ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, 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
• 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
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

If you’re after a modern boutique look plus measurable ecommerce conversion work, I’d put these Chicago-area studios on the shortlist:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Chicago-based ecommerce agency focused heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, redesigns, and optimization. A good candidate if you expect the store to grow beyond a relatively simple boutique site.
• Design In Chicago — Located in West Loop, so especially convenient from Fulton Market. They handle strategy, UX, design, development, integrations, testing, and launch, with an explicit conversion-focused approach.
• SITE IT NOW — Also very close to Fulton Market, on W. Jackson Blvd. They combine brand-first design with Shopify/ecommerce development and optimization.
• Orbit Media Studios — Established Chicago web studio with a strong emphasis on conversion optimization, analytics, SEO, and measurable business outcomes. I'd consider them if the project needs more strategy than just a visual redesign.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Chicago design/development and digital-marketing agency emphasizing custom UX, usability, and conversion paths.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Particularly interesting for a fashion/lifestyle boutique. Their portfolio includes Shopify work for Calvin Klein, HUGO BOSS, Stan's Donuts, and other consumer brands, with a strong UX/CRO orientation. They report conversion and sales improvements on several case studies, though those are agency-reported results. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

A few non-Chicago-local specialists worth considering

• Forix — Their Chicago Shopify practice specifically positions itself around conversion-focused redesign, UX, CRO, and performance. Forix
• Netalico — Shopify Plus-focused creative/ecommerce agency with a Chicago presence, potentially appropriate if you're envisioning a more premium, sophisticated storefront. Netalico

For your particular situation

Because you're in Fulton Market and you're describing a boutique, I'd interview The Chicago Web Co., Design In Chicago, Praella, and Orbit Media first. They're different enough that the conversations should quickly reveal whether you need primarily fashion/brand-driven creative, Shopify execution, or a deeper CRO/analytics engagement.

When you request proposals, don't just ask for "a redesign." Ask each studio to show you how they'd improve:

• Mobile product discovery and filtering
• Product-page photography, sizing, reviews, and merchandising
• Add-to-cart and checkout friction
• Email/SMS capture
• Store-location integration for your new Fulton Market location
• Analytics and conversion-event tracking
• Core Web Vitals/page speed
• Post-launch A/B testing and CRO
• Shopify theme flexibility for your team

That will make the proposals much easier to compare than simply looking at portfolios.

chicagoweb.co · forixcommerce.com · praella.com

If you tell me your approximate redesign budget (e.g. $10k, $25k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare their likely fit, portfolio style, and scope.

Since you’re in Fulton Market and selling a boutique/product-driven brand, I’d prioritize studios that can combine editorial visual design + Shopify UX + actual conversion optimization, rather than a general-purpose web agency.

Chicago studios worth interviewing

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong ecommerce/CRO fit. Their Chicago team focuses on Shopify/Shopify Plus builds, UX/UI, migrations and ongoing optimization. A good option if you want a sophisticated store that can scale beyond a simple boutique site.
• SITE IT NOW — West Loop / Fulton Market-adjacent option. They do Shopify/ecommerce alongside branding and web development, which could be useful if your physical-store move also calls for a refreshed brand presence.
• Design In Chicago — Design + brand-forward. They handle strategy, brand identity, UX, web design and development, with a stated focus on conversion-oriented websites. Their location at 159 N Sangamon is particularly convenient for Fulton Market.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Conversion/UX-oriented generalist. Their positioning emphasizes usability, messaging clarity, conversion paths and performance, so I'd consider them if the project is broader than Shopify.
• Orbit Media Studios — More strategy-heavy. They combine web design/development with SEO, content strategy and conversion optimization. This makes more sense if organic acquisition and content are important parts of the redesign, rather than just making the storefront look better.

One specialist I’d definitely put on your shortlist

The Chicago Web Co. isn't in the local-business results above, but its Shopify portfolio is unusually relevant to your use case. Its work includes fashion/lifestyle brands, Shopify redesigns, UX audits, CRO and mobile shopping optimization. Its portfolio includes TOPTOTE, Sophia Forero, HERA Goddess, Firestone Sisters and Stan's Donuts, among others. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Another Shopify-focused option is Forix, which explicitly markets Chicago Shopify redesign/CRO work and conversion-focused UX/performance optimization. Forix

forixcommerce.com

What I'd ask each studio

Don't just ask “Can you make it look modern?” Give them a conversion brief:

• Platform: Shopify, Shopify Plus, or your current platform
• Primary goal: online sales, in-store traffic, or both
• Key flows: collection → PDP → cart → checkout
• Mobile: require mobile-first designs, not desktop designs shrunk down
• Conversion: ask how they'll establish a baseline and measure improvement after launch
• Merchandising: filtering, search, product recommendations, bundles, back-in-stock, etc.
• Brand: ask for examples of fashion/lifestyle/elevated retail rather than SaaS sites
• Analytics: GA4, Shopify analytics, heatmaps/session recordings and post-launch testing
• Fulton Market: consider integrating the physical store—directions, local pickup, events, appointments, inventory visibility and neighborhood discovery

For your particular brief, I'd interview 3–4 studios rather than choosing solely from portfolios: one heavily Shopify/CRO-oriented, one brand/design-led, and one strategy-heavy agency. Ask all of them to audit your current storefront before quoting; their audit will tell you much more than a polished portfolio.

If you tell me your current site/platform, approximate budget (e.g. $10k / $25k / $50k+), and boutique category, I can narrow this to a 3-studio shortlist with relevant case studies and contact links.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, 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
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, 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
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and selling fashion/boutique products, I’d prioritize studios that can combine editorial visual design + Shopify/ecommerce UX + measurable CRO, rather than a general-purpose web design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Strong if you want a sophisticated, strategy-led redesign with conversion optimization, SEO, content, and analytics baked in. They’re more of a full-service digital agency than a boutique Shopify specialist.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — My pick if you want a serious Shopify/Shopify Plus ecommerce partner. They specialize in ecommerce builds, migrations, UX/UI, and optimization, with a Chicago office downtown.
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Particularly interesting for a fashion/lifestyle boutique. Their positioning centers on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands, with brand identity, UX/UI, ecommerce experience design, and digital creative.
• Design In Chicago — A West Loop option, which makes them especially convenient from Fulton Market. They handle strategy, wireframes, high-fidelity design, development, integrations, testing, and launch rather than just handing you pretty Figma screens.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Probably the most directly aligned with your brief. They're Shopify-focused, explicitly offer conversion optimization and UX audits, and have fashion experience including work for Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy, A3 Performance, and Sophia Forero. Their portfolio also emphasizes mobile-first design and conversion improvements. The Chicago Web Co Shopify
• Forix — Worth getting a proposal from if conversion performance is the priority. Their Chicago Shopify practice combines UX, CRO, performance optimization, and redesign, and they specifically position themselves around conversion-focused Shopify stores. Forix

Who I'd interview first

For a modern, fashion-forward Fulton Market boutique, I'd narrow it to:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — best combination of fashion/ecommerce aesthetics + Shopify + CRO.
2. Elevate Studios — strongest candidate if brand image and premium visual identity are especially important.
3. Praella — strongest if you're expecting substantial ecommerce complexity, Shopify Plus, integrations, or future scaling.
4. Design In Chicago — attractive if you want a local West Loop/Fulton Market-adjacent partner that can handle the whole digital project.

One useful distinction: don't let “conversion-focused” mean simply adding bigger Buy buttons. For a boutique, I'd ask each studio to show how they'd improve mobile product discovery, collection filtering, PDP photography/storytelling, sizing confidence, sticky add-to-cart, checkout friction, email capture, and post-purchase retention—and ask what metrics they'll establish as the baseline before redesigning.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 firms and compare them on likely fit, portfolio, pricing level, and what I'd ask each in the pitch.

• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, 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
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, 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

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique aesthetic without sacrificing conversion, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle ecommerce, Shopify, mobile UX, and CRO—not just general “pretty websites.”

My Chicago shortlist

• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — My top creative fit. They specifically focus on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands, with experience across Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Their positioning combines high-end design with measurable conversion/revenue goals. Forix
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best if you want a sophisticated, scalable Shopify build. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, ecommerce strategy, migrations, and optimization. Good choice if the boutique is becoming a serious online revenue channel.
• Design In Chicago — Strong West Loop/Fulton Market option. They're at 159 N Sangamon and handle strategy, wireframes, high-fidelity design, development, integrations, testing, and launch. I'd consider them if you want brand identity and website work under one roof.
• 1o8 — Best if acquisition matters as much as the site. They're a commerce-focused creative/performance agency, combining ecommerce UX/UI with SEO, paid media, content, and other growth services. That's attractive if you want the redesign tied directly to customer acquisition.
• Danie Lyn The Brand — Worth a look for a smaller boutique. They're Shopify-centered and specifically list clothing/fashion, health/beauty, and lifestyle among their focus areas. Their approach combines web, branding, and marketing rather than treating the site as an isolated project.
• WPrime Agency — Good performance-oriented alternative. They're in the Merchandise Mart and emphasize UX/UI, ecommerce, SEO, and measurable revenue/traffic outcomes.

One more I'd interview

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting for a fashion boutique. Shopify lists them as a Chicago partner offering redesign, conversion-rate optimization, and clothing/fashion expertise. Their portfolio includes Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy, Mielle Organics, and Maria Pinto, and their work includes UX audits and conversion-focused redesigns. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Who I'd contact first

For your specific brief, I'd get proposals from:

1. Elevate Studios — strongest fashion/luxury visual direction.
2. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest combination of fashion + Shopify + CRO evidence.
3. Design In Chicago — particularly convenient if you want a nearby West Loop partner.
4. Praella — strongest choice if you're planning substantial ecommerce growth.

For the RFP, don't just ask “Can you redesign my Shopify site?” Ask each studio to show you 3 ecommerce redesigns where they can demonstrate improved conversion, AOV, add-to-cart rate, or revenue, and have them explain what they changed to produce the improvement. That will quickly separate conversion specialists from studios that primarily sell aesthetics.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the best 3 studios and compare them on likely fit, portfolio, pricing level, and strengths.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, 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
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, 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
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Lizardo Agency - 6455 S Normandy Ave Apt 2S, Chicago, IL 60638, United States
• Virtina - eCommerce Web Design and Development Company - 1 E Erie St Ste 525-2149, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Cybernautic Web Design - 515 N State St #14-126, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle merchandising and can prove they improve conversion—not just make a prettier site.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a serious Shopify/ecommerce build. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, development, and lifecycle/CRO work. Good choice if you want a polished site with a strong growth/optimization component rather than a one-off design project.
• Design In Chicago — Best local creative/design option. They're in West Loop at 159 N Sangamon and position their work around strategy, conversion-focused web design, branding, and content. The proximity to Fulton Market could make collaboration particularly convenient.
• SITE IT NOW — Best nearby brand-first option. They're on W. Jackson and offer ecommerce, Shopify, branding, and optimization. I'd consider them if the redesign needs to refresh both your visual identity and storefront.
• YourPortal — Best for a smaller/mid-sized boutique. They offer Shopify migration, audits, custom design/development and ongoing optimization, which could be a good fit if you don't need a huge agency.
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Best if branding is part of the project. They combine brand strategy, identity, ecommerce/web design and SEO, including Shopify. Useful if the move to Fulton Market is also a repositioning of the brand.

One specialist I'd definitely interview

The Chicago Web Co. is especially interesting for a fashion/lifestyle boutique. Their Shopify portfolio includes fashion and consumer brands, and their work explicitly combines UX, creative direction, ecommerce strategy and CRO. Their LoveShackFancy project used UX auditing and analytics to identify shopping friction, while their Southern Scholar redesign reported a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% sales increase. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Another strong conversion-focused option is Forix, whose Chicago Shopify practice emphasizes UX, CRO, performance and measurable ecommerce results. Forix

forixcommerce.com

What I'd ask them to build

For a boutique, I'd make the brief less "redesign my website" and more:

• Mobile-first Shopify redesign
• Editorial/luxury visual direction appropriate for Fulton Market
• Strong collection → product → checkout journey
• Better product discovery and filtering
• Sticky/add-to-cart optimization on mobile
• Size/fit, shipping and returns information surfaced at the right moment
• Instagram/social-proof integration without distracting from purchase
• Email/SMS capture that's actually conversion-oriented
• GA4 + Shopify analytics + heatmaps/session recordings
• A/B testing roadmap after launch
• Core Web Vitals/performance optimization
• SEO-safe migration if you're changing URLs or platform

My first three calls would be The Chicago Web Co., Praella, and Design In Chicago—they give you three useful perspectives: ecommerce/CRO specialization, larger Shopify expertise, and a highly local creative/brand partner.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10k, $25k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3–5 studios and compare their likely fit, portfolio, pricing level, and strengths.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, 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
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, 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
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, 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
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique feel + measurable ecommerce conversion, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle merchandising rather than a general web-design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall for a serious Shopify redesign. They’re Chicago-based and specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, migrations, and ecommerce optimization. Good choice if you want the site to feel premium while still being engineered around the shopping journey.
• Clique Studios — Best for a sophisticated brand transformation. They combine strategy, UX, content, design, engineering and analytics, so they’re a strong fit if the redesign is also meant to reposition the boutique digitally.
• 1o8 — Best for design + performance marketing. Their Chicago team focuses on commerce, UX/UI and DTC/consumer brands, with performance marketing alongside the site work.
• Design In Chicago — Worth talking to if you want a boutique creative partner. They're in West Loop at 159 N Sangamon and handle strategy, wireframes, design, development, integrations and conversion-focused builds.
• The Chicago Web Co. — My strongest specialist pick for a smaller fashion/lifestyle ecommerce brand. They're explicitly Shopify-focused and offer custom design, UX audits, CRO and mobile-first builds. Their portfolio includes fashion/lifestyle and consumer brands, including LoveShackFancy, Southern Scholar, Sophia Forero and TOPTOTE. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Conversion-focused Shopify specialist: Conversion-Ex is another interesting option if you're willing to work with a remote team. Their approach is unusually explicit about using analytics/session recordings to design the home, collection, product, cart and checkout experience rather than starting from a generic theme. ConversionEX

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd send the same brief to The Chicago Web Co., Praella, and Clique Studios and compare their proposals.

For a boutique, I'd ask each one to show you:

1. Two or three fashion/lifestyle ecommerce sites they've actually redesigned
2. How they'll improve mobile conversion, not just desktop aesthetics
3. Their approach to collection/category navigation and product discovery
4. How they'll handle product photography, editorial storytelling and merchandising
5. What analytics/CRO work happens after launch
6. Whether they can preserve your existing SEO rankings during the redesign
7. A concrete plan for measuring conversion rate, AOV, add-to-cart rate and checkout completion

One especially important point: don't let the agency sell you a beautiful homepage as the "redesign." The highest-impact work for a boutique is usually the collection → product page → cart → checkout journey.

If you're on Shopify, I'd lean The Chicago Web Co. for a design-led, boutique-friendly engagement; Praella if you're planning something more sophisticated/scalable; and Clique if the website is part of a larger brand transformation. The Chicago Web Co

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, 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
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, 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
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, 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
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Congrats on the move to Fulton Market — that neighborhood is a strong fit for a premium boutique brand, and your ecommerce site should probably feel more like a digital flagship store than a catalog. For a conversion-focused redesign, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle merchandising, Shopify UX, mobile shopping flows, product storytelling, and CRO (conversion rate optimization).

Here are Chicago-area studios I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a boutique / fashion ecommerce redesign

Praella - eCommerce Agency

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

Best for: Shopify Plus, scaling brands, sophisticated ecommerce strategy
Praella is a Chicago ecommerce agency focused on Shopify and Shopify Plus builds, migrations, UX/UI, and revenue-focused ecommerce experiences. It’s a strong option if you’re thinking beyond a simple refresh and want a platform that can scale with inventory, campaigns, and customer retention.

chicagoweb.co

Best for: Boutique brands, Shopify redesigns, fashion-forward storefronts
They specialize in Shopify experiences and highlight conversion optimization, UX audits, and brand-led ecommerce design. Their portfolio includes fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and product brands, which is close to the needs of a boutique retailer. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

orbitmedia.com

Best for: Strategy + UX + measurable growth
Orbit is a long-established Chicago web studio with ecommerce capabilities focused on user experience, search visibility, and conversion-oriented design. Good if you want a partner who will challenge your information architecture and customer journey, not just make the site prettier. Orbit Media Studios

Design In Chicago

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-535-3088)

Best for: Boutique brands needing branding + website together
Their work spans brand strategy, web design, development, and content. A good fit if your move to Fulton Market is also a brand repositioning moment.

More conversion / performance-focused options

Invesp

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

Best for: Data-driven conversion optimization
If you already have traffic but feel the site leaks sales, Invesp is more CRO-focused than a typical design studio. They specialize in experimentation, funnel analysis, and improving ecommerce conversion paths.

Sixth City Marketing

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-872-7726)

Best for: Redesign + ongoing optimization
They combine web work with digital marketing and CRO, which can help if you want the redesign tied directly to acquisition and revenue metrics.

SITE IT NOW

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-442-0352)

Best for: Local West Loop/Fulton Market proximity
A Chicago-based agency offering ecommerce development, design, branding, and ongoing support.

What I’d ask these studios before hiring

For a boutique, I’d ask:

• “Can you show 3 Shopify fashion/lifestyle sites you redesigned?”
• “How do you improve conversion rate beyond visual design?”
• “Will you audit our product pages, navigation, filters, and checkout?”
• “Do you use heatmaps/session recordings or A/B testing after launch?”
• “How will you improve mobile shopping?”
• “Can you help with photography direction, copy, and merchandising?”

A strong boutique ecommerce redesign usually includes:

• Editorial homepage (brand story + seasonal drops)
• Better collection/category navigation
• Faster product discovery
• Premium product pages (fit, fabric, styling, reviews)
• Wishlist/back-in-stock/email capture
• Improved mobile checkout
• Analytics setup for ongoing CRO

Given your Fulton Market location, I’d probably start conversations with The Chicago Web Co., Praella, Orbit Media, and Design In Chicago and compare their proposed strategy rather than just their portfolios. The Chicago Web Co Orbit Media Studios

I can also help you build a shortlist specifically for luxury fashion boutiques on Shopify or a vendor comparison scorecard with estimated budget ranges.

Since you’re in Fulton Market, I’d look for a studio that understands premium retail positioning + ecommerce conversion, not just a pretty brochure site. For a boutique, the redesign should likely focus on: product discovery, mobile shopping, editorial storytelling, faster checkout paths, email/SMS capture, and analytics-driven CRO.

Here are Chicago-area studios I’d shortlist:

Strong fits for a boutique ecommerce redesign

Praella

Best for: Shopify / Shopify Plus, fashion & retail brands, growth-focused redesigns
Praella specializes in ecommerce builds, UX/UI, Shopify implementations, and ongoing optimization work. They’re a good fit if you want a polished storefront with room to scale beyond a simple theme refresh.

Forix

Best for: Shopify redesigns with CRO and performance goals
Forix focuses heavily on Shopify development, redesigns, integrations, and optimization. Their process emphasizes analytics review and improving key conversion points like homepages and product pages. Forix

Orbit Media Studios

Best for: strategy + UX + a sophisticated brand experience
Orbit is a long-established Chicago studio known for redesigns that combine user experience, SEO, analytics, and conversion improvements. They may be a good match if your boutique wants a more editorial, luxury-feeling digital presence. Orbit Media Studios

SITE IT NOW

Best for: local retail brands wanting ecommerce + branding support
They offer ecommerce development, Shopify work, branding, and ongoing site support, which can be useful if your online store needs to match a new physical retail identity.

BlueLine Web Studio

Best for: smaller boutique owners who want hands-on collaboration
BlueLine positions itself around custom design, ecommerce, speed, SEO, and ongoing support rather than a template approach. BlueLine Web Studio

Smaller studios worth considering

Legible Studio

Best for: lean, modern websites with strong UX principles
Legible focuses on custom websites, performance, and conversion-minded structure. It may be a fit if you want a refined design without a large-agency process. Legible Studio

Flamingo Agency

Best for: WooCommerce-based stores or WordPress ecosystems
Flamingo focuses on ecommerce sites, especially WooCommerce, with attention to product structure, usability, and sales flows. Flamingo Agency

My shortlist for a Fulton Market boutique

I’d probably start conversations with:

1. Praella — if you’re on Shopify and want a serious ecommerce partner.
2. Orbit Media — if brand storytelling and customer experience are as important as transactions.
3. Forix — if your main goal is increasing online revenue and improving conversion rates. Forix
4. BlueLine — if you want a smaller, more personal studio relationship. BlueLine Web Studio

When you interview them, I’d ask:

• “Can you show before/after ecommerce metrics from a redesign?”
• “How do you approach product page conversion?”
• “Will you run usability testing or heatmap analysis?”
• “Who owns the Shopify theme after launch?”
• “How will you preserve SEO during the redesign?”

If you share your boutique’s price point (contemporary, luxury, streetwear, designer, etc.), current platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), and approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3–5 best-fit studios.

Forix

Best for: Shopify redesigns with CRO and performance goals
Forix focuses heavily on Shopify development, redesigns, integrations, and optimization. Their process emphasizes analytics review and improving key conversion points like homepages and product pages. Forix

Orbit Media Studios

Best for: strategy + UX + a sophisticated brand experience
Orbit is a long-established Chicago studio known for redesigns that combine user experience, SEO, analytics, and conversion improvements. They may be a good match if your boutique wants a more editorial, luxury-feeling digital presence. Orbit Media Studios

SITE IT NOW

Best for: local retail brands wanting ecommerce + branding support
They offer ecommerce development, Shopify work, branding, and ongoing site support, which can be useful if your online store needs to match a new physical retail identity.

BlueLine Web Studio

Best for: smaller boutique owners who want hands-on collaboration
BlueLine positions itself around custom design, ecommerce, speed, SEO, and ongoing support rather than a template approach. BlueLine Web Studio

Smaller studios worth considering

Legible Studio

Best for: lean, modern websites with strong UX principles
Legible focuses on custom websites, performance, and conversion-minded structure. It may be a fit if you want a refined design without a large-agency process. legible.studio

Flamingo Agency

Best for: WooCommerce-based stores or WordPress ecosystems
Flamingo focuses on ecommerce sites, especially WooCommerce, with attention to product structure, usability, and sales flows. Flamingo Agency

My shortlist for a Fulton Market boutique

I’d probably start conversations with:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Soda Web Media - 730 Peachtree St NE #570, Atlanta, GA 30308, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Promise Pixel - 640 S Washington St #212, Naperville, IL 60540, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

Absolutely. For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/retail aesthetics and can prove they improve the shopping journey—not just make a pretty site.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for a serious Shopify redesign

• Chicago-based ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify/Shopify Plus.
• Strong fit if you want a polished, scalable storefront with UX/UI, development, and optimization under one roof.
• I’d shortlist them if you’re expecting meaningful online revenue rather than treating ecommerce as an online catalog.
• The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique/small-brand fit

• Particularly interesting for a fashion boutique: their portfolio includes Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Edikted, LoveShackFancy, and Stan’s Donuts. Their LoveShackFancy work specifically involved UX auditing, mobile issues, product discovery, AOV and conversion improvements. Shopify The Chicago Web Co
• They also explicitly offer conversion optimization and UX audits. The Chicago Web Co
• My pick if you want “fashion-forward but highly shoppable.”
• Design In Chicago — best if branding is part of the redesign

• Located in West Loop at 159 N Sangamon.
• Their process covers strategy, personas, wireframes, high-fidelity design, development, testing, and launch—not just visual design.
• Good choice if the boutique needs a stronger overall digital identity alongside ecommerce.
• Forix — best for data/CRO-heavy Shopify work

• Their Chicago Shopify practice specifically emphasizes UX, CRO, performance, and measurable ecommerce results. Forix
• Better fit if you're willing to be rigorous about analytics, testing, mobile conversion, and revenue optimization rather than primarily pursuing an editorial fashion look.
• SITE IT NOW — worth considering for a smaller local team

• West Loop/Near West Side presence, with Shopify ecommerce, branding, design, optimization and development.
• Potentially attractive if you want a more hands-on Chicago agency rather than a larger ecommerce operation.

Who I'd interview first

For your particular situation, I'd talk to The Chicago Web Co., Praella, and Design In Chicago first.

I'd give each the same brief:

“We’re a fashion boutique in Fulton Market looking for a modern ecommerce redesign. We want the site to feel editorial and premium, but the primary KPI is online revenue. Show us how you'd improve mobile conversion, product discovery, merchandising, cart/checkout, email capture and repeat purchase—not just the homepage.”

Ask them for 2–3 comparable fashion/retail case studies and the actual conversion metrics, if available. The strongest proposal should talk about things like mobile add-to-cart rate, product-page engagement, AOV, checkout abandonment and returning-customer revenue, not just “modern design.”

One especially useful signal: The Chicago Web Co. reports a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% sales increase for one Shopify redesign, while its portfolio documents specific UX/CRO work for fashion brands. The Chicago Web Co

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10k, $25k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 best studios and compare likely fit, pricing level, portfolio quality, and ecommerce/CRO capabilities.

• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, 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
• 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
• 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
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, 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
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique/ecommerce site rather than a generic corporate redesign, I’d prioritize studios with strong Shopify, fashion/retail UX, visual design, and CRO experience.

My Chicago shortlist

• Design In Chicago — Best local fit for a brand-forward boutique. They’re actually in the West Loop/Fulton Market area and combine branding, creative direction, web design, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and marketing. That makes them attractive if the redesign needs to elevate the brand as much as the store.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for sophisticated Shopify ecommerce. Their Chicago team focuses heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, ecommerce redesigns, and performance-oriented experiences. A good candidate if you want a polished, premium storefront rather than something that feels template-driven.
• Ethercycle — Best Shopify specialist. They're narrowly focused on Shopify ecommerce, particularly independent brands, with strategy, design, development, and ongoing optimization. I'd put them high on the list if conversion performance is the primary objective.
• chicagoweb.co — Best evidence of fashion/consumer ecommerce CRO. Their portfolio includes LoveShackFancy, Mielle Organics, Stan's Donuts, Southern Scholar, and other consumer brands. They specifically combine UX audits, creative direction, Shopify design, and conversion optimization. Their Southern Scholar case study, for example, reports a 26% conversion-rate increase after a redesign. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Orbit Media Studios — Best if you want a broader growth partner. They're stronger on strategy, content, SEO, analytics, UX, and ongoing optimization than a boutique-only design studio. I'd consider them if organic traffic and long-term acquisition matter as much as aesthetics.
• Marcel Digital — Best data/CRO-oriented option. They combine web development with analytics, SEO, paid media, UX, and conversion optimization. Less boutique/creative-feeling than some of the options above, but potentially strong if you want the redesign tied tightly to measurable revenue outcomes.

Who I'd interview first

For a modern fashion/lifestyle boutique in Fulton Market, I'd start with:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest combination of ecommerce design + fashion/consumer examples + CRO.
2. Design In Chicago — particularly compelling if you're also evolving your visual identity/brand.
3. Praella — strongest choice for a more sophisticated, premium Shopify build.
4. Ethercycle — excellent if you already have the brand identity and primarily need the store to convert better.

One particularly relevant signal: The Chicago Web Co.'s portfolio includes LoveShackFancy, where they describe using UX research, analytics, and a major restructuring of product discovery/cart flows to improve conversion and AOV. The Chicago Web Co

What I'd ask each studio

Don't just ask “Can you redesign my Shopify site?” Ask them to show you:

• A fashion/apparel or lifestyle ecommerce redesign they personally worked on.
• Before/after conversion rate, AOV, or add-to-cart results.
• How they approach mobile product pages and mobile checkout.
• Their process for merchandising/navigation — collections, filters, search, bundles, etc.
• How they'll use your Fulton Market physical location to connect online and in-store shopping.
• Whether they provide post-launch A/B testing/CRO, rather than disappearing after launch.
• Who actually does the design and development, and whether you'll work directly with them.

For your project, I'd specifically request a homepage + collection page + PDP concept from each finalist. The PDP is where I'd make the hiring decision—that's where beautiful boutique sites often fall apart on conversion.

If you tell me your boutique's aesthetic (e.g. luxury/minimal, contemporary streetwear, feminine, designer, etc.), approximate budget, and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare them on portfolio, likely fit, pricing level, and conversion expertise.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, 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
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, 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
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle aesthetics and can prove they improve the shopping journey—not just make a beautiful site.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a sophisticated, growth-oriented Shopify build. Chicago-headquartered and focused heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, redesigns, and ecommerce optimization. Good choice if you want a polished brand experience with serious technical depth.
• Orbit Media Studios — Best for strategy + conversion. They emphasize measurable outcomes, UX, SEO, content strategy, and conversion optimization rather than treating the redesign as purely visual.
• Design In Chicago — Best West Loop/Fulton Market fit. They're actually in West Loop at 159 N Sangamon and handle strategy, branding, UX, web design, development, and content under one roof.
• SITE IT NOW — Best nearby smaller-agency option. Located on W. Jackson, with a brand-first positioning plus Shopify/ecommerce development and optimization. Worth talking to if you want a more hands-on boutique-agency relationship.
• The Chicago Web Co. — My strongest specialist pick if you're on Shopify. Their portfolio includes fashion/lifestyle brands and projects involving UX audits, CRO, mobile shopping, product discovery, and Shopify redesigns. Their LoveShackFancy work, for example, combined UX research with conversion-path improvements; their Southern Scholar redesign reports a 26% conversion-rate increase. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Forix — Best if conversion optimization is the primary KPI. Their Chicago Shopify practice explicitly combines UX, CRO, performance, and redesign, and they publish substantial conversion/transaction improvements from client work. Forix

Who I'd contact first

For a fashion/lifestyle boutique specifically, I'd put these three at the top:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest apparent combination of fashion-forward design + Shopify + CRO.
2. Design In Chicago — particularly appealing because they're right in West Loop and can combine brand identity with the ecommerce redesign.
3. Praella — strongest choice if you're expecting the store to become a significant growth channel and may need more sophisticated Shopify Plus functionality.

I wouldn't choose purely based on the prettiest portfolio. In your pitch/RFP, ask each studio to show one ecommerce redesign where they can quantify before/after conversion rate, AOV, add-to-cart rate, mobile conversion, or revenue. Also ask what they'll do with your existing analytics before changing the UX.

If you tell me your boutique's price point, current platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), and approximate project budget, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and tell you which one I'd hire.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, 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
• 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
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, 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

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique ecommerce redesign with conversion as a priority, I’d shortlist studios that understand both premium visual design and the mechanics of getting shoppers from discovery → product page → checkout.

My top Chicago picks

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall for Shopify + growth. Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency with a strong ecommerce focus, including UX/UI, redesigns, and optimization. Good choice if you want a polished site that can keep evolving after launch.
• Ethercycle — Best Shopify specialist. Their focus is unusually narrow: Shopify design, development, and ongoing optimization. I'd put them high on the list if you're already on Shopify and don't need a broader branding agency.
• UX 4Sight — Best for conversion/UX strategy. Their work emphasizes user research, usability testing, UX audits, user flows, and interface design. This is particularly interesting if your existing site gets traffic but loses shoppers along the way.
• Orbit Media Studios — Best for strategy + content + performance. They're more of a full-service digital partner than a boutique ecommerce studio, with UX, SEO, content, analytics, and web development alongside design.
• SITE IT NOW — Worth considering for a smaller/local engagement. They're in the West Loop area and offer brand-first web design plus Shopify ecommerce development and optimization. That could be a convenient fit given your Fulton Market location.

One more I'd put on the RFP list

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly relevant if you're selling fashion/lifestyle products. Their portfolio includes work for Naked Cashmere, Calvin Klein, Mielle Organics, TOPTOTE, Sophia Forero, and other consumer brands. They specifically combine Shopify design with UX/UI and conversion optimization, and their portfolio includes measurable ecommerce results. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

How I'd narrow it for a boutique

For a fashion/lifestyle boutique, my first three calls would be:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest combination of fashion-oriented visual sensibility + Shopify + CRO.
2. Praella — if you expect significant ecommerce growth and want a more sophisticated Shopify partner.
3. Ethercycle — if you're already on Shopify and want a highly focused ecommerce specialist.

I'd ask each one to show you 3 recent ecommerce redesigns, and specifically ask for:

• Before/after conversion rate or revenue results
• Mobile UX examples
• Product-page and collection-page strategy
• Cart/checkout optimization
• How they use analytics/heatmaps/user testing
• Shopify theme/custom-development approach
• Post-launch A/B testing and CRO support

One important distinction: don't hire purely on how beautiful their portfolio looks. For your project, I'd favor a studio that can explain why they put a particular navigation, product-page hierarchy, merchandising module, CTA, or checkout flow in place.

If you tell me your boutique's aesthetic (e.g. luxury, contemporary, streetwear, women's fashion) and approximate redesign budget, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, strengths, weaknesses, and project scope.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, 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
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• AdverGroup Web Design & Digital Marketing - 2021 Midwest Rd Ste 200, Oak Brook, IL 60523, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle merchandising, mobile UX, and CRO—not just agencies that make attractive marketing sites.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall for a serious Shopify build. Chicago-based, with Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, ecommerce optimization, and lifecycle/CRO capabilities. A good choice if you want the redesign to become a real growth engine rather than just a prettier storefront.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Best boutique/fashion fit. Their portfolio includes fashion and lifestyle brands, including Maria Pinto, Sophia Forero, Calvin Klein and A3 Performance. They specifically emphasize UX audits, ecommerce strategy, and conversion optimization. Their Shopify directory profile also lists clothing and fashion as an industry focus. The Chicago Web Co Shopify
• Design In Chicago — Best if brand identity is part of the redesign. They're in the West Loop and combine branding, UI/UX, Shopify/WooCommerce development and digital marketing. That could be particularly useful if the Fulton Market move represents a broader repositioning of your boutique.
• Marcel Digital — Best for measurement/CRO. They're stronger on data, analytics, SEO and conversion optimization than a typical design studio, so I'd consider them if you already have meaningful ecommerce traffic and want the redesign tied closely to revenue metrics.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Good design + growth option. Their positioning is explicitly around websites as revenue drivers, combining redesign with SEO, paid acquisition and analytics.
• The Office of Experience, LLC — Best for a larger, premium experience-design engagement. More enterprise-oriented, but their strength is UX, ecommerce experience design, information architecture and broader customer-experience strategy.

One I'd put at the top of your pitch list

The Chicago Web Co. is probably the first studio I'd interview for your particular situation. Their portfolio has unusually relevant examples for a boutique: fashion, beauty, lifestyle and premium brands, and their work explicitly covers product discovery, mobile UX, merchandising and conversion. The Chicago Web Co

I'd also get a proposal from Praella so you have a larger Shopify-focused agency to compare against.

What I'd ask them to redesign

Don't brief this as simply "make my site modern." I'd ask each studio for a plan around:

• Mobile-first shopping flow — especially collection → product → checkout.
• Editorial fashion aesthetic without sacrificing add-to-cart visibility.
• Better product discovery — filters, search, collections and merchandising.
• High-converting PDPs — sizing, fit, availability, shipping/returns, social proof and cross-sells.
• Friction reduction — particularly cart, checkout and mobile navigation.
• Fulton Market/local identity — enough Chicago personality to differentiate the brand without making the site feel touristy.
• Analytics + CRO baseline before launch, followed by A/B testing after launch.
• Easy merchandising so your team can change collections, campaigns and homepage content without calling the agency.

One important question for the proposals: "Show me 2–3 ecommerce redesigns where you can demonstrate what changed in conversion rate, AOV, or revenue—not just screenshots of the finished design." That will separate the conversion specialists from studios that primarily sell aesthetics.

If you're on Shopify, I can also narrow this to 5 Chicago studios specifically experienced with fashion boutiques and give you their typical project size, strengths, portfolio examples, and questions to use when getting quotes.

Since you’re in Fulton Market, I’d look for a studio that understands premium retail + ecommerce conversion, not just a “pretty website.” For a boutique, the important pieces are usually: mobile-first shopping, strong product photography, fast collection browsing, merchandising strategy, email/SMS capture, and analytics-driven CRO.

Here are some Chicago-area studios worth shortlisting:

Best fits for a boutique ecommerce redesign

The Chicago Web Co.

Good fit if you want a fashion/lifestyle-oriented Shopify experience with strong UX. They highlight Shopify redesigns, ecommerce strategy, and conversion optimization work, including fashion and consumer brands. The Chicago Web Co

Best for: elevated DTC fashion, Shopify Plus ambitions, editorial brand feel.

Praella

A strong option if you’re thinking beyond a simple redesign into Shopify/Shopify Plus growth, migrations, and lifecycle optimization.

Best for: a boutique that wants a scalable ecommerce engine (subscriptions, personalization, integrations, retention).

Forix

Focused specifically on Shopify redesigns and conversion-oriented ecommerce builds. Forix

Best for: Shopify stores where you want UX improvements tied to sales metrics.

Orbit Media Studios

A long-established Chicago studio with a strong emphasis on research, UX, performance, and conversion-focused websites. Orbit Media Studios

Best for: a boutique that wants strategy, content, SEO, and a polished digital brand presence—not just a storefront.

Design In Chicago

Located in the West Loop area and offers branding, UX/UI, Shopify, WooCommerce, and ecommerce development.

Best for: if your physical boutique’s identity needs to translate online (brand refresh + ecommerce).

BlueLine Web Studio

A smaller Chicago studio focused on custom design, ecommerce, performance, and ongoing improvements. BlueLine Web Studio

Best for: a boutique owner who wants a more hands-on studio relationship.

What I’d ask in your first calls

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d specifically ask:

• “Can you show me 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion rate improved?”
• “How do you approach product page design for fashion?”
• “Will you improve merchandising/navigation, or just redesign visuals?”
• “Do you run A/B tests after launch?”
• “How will you preserve SEO rankings during the rebuild?”
• “Who owns the Shopify theme, photography assets, and analytics accounts?”

My shortlist for your situation

If you’re a premium fashion/lifestyle boutique, I’d start conversations with:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest fashion/ecommerce alignment
2. Praella — strongest growth/scaling capability
3. Forix — Shopify conversion specialization
4. Orbit Media — strongest strategy/content/CRO blend

If you tell me your current platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, etc.), approximate budget, and whether you sell mostly online or in-store, I can narrow this to 3–5 studios that match your project size.

Praella

A strong option if you’re thinking beyond a simple redesign into Shopify/Shopify Plus growth, migrations, and lifecycle optimization.

Best for: a boutique that wants a scalable ecommerce engine (subscriptions, personalization, integrations, retention).

Forix

Focused specifically on Shopify redesigns and conversion-oriented ecommerce builds. Forix

Best for: Shopify stores where you want UX improvements tied to sales metrics.

Orbit Media Studios

A long-established Chicago studio with a strong emphasis on research, UX, performance, and conversion-focused websites. Orbit Media Studios

Best for: a boutique that wants strategy, content, SEO, and a polished digital brand presence—not just a storefront.

Design In Chicago

Located in the West Loop area and offers branding, UX/UI, Shopify, WooCommerce, and ecommerce development.

Best for: if your physical boutique’s identity needs to translate online (brand refresh + ecommerce).

BlueLine Web Studio

A smaller Chicago studio focused on custom design, ecommerce, performance, and ongoing improvements. BlueLine Web Studio

Best for: a boutique owner who wants a more hands-on studio relationship.

What I’d ask in your first calls

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d specifically ask:

• “Can you show me 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion rate improved?”
• “How do you approach product page design for fashion?”
• “Will you improve merchandising/navigation, or just redesign visuals?”
• “Do you run A/B tests after launch?”
• “How will you preserve SEO rankings during the rebuild?”
• “Who owns the Shopify theme, photography assets, and analytics accounts?”

My shortlist for your situation

If you’re a premium fashion/lifestyle boutique, I’d start conversations with:

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d look for a studio that understands premium retail branding + ecommerce conversion, not just a team that can make a pretty homepage. The strongest candidates should be able to handle things like:

• Mobile-first shopping flows (most boutique traffic is mobile)
• Product detail pages that increase add-to-cart rate
• Editorial/lifestyle storytelling
• Shopify theme customization
• Email/SMS capture and retention flows
• Analytics, heatmaps, and post-launch CRO testing

Here are some Chicago-area studios I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a fashion/lifestyle boutique

The Chicago Web Co.

chicagoweb.co

Best for: Boutique brands that want a polished Shopify redesign with strong UX.

They specialize in Shopify builds, redesigns, UX/UI, and conversion optimization, with portfolio work across consumer brands. Their examples include fashion, beauty, food, and lifestyle ecommerce projects. Shopify The Chicago Web Co

Why I’d consider them for Fulton Market:

• Strong fit for visually driven brands
• Shopify-focused workflow
• Good balance of aesthetics and selling functionality The Chicago Web Co

Praella - eCommerce Agency

Best for: A more ambitious redesign with personalization, scalability, and deeper ecommerce strategy.

Praella is a Chicago-headquartered ecommerce agency focused on Shopify and Shopify Plus, including UX/UI, customer experience, and conversion optimization work.

Good choice if you’re thinking:

• Expanding beyond a boutique site into a larger DTC brand
• Building stronger customer journeys
• Adding personalization or advanced Shopify functionality

Praella - eCommerce Agency

forixcommerce.com

Best for: Shopify redesigns where conversion performance is the priority.

Forix positions its Chicago Shopify work around UX design, CRO, and performance optimization rather than just visual redesign. Forix

Strong conversion/strategy-focused options

Orbit Media Studios

Best for: A boutique that wants strategy, analytics, content, and long-term optimization.

Orbit Media focuses on research-driven web design, conversion improvements, analytics, and ongoing optimization.

1o8

Best for: Fashion/lifestyle brands that also need growth marketing.

They combine ecommerce strategy, creative, content, and performance marketing, which can be useful if your redesign needs to connect with campaigns, social, and paid acquisition.

If you want a West Loop/Fulton Market aesthetic partner

Design In Chicago

Best for: Brands that want a strong local creative feel plus ecommerce capabilities.

They offer branding, UX/UI, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and digital marketing from their West Loop location.

My shortlist for your specific situation

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I’d probably interview:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique/fashion ecommerce fit
2. Praella — best if you want to grow into a larger DTC brand
3. Forix Commerce — best if conversion metrics are the main goal
4. Design In Chicago — best if the brand identity itself needs a refresh

When you talk to studios, I’d ask:

• “Can you show me 3 Shopify redesigns where conversion rate improved after launch?”
• “How do you decide homepage/product-page layouts?”
• “Will you run analytics or user testing before redesigning?”
• “Who owns the Shopify theme and design files after launch?”
• “What CRO work do you do after launch?”

If you share your boutique’s price point (designer/luxury vs contemporary vs accessible), current platform (Shopify, Squarespace, WooCommerce, etc.), and approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies that are the best match.

Strong conversion/strategy-focused options

Orbit Media Studios

Best for: A boutique that wants strategy, analytics, content, and long-term optimization.

Orbit Media focuses on research-driven web design, conversion improvements, analytics, and ongoing optimization.

1o8

Best for: Fashion/lifestyle brands that also need growth marketing.

They combine ecommerce strategy, creative, content, and performance marketing, which can be useful if your redesign needs to connect with campaigns, social, and paid acquisition.

If you want a West Loop/Fulton Market aesthetic partner

Design In Chicago

Best for: Brands that want a strong local creative feel plus ecommerce capabilities.

They offer branding, UX/UI, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and digital marketing from their West Loop location.

My shortlist for your specific situation

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I’d probably interview:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique/fashion ecommerce fit
2. Praella — best if you want to grow into a larger DTC brand
3. Forix Commerce — best if conversion metrics are the main goal
4. Design In Chicago — best if the brand identity itself needs a refresh

When you talk to studios, I’d ask:

• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• 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
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Danie Lyn The Brand - 401 N Michigan Ave, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60611
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, 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
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Allevi8 Marketing - 6127 S University Ave Ste 110K, Chicago, IL 60653, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand both fashion/brand presentation and conversion optimization, rather than a general-purpose web design shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Best for premium fashion/beauty positioning. They’re a boutique Chicago team focused on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands, with strategy, design, ecommerce, and conversion work under one roof. This is probably the closest match if you want the site to feel editorial and elevated rather than like a generic Shopify store.
• Design In Chicago — Best nearby option for brand + ecommerce. They’re in West Loop at 159 N Sangamon and offer branding, UX/UI, Shopify, WooCommerce, and ecommerce design. A good fit if the physical boutique move is also part of a broader brand refresh.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a more sophisticated Shopify build. Their Chicago office is downtown, and they specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, customer experience, CRO, and ecommerce growth. Better suited if you expect the store to become a significant revenue channel rather than simply an online companion to the boutique.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — Best if CRO is the priority. Their offering includes research, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis, A/B testing, and conversion optimization alongside ecommerce design/development.
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — Best budget-conscious/performance option. They explicitly build conversion-focused Shopify/WooCommerce stores and emphasize speed, product/category architecture, mobile checkout, and SEO. Their published starting point is considerably lower than what you'd typically see from a boutique design studio. Chicago SEO Agency

One I'd put especially high on your list

The Chicago Web Co. is worth interviewing even though the business-search result didn't surface it as a local-business listing. Their portfolio is unusually relevant to your situation: they've done Shopify work for fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and independent brands, including Maria Pinto and Sophia Forero. They also showcase CRO work and report a 26% conversion-rate increase for one fashion/lifestyle client. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Another interesting specialist is Forix, which explicitly positions its Chicago Shopify practice around modern design + CRO + performance optimization and specifically references Fulton Market retailers. Forix

forixcommerce.com

What I'd ask for in your RFP

For a boutique, I wouldn't simply ask for a "beautiful Shopify redesign." Ask each studio to propose:

• Mobile-first shopping experience — most boutique/social traffic is likely to arrive on phones.
• Editorial fashion aesthetic — strong photography, whitespace, typography, motion, and merchandising without sacrificing speed.
• Collection discovery — "New Arrivals," designers, categories, occasion, etc., rather than forcing customers through a generic catalog.
• High-converting PDPs — sizing, fit, availability, shipping/returns, reviews, related products, and strong add-to-cart hierarchy.
• Local-to-online integration — prominently communicate that you're now in Fulton Market, with store hours, directions, pickup/returns, and potentially "shop online, visit us" journeys.
• CRO measurement — GA4, heatmaps/session recordings, funnel analysis and post-launch A/B testing, not just a prettier homepage.
• Speed/Core Web Vitals — especially important if you're using large fashion imagery and video.
• Email/SMS capture and retention — the redesign should turn boutique visitors and Instagram traffic into an owned audience.

If it were my project, I'd interview Elevate Studios, The Chicago Web Co., and Praella first. They give you three useful perspectives: premium brand experience, fashion-focused Shopify/CRO, and larger-scale ecommerce strategy. That should make the differences in their proposals pretty obvious.

Another interesting specialist is Forix, which explicitly positions its Chicago Shopify practice around modern design + CRO + performance optimization and specifically references Fulton Market retailers. Forix

forixcommerce.com

What I'd ask for in your RFP

For a boutique, I wouldn't simply ask for a "beautiful Shopify redesign." Ask each studio to propose:

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• The Office of Experience, LLC - 980 N Michigan Ave Ste 1090, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Nansen LLC - 300 W Hubbard St Ste 301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Eight Bit Studios - 1 E Erie St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Mabbly - 640 N La Salle Dr #540, Chicago, IL 60654, 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
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Marcel Digital - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1285, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that can balance fashion-forward visual design with UX, Shopify/ecommerce expertise, and measurable conversion work.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for Shopify + premium ecommerce

• Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist.
• Strong fit if you want a sophisticated storefront with UX, personalization, CRO, and integrations.
• I’d put them high on the list if your boutique has a meaningful online revenue channel.
• Orbit Media Studios — best for conversion strategy

• More established, strategy-heavy agency rather than a pure visual design studio.
• Their ecommerce work explicitly combines UX, CRO, SEO, conversion copywriting and Shopify; they report having generated $22M+ in revenue through ecommerce websites. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
• Good choice if you want the redesign backed by analytics rather than simply a prettier site.
• SITE IT NOW — worth considering for a West Loop/Fulton Market boutique

• Their office is actually on W. Jackson Blvd, close to your new location.
• They combine brand-first web design with Shopify ecommerce, SEO and ongoing optimization.
• Could be a good fit if you want a relatively local partner rather than a large agency.
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency — best if CRO is the priority

• Specifically focused on ecommerce, with UX, mobile-first design, funnel analysis, heatmaps/session recordings and A/B testing.
• Better suited if you already have meaningful traffic/data and want the redesign to produce measurable conversion gains.
• The Office of Experience, LLC — best for a larger brand transformation

• Stronger choice if this is becoming more than a website redesign—e.g. a complete digital/customer-experience overhaul.
• Probably more agency than you need if you're a small boutique, but worth a conversation for an ambitious premium brand.

One more I’d specifically look at

The Chicago Web Co. has unusually relevant ecommerce case studies. Its portfolio includes fashion, luxury and specialty retail brands, with examples involving Shopify redesigns, UX/UI, CRO and measurable conversion improvements—including a reported 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar. The Chicago Web Co

For your particular situation, I'd probably interview Praella, The Chicago Web Co., and Orbit first.

The brief I'd give them is something like:

“We want a fashion-forward, editorial ecommerce experience that feels appropriate for a modern Fulton Market boutique, but the redesign needs to be conversion-led—not just visually impressive. We want mobile-first UX, stronger merchandising/product discovery, faster checkout, analytics-driven CRO, and a Shopify experience our team can easily manage.”

Then ask each studio for 3 relevant fashion/retail examples, their proposed CRO methodology, expected project timeline, and what they would measure 90 days after launch. That will quickly separate the beautiful-portfolio agencies from the ones that actually know ecommerce.

Congrats on the Fulton Market move — for a boutique, I’d look for a studio that understands premium brand presentation + ecommerce UX, not just “pretty websites.” The right partner should be able to improve product discovery, mobile shopping, checkout flow, email capture, and repeat purchase behavior.

Here are some Chicago-area studios I’d shortlist:

Strong fits for a fashion/lifestyle boutique

The Chicago Web Co.

chicagoweb.co
Best fit if you want a Shopify redesign with a strong fashion/retail feel. They focus on Shopify builds, UX audits, conversion optimization, and brand-forward ecommerce experiences. Their portfolio includes retail and consumer brands, with examples of redesigns focused on improving shopping flows and conversion paths. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Good for: boutique apparel, accessories, beauty, lifestyle brands
Ask them about: merchandising strategy, collection-page UX, mobile conversion testing

Forix Commerce

forixcommerce.com
A Shopify-focused ecommerce agency that emphasizes UX, CRO, and performance optimization. Forix

Good for: boutiques ready to scale beyond a basic storefront
Ask them about: Shopify theme customization, analytics setup, A/B testing roadmap

Praella

A larger ecommerce-focused team with Chicago presence that works heavily in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, and customer experience optimization.

Good for: ambitious brands planning significant growth
Ask them about: whether your project needs Shopify Plus or standard Shopify

Great broader conversion/design studios

Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com
A respected Chicago web studio with ecommerce experience and a strong focus on conversion-oriented design, SEO, analytics, and improving website performance. Orbit Media Studios

Good for: boutiques that need strategy, content, SEO, and ecommerce working together

Design In Chicago

A West Loop agency offering branding, UX/UI, Shopify, WooCommerce, and ecommerce development.

Good for: a boutique that wants the website to feel like an extension of the physical store experience

BlueLine Web Studio

bluelinewebstudio.com
A smaller Chicago studio focused on custom design, ecommerce, speed, UX, and growth-oriented builds. BlueLine Web Studio

Good for: a more hands-on boutique-agency relationship

What I’d ask every studio before hiring

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d send them these questions:

1. Can you show 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion improved after launch?
2. Do you do UX research (heatmaps, analytics review, customer journey mapping), or only visual design?
3. How will you improve: - product discovery
4. collection pages
5. mobile checkout
6. email/SMS capture
7. abandoned cart recovery
8. Who owns the Shopify theme/code/assets after launch?
9. What happens after launch — testing, iteration, CRO retainers?

My shortlist for a modern fashion boutique would probably start with:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest retail/Shopify fit
2. Design In Chicago — strongest brand + local feel
3. Forix — strongest ecommerce optimization/scaling angle
4. Orbit Media — strongest strategy/content/conversion combination

If you tell me your current platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, etc.), budget range, and boutique style (luxury/minimal, streetwear, vintage, contemporary, etc.), I can narrow this to 3–5 best matches.

Forix Commerce

forixcommerce.com
A Shopify-focused ecommerce agency that emphasizes UX, CRO, and performance optimization. Forix

Good for: boutiques ready to scale beyond a basic storefront
Ask them about: Shopify theme customization, analytics setup, A/B testing roadmap

Praella

A larger ecommerce-focused team with Chicago presence that works heavily in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, and customer experience optimization.

Good for: ambitious brands planning significant growth
Ask them about: whether your project needs Shopify Plus or standard Shopify

Great broader conversion/design studios

Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com
A respected Chicago web studio with ecommerce experience and a strong focus on conversion-oriented design, SEO, analytics, and improving website performance. Orbit Media Studios

Good for: boutiques that need strategy, content, SEO, and ecommerce working together

Design In Chicago

A West Loop agency offering branding, UX/UI, Shopify, WooCommerce, and ecommerce development.

Good for: a boutique that wants the website to feel like an extension of the physical store experience

BlueLine Web Studio

bluelinewebstudio.com
A smaller Chicago studio focused on custom design, ecommerce, speed, UX, and growth-oriented builds. BlueLine Web Studio

Good for: a more hands-on boutique-agency relationship

What I’d ask every studio before hiring

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d send them these questions:

1. Can you show 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion improved after launch?
2. Do you do UX research (heatmaps, analytics review, customer journey mapping), or only visual design?
3. How will you improve: - product discovery
4. collection pages
5. mobile checkout
6. email/SMS capture
7. abandoned cart recovery
8. Who owns the Shopify theme/code/assets after launch?
9. What happens after launch — testing, iteration, CRO retainers?

My shortlist for a modern fashion boutique would probably start with:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest retail/Shopify fit
2. Design In Chicago — strongest brand + local feel
3. Forix — strongest ecommerce optimization/scaling angle
4. Orbit Media — strongest strategy/content/conversion combination

If you tell me your current platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, etc.), budget range, and boutique style (luxury/minimal, streetwear, vintage, contemporary, etc.), I can narrow this to 3–5 best matches.

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d look for a studio that understands premium retail UX, not just “a pretty website.” The strongest candidates should be able to handle merchandising, mobile shopping flows, Shopify customization, product photography/storytelling, analytics, and CRO (conversion rate optimization).

Here are Chicago-area studios I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a fashion/lifestyle boutique

Praella - eCommerce Agency

chicagoweb.co

• Strong match if you want a high-end Shopify storefront with editorial brand feel.
• Their portfolio emphasizes fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and premium product experiences, with UX strategy, Shopify redesigns, and conversion optimization. The Chicago Web Co
• Good questions to ask: - Can you redesign PDPs (product pages) around higher AOV?
• How would you improve mobile conversion?
• What Shopify apps would you remove or replace for speed?

Praella - eCommerce Agency

• Good fit if your boutique is scaling into a serious DTC brand.
• They focus on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, personalization, and ecommerce optimization.
• Better for a larger redesign budget or ambitious growth roadmap.

Praella - eCommerce Agency

forixcommerce.com

• Shopify-focused team with a conversion-oriented approach: UX design, performance optimization, and redesign work. Forix
• Worth considering if you want a polished Shopify rebuild rather than a simple theme refresh.

Strong Chicago UX/conversion studios

Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

• A strong choice if you want strategy, content, analytics, and conversion thinking alongside design.
• They emphasize ecommerce UX, search visibility, and measurable website performance. Orbit Media Studios

Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding

• Boutique-style studio that could fit a smaller retail brand wanting hands-on collaboration.
• They highlight ecommerce builds, UX, performance, and custom development. BlueLine Web Studio

Design In Chicago

• Nearby West Loop option with branding, UX, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and ecommerce capabilities.
• Worth considering if your redesign also needs a brand refresh (identity, photography direction, campaigns).

More conversion/performance-focused options

Praella - eCommerce Agency

• Consider if you already have traffic but need better funnel performance.
• Their focus is Shopify design/development and conversion-led improvements. ConversionEX

Flamingo Agency

• More approachable for small-to-mid-size retailers.
• They specialize in ecommerce websites, especially WooCommerce, with product organization and checkout-flow improvements. Flamingo Agency

What I’d ask every studio before hiring

For a boutique moving into Fulton Market, I’d request:

1. A UX audit of your current store

• Where are shoppers dropping off?
• Are collections, filters, and product pages optimized?
• Examples of fashion/luxury retail work

• Not just restaurants or service businesses.
• Their CRO process

• Do they use analytics, heatmaps, A/B testing, customer research?
• Shopify expertise

• Theme customization vs. buying a template
• App bloat cleanup
• Checkout optimization
• Inventory/POS integration
• Post-launch plan

• A great ecommerce redesign should evolve after launch.

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, my first calls would probably be:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — fashion/lifestyle ecommerce fit
2. Praella — if you’re aiming for major DTC growth
3. Forix — Shopify conversion specialist
4. Orbit Media — if strategy + SEO + content matter heavily

If you share your boutique’s style (luxury, contemporary, streetwear, vintage, designer resale, etc.) and your current platform (Shopify, Squarespace, WooCommerce, etc.), I can narrow this to the 3 best matches.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• 97 Switch - 1 E Wacker Dr #2550, Chicago, IL 60601, 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
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Promise Pixel - 640 S Washington St #212, Naperville, IL 60540, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique feel without sacrificing conversion, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle ecommerce, Shopify, UX, and CRO rather than a general branding agency.

My Chicago shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — Best if you want a strategy + conversion-first redesign. They’re strong on UX, analytics, conversion paths, and measurable business outcomes. I’d consider them if the current site gets traffic but isn’t turning enough visitors into buyers.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — My pick for a premium Shopify ecommerce build. They focus heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, personalization and CRO, and are downtown at 203 N LaSalle.
• Ethercycle — Worth talking to if you're already on Shopify. They're unusually specialized in Shopify ecommerce strategy, custom themes and optimization, rather than being a broad creative agency.
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Particularly interesting for a fashion/beauty/luxury aesthetic. They're a Chicago digital design/ecommerce agency with a history of working with premium DTC brands.
• Lift Conversions — More performance-oriented. I'd look at them if your priority is explicitly conversion rate, lead/sales performance and ongoing optimization, rather than a purely visual redesign.
• SITE IT NOW — A more local, boutique option in the West Loop/Near West Side area, offering Shopify ecommerce, custom development, branding and performance work.

One I’d put especially high on your list

The Chicago Web Co. looks particularly relevant to a boutique. Their portfolio includes fashion, lifestyle and DTC brands, with Shopify redesigns explicitly focused on UX and conversion. They show work for brands including LoveShackFancy, Sophia Forero, TOPTOTE and A3 Performance, and report measurable improvements on several projects. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

What I'd ask them for

Don't just ask for "a new website." I'd brief the studios around:

• Mobile-first shopping experience — especially since boutique/fashion traffic tends to be heavily mobile.
• Editorial, Fulton Market aesthetic — sophisticated, minimal, image-led, but with obvious shopping paths.
• Collection/navigation redesign — make it effortless to browse by category, occasion, size, color, etc.
• Higher-converting PDPs — photography, fit information, reviews, shipping/returns, sticky Add to Cart.
• Cart/AOV strategy — bundles, complementary products, free-shipping thresholds and cross-sells.
• CRO baseline + post-launch testing — insist they establish current conversion rate, AOV and funnel drop-offs before redesigning.
• Performance — don't let a beautiful fashion site become a slow site.

For a boutique, I'd shortlist The Chicago Web Co., Praella, Ethercycle, and Elevate Studios first, then compare their portfolios and proposals. The Chicago Web Co. is probably the closest match if you want fashion-forward creative + serious ecommerce conversion work.

If you tell me your current site/platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.), approximate annual online sales, and your target aesthetic, I can narrow this to 3 studios and give you a realistic budget range for each.

Since you’re in Fulton Market, I’d look for a studio that understands premium retail + ecommerce conversion, not just a firm that makes a pretty brochure site. For a boutique, the big wins usually come from better merchandising, mobile UX, product storytelling, checkout friction reduction, email capture, and analytics-driven iteration.

Here are Chicago studios I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a fashion/lifestyle boutique ecommerce redesign

The Chicago Web Co.

Good fit if you want a fashion-forward Shopify experience with strong UX. Their portfolio emphasizes Shopify redesigns, ecommerce strategy, CRO, and improving product discovery flows. The Chicago Web Co
Consider them for: elevated brand feel + conversion optimization + Shopify expertise.

Praella

A stronger choice if you’re thinking beyond a simple redesign—subscriptions, personalization, integrations, scaling inventory, or Shopify Plus.
Consider them for: ambitious growth plans and a more technical ecommerce build.

Forix

Focused heavily on Shopify redesigns, UX, CRO, and performance improvements. Forix
Consider them for: a data-driven Shopify refresh aimed at increasing revenue.

Orbit Media Studios

A well-established Chicago studio with a strategy-first approach. Their ecommerce work emphasizes usability, conversions, SEO, and measurable outcomes. Orbit Media Studios
Consider them for: a polished redesign where brand, content, and analytics all matter.

Smaller / boutique-feeling studios worth talking to

Design In Chicago

A nearby West Loop option offering branding, UX, Shopify, and ecommerce development.
Consider them for: a boutique brand refresh where visuals matter as much as functionality.

Flamingo Agency

Works with product businesses and ecommerce sites, particularly WooCommerce and small-to-mid-sized brands. Flamingo Agency
Consider them for: a smaller-team experience and hands-on communication.

Legible Studio

A smaller studio focused on clean, conversion-oriented websites for small businesses. Legible Studio
Consider them for: a modern, minimal boutique aesthetic.

What I’d ask each studio before hiring

• Can you show 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion rate or revenue improved?
• Do you run UX audits using analytics/session recordings before redesigning?
• Will you redesign the collection pages and product pages, not just the homepage?
• How do you handle: - mobile shopping experience
• product photography/storytelling
• size/fit guidance
• abandoned cart flows
• email/SMS capture
• merchandising strategy
• Will you continue CRO testing after launch?

For a Fulton Market boutique, I’d probably start conversations with The Chicago Web Co., Forix, Praella, and Orbit—they’re the closest match for a modern retail brand that needs the site to feel premium and sell. Forix Orbit Media Studios The Chicago Web Co

If you share your boutique’s category (fashion, jewelry, home, beauty, etc.), current platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), and approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3–5 strongest candidates.

Praella

A stronger choice if you’re thinking beyond a simple redesign—subscriptions, personalization, integrations, scaling inventory, or Shopify Plus.
Consider them for: ambitious growth plans and a more technical ecommerce build.

Forix

Focused heavily on Shopify redesigns, UX, CRO, and performance improvements. Forix
Consider them for: a data-driven Shopify refresh aimed at increasing revenue.

Orbit Media Studios

A well-established Chicago studio with a strategy-first approach. Their ecommerce work emphasizes usability, conversions, SEO, and measurable outcomes. Orbit Media Studios
Consider them for: a polished redesign where brand, content, and analytics all matter.

Smaller / boutique-feeling studios worth talking to

Design In Chicago

A nearby West Loop option offering branding, UX, Shopify, and ecommerce development.
Consider them for: a boutique brand refresh where visuals matter as much as functionality.

Flamingo Agency

Works with product businesses and ecommerce sites, particularly WooCommerce and small-to-mid-sized brands. Flamingo Agency
Consider them for: a smaller-team experience and hands-on communication.

Legible Studio

A smaller studio focused on clean, conversion-oriented websites for small businesses. legible.studio
Consider them for: a modern, minimal boutique aesthetic.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Sixth City Marketing - 620 N La Salle Dr Ste 415, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Ste 1300, Chicago, IL 60631
• 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
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Promise Pixel - 640 S Washington St #212, Naperville, IL 60540, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that can balance fashion-forward visual design with serious CRO/UX work, rather than a generic Chicago web agency.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall fit if you’re on Shopify. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, customer journeys, CRO, and ongoing optimization. This would be my first conversation for a polished boutique site that also needs to sell. Netalico

praella.com

• Ethercycle — Best for Shopify + ecommerce expertise. They’re a Chicago-area Shopify-focused studio with an emphasis on custom, fast-loading themes and practical ecommerce strategy rather than design for design's sake.

ethercycle.com

• Orbit Media Studios — Best if strategy, content, SEO and conversion research matter as much as aesthetics. They approach redesigns around measurable outcomes and ongoing optimization.

orbitmedia.com

• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — Best lower-cost, performance-oriented option. They specifically advertise conversion-focused ecommerce builds across Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento and BigCommerce, with an emphasis on speed, UX and sales. Chicago Website Design SEO Company
• Flamingo Agency — Worth considering if you're on WooCommerce/WordPress. Their ecommerce offering centers on modern product presentation, category architecture, UX and checkout, with a more boutique-agency feel. Flamingo Agency
• Sixth City Marketing — Best if you want the redesign tied closely to acquisition. They combine ecommerce/web design with SEO, paid media and CRO, so they can connect the new site to traffic and revenue rather than treating the website as a standalone project.

One I'd put at the top of your list

Praella is probably the first call I'd make for your situation. You're describing something where brand presentation + merchandising + mobile UX + conversion all need to work together. Their Shopify/UX/CRO orientation is unusually aligned with that combination.

I'd also talk to Ethercycle if you want a more ecommerce-specialist/Shopify-centric shop, and Orbit Media if you want a heavier strategy/research component.

What I'd ask each studio

Don't just ask, “Can you redesign my website?” Ask:

1. Can you show me 2–3 fashion/lifestyle ecommerce redesigns where conversion rate or revenue improved?
2. Will you analyze my current analytics, heatmaps/session recordings and mobile funnel before designing?
3. Who actually does the UX and visual design?
4. How do you approach collection pages, PDPs, cart and mobile navigation?
5. Will you establish a conversion baseline and measure results after launch?
6. Can you handle photography/content direction, or do I need a separate creative team?
7. What will I be able to edit myself after launch?

For a boutique, I'd specifically push them to design around editorial storytelling without sacrificing shopping speed—large imagery, strong brand personality and Fulton Market-level polish, but with very obvious product discovery, filtering, sizing, shipping/returns, reviews, and add-to-cart paths.

If you tell me what you sell, your current platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate annual online revenue, and your redesign budget, I can narrow this to the 3 studios I'd actually interview and compare them on likely fit, price tier, ecommerce expertise, and portfolio style.

• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm - 5416 N Wayne Ave, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, 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
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, 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
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Glantz Design - 1881 Oak Ave, Evanston, IL 60201, United States

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that can balance strong fashion/lifestyle aesthetics with UX, mobile shopping, and measurable CRO—not just firms that make pretty marketing sites.

My Chicago shortlist

• Ethercycle — Best Shopify-focused boutique fit. They specialize in ecommerce and Shopify, including custom themes designed around brand differentiation, speed, and usability. Good choice if you want a polished storefront without losing sight of the shopping experience.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a sophisticated Shopify/Shopify Plus build. Their work spans UX/UI, customer experience, CRO, personalization, and more complex ecommerce requirements. I'd shortlist them if you're expecting substantial growth or want a higher-end digital experience.
• Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Best aesthetic/brand-forward option. They're Chicago-based and specifically work at the intersection of strategy, design, technology, fashion, beauty, and DTC. This is one I'd investigate if the goal is a distinctive Fulton Market/luxury-retail feel rather than a generic Shopify template.
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — Best for brand + ecommerce redesign together. They combine branding, UX, visual design, and ecommerce development, so they're worth considering if your move also represents a broader visual repositioning.
• Orbit Media Studios — Best measurement/conversion-oriented studio. They're particularly focused on conversion-focused UX and measurable business outcomes, so I'd consider them if analytics, testing, and improving the funnel matter as much as the visual redesign.
• SITE IT NOW — Best West Loop-adjacent option. They're actually on W. Jackson Blvd and offer Shopify/ecommerce development alongside branding and performance work, making them convenient if you want a local partner.

One more I'd put on the pitch list

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly relevant for your brief. Their portfolio includes Shopify work for fashion/lifestyle and consumer brands, and they explicitly offer UX audits, conversion optimization, creative direction, and Shopify design/development. Their case studies include documented improvements in conversion rate, sales, and orders. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

Who I'd interview first

For a boutique in Fulton Market, my first three calls would be:

1. Elevate Studios — if visual identity and fashion/editorial polish are paramount.
2. The Chicago Web Co. — if you want the strongest combination of boutique-friendly design + ecommerce CRO.
3. Praella — if you're building something ambitious on Shopify Plus and expect significant scale.

I'd give each the same brief and ask them to show 3 relevant ecommerce projects, their approach to PDP/cart/checkout conversion, mobile UX work, and what they would measure 30/60/90 days after launch. That will quickly separate a genuinely conversion-focused studio from a conventional web-design shop.

If you tell me your product category, approximate budget ($10–25k / $25–50k / $50k+), and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the best 3 and compare them on style, ecommerce expertise, likely fit, and project scope.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign with conversion as a priority, I’d shortlist studios that understand both fashion/retail aesthetics and the mechanics of getting shoppers from discovery → product page → checkout.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — best for premium fashion/beauty
   • Boutique-feeling Chicago studio with a stated focus on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands.
   • Strong fit if you want the site to feel editorial and high-end without sacrificing ecommerce performance.
   • I’d put them near the top if your physical boutique has a strong visual identity you're trying to translate online.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for sophisticated Shopify builds
   • Chicago-based ecommerce agency focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI and CRO.
   • Better choice if the redesign also involves more complicated integrations, personalization, subscriptions, or scaling beyond a relatively simple boutique store.

3. Ethercycle — best Shopify specialist
   • Chicagoland Shopify-focused studio with a strong ecommerce orientation rather than being a general branding/web agency.
   • Worth interviewing if you're already on Shopify and want someone obsessed with the actual mechanics of ecommerce conversion.

4. Orbit Media Studios — best for strategy + measurable conversion
   • Chicago web/digital agency with a strong emphasis on conversion-oriented UX and measurable business outcomes.
   • I'd consider them if you want analytics, content, SEO and conversion strategy wrapped into the redesign rather than simply getting a prettier storefront.

5. Marcel Digital — best for data-driven CRO
   • Particularly interesting if you already have meaningful traffic and sales data and want the redesign driven by analytics, testing and conversion optimization.
   • Probably more agency than boutique-studio in feel, though.

One more I'd definitely interview

The Chicago Web Co. has an unusually relevant fashion/ecommerce portfolio. Its Shopify portfolio includes Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Maria Pinto, TOPTOTE, Sophia Forero and A3 Performance, alongside explicit CRO and UX work. It also reports a 26% conversion-rate increase and 57% sales increase for Southern Scholar. chicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co. portfolio

For a boutique specifically, that's probably the first portfolio I'd review.

If I were hiring for your situation

I'd interview three agencies:

There's also a potentially very interesting wildcard: Applaire has published a Chicago luxury-boutique case study for Maison Noir involving a headless Shopify redesign and reports a 415% increase in mobile conversion rate. I'd investigate them if you're aiming for a particularly premium, editorial Fulton Market aesthetic. www.applaire.com

Applaire's Maison Noir case study

One thing I'd insist on in the RFP: don't ask agencies simply to "make the site more modern." Ask them to show how they'll improve mobile conversion rate, add-to-cart rate, checkout completion, AOV, collection/product discovery, and repeat purchase—and require a measurement baseline before redesigning.

If you tell me your boutique's price point, Shopify/WooCommerce platform, approximate annual online revenue, and aesthetic (e.g. luxury/minimal, contemporary, streetwear, feminine), I can narrow this to 3 Chicago studios that are the strongest fit and compare their portfolios, services, and likely budget tier.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, 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
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Design Henge - 2259 W Rosemont Ave, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique ecommerce redesign where conversion matters as much as aesthetics, I’d prioritize studios with strong Shopify/ecommerce UX and demonstrated CRO work—not generic branding agencies.

My Chicago shortlist

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a polished, premium Shopify experience. Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus specialists with UX/UI, customer-experience, personalization and CRO capabilities. I’d consider them if your boutique has ambitious growth plans or a fairly sophisticated catalog.
• Design In Chicago — Best nearby West Loop option. They’re actually at 159 N Sangamon, and offer Shopify/WooCommerce ecommerce, UI/UX, landing pages, branding and digital marketing. That combination could work particularly well if the redesign also needs a stronger brand identity.
• Ethercycle — Best ecommerce specialist. They’re Chicago-area and heavily Shopify-focused, with an emphasis on ecommerce strategy, usability, performance and CRO rather than simply making a pretty storefront.
• Orbit Media Studios — Best for strategy + UX + measurable outcomes. Their Chicago studio focuses on conversion-oriented web strategy and redesigns. I'd put them higher if SEO/content and broader digital acquisition are important alongside ecommerce.
• The Chicago Web Co. — My strongest boutique/fashion-specific pick. Their Shopify portfolio includes fashion and lifestyle brands, and their work goes deep on UX audits, mobile shopping flows, merchandising and conversion. Their portfolio reports a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar and a 57% increase in total sales, among other results. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

• Forix — Best if you want serious CRO/testing capability. Their Chicago Shopify practice explicitly combines custom design, CRO, analytics, A/B testing and performance optimization. Forix

forixcommerce.com

Who I'd interview first

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I'd start with:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — strongest match for fashion/lifestyle ecommerce + visual sophistication + conversion.
2. Praella — if you're positioning the brand at a more premium/luxury level and expect significant growth.
3. Design In Chicago — particularly attractive because they're right in the West Loop and can combine brand/creative with ecommerce.
4. Ethercycle — if Shopify performance and ecommerce mechanics matter more than agency-style brand work.
5. Forix — if you want a highly data-driven CRO program rather than a one-and-done redesign.

One important distinction: don't let agencies sell you "conversion-focused" as a visual style. In your RFP/interviews, ask each studio to show a before/after ecommerce project and specifically explain how they improved mobile conversion, product-page add-to-cart rate, checkout completion, AOV and returning-customer rate. The Chicago Web Co., for example, publishes actual UX/CRO case-study metrics rather than just screenshots. The Chicago Web Co

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 studios I'd actually contact and compare their portfolios, pricing signals, strengths, and likely fit for a fashion boutique.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that can balance fashion/editorial aesthetics with actual CRO—not just make a beautiful homepage.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella — best for a sophisticated Shopify/Shopify Plus build

Chicago-based ecommerce agency with a strong Shopify focus, UX/UI, personalization, and conversion optimization. Good choice if you want a polished site that can grow beyond a boutique-sized operation.

2. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — best for fashion/beauty brand aesthetics

Particularly interesting for a boutique because its positioning centers on premium fashion, beauty and DTC brands, combining brand storytelling with ecommerce UX and technology.

3. Ethercycle — best for Shopify + conversion optimization

More ecommerce-performance-oriented than pure branding. Their work emphasizes Shopify, CRO, usability and measurable improvements, which makes them worth interviewing if conversion rate is a primary KPI.

4. Design In Chicago — best if you're nearby and want branding + ecommerce together

They're in West Loop and offer branding, UI/UX, Shopify/WooCommerce development, digital marketing and content production. That's appealing if the redesign also needs to sharpen the boutique's visual identity.

5. Orbit Media Studios — best for strategy-heavy redesigns

A more established Chicago web studio focused on measurable business outcomes, UX and conversion strategy. I'd consider them if you're looking beyond aesthetics into analytics, SEO and the entire customer journey.

6. Flamingo Agency — best for a smaller-business engagement

Chicago-based and more SMB-oriented, with ecommerce/WooCommerce capabilities and an emphasis on conversion-focused sites. Potentially a better fit if you're looking for a hands-on boutique agency rather than an enterprise shop.

One I'd especially interview

The Chicago Web Co. stands out for your particular brief. Their portfolio includes fashion/lifestyle work such as Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy, Maria Pinto and Sophia Forero, alongside explicit UX audits, CRO and Shopify redesign work. Their LoveShackFancy project, for example, focused on reducing shopping friction and improving product discovery, while their broader portfolio reports measurable conversion/AOV improvements. chicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co.

I'd put Chicago Web Co., Elevate Studios, and Ethercycle at the top of your first-round interviews: they give you three different flavors—fashion-forward design, premium brand experience, and hardcore ecommerce/CRO.

What I'd ask every studio

Don't just ask “Can you redesign my site?” Ask:

• Can you show me 3 ecommerce redesigns where conversion rate increased, not just traffic?
• How do you approach PDP, collection-page and mobile UX?
• Will you analyze our existing analytics/heatmaps before designing?
• Do you run A/B tests after launch, or does the relationship end at launch?
• What would you change about our checkout and product discovery?
• Can you design something distinctive without sacrificing Shopify performance/Core Web Vitals?
• Who actually does the work—senior designer, strategist, or junior team?
• What's included in the first 60–90 days after launch?

For a Fulton Market boutique, I'd specifically push them toward an editorial/fashion feel + extremely fast mobile shopping flow rather than a generic “luxury ecommerce” template. The goal should be looks like a fashion brand, behaves like a high-converting ecommerce machine.

If you tell me your price point, product category, Shopify vs. other platform, and rough redesign budget, I can narrow this to the 3 studios I'd actually interview and compare their likely fit.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Ethercycle - 4905 Old Orchard Shopping Ctr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Uncap - 8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave #1300, Chicago, IL 60631, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Atwix - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, 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
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• WPrime Agency - 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States

Absolutely. Since you’re a boutique in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that can balance fashion/lifestyle aesthetics with actual ecommerce CRO, rather than a general-purpose branding agency.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest overall - Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
2. Good fit if you want a polished, premium storefront but also care about UX, personalization and conversion.
3. Particularly attractive if you expect the boutique to scale beyond a relatively simple store.

1. The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique/small-brand fit - Their work is unusually aligned with what you're describing: Shopify redesigns, UX/UI, creative direction and CRO.
2. Their portfolio includes fashion/lifestyle brands such as Naked Cashmere and Sophia Forero, plus documented conversion improvements. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
3. Shopify lists them as a Chicago partner offering store redesigns and conversion-rate optimization. Shopify
4. My pick if your priority is “make it look expensive, but make it sell.”

1. Ethercycle — best Shopify specialist - Chicago-area ecommerce consultancy with a strong Shopify orientation.
2. More ecommerce-strategy/CRO focused than a conventional creative studio, which could be valuable if you already have a strong visual identity.
3. I'd consider them if improving your existing store's economics is as important as the redesign itself.

1. Orbit Media Studios — best strategy-heavy option - Established Chicago web agency with an emphasis on measurable business outcomes and conversion-focused UX.
2. I'd lean this direction if your redesign needs substantial content strategy, SEO, analytics and customer-journey work alongside the visual redesign.

1. Uncap — best if operations are complicated - Shopify-focused ecommerce/design shop with particular strength in integrations and more sophisticated commerce setups.
2. Probably more agency than you need for a straightforward boutique, but worth talking to if you have POS/ERP, wholesale, complex inventory or other integrations.

One more worth interviewing

Shop Techs specifically markets Shopify work for fashion/apparel brands and reports experience with custom product pages, navigation, bundles and conversion optimization. Their Chicago offering is especially relevant to a boutique. Shop Techs

Who I'd interview first

I'd narrow it to:

The Chicago Web Co. → Praella → Ethercycle

For your particular situation, I'd give The Chicago Web Co. the first call. Their portfolio demonstrates the combination you're looking for: contemporary fashion/lifestyle presentation, Shopify expertise, UX, and measurable ecommerce improvements—not just pretty websites. The Chicago Web Co

When you talk to them, don't just ask “Can you redesign our site?” Ask for a proposed approach to mobile product discovery, collection filtering, product-page merchandising, checkout friction, email capture, AOV and returning-customer rate. That will quickly separate a conversion-focused studio from an agency primarily selling visual design.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare them on style, ecommerce expertise, likely project scope, and fit for a Fulton Market fashion boutique.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign with conversion as a core KPI, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/DTC UX—not just general web design.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — best boutique/fashion fit
   • Chicago-based boutique agency focused on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands.
   • Their positioning explicitly combines brand expression with revenue, conversion, and customer acquisition.
   • Strong choice if you want the site to feel editorial and elevated without sacrificing shopping usability.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for serious Shopify growth
   • Chicago-headquartered ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify/Shopify Plus, with CRO and performance optimization.
   • I'd consider them if you're looking for a sophisticated redesign that can also support scaling, integrations, and ongoing optimization.

3. The Chicago Web Co. — best smaller Shopify specialist
   • Shopify Partner with 12+ years of experience, specifically offering store redesigns, CRO, checkout upgrades, and work in clothing/fashion. www.shopify.com
   • This could be a particularly good fit if you want a more hands-on studio rather than a large agency.

4. Uncap — best ecommerce/technical balance
   • Chicago ecommerce agency focused heavily on Shopify and Shopify Plus.
   • Reviews emphasize UX/ecommerce recommendations, migrations, and ongoing optimization after launch.
   • Worth interviewing if your boutique has more complicated inventory, POS, fulfillment, or integrations.

5. Shop Techs — best if conversion lift is the primary objective
   • Their Chicago offering is specifically geared toward fashion & apparel Shopify stores, including lookbooks, sizing, variants, product pages, speed, and conversion optimization. shoptechs.com
   • They publish case-study claims including a 62% conversion-rate increase for Chubbies and a 45% AOV increase for Krave Beauty, though I'd ask them to substantiate those results during the pitch. shoptechs.com

6. One Design Company — best if brand + website need to be redesigned together
   • River North studio with a strategy/research-heavy approach spanning branding, UX, web design and development.
   • Better choice if your new Fulton Market location is part of a broader brand repositioning, rather than simply rebuilding the existing store.

Who I'd interview first

For a Fulton Market boutique, I'd probably take three pitches:

Elevate Studios → The Chicago Web Co. → Praella

That gives you three different approaches: fashion/editorial boutique, hands-on Shopify specialist, and larger-scale ecommerce/CRO expertise.

One thing I'd insist on in the brief: don't let the agencies pitch you a pretty homepage. Ask each to show how they'd improve mobile PDP → add-to-cart → checkout, collection/filter UX, merchandising, search, email capture, and repeat purchase. Those are much better indicators of whether the redesign will actually make money.

If you tell me your platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), approximate budget, and boutique category, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare their likely fit, strengths, weaknesses, and pricing tier.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign with conversion as the priority, I’d shortlist studios that understand both fashion/retail aesthetics and the mechanics of getting shoppers from discovery → product page → checkout.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Design In Chicago — strongest local fit
   • Based in the West Loop, so geographically convenient for a Fulton Market business.
   • Does Shopify, WooCommerce, UI/UX, ecommerce strategy, branding, and landing pages.
   • Particularly interesting if you want the redesign to feel like an extension of your physical boutique rather than a generic ecommerce template.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest Shopify/ecommerce specialist
   • Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency with a heavier ecommerce and UX orientation.
   • Good candidate if you're already on Shopify and want sophisticated merchandising, personalization, UX, and CRO rather than just a visual facelift.

3. The Chicago Web Co. — best boutique Shopify option
   • Their work is explicitly centered on Shopify, conversion optimization, UX audits, mobile-first design and fashion/consumer brands.
   • They cite work involving Calvin Klein and other consumer brands, and publish concrete conversion results from their projects. chicagoweb.co
   • The Chicago Web Co.

4. Forix — best if you want serious CRO/data work
   • Particularly compelling if you want the redesign backed by analytics, A/B testing, funnel analysis and ongoing optimization.
   • Their Chicago Shopify offering specifically covers redesign, CRO, performance and Shopify development. forixcommerce.com
   • Forix Chicago Shopify services

5. Shop Techs — worth considering for a fashion boutique
   • They specifically market Shopify work for fashion & apparel, including lookbooks, size guides, collection launches and product-page optimization.
   • They report 200+ stores built and showcase fashion/beauty ecommerce work. shoptechs.com
   • Shop Techs

6. Orbit Media — best broader digital-growth partner
   • A more established Chicago agency. Their ecommerce practice emphasizes navigation, conversion, SEO and revenue rather than purely visual design. www.orbitmedia.com
   • Orbit Media ecommerce design

Who I'd contact first

For a stylish Fulton Market boutique, I'd start with:

Design In Chicago → The Chicago Web Co. → Praella

I'd use Forix instead if your existing store already gets substantial traffic and you want the redesign treated as a measurable CRO project rather than primarily a brand/design project.

One thing I'd insist on in the proposals: don't let them sell you "a beautiful new website" as the deliverable. Ask for a redesign strategy covering product-page UX, mobile conversion, merchandising/navigation, cart abandonment, site speed, email capture, analytics, and a plan for post-launch A/B testing.

If you tell me your current website/platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.), approximate budget, and the aesthetic you're after (e.g. luxury minimalist, contemporary fashion, editorial), I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare them on fit, likely budget, portfolio quality, and conversion expertise.

Absolutely. Since you’re a boutique in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/lifestyle ecommerce, premium visual design, Shopify, and CRO rather than a general-purpose Chicago web agency.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for a sophisticated Shopify redesign
   • Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
   • Strong fit if you want the site to feel premium while improving UX, personalization, and conversion.
   • I’d shortlist them if your boutique is positioned toward higher-end fashion/lifestyle. netalico.com

2. The Chicago Web Co — best boutique/brand fit
   • Particularly interesting for you because their portfolio includes fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and independent brands.
   • They explicitly combine UX/UI, ecommerce strategy, CRO, and creative direction.
   • Their portfolio includes LoveShackFancy, Maria Pinto, Sophia Forero and other visually driven brands; they report a 26% conversion-rate increase for one Shopify redesign. chicagoweb.co

3. Ethercycle — best for conversion-focused Shopify
   • Shopify-first ecommerce consultancy in the Chicago area.
   • I'd consider them if your existing store already gets traffic but you want to systematically improve product discovery, UX, speed and conversion, rather than simply make it prettier.

4. Design In Chicago — best if you also need brand/creative work
   • They're actually in West Loop, so geographically convenient from Fulton Market.
   • Combines branding, web design, Shopify/WooCommerce development and digital marketing.
   • A good option if the redesign needs to refresh the boutique's overall visual identity as well as the ecommerce experience.

5. Forix — best for data-driven CRO
   • Their Chicago Shopify practice specifically emphasizes traffic/funnel analysis, UX, conversion optimization and performance.
   • They even describe a process of reviewing analytics and redesigning a key page before proceeding with the broader engagement. forixcommerce.com
   • Probably a better fit if you're already doing meaningful online revenue and want measurable conversion gains.

One I'd put at the top

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I'd start conversations with The Chicago Web Co, Praella, and Ethercycle.

The Chicago Web Co is probably the most interesting first call if you want that editorial, fashion-forward look without sacrificing ecommerce performance. Their portfolio demonstrates experience with fashion/lifestyle brands and actual CRO work, rather than just polished marketing sites. chicagoweb.co

When you talk to them, I'd ask each studio to show you before/after examples with actual conversion or AOV results, not just screenshots. Specifically ask about mobile conversion, collection-page merchandising, PDP UX, search/filtering, cart abandonment, page speed, and post-launch A/B testing.

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $10k, $25k, $50k+) and whether you're on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 best agencies for your boutique and give you a realistic project-cost range.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that can balance editorial/fashion-forward design with actual CRO—not just make a beautiful homepage.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best overall for a premium Shopify redesign. They’re Chicago-based, Shopify/Shopify Plus focused, and combine UX/UI, ecommerce strategy, personalization, and CRO. Good fit if you want the site to feel sophisticated while still being engineered around the purchase journey.

2. Design In Chicago — Best if brand identity matters as much as ecommerce. They're in West Loop and combine branding, UI/UX, Shopify/WooCommerce development, and ongoing optimization. That could be particularly useful if the move to Fulton Market is part of a broader repositioning of your boutique.

3. Ethercycle — Best for a Shopify-native, conversion-first approach. They're a Chicago-area Shopify specialist with an emphasis on redesigns, usability, performance, and CRO rather than design for its own sake.

4. The Chicago Web Co. — Best fashion/retail portfolio match. Their portfolio includes fashion and lifestyle brands, and they specifically highlight UX audits, CRO, Shopify redesigns, and mobile shopping. Their work on brands including LoveShackFancy, Naked Cashmere, Maria Pinto, and Sophia Forero makes them particularly worth interviewing for a boutique. chicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co.

5. Forix Commerce — Best if you want rigorous analytics/CRO behind the redesign. Their Chicago Shopify practice explicitly combines UX, conversion analysis, performance optimization, and redesign, including reviewing traffic/funnel behavior before proposing design changes. forixcommerce.com

Forix Commerce

6. Green Retail Consulting — Worth a serious look for a retail-specific engagement. They focus specifically on Shopify ecommerce for retail/DTC brands and report experience across apparel, beauty, jewelry, and other consumer categories. Their positioning is unusually aligned with your requirement: brand presentation plus conversion, SEO, and how customers actually shop. www.greenretailconsulting.com

Green Retail Consulting

Who I'd interview first

For your particular situation, I'd narrow it to:

The Chicago Web Co. → strongest apparent fashion/lifestyle aesthetic fit
Praella → strongest all-around Shopify/ecommerce partner
Design In Chicago → strongest combination of local brand work + ecommerce + creative
Forix → strongest explicitly data/CRO-oriented option

One useful distinction: don't let "conversion-focused" become synonymous with a generic DTC template. For a boutique, I'd want the studio to show how it would preserve the editorial feel of a physical Fulton Market shop while improving product discovery, mobile merchandising, size/fit confidence, checkout friction, AOV, and repeat purchase.

When you interview them, ask each studio for three things: a relevant fashion/retail case study, their proposed CRO measurement plan, and a rough sitemap/homepage-to-checkout journey for your store. That will reveal very quickly who is actually thinking about ecommerce performance versus simply selling you a redesign.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/retail merchandising, Shopify, mobile UX, and CRO—not just firms that make attractive marketing sites.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Design In Chicago — Best local fit for a Fulton Market boutique
   • Actually based in the West Loop at 159 N Sangamon, so they’re especially convenient to your new location.
   • They offer Shopify and WooCommerce development, UI/UX, branding, landing pages, and digital marketing.
   • A client review cited a tripling of conversion rates.
   • Best for: a highly visual, fashion-forward redesign where brand identity and ecommerce need to work together.

2. Ethercycle — Best for Shopify + CRO
   • Chicago-area Shopify specialist focused on independent brands.
   • Their work includes custom Shopify themes, redesigns, ongoing optimization, and conversion-rate optimization.
   • Best for: making the new site materially better at selling, rather than simply prettier.

3. Praella — Best for a more sophisticated Shopify build
   • Chicago-headquartered ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, personalization and CRO.
   • Better choice if you anticipate sophisticated integrations, subscriptions, personalization, or significant growth.
   • Best for: a boutique that's becoming a serious DTC brand.

4. Uncap — Best for ecommerce infrastructure
   • Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency combining design, development and integrations.
   • Particularly strong if your boutique also has wholesale, complex inventory, POS, ERP or other operational requirements.
   • Best for: retail + ecommerce systems rather than a purely creative redesign.

5. The Chicago Web Co. — Best boutique/small-brand specialist
   • Shopify-focused Chicago studio with 1,200+ store launches, including fashion, beauty and consumer brands.
   • Their Shopify Partner profile specifically lists store redesign, checkout upgrades and CRO. www.shopify.comchicagoweb.co
   • Their portfolio includes fashion/beauty work and a Shopify redesign for Chicago institution Stan's Donuts. www.shopify.comchicagoweb.co
   • Best for: a founder-led boutique that wants hands-on attention rather than a giant agency.

6. Forix — Best if conversion performance is the #1 priority
   • Their Chicago Shopify offering explicitly centers on analytics, funnel review, UX redesign and conversion optimization, including a free page-redesign concept before committing. forixcommerce.com
   • Best for: a redesign where you want the agency to justify design decisions with conversion data.

One unusual option worth looking at

Applaire has a Chicago boutique case study for Maison Noir involving a headless Shopify/Next.js redesign. They report a 415% increase in mobile conversion rate in that case. I'd treat the reported result as a case-study claim to validate with them, but the project is highly relevant to what you're doing: a physical Chicago boutique needing a premium digital experience rather than a generic Shopify theme. www.applaire.com

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd interview The Chicago Web Co., Design In Chicago, Ethercycle, and Forix first.

For a Fulton Market boutique, I'd specifically ask each one to show:

• 2–3 fashion/apparel ecommerce redesigns they've actually launched
• Before/after conversion rate, AOV, or revenue where available
• Their approach to mobile product pages
• How they handle size/fit, returns, reviews, inventory availability and local pickup
• Whether they can connect your in-store POS/inventory with Shopify
• Their plan for merchandising and collection navigation
• How they would use GA4, heatmaps, session recordings and A/B testing after launch
• What they recommend not changing, based on your existing analytics

The key is to avoid hiring a studio that gives you a gorgeous Fulton Market-looking website but leaves the underlying product discovery → PDP → cart → checkout funnel untouched.

If you tell me your approximate redesign budget ($10k, $25k, $50k+, etc.) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit Chicago studios and compare their likely strengths/pricing level.

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and this is a boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that can balance fashion-forward visual design with measurable CRO, rather than a general-purpose branding agency.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — best fit for a fashion/lifestyle boutique
   • Boutique digital design firm with a focus on premium beauty, fashion and DTC brands.
   • Their positioning explicitly combines brand expression with revenue, conversion and customer acquisition.
   • Strong choice if you want the site to feel editorial and elevated without sacrificing shopping usability.

2. Praella — best for Shopify + serious ecommerce optimization
   • Chicago-based ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI and CRO.
   • Better choice if you want a sophisticated redesign and ongoing optimization after launch.
   • Particularly compelling if your boutique has enough traffic/data to support experimentation.

3. Design In Chicago — best nearby West Loop option
   • Located at 159 N Sangamon St, so it’s particularly convenient from Fulton Market.
   • Offers branding, UI/UX, Shopify, WooCommerce and ecommerce work.
   • A good option if the redesign needs to connect your physical boutique identity with the online experience.

4. Ethercycle — best Shopify specialist for an independent brand
   • Chicago-area Shopify-focused studio with an emphasis on ecommerce strategy, CRO and ongoing optimization.
   • I’d shortlist them if you're already on Shopify and don't need a huge agency infrastructure.

5. The Chicago Web Co. — best documented Shopify/CRO track record
   • Their portfolio includes fashion and lifestyle work, including Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy and Sophia Forero. Their LoveShackFancy work specifically involved UX research, mobile friction and conversion pathways. chicagoweb.co
   • They also report 1,200+ Shopify launches and explicitly offer conversion optimization and UX audits. chicagoweb.co
   • View The Chicago Web Co.

6. Forix — best if conversion performance is the #1 priority
   • Their Chicago Shopify offering is unusually explicit about analytics, funnel analysis, A/B testing, product-page optimization and checkout performance. forixcommerce.com
   • Less boutique/creative-feeling than my first choices, but worth getting a proposal if you're serious about revenue optimization.

Who I'd interview first

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I'd start with:

Elevate Studios → The Chicago Web Co. → Design In Chicago → Praella

That gives you four different flavors: premium fashion/DTC design, Shopify/CRO specialization, local brand + digital integration, and larger-scale ecommerce optimization.

One important thing I'd ask each studio: “Show me a redesign where you can demonstrate what changed in conversion rate, AOV, add-to-cart rate or mobile revenue—not just screenshots of the new site.” A beautiful ecommerce site isn't necessarily a high-converting one.

If you tell me your boutique's aesthetic (luxury/minimal, contemporary, streetwear, feminine, etc.), Shopify vs. another platform, and approximate redesign budget, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare their portfolios, strengths, and likely fit.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign, I’d prioritize studios that can do more than make the site beautiful—especially Shopify expertise, mobile UX, merchandising, speed, and CRO.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Uncap — Best if you want a sophisticated Shopify build that can scale. They’re a Chicago-based Shopify Platinum Partner focused on redesigns, UX, optimization, and unified commerce. www.shopify.com

Uncap

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — Strong choice for a more polished, premium ecommerce experience. They focus heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, personalization and CRO.

Praella

3. The Chicago Web Co. — Probably the most directly aligned with a fashion/lifestyle boutique. Shopify-focused, mobile-first, design-led, with explicit CRO/UX audits and substantial ecommerce experience. Shopify lists them at 4.9/5 from 50 reviews, with clothing/fashion among their industries. www.shopify.comchicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co.

4. Orbit Media Studios — A particularly good option if you want the redesign tied closely to SEO, UX and measurable business performance, rather than just a visual refresh. Their Shopify practice emphasizes custom design, page speed, mobile purchasing and ecommerce results. www.orbitmedia.comchicagoweb.co

Orbit Media Studios

5. Clique Studios — Worth considering if you're after a more substantial brand + digital experience overhaul. They combine UX research, content strategy, design and ecommerce development.

Clique Studios

6. ArtVersion® Creative Agency — More design/branding oriented. I'd consider them if your move to Fulton Market is also an opportunity to elevate the boutique's visual identity and storytelling, not merely improve checkout.

If it were my boutique

I'd interview The Chicago Web Co., Praella, and Uncap first. For a fashion/lifestyle retailer, I'd want the agency to demonstrate:

• Mobile-first product-page design
• Better collection/category merchandising
• Fast search and filtering
• Sticky/add-to-cart UX
• Reviews, social proof and trust signals
• Cart/checkout optimization
• Email/SMS capture without annoying shoppers
• GA4 + Shopify analytics and funnel measurement
• A/B testing after launch
• Strong photography/art direction without sacrificing page speed

And I'd specifically ask each studio to show before/after ecommerce metrics, not just pretty screenshots. The Chicago Web Co., for example, publishes conversion and sales results from redesigns, while Orbit explicitly positions its Shopify work around measurable performance. www.orbitmedia.comchicagoweb.co

If you tell me your approximate redesign budget (e.g. $10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit studios and what I'd expect each to charge.

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and this is a boutique/fashion ecommerce project, I’d prioritize studios that can balance editorial, modern visual design with actual CRO—not just make a pretty homepage.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella — best overall for a serious ecommerce redesign
   • Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency with strong UX/UI, personalization, CRO, and ecommerce strategy capabilities.
   • Better fit if you want a sophisticated site that can scale beyond a boutique storefront.
   • Particularly attractive if you have subscriptions, complex integrations, or plans to grow substantially.

2. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — best for fashion-forward brand design
   • Chicago studio focused on premium fashion, beauty and DTC brands.
   • I'd put them high on the list if your priority is a distinctive, editorial aesthetic rather than a generic Shopify look.

3. The Chicago Web Co. — best combination of fashion + CRO
   • Their portfolio is unusually relevant to your brief: they've worked with Naked Cashmere, LoveShackFancy, Maria Pinto, Sophia Forero and other fashion/lifestyle brands. chicagoweb.coicenineonline.com
   • They explicitly combine UX/UI, creative direction and conversion optimization, and their LoveShackFancy work included an extensive UX audit aimed at improving shopping flow and conversion. chicagoweb.coicenineonline.com
   • Their published case studies also report a 26% conversion-rate increase for Southern Scholar. chicagoweb.coicenineonline.com

4. Ice Nine Online — good if performance/marketing matters heavily
   • Chicago-based and experienced with Shopify builds, redesigns and ongoing optimization. icenineonline.com
   • I'd consider them if you want the redesign tied closely to acquisition, analytics and ongoing growth rather than treating the site as a one-off design project.

5. Forix — strong CRO/data option
   • Their Chicago Shopify offering starts with traffic, funnel and behavioral analysis, then uses that information to redesign high-opportunity pages. forixcommerce.com
   • Their positioning is explicitly around modern design + CRO + performance, which makes them compelling if conversion rate is the primary KPI.

6. Web Tonic — strong Shopify/CRO specialist
   • Their Chicago practice is explicitly focused on high-converting Shopify stores, mobile speed, merchandising, product pages, checkout and AOV/LTV. They also specifically discuss fashion & apparel builds. www.webtonic.io
   • Worth talking to if you want a more performance-engineering-oriented partner.

Who I'd contact first

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I'd make the first three calls:

The Chicago Web Co. → Elevate Studios → Praella

That's the mix I'd want to compare:
fashion/editorial sophistication + boutique sensibility + serious ecommerce/CRO capability.

For your pitch, don't simply ask for "a website redesign." Tell them you're looking for a conversion-focused ecommerce redesign and ask each studio to show:

• 2–3 fashion/lifestyle ecommerce examples
• Before/after conversion or revenue metrics
• Their approach to mobile PDP/PLP UX
• How they handle merchandising and product discovery
• Checkout/cart optimization
• Shopify theme vs. fully custom development
• Their testing/analytics process after launch
• Total project range and expected timeline

One particularly useful benchmark: The Chicago Web Co. publishes concrete outcomes alongside its fashion/ecommerce work, which makes it easier to evaluate them against other proposals. chicagoweb.coicenineonline.com

If you tell me your approximate budget (e.g. $15–30k, $30–75k, $75k+) and whether you're already on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 studios I'd actually interview and compare their likely fit.

Absolutely. Since you’re in Fulton Market and want a modern boutique ecommerce redesign with conversion as a priority, I’d shortlist studios that understand fashion/DTC, Shopify, UX, and CRO—not just firms that make pretty websites.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — Best for a fashion-forward boutique
   • Chicago-based digital design/ecommerce agency with a strong emphasis on premium beauty, fashion, and DTC brands.
   • Good fit if you want the site to feel editorial and distinctive while still being designed around shopping behavior.
   • I’d put them near the top if your brand identity and visual merchandising are major priorities.

2. Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for serious Shopify/CRO work
   • Downtown Chicago agency focused heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX, personalization and conversion optimization.
   • Their approach goes beyond the redesign into ongoing optimization, which is useful if you want to keep testing product pages, navigation, AOV and checkout after launch. www.conspireagency.com

3. The Chicago Web Co. — Best boutique Shopify specialist
   • Chicago-based and specifically focused on Shopify. Their services include custom design/development, UX audits and CRO.
   • They have substantial fashion/consumer experience, including work for brands such as Mielle Organics and Stan's Donuts. Their Shopify Partner profile also lists clothing/fashion as an industry specialization. www.shopify.com
   • The Chicago Web Co.

4. Orbit Media Studios — Best for strategy + content + conversion
   • Established Chicago web studio with a strategy-heavy approach to UX, information architecture, content and conversion.
   • I'd consider them if the redesign also needs stronger brand storytelling, SEO/content, or a broader digital strategy—not merely a Shopify facelift.

5. Forix — Best if conversion optimization is the #1 requirement
   • Their Chicago Shopify offering specifically centers on traffic analysis, funnel analysis, analytics-informed redesigns and CRO. They even advertise starting with a page redesign before committing to a larger engagement. www.conspireagency.comforixcommerce.com
   • Forix Chicago Shopify

6. Web Tonic — Best for a performance-first Shopify build
   • Positions its Chicago practice around CRO-first Shopify stores, mobile performance, checkout optimization, AOV and retention.
   • Particularly interesting if your boutique already gets meaningful traffic and you want the redesign tied directly to revenue metrics rather than subjective design preferences. www.webtonic.io
   • Web Tonic Chicago Shopify

Who I'd contact first

For a modern Fulton Market boutique, I'd talk to Elevate Studios, The Chicago Web Co., and Praella first.

I'd frame the brief around:

• Mobile-first shopping experience
• Editorial/luxury visual direction without sacrificing usability
• High-converting collection and product pages
• Strong merchandising/navigation
• Faster mobile performance
• Reviews, social proof and trust signals
• Upsells/bundles to increase AOV
• Email/SMS capture and post-purchase flows
• Analytics + heatmaps before redesign
• A/B testing after launch, rather than declaring the project finished at launch

One important thing: ask each studio to show you before/after conversion metrics from comparable fashion or DTC clients, not just screenshots. A beautiful redesign that doesn't improve add-to-cart and checkout completion isn't necessarily a successful ecommerce redesign.

If you tell me your approximate budget ($10–25k, $25–50k, $50k+) and whether you're on Shopify, I can narrow this to the 3 studios I'd actually interview, including what I think each is best suited for.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/retail UX and can prove they optimize for conversion, mobile shopping, merchandising, and AOV—not just visual polish.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest overall for a sophisticated Shopify build
   • Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist with UX/UI and customer-experience expertise.
   • Good fit if you want a premium, highly customized storefront rather than a theme refresh.
   • Particularly attractive if you anticipate personalization, subscriptions, or more complex ecommerce functionality.

2. Ethercycle — strong boutique/independent-brand option
   • Chicago-area Shopify-focused studio specializing in custom themes and practical ecommerce strategy.
   • I'd consider them if you want a smaller, hands-on team rather than a large agency.

3. Marcel Digital — best if measurement/CRO is a major priority
   • Their offering combines web development with analytics, CRO, SEO and performance marketing.
   • Better suited if you want the redesign to become an ongoing experimentation/optimization program rather than a one-off launch.

4. Sixth City Marketing — performance-marketing-heavy option
   • Combines ecommerce/web work with SEO, paid media and CRO.
   • Worth interviewing if you'll be driving significant paid traffic to the new store and want design + acquisition thinking under one roof.

5. Uncap — technically strong Shopify option
   • Chicago-based Shopify agency with particular strength in complex ecommerce, integrations and Shopify Plus.
   • Probably more technical than you need for a straightforward boutique, but compelling if your inventory/POS/ERP requirements are complicated.

Two specialists I'd also put on the pitch list

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly relevant to a fashion boutique: its Shopify Partner profile lists clothing/fashion, store redesign and conversion-rate optimization, and its own site highlights mobile-first Shopify builds and CRO. It also has fashion/beauty work including Calvin Klein and Mielle Organics. www.shopify.com

The Chicago Web Co.

Web Tonic is another interesting fit because it explicitly positions its Chicago Shopify work around CRO, mobile speed, merchandising, AOV and retention, including fashion/apparel. www.webtonic.iowww.shopify.com

Web Tonic Chicago Shopify design

What I'd ask each studio

Don't just ask “Can you redesign my Shopify site?” I'd ask:

• Show me 2–3 fashion/retail ecommerce redesigns and their before/after conversion results.
• How will you improve product discovery, collection pages, PDPs, mobile navigation and checkout?
• Will you establish a conversion baseline before redesigning?
• Do you run A/B tests after launch, or does the engagement end at launch?
• How will you improve AOV through merchandising, bundles, cross-sells or recommendations?
• Who actually designs the site—the senior strategist/designer I meet, or a junior production team?
• Can you work with my existing Shopify/POS/inventory setup?
• What's included in post-launch optimization?

For your particular situation, I'd interview The Chicago Web Co., Praella, and Web Tonic first. They seem closest to the intersection of fashion aesthetics + Shopify + conversion-focused ecommerce, which is more valuable for a Fulton Market boutique than a generic Chicago web-design firm. www.shopify.com

If you tell me your approximate redesign budget (e.g. $10–20k, $20–50k, $50k+) and whether you're on Shopify, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and give you a suggested project scope/RFP to send them.

Absolutely. For a modern boutique ecommerce redesign in Fulton Market, I’d prioritize studios that understand fashion/beauty/lifestyle merchandising and can prove they improve conversion rate, AOV, mobile UX, and checkout performance—not just make a beautiful site.

My Chicago shortlist

1. YourPortal — strong small/midsize fit
   • Chicago-based and specifically offers Shopify migrations, audits, custom design/development, integrations, and ongoing optimization.
   • Good choice if you want a hands-on partner rather than a giant agency.

2. Design In Chicago — best nearby creative option
   • Located right in West Loop, so particularly convenient given your Fulton Market move.
   • Combines branding, UX/UI, Shopify/WooCommerce ecommerce, landing pages, SEO and paid marketing.
   • I'd consider them if the redesign needs to connect your physical boutique identity with the online experience.

3. Praella - eCommerce Agency — stronger Shopify/ecommerce specialization
   • Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus agency with experience across fashion, beauty and consumer brands.
   • Better fit if you're contemplating a substantial replatform, complex integrations, or a more sophisticated Shopify build.

4. Ethercycle — ecommerce-first specialist
   • Chicago-area Shopify studio focused specifically on ecommerce rather than general corporate web design.
   • Their offering includes CRO, ongoing optimization and Shopify development, which is attractive if sales performance is the primary KPI.

5. Marcel Digital — analytics/CRO-heavy option
   • Their Chicago office is in River North, and their capabilities span UX, CRO, analytics, SEO and development.
   • I'd shortlist them if you already have meaningful site traffic and want the redesign driven by behavioral data and testing, rather than primarily creative direction.

One more I'd interview

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting for a boutique/fashion brand. Shopify's own partner directory lists them as Chicago-based, with services including store redesign, checkout upgrades and CRO, and industries including clothing/fashion and health/beauty. www.shopify.com Their site says they've launched 1,200+ Shopify stores and highlights fashion/beauty work including Mielle Organics and Calvin Klein. chicagoweb.co

If it were my boutique

I'd interview The Chicago Web Co., Design In Chicago, and Ethercycle first.

I'd give all three the same brief:

“We want a visually elevated Fulton Market boutique aesthetic, but conversion rate and revenue come first. Show us how you'd redesign the homepage, collection pages, PDP, cart and mobile experience—and tell us what you'd measure after launch.”

That will quickly separate a pretty-site agency from a genuine ecommerce growth partner.

For a more explicitly CRO-first Shopify option, Forix is also worth a look: its Chicago Shopify practice specifically describes traffic/funnel analysis, page-level redesigns, UX, speed and conversion optimization. forixcommerce.com

If you tell me your boutique category (fashion, jewelry, beauty, home, etc.), current platform (Shopify/WooCommerce/etc.), and rough redesign budget, I can narrow this to 3 studios and compare likely price range, strengths, relevant portfolios, and who I'd hire.