise. In your RFP, I'd specifically ask for 3 ecommerce case studies showing baseline CVR, traffic/order volume, what was changed, testing methodology, and incremental revenue—not just prettier screenshots or post-redesign conversion claims.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• BlueBolt Solutions - 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a downtown Chicago–based ecommerce brand looking for conversion rate optimization (CRO) plus a redesign, I’d prioritize agencies that combine UX research, analytics, Shopify/Shopify Plus expertise, experimentation, and ecommerce development rather than traditional branding-only firms.

Here are some strong options:

Best fits for ecommerce CRO + redesigns

Praella - eCommerce Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-761-3218)

Best for: Shopify / Shopify Plus brands wanting a full ecommerce growth partner
Downtown location: 203 N LaSalle St, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601

Why consider them:

• Shopify-focused ecommerce agency
• Strong fit for DTC brands needing UX improvements, redesigns, and optimization
• Works across customer experience, personalization, and conversion improvements

Good match if you’re:

• On Shopify Plus
• Scaling beyond a theme-based storefront
• Looking for strategy + implementation

Invesp

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 248-626-2129)

Best for: Pure CRO expertise and experimentation programs
Downtown location: The Merchandise Mart area, Chicago, IL

Why consider them:

• CRO-first consultancy rather than primarily a design shop
• Focuses on research, audits, testing, UX improvements, and conversion experiments

Good match if you already have:

• Strong traffic volume
• Analytics infrastructure
• A site that needs optimization more than a complete rebuild

1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 888-982-8269)

Best for: Ecommerce redesigns with CRO, especially platform-focused projects
Downtown location: 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810, Chicago, IL 60601

Why consider them:

• Ecommerce-focused agency
• Offers UX planning, redesigns, analytics, CRO audits, funnel analysis, and testing

Good match if you need:

• Shopify, BigCommerce, or Magento work
• Product page and checkout improvements
• A redesign tied to revenue goals

BlueBolt Solutions

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-236-4507)

Best for: More complex ecommerce builds and optimization
Downtown location: 415 N La Salle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654

Why consider them:

• Commerce-focused development agency
• Experience with Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and complex ecommerce systems
• Includes UX, experimentation, and conversion optimization work

Good match if you have:

• Large catalogs
• Custom integrations
• Operational complexity

Nansen LLC

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-279-0760)

Best for: Data-driven ecommerce experiences
Downtown location: 300 W Hubbard St, Suite 301, Chicago, IL 60654

Why consider them:

• Focuses on digital experience, analytics, UX/UI, personalization, and conversion optimization

Good match if you want:

• Customer journey analysis
• Personalization
• Analytics-led redesign decisions

Strong Shopify redesign specialists

The Chicago Web Co.

Best for: Brand-forward Shopify redesigns for DTC companies

They highlight Shopify builds, UX audits, conversion optimization, and ecommerce redesign work. Their portfolio includes Shopify projects involving UX restructuring, improved shopping flows, and conversion-focused redesigns. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Good match for:

• Beauty
• Fashion
• Food/beverage
• Lifestyle brands

Forix Commerce

Best for: Shopify Plus / Magento merchants wanting CRO + redesign

Forix positions its Chicago ecommerce services around Shopify design, CRO, analytics-driven improvements, and checkout/customer journey optimization. Forix Forix

Good match for:

• Mid-market ecommerce companies
• Brands migrating platforms
• Teams needing technical depth

My shortlist by situation

For a typical Chicago-based DTC ecommerce brand doing a redesign because conversion is lagging, I’d probably start conversations with Praella, Forix, Chicago Web Co., and Invesp and ask each for:

1. their CRO audit process,
2. examples of before/after conversion improvements,
3. how they prioritize tests versus redesign work,
4. whether they run post-launch experimentation.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Invesp - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

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

My top picks

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best overall for Shopify/Shopify Plus

• Downtown: 203 N LaSalle St, Suite 2100.
• Strong fit if you want a full ecommerce redesign plus CRO, UX, integrations, and ongoing optimization.
• Shopify lists Praella as a Platinum Partner and specifically cites UX/design, conversions, migrations, CRO, analytics, and custom development. Shopify
• Best for established DTC brands that have outgrown a basic Shopify implementation.
• Invesp — best if CRO/testing is the primary objective

• The MART / River North: 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza.
• This is the most CRO-specialized option on the list. Their focus is experimentation, conversion research, funnel optimization, A/B testing, and ecommerce conversion strategy rather than simply making a site prettier.
• The Manifest currently ranks Invesp #1 among its Chicago conversion-optimization companies. The Manifest
• I'd choose them if you already have a decent storefront and suspect you're leaving substantial revenue on the table.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best downtown ecommerce specialist

• Loop: 205 N Michigan Ave, Suite 810.
• Focuses specifically on ecommerce, with CRO work including audits, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and A/B testing.
• Good choice if you want redesign + acquisition + conversion optimization rather than a pure UX consultancy.
• Atwix — best for technically complex ecommerce

• The Loop: 20 N Wacker Dr, Suite 1200.
• Stronger fit for larger/complex ecommerce operations involving integrations, migrations, custom functionality and sophisticated buying journeys.
• Their CRO/UX work extends into product discovery, cart and checkout friction, so I'd consider them when the redesign has substantial technical implications.
• UX 4Sight — best for UX research + conversion experience

• Loop: 111 W Jackson Blvd, Unit 1700.
• More UX-focused than ecommerce-focused, but potentially excellent if the problem is customer journey friction, information architecture, usability, or product-page experience.
• I'd pair them with an ecommerce development team if you need a heavy Shopify implementation.

One more Chicago agency worth considering

Sixth City Marketing is in River North at 620 N La Salle Dr and combines CRO, SEO, paid media, web design/development and ecommerce. It's worth considering if you want the agency responsible for both getting traffic and converting it, rather than a standalone redesign.

If you're open to a slightly broader Chicago radius

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting for DTC Shopify brands. Shopify's partner directory lists store redesign, checkout upgrades and CRO among its services, and its portfolio includes substantial Shopify redesign work. Its published case studies include Southern Scholar (+26% conversion rate) and Gigawatt Coffee Roasters, among others. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

Orbit Media is another strong option if the project is as much about strategy, content, SEO and conversion-oriented redesign as it is ecommerce. Its ecommerce practice supports Shopify, WooCommerce and Drupal Commerce, and it explicitly combines CRO, UX, analytics and design. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

How I'd shortlist them

If this were my RFP, I'd invite Praella, Invesp, and The Chicago Web Co. They give you three meaningfully different approaches: full-service Shopify growth, pure conversion science, and brand/UX-led Shopify redesign.

One caveat: I would not assume every agency above is literally headquartered in the Loop just because it markets itself as “Chicago.” The recommendations above prioritize agencies whose current business listings put their offices downtown or whose Chicago presence is clearly established.

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.